The Chronicles of Amber
Both of Asher's parents are educators and science fiction fans. Although he began writing speculative fiction in secondary school, Asher did not turn seriously to writing until he was 25. He worked as a machinist and machine programmer and as a gardener from 1979 to 1987. Asher identifies "The Lord of the Rings", "The Hobbit" and other fantasy work including Roger Zelazny’s "The Chronicles of Amber" series as important early creative influences.