[1] His works engage with humanist themes and questions of AI and animal ethics.
[2][3][4] His debut novel, The Mountain in the Sea, focuses on the discovery of a society of intelligent octopuses off the coast of Vietnam, and was the winner of the 2023 Locus Award for Best First Novel.
[10][11][12][13] His third novel, a "near-future thriller" titled Where the Axe is Buried is set to be released on April 1, 2025.
[14] Nayler previously served in the Peace Corps and was a US Foreign Service officer, working in Russia and Central Asia.
[15] He also served as Press Attaché at the United States Embassy in Baku, Azerbaijan, and Environment, Science, Technology, and Health Officer at the U.S. consulate in Ho Chi Minh City.