Brian W. Aldiss

Brian W. Aldiss wrote classic science fiction novels and explored the genre's history, but his discomfort with being a guiding spirit and pursuit of mainstream success characterized a lifelong ambivalence. Paul Kincaid explores the contradictions that underlay Aldiss's writing, including his wartime experiences in Asia and the alienation he felt upon returning to postwar Britain. These contradictions fueled the metaphorical underpinnings of Aldiss's work and shaped the evolution of postwar British science fiction.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 216 pages
Publication date: 14 June 2022
Publisher: University of Illinois Press

Brian W. Aldiss, a renowned author of classic science fiction novels, including "Report on Probability A" and "Hothouse," made significant contributions to the genre. His groundbreaking study, "Billion Year Spree," defined the essence of science fiction and traced its historical development. However, Aldiss's ambivalence towards the genre was evident in his pursuit of mainstream success and his discomfort with being a guiding spirit of the British New Wave. Paul Kincaid delves into the complexities of Aldiss's writing, exploring the contradictions that shaped his distinctive style. Aldiss's wartime experiences in Asia and the alienation he felt upon returning to postwar Britain influenced his themes and imagery, which often depicted the overwhelming nature of humanity and the madness of war, despite providing him with some of the happiest moments of his life. He also drew parallels between the static lives of Indian peasants and the rigid English society. Kincaid highlights how these contradictions created tensions that fueled the metaphorical underpinnings of Aldiss's work and played a significant role in shaping not only his long career but also the evolution of postwar British science fiction.

Weight: 322g
Dimension: 151 x 229 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780252086557