James Nicoll Reviews

Brian Aldiss’ 1958 Non-Stop is a stand-alone science fiction novel.

Roy Complain is unhappily married to Gwenny. This is only one of the many ways in which Complain’s life is not what he might hope. His nomadic tribe, the Greenes, is surrounded by ever-growing greenery and hostile rival tribes. Life is unpleasant and short, defects which curiously do not compensate for each other.

Among her unwomanly characteristics, Gwenny is consumed with a passion for hunting. Complain grudgingly gives in to her demands to accompany him. Consequences follow.

Read more ➤

Brian W. Aldiss’ 1976 Galactic Empires Volume One and Volume Two delivers what the title promises: two anthologies whose unifying theme is galactic empires.

Almost all of the stories could be considered vintage even by the standards of 1976.

Galactic Empires was well suited for my purposes this week, and not just because the two volumes fit nicely into the unused space in my shoulder bag.

Read more ➤

Brian W. Aldiss’ 1967 Report on Probability A is a stand-alone New Wave science fiction novel.

​“Novel” might raise inappropriate expectations. Say rather, ​“a novel-length narrative.”

Read more ➤

1985’s Helliconia Winter is the third and final volume in Brian W. Aldiss’ Helliconia trilogy. 

General Luterin Shokerandit wins the battle of Isturiacha, crushing the forces of Campannlat. He returns to the capital to deliver news of his victory to the Oligarch of Sibornal, expecting a wondrous reward for his service.

His reward? Death.

Read more ➤

1983’s Helliconia Summer is the middle volume in Brian Aldiss’ Helliconia trilogy. 

Helliconia’s climate is driven by the proximity of Helliconia to the giant star Freyr, about which Helliconia and its sun Batalix orbit. Currently Batalix and Helliconia are approaching periapsis and temperatures are soaring. Many devout people in the tropical continent Campannlat fear Freyr will consume them all. 

Unbeknownst to Helliconia’s natives, their activities are monitored from above by the space station Avernus. Certain curious practices on Avernus will greatly complicate the already fraught politics of the kingdom of Borlien.

Read more ➤

Brian W. Aldiss’ 1982 Helliconia Spring is the first volume in his hard SF¹ Helliconia trilogy, which, curiously contrary to publishing tradition, appears to consist of three, and only three, books. 

In many respects — age, mass, density, insolation, the presence of complex organic life, even the presence of a humanoid native species — the distant world Helliconia is much like Earth. In one very significant respect Helliconia is very different from Earth. That difference has driven the course of civilization on Helliconia for longer than its sentient inhabitants can remember.

Read more ➤

1962’s Hugo-winning Hothouse is a standalone SF novel by Brian Aldiss.

In a distant future, the Earth is tide-locked to the Sun, while the Moon has retreated to one of the Earth-Sun Lagrange points.On the illuminated side of Earth, a vast banyan tree dominates the land. In this overheated world, voracious plants dominate. Only four groups of insects still exist on the banyan-dominated land: wasps, bees, ants and termites. All other animals are extinct.

All, save for the stunted, degenerate descendants of humanity.

Read more ➤