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Brian Aldiss began his career as a bookseller in Oxford (wonderfully described in his sadly out-of-print biography, Bury My Heart At W.H. Smith's. He went on to be newspaper literary editor and a film critic, but he is best known for a steady flow of science fiction books, beginning with Non-stop in 1958. Although to some degree associated with the New Wave writers of the 60s who brought sex and unremitting bleakness to science fiction, Aldiss has always had a human spark that gives him a wider appeal. It's a real shame that most of our favourite Aldiss books are out of print, but thanks to the Marketplace feature many of them are now available second hand.

The 80 Minute Hour. One of Aldiss's finest. As he was later to explore in the Unbound books, this is an Earth where the fabric of space and time is breaking down. It's a rolicking romp which overcomes all the devices Aldiss uses to make it uncomfortable - odd names like Choggles Chaplain and Devlin Carnate, a tendency of characters to burst into song and a huge cast. It manages to include everything from swords and sorcery to time travel and sub-atomic physics. In the end the attraction is resolving the seemingly incompatible happenings, which Aldiss does superbly. There's always an arch mix of reality and artificiality, down to the ending which combines the unexpected with a pure deus-ex-machina. Out of print, but copies available from Amazon Marketplace (under 'More Buying Choices') after clicking the store/shop button.

The Airs of Earth.   Not a great Aldiss, but eight poignant and imaginative short stories. Out of print, but copies available from Amazon Marketplace (under 'More Buying Choices') after clicking the store/shop button.

Brothers of the Head. Showing he wasn't stuck in the 60s, this 70s yarn strays into punk. Barry and Tom are Siamese twins, with a third head, dormant but sinister, growing out of Barry's left shoulder. The demonic violence of the twins' relationship is channelled into a punk group. Not a nice book, but memorable. Out of print in US, but copies available from Amazon Marketplace (under 'More Buying Choices') after clicking the store button.

Cracken at Critical A lovely conceit. Having written a story in the old 1940s pulp style, Aldiss has given it a framework story as to why it exists in an alternate world. He throws in murder, music and some excellent parody. It doesn't quite work as a great novel, but is well worth reading. Out of print, but copies available from Amazon Marketplace (under 'More Buying Choices') after clicking the store/shop button.

Dracula Unbound. Following the success of Frankenstein Unbound, Aldiss plundered the other great horror character. As with Frankenstein unbound, the fiction and the reality are mingled, so Bram Stoker appears as a character. Here, though, rather than put this down to space/time breakup, it is suggested that the whole story was genuine, and Stoker merely wrote it down. A key character links both books. Doesn't work quite as well as the other, but still a delight. Filmed in 1990, but it's hard to see this appropriate fare for B-movie king Roger Corman and it bombed. See Fantasy section for the original Dracula. Out of print in US, but copies available from Amazon Marketplace (under 'More Buying Choices') after clicking the store button.

Frankenstein Unbound.
A wonderful idea, brilliantly executed. Space/time breakdowns transport Joe Bodenland to 1816 from 2020. After he meets Victor Frankenstein he can't decide if Frankenstein is real, or that reality itself is collapsing. He meets Mary Shelley, whose half-written book is gathering dust in an attic. Jo can't decide if he's been sent as Frankenstein's conscience or Mary's muse. The ending on the arctic wastes is a bit of a let down, but the rest is brilliant. See Bio section for references to the original Frankenstein.

The Heliconia Trilogy.
Probably Aldiss's most popular work, the Heliconia trilogy follows life on a bizarre planet with a 3,000 year cycle round its sun, Freyr. Winner of the John Campbell Award this is of the epic mould, each book covering one season (which, as you'd imagine, are pretty long). Good, solid stuff.  Out of print, but copies available from Amazon Marketplace (under 'More Buying Choices') after clicking the store/shop button.

Jocasta.
A bit of a special one, this. Published in 2004, there are only 750 numbered and signed copies, in a very attractive binding. This is Aldiss at his most subtle - fantasy readers would recognize it as such, but arty types are likely to label it serious literary fiction, and they'd both be right. It's a re-telling of the story of Oedipus from the point of view of his mother, Jocasta. We haven't seen a review copy, but all the indications are that this is Aldiss to savour, in terms of his wonderful ability to capture atmosphere and to multi-layer interest and intrigue. As in his "Unbound" books, there's an intermingling of the characters and those responsible for telling the story. Sounds absolutely fascinating.

Non-stop.
Aldiss' first SF book, back in 1958. Certainly not his best, so it's rather a shame that it's this, rather than Frankenstein Unbound or the 80 minute hour that is still around. Even so, it's a well-written, enjoyable tale about life on a long distance generation ship, where the reality of what is happening has broken down and tribalism taken over. Out of print in US, but copies available from Amazon Marketplace (under 'More Buying Choices') after clicking the store button.

Space, Time and Nathaniel. Another excellent Aldiss short story collection, with more than usual warmth. Examples: T - the inhabitant of a machine that was built by an ancient race of non-humans had just one duty; to destroy a planet from our solar system. Time - every day, Rodney Furnell woke up to a groaning bedspring. Every day he leaned over and kissed his wife. Every day an audience laughed - it's the Truman Show idea, but written years and years earlier (I hope Aldiss made some money from the film). Nathaniel - an unlikely story told to "Nathaniel" of a man who brought prosperity to a backward world, just by filling in forms.Out of print in US, but copies available from Amazon Marketplace (under 'More Buying Choices') after clicking the store button.

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