
As an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner, Menrva Books earns from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Even for a collection of Brian Aldiss stories, this book is unconventional. Many of these tales are interrelated, linked by their themes of life, death, and transformation. Commentary between the narratives shows how such themes are explored in storytelling - and, in one of the most amusing links, how a story may be stretched out until long after bedtime. The twenty stories almost become chapters in a long, curious, decidedly odd novel. Sometimes they are domestic, as in the tense "Making My Father Read Revered Writings"; sometimes they are startling and horrific, as in "Horse Meat." The disastrous human traits that make life infernal are here, as in "The Mistakes, Miseries and Misfortunes of Mankind," and so too are designs for a happier state of existence, as in "Three Moon Enigmas" and "Her Toes Were Beautiful on the Mountains." As is usual with Mr. Aldiss, humor is not lacking here, as in the profoundly Shakespearean "If Hamlet's Uncle Had Been a Nicer Guy," which demonstrates that the Prince of Denmark was losing the Battle of the Bulge, and in the bizarre glimpse of a cost-conscious heaven in "Evans in His Moment of Glory."
This collection of twenty interconnected narratives examines the fragile boundaries between the mundane and the surreal through a series of transformative encounters. The protagonist—or rather, the collective consciousness of the various narrators—seeks to reconcile the absurdity of human existence with the inevitable decay of life and death. These stories operate under a meta-narrative framework, where the author provides commentary between pieces to illustrate how storytelling itself can distort or extend reality. The characters are frequently trapped by their own disastrous traits, forced to navigate worlds that shift from domestic tension to horrific, otherworldly manifestations.
This collection reflects the author's signature blend of intellectual rigor and playful subversion of genre expectations. The work is characterized by its structural ambition, as the stories function as both independent vignettes and components of a larger, cohesive meditation on the human condition. Readers often note the sharp, biting humor present in the satirical pieces, which contrasts effectively with the more somber, introspective narratives. The inclusion of meta-commentary invites an analytical engagement with the text, positioning the book as a study of the mechanics of storytelling itself. The collection stands as a testament to the author's ability to maintain thematic consistency while exploring wildly disparate narrative landscapes.
Page Count:
333
Publication Date:
1995-01-01
Publisher:
Harper-Collins
ISBN-10:
000225364X
ISBN-13:
9780002253642
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!