Brian Aldiss, OBE, is a fiction and science fiction writer, poet, playwright, critic, memoirist and artist. He was born in Norfolk in 1925. After leaving the army, Aldiss worked as a bookseller, which provided the setting for his first book, The Brightfount Diaries (1955). His first published science fiction work was the story ‘Criminal Record’, which appeared in Science Fantasy in 1954. Since then he has written nearly 100 books and over 300 short stories.

'It's a terrific yarn, but more than that; as Aldiss casually throws out ideas and speculations, it's a reminder of why he's one of the giants of the field.' SFX Magazine 'A must-read for science fiction fans with the potential to be a modern classic.' We Love This Book 'Brian Aldiss is one of those writers who can stand back and look out across the vast fictional landscape of sciences fiction, and consider himself both a creator and a destroyer of worlds; a mortal God if you will.' Starburst Magazine 'Once again he demonstrates the power of his imagination.' Daily Mail 'This grandmaster of the genre, who has laid down many a milestone in his 60-year career, including classics such as Hothouse, Greybeard and the Helliconia trilogy, is retiring on a high note.' Financial Times 'The titan of science fiction.' Telegraph 'Brian Aldiss is one of the most influential - and one of the best - SF writers Britain has ever produced.' Iain M Banks 'The best contemporary writer of science fiction.' Guardian 'One of our best novelists.' William Boyd