A Chinese Perspective

Description

A major science fiction novella by the master of British science fiction. First published almost a quarter of a century ago, it is republished here in its own right for the first time. 'The best contemporary writer of science fiction.' - The Guardian 'The colossus of science fiction' - New Yorker On Earth, a spiritual and traditionalist China is the dominant global power but in Space, people live across a variety of artificial planetoids. Edward lives on one such planet as an inventor, building a device which gives predictions for the user's life. It's rather like a horoscope but it's science. Edward believes that everything in life can be predicted and accounted for if one could only access the correct data. Outside of work, Edward's only joy comes from Zenith, the woman he loves - despite knowing nothing about her or even what she looks like. They have only ever spoken through technology, but when he is sent to sell his invention on Earth, Edward decides to invite his new love along. Despite a lifetime of believing in the power of data and creating a device to control the future, revelations on Earth will rock his worldview in ways he couldn't predict... Set between outer space and an imagined, futuristic China, A Chinese Perspective is a classic, offering modern readers an insight into the balance between east and west as seen through golden age of science fiction.

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, many of which are being reissued as part of The Brian Aldiss Collection. Several of Aldiss' books have been adapted for the cinema; his story 'Supertoys Last All Summer Long' was adapted and released as the film AI in 2001. Besides his own writing, Brian has edited numerous anthologies of science fiction and fantasy stories, as well as the magazine SF Horizons. Aldiss is a vice-president of the international H. G. Wells Society and in 2000 was given the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award by the Science Fiction Writers of America. Aldiss was awarded the OBE for services to literature in 2005. He now lives in Oxford, the city in which his bookselling career began in 1947.

'Aldiss is a magician' Sunday 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 the truly prophetic figures of the space age... the colossus of science fiction' New Yorker 'Once again he demonstrates the power of his imagination.' Daily Mail