A Chinese Perspective

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.

Reviews

‘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

About the author

Brian Aldiss, OBE, was a fiction and science fiction writer, poet, playwright, critic, memoirist and artist.

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.

Passing away in 2017, over the course of his life Aldiss wrote nearly 100 books and over 300 short stories – becoming one of the pre-eminent science fiction writers of the 20th and 21st century.