Get your own Free Home PageIf you are reasonably familiar with science fiction, you have probably heard of this book, since it is arguably the most famous history of science fiction that has been written. It started off in the mid-seventies under the banner Billion Year Spree (written by Aldiss on his own). By the mid-eighties, science fiction had gone through something of a renaissance--especially on the big screen with the advent of films such as Star Wars--and a new edition was called for. David Wingrove climbed on board, and presto, Trillion Year Spree was born.
From what I can tell, people's opinions of Trillion Year Spree vary considerably. Many people seem to dislike it because it doesn't shy away from expressing an opinion--and possibly a biased one at that. Perhaps they wanted an encyclopedia, rather than a comment on the genre. My verdict? Well I thought it was great. I have always been a fan of Aldiss's fiction, and I appreciated the viewpoint which this book gave, even if I didn't always agree with its conclusions.
The science fiction genre, this book argues, started in earnest with Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Although earlier works are covered to a degree, Trillion Year Spree argues that they don't fall into the realm of true science fiction; that they are more akin to fantasy or myth. Mary Shelley, on the other hand, deliberately set out to write a scientifically plausible, though fantastic, tale.
And so the history continues, from the beginnings of the genre right up to the present day (well, 1986 to be precise, which is a shame, because a lot of potentially interesting material is missed completely). As I've already mentioned, a lot of personal opinion goes into this history, both in terms of the general directions that science fiction has taken, together with the perceived intentions behind many of the styles that have been used, and in terms of the authors' opinions of individual works. One gets a good idea from this book of what one ought to read, which means that the book can serve as an introduction for the new recruit, as well as a refresher for the old hand.
In addition, (and let's not forget how important this is, folks) the book is an entertaining read. Its style is never dry, and the book is peppered with interesting, amusing, and relevant quotations.
I imagine that a lot of people will disagree with many of the opinions in the book, perhaps vehemently. I know that I did. For example, Trillion Year Spree contains the only broadly positive critique of the last three books in the Dune sequence that I have ever read! However, you cannot fail to appreciate the experience and insight into the genre that Brian Aldiss and David Wingrove bring with this book. This might not be the most comprehensive history of science fiction that has been published, but it is surely the most accessible. Highly recommended.
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