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whogivesabook's review against another edition
4.0
I really really enjoyed this novel! Probably more than the book actually deserves.
We follow Gren (infected with a mushroom) as he negotiates an elevation in intellect and a relocation from the environment he was born to. A far-future earth where the vegetation has taken full-dominance over the land.
Moving across the earth from one terrible misadventure to the next, Gren and a rag-tag bunch of Tummy Belly Men are bound by fate.
After you’ve read it, you’ll understand.
I love the creatures Aldiss dreams up. That seems like the total point here. It is just a classic Odyssey which acts as an excuse to describe strange other-worldly (but still our world really) creatures and landscapes. Speculative fiction at its finest, almost entirely biological speculation too which is a special kind of speculation.
Honestly, this is a three star book at best... I just really enjoyed it because I’m particularly plant mad. It is pulp sci-fi. If you like it, you’ll overlook the nonsense. There is a lot of it. But if you’re too serious this one will be your kryptonite.
We follow Gren (infected with a mushroom) as he negotiates an elevation in intellect and a relocation from the environment he was born to. A far-future earth where the vegetation has taken full-dominance over the land.
Moving across the earth from one terrible misadventure to the next, Gren and a rag-tag bunch of Tummy Belly Men are bound by fate.
After you’ve read it, you’ll understand.
I love the creatures Aldiss dreams up. That seems like the total point here. It is just a classic Odyssey which acts as an excuse to describe strange other-worldly (but still our world really) creatures and landscapes. Speculative fiction at its finest, almost entirely biological speculation too which is a special kind of speculation.
Honestly, this is a three star book at best... I just really enjoyed it because I’m particularly plant mad. It is pulp sci-fi. If you like it, you’ll overlook the nonsense. There is a lot of it. But if you’re too serious this one will be your kryptonite.
ex_dente_leonem's review against another edition
5.0
A highly imaginative fever dream in the long, hot afternoon of the world.
raxus's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Child death
Moderate: Death and Body horror
megapolisomancy's review against another edition
4.0
It's probably been close to a decade since I've read this book and the image of the earth and the moon shrouded together by gigantic spiderwebs still sticks with me.
bundy23's review against another edition
DNF. 8%. The writing was a bit long-winded and the story didn't feel remotely real so, as usual, I gave up very early on. I'm not surprised that this is one of Neil Gaiman's favorites
stiricide's review against another edition
2.0
Everything I wanted to say was said better over here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/203476633?book_show_action=true&page=1
In short: It's a hastily scrambled together collection of 5 short stories. The world building is both exquisite and excruciating. The science is crap. The characters seem to be a rough afterthought giving Aldiss an excuse to describe more vegetable-things. The whole thing is like a horticultural futurist acid trip. Would it make a great concept album for a doom band? Probably. Do I ever want to read it again? God, no.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/203476633?book_show_action=true&page=1
In short: It's a hastily scrambled together collection of 5 short stories. The world building is both exquisite and excruciating. The science is crap. The characters seem to be a rough afterthought giving Aldiss an excuse to describe more vegetable-things. The whole thing is like a horticultural futurist acid trip. Would it make a great concept album for a doom band? Probably. Do I ever want to read it again? God, no.
fbone's review against another edition
4.0
I loved the world-building and the characters, plant, animal and human. The humans were a varied lot. Aldiss constantly surprised me with his inventiveness. The story reached a point where people have to make a choice basically stay with the familiar or leave to explore the unknown.