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A review by thomasgoddard
Hothouse by Brian W. Aldiss
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.