An overpopulated Earth of the near future seems bent on self-destruction. Colonising Mars is perhaps the only answer for the human race to survive. A select group of volunteers go on a one-way trip. They build six towers and here Aldiss enjoys exploring complex ideas like alternative realities and the universe as a life form. Mars has underground water and oxygen, precious gems and an incredible life in the form of an amphibian approximating the Permian period on Earth. All is very exciting except for the problem of babies either aborting or being still born. And so the plot thickens. This is brilliant stuff. By his own admission it is his “final science fiction novel”. He certainly bows out in style.
Colonists on Mars fight to prevent their own extinction in ';a suspenseful genre-bending combination of straight SF and mystery' (Booklist, starred review). Doomed by overpopulation, irreversible environmental degradation, and never-ending war, Earth has become a fetid swamp. For many, Mars represents humankind's last hope. In six tightly clustered towers on the red planet's surface, the colonists who have escaped their dying home world are attempting to make a new life unencumbered by the corrupting influences of politics, art, and religion. Unable ever to return, these pioneers have chosen an unalterable path that winds through a landscape as terrible as it is beautiful, often forcing them to compromise their beliefsand sometimes their humanityin order to survive. But the gravest threat to the future is not the settlement's total dependence on foodstuffs sent from a distant and increasingly uncaring Earth, or the events that occur in the aftermath of the miraculous discovery of native life on Marsit is the fact that in the ten years since colonization began, every new human baby has been born dead, or so tragically deformed that death comes within hours. The great Brian W. Aldiss has delivered a dark and provocative yet ultimately hopeful magnum opus rich in imagination and bold ideas. A novel of philosophy as much as science fiction, Finches of Mars is an exploration of intellectual history, evolution, technology, and the future by one of speculative fiction's undisputed masters.
'It's a terrific yarn, but more than that; as Aldiss casually throws out ideas and speculations, it's a reminder of why he's one of the giants of the field.' SFX Magazine
'A must-read for science fiction fans with the potential to be a modern classic.' We Love This Book
'Brian Aldiss is one of those writers who can stand back and look out across the vast fictional landscape of sciences fiction, and consider himself both a creator and a destroyer of worlds; a mortal God if you will.' Starburst Magazine
'Once again he demonstrates the power of his imagination.' Daily Mail
'This grandmaster of the genre, who has laid down many a milestone in his 60-year career, including classics such as Hothouse, Greybeard and the Helliconia trilogy, is retiring on a high note.' Financial 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 our best novelists.' William Boyd
Author
About Brian W. Aldiss
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.
