FORGOTTEN LIFE

A better title for this 1989 Brian Aldiss book would be "Forgotten Novel". Why is this novel written by the great science fiction author so unappreciated? I have done a lot of searching on the internet and can't find a single review of this book. Did the Hugo Award winner lose his touch by writing a realistic novel in lieu of science fiction? I don't know the answer, but I plunged into it anyway. I have to admit that while well written, the plot seemed thin and boring, and nearly every character was a writer or a wannabe writer.

The main character is Clement Winter, a Analytical Psychologist, who is considering writing a book about his recently deceased brother Joseph, a writer of Far East books. Clement is married to Sheila, a.k.a. Green Mouth, the famed fantasy writer of the planet Kerinth. (I think it is a planet, anyway.) See what I mean about the writers? The bulk of the information Clement collects about his brother Joseph is from, you guessed it, letters and journals written by Joseph.

As Clement delves into his brother's life, he finds psychological problems with Joseph that stem from his relationships with his mater and pater (the names he uses for his parents). He also discovers the interesting life Joseph led during the World War II campaign in Burma as a member of the famed English Forgotten Army. One of the best parts of the book is the wartime romance Joseph had in Sumatra with Mandy, a married Chinese woman. Later in life, he meets Lucy, his last love and nuclear disarmament protester.

There are many subplots mainly focusing on Clement and Sheila's on and off again relationship and the mysterious housekeeper Michelin from France. Clement brings up a interesting theory that a person can have an anima vision and reverse his thoughts about the life he led. Is that what Joseph had at the books ending? I struggled with this novel; sometimes I thought I knew what the plot was and other times didn't. This book is forgotten for unknown reasons, but at least it will have one American review. If you can find the book, I recommend reading it for the sake of the 86 year old English master.

RATING: 3 of 5 stars

Comment: Since Aldiss was in Burma during World War II with the Royal Signals Regiment, the segment about Burma was well documented. Did you know that Brian is also a successful abstract artist? He is a two-time Hugo Award and one time Nebula Award winner. His most famous works are the Helliconia Trilogy and the novel Life In the West.
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