You are absolutely right that Helliconia years are not the same as Earth years. It's been a long time since I read the Helliconia books (though they are definitely on my list to read again), but as far as I remember there does come a point (possibly in a later volume) when it is possible to work out rougly how long Helliconia (small) years are in relation to our own. Without recalling the details exactly I think Yuli, at 7 years old, is actually about 10 or 11 in Earth terms. So still very young.
Yes, you are quite right! Eventually the difference between the Helliconia small year, the long year and the Earth year are all detailed. It is some brilliant world building, astronomy wise and reading The Three Body Problem as I am at the moment I can't help wondering if the author was inspired by the Helliconias. Thanks for commenting!
I am rereading this now. It's the strangest thing - I sailed right through it when I was 18, and loved it. Now decades later, it find it slow going. That's the complete opposite of my normal pattern. Usually I have no problem now with books I struggled with when I was younger.
I actually enjoyed it more, this time around, but like I said I only read one of them and it definitely was not the first. I did that a lot when I was young and it rarely improves the reading experience.
This is one of my favourite trilogy series. However, me being an "oldie" (76!) i have a few up my sleeve. My ALL TIME fav is Isaac Asimov's Foundation Trilogy, way way ahead of its time (1942) and going back a tad further is C S Lewis's The Space Trilogy. In my top ten is Douglas Adams cult Hitchhikers Guide series....
I love the Hitchhiker's Guide, though the radio play will always be my favourite. Timely comment; I have just broken out Helliconia Winter this morning - I'll see how we go, but I am quite hopeful.
I enjoy your presentations. You described your take on the book exactly as i experienced it. Its a tough go but i am hoping the next two installments present a more cohesive and a little more character driven narrative. I know Aldiss is a magnificent writer, but i began to question my own ability to to fully understand and appreciate that. You seem to be a very dedicated SF follower and are leagues ahead of me. Thank you for sharing your thoughts as i find that there are hardly any others that have mentioned it.
Thank you for commenting, I am very glad you enjoy my reviews because I am loving how they give me more insight into the books I am reading. Aldiss really does make you question yourself doesn't he? I am really stubborn and refuse to be browbeaten by him BUT I can't help thinking it is a 'me problem' sometimes when I just don't get what his take home message is meant to be. I don't hold much hope for greater character driven stories from him, to be honest, but I will read them and find out. I have loved sci-fi pretty much my whole life, it is the journey though, that makes it interesting I think. Look forward to finding out what you think of the other Helliconias.
@OmnivorousReader I had to take a break after the 1st one. Read a small Bob Shaw book and have started an Anthology by Asimov/Greenberg of SF during the 70's. I have Helliconia Summer and Winter waiting on my shelf. I shared your channel with Michael K Vaughan in hopes he would share it on his. We need to get you some more exposure. I think it's very cool when a lady reads SF. You see a lot of commentary from a man's POV by you are truly refreshing and very thoughtful. And it's obvious you know the genre. Your insights are always welcome.
@@douglasreynolds7903 Thank you so much! By all means share away. I am loving how many sci-fi channels there are. Bob Shaw... I have head good things about his work, but I don't think I have ever encountered any of it. I am using We are Legion (we are Bob) by Dennis E. Taylor as an intermission in Helliconia.
@OmnivorousReader I have heard of that but have not ran across it yet or pursuid it. Do you lean toward vintage or classic SF, (to me anything up to the 1970's or early 1980's), or more contemporary productions? Any particular subgenre? I confess that I love a good space opera. But AI and alternate worlds are great also. I guess I like it all. What's your favorite? Any certain authors? Something about Silverberg keeps me coming back to him. But there are others as well. Sorry to be so nosey. I just like to see what others are in to. Thanks so much.
You are absolutely right that Helliconia years are not the same as Earth years. It's been a long time since I read the Helliconia books (though they are definitely on my list to read again), but as far as I remember there does come a point (possibly in a later volume) when it is possible to work out rougly how long Helliconia (small) years are in relation to our own. Without recalling the details exactly I think Yuli, at 7 years old, is actually about 10 or 11 in Earth terms. So still very young.
Yes, you are quite right! Eventually the difference between the Helliconia small year, the long year and the Earth year are all detailed. It is some brilliant world building, astronomy wise and reading The Three Body Problem as I am at the moment I can't help wondering if the author was inspired by the Helliconias. Thanks for commenting!
I am rereading this now. It's the strangest thing - I sailed right through it when I was 18, and loved it. Now decades later, it find it slow going. That's the complete opposite of my normal pattern. Usually I have no problem now with books I struggled with when I was younger.
I actually enjoyed it more, this time around, but like I said I only read one of them and it definitely was not the first. I did that a lot when I was young and it rarely improves the reading experience.
I'm excited to read the Helliconia trilogy, I really like the world building that Aldiss did with Hothouse. Cheers.
Hothouse totally wowed me... I hope you enjoy the Helliconias, I look forward to seeing what you think of them.
This is one of my favourite trilogy series. However, me being an "oldie" (76!) i have a few up my sleeve. My ALL TIME fav is Isaac Asimov's Foundation Trilogy, way way ahead of its time (1942) and going back a tad further is C S Lewis's The Space Trilogy. In my top ten is Douglas Adams cult Hitchhikers Guide series....
I love the Hitchhiker's Guide, though the radio play will always be my favourite. Timely comment; I have just broken out Helliconia Winter this morning - I'll see how we go, but I am quite hopeful.
I enjoy your presentations. You described your take on the book exactly as i experienced it. Its a tough go but i am hoping the next two installments present a more cohesive and a little more character driven narrative. I know Aldiss is a magnificent writer, but i began to question my own ability to to fully understand and appreciate that.
You seem to be a very dedicated SF follower and are leagues ahead of me. Thank you for sharing your thoughts as i find that there are hardly any others that have mentioned it.
Thank you for commenting, I am very glad you enjoy my reviews because I am loving how they give me more insight into the books I am reading.
Aldiss really does make you question yourself doesn't he? I am really stubborn and refuse to be browbeaten by him BUT I can't help thinking it is a 'me problem' sometimes when I just don't get what his take home message is meant to be. I don't hold much hope for greater character driven stories from him, to be honest, but I will read them and find out.
I have loved sci-fi pretty much my whole life, it is the journey though, that makes it interesting I think.
Look forward to finding out what you think of the other Helliconias.
@OmnivorousReader I had to take a break after the 1st one. Read a small Bob Shaw book and have started an Anthology by Asimov/Greenberg of SF during the 70's. I have Helliconia Summer and Winter waiting on my shelf.
I shared your channel with Michael K Vaughan in hopes he would share it on his. We need to get you some more exposure. I think it's very cool when a lady reads SF. You see a lot of commentary from a man's POV by you are truly refreshing and very thoughtful. And it's obvious you know the genre. Your insights are always welcome.
@@douglasreynolds7903 Thank you so much! By all means share away. I am loving how many sci-fi channels there are. Bob Shaw... I have head good things about his work, but I don't think I have ever encountered any of it. I am using We are Legion (we are Bob) by Dennis E. Taylor as an intermission in Helliconia.
@OmnivorousReader I have heard of that but have not ran across it yet or pursuid it. Do you lean toward vintage or classic SF, (to me anything up to the 1970's or early 1980's), or more contemporary productions? Any particular subgenre? I confess that I love a good space opera. But AI and alternate worlds are great also. I guess I like it all. What's your favorite? Any certain authors? Something about Silverberg keeps me coming back to him. But there are others as well. Sorry to be so nosey. I just like to see what others are in to. Thanks so much.
Wait - you said you're moving on to Helloconia Winter, but the second book is Summer.
Oops... my bad, I have started 'Helliconia Summer'