Jocasta

by Brian W. Aldiss

A Theban adventure from the master of Science-Fiction, here proving himself adept at imagining historical worlds. Part of the Brian Aldiss Collection.
In Jocasta, Aldiss brings vividly to life the ancient world of dreaming Thebes: a world of sun-drenched landscapes, golden dust, sphynxes, Furies, hermaphroditic philosophers, ghostly apparitions and ambivalent gods. Jocasta is also a strikingly effective contemplation of an older world order where the human mind is still struggling to understand itself and the nature of the world around it.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy

ebook

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Pseudonyms: Jael Cracken, Peter Pica, John Runciman, C.C. Shackleton, Arch Mendicant, & "Doc" Peristyle.

Brian Wilson Aldiss was one of the most important voices in science fiction writing today. He wrote his first novel while working as a bookseller in Oxford. Shortly afterwards he wrote his first work of science fiction and soon gained international recognition. Adored for his innovative literary techniques, evocative plots and irresistible characters, he became a Grand Master of Science Fiction in 1999.
Brian Aldiss died on August 19, 2017, just after celebrating his 92nd birthday with his family and closest friends.

Brian W. Aldiss Group on Good Reads

Reviews

[Nicholas Whyte · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://fromtheheartofeurope.eu/jocasta-by-brian-aldiss/

This was one of the books I got Brian Aldiss to autograph in Forbidden Planet in 2015, a year before he died, published in 2004. It’s a retelling of the Theban Plays, but told largely from the point of view of Jocasta, Oedipus’s wife and mother, as her family and her world disintegrate. It also includes a short story relating the Antigone narrative to political oppression today.

I really enjoyed both parts. The Jocasta story is particularly strong, the title character dealing with supernatural creatures loose in the palace, her aged grandmother communing with the old powers, her teenage children being brats, appearances from Sophocles and other voices from the future, and the claws of destiny slowly closing around her husband. Long long ago I saw Pasolini’s Edipo Re (a very unsuccessful first date), and I’m sure that Aldiss was familiar with it too, as I am sure I detected echoes of it. The Antigone postscript takes a different approach with mixed timelines, but I enjoyed it too.

[Elaine Aldred · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you associate Brian Aldiss purely with science fiction writing, then ‘Jocasta’ is worth reading if only to demonstrate just what an astounding author he is. Certainly, there are surreal moments, such as a time-travelling Sophocles who makes more than one dramatic appearance and the Sphinx and griffins appear as household pets. But this is a novel of many layers and sophisticated writing.
‘Jocasta’ is a re-telling of Sophocles' Theban tragedies about Oedipus and Antigone. However, this time it is Jocasta, mother and wife of Oedipus in this complex Greek tale of familial interconnections, who takes most of the limelight. The novel does indeed have the feel that any moment you will encounter the direction of ‘enter stage left’, but that only adds to realization of what an astounding work this is.
It is an epic that is at the same time intimate. Majestic gestures are combined with moments of exquisite detail. There are also episodes of great humour (particularly where Jocasta’s grandmother Semele is concerned), but at the same time the darkness of the unfolding and tragic events are never far away. Aldiss has chosen carefully who he wants to put centre stage and woven the development of their characters brilliantly within both the action and dialogue.
It is a time where humans are questioning the degree to which the gods can influence their lives. The way the novel is written encourages you to read on to see if Aldiss has manoeuvered the players away from a predestined fate that some of them attempt to change with a vigour that is both ruthless and heartbreaking.

[Boris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Messy and often absurd yet entertaining retelling of Sophokles’ Theban plays, most importantly his ‘Oedipus Tyrannus’. I was more than mildly annoyed by the many historical errors: Bronze Age Greeks would not have any knowledge of tomatoes or orange juice, nor would they give their horses Latin names like Vocifer. I did appreciate the novelty of Iocasta knowing all along who Oedipus actually was and the suppressed guilt that notion entailed.

[Terence]

5 out of 10.

[Irwan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A stylish retelling of two Sophocles' plays. Haven't read the original but heard about Oedipus in different context.

Komentar saya di Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiLRT...

[Maria Beltrami · Rating 4 out of 5]

As Sophocles spoke about Oedipus so Aldiss speaks of Jocasta, the mother and wife of Oedipus, and make her the protagonist of her own destiny. Makes her speak and vibrating whyle Oedipus is a slave of his male mind so, because of his inability to be flexible, easy prey of events. The final part of the novel, which concerns Antigone, however, is perhaps the most amazing and authentically science fictional part of the entire novel.
So what, Aldiss is Aldiss, nothing can rely on his writing and his ability to handle the narrative material.
Thanks to HarperCollins UK, and Netgalley for giving me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Come Sofocle parlò di Edipo così Aldiss parla di Giocasta, madre e moglie di Edipo, e la rende protagonista del suo destino. La fa parlare e vibrare laddove Edipo è schiavo della sua mente maschile e quindi facile, a causa della sua incapacità di essere flessibile, preda degli eventi. La parte finale del romanzo, che riguarda Antigone, è forse però la parte più sorprendente e autenticamente fantascientifica dell'intero romanzo.
Che dire, Aldiss è Aldiss, nulla si può eccepire sulla sua scrittura e sulla sua capacità di maneggiare la materia narrativa.
Grazie a HarperCollins UK, e Netgalley per avermi concesso una copia gratuita in cambio di una recensione onesta.

[SweatingHeads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jocasta pulls at my heart strings of sympathy, while finding her lack of accountability irritating.

It’s interesting to watch her try to fight the inevitable, even while willing playing into the cards by recognizing her son immediately when reuniting, and knowingly marries and produces kids with him. Greatly aware their existence is a sin, a sin she has incredible guilt over. Even in the end unwilling to admit to her faults. Leaving her children to a society now aware they’re a product of incest.
I also thoroughly enjoyed that the Sphinx had more to her character, instead of immediately dying after Oedipus solved her riddle.

My only complaint is Jocasta meeting Sophocles. To be told her existence is just a character for his play. It felt very out of place, and unneeded of a character already refusing to acknowledge her designated fate. Otherwise very rereadable, i enthusiastically enjoyed her grandmother Semele and her nonsensical ramblings.

[Theediscerning · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bearing in mind I've read Aldiss since the start of my adult reading life, and bearing in mind I have quite a connection to the subject matter here, having played Creon on stage, I have to say I really didn't find favour with this retelling of the Oedipus legend. From the get-go everything is turned up to eleven, with an idea to heighten each and every element. So the vocabulary is unnecessary, the mentions of sexuality as removed from our current morals as they can be are tiresome, and the visual approach to creating a world peopled by pet griffins, sphinxes et al is just too much. The ageless narrative style is but one more thing I found disfavour with, as Aldiss pulls out all the stops to make the book as rich as he can, only for us to be quite alienated by it all. And that when he's been imagining the (rarefied) human voice of each and every character, so that the females involved (and even Dophocles himself) get their full story told. Frankly, I preferred the original – although the sequel (of sorts) contained in these pages as a short story went some way to redressing the damage done.

[GONZA · Rating 4 out of 5]

I admit that I expected a science fiction story, I mean, we're talking about Aldiss here, but instead I found myself re-reading Sophocles and to be precise the "Oedipus the King" and "Antigone", the fact is that no matter how different these two stories from the original version are, they are just beautiful and even if he made some change, especially the end of Antigone, this book is absolutely a must read.

Ammetto che mi aspettavo un racconto di fantascienza, voglio dire, stiamo parlando di Aldiss qui, ma invece mi sono trovata una rilettura di Sofocle e per essere precisi l'"Edipo re" e l'"Antigone", fatto sta che per quanto diverse dall'originale queste due storie nella versione di Aldiss sono proprio belle e anche riviste, specialmente il finale dell'Antigone. Da leggere.

THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND HarperCollins UK, HarperPress/4th Estate/The Friday Project FOR THE PREVIEW!

[Micah Horton hallett · Rating 3 out of 5]

A retelling of the Theban plays, centering Jocasta. I love that Jocasta was finally given a voice, but the work as a whole doesn't actually add that much. It was Kind of like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead- but with only a fraction of the wit, humour and metaphysical exploration. Still a good read.

[kathyrn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jocasta is the retelling of the Oedipus myth by the British science fiction writer
Brian Aldiss. Read as a netgalley copy.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit silly.