Pile: Petals from St Klaed's Computer

by Brian W. Aldiss, Mike Wilks

Testi di Brian W. Aldiss illustrati in bianco e nero da Mike Wilks . 4to pp.circa 40 Rilegato (hardback) Ottimo (Fine)

Genres: Poetry, Art, Fiction

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1979

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

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a strange title to say the least- what you have here is an over sized book detailing the story by Brain Aldiss which is written in the form of a poem.

The book itself is illustrated by Mike Wilks who is most famous for the ultimate illustrated alphabet books.

Each page (or in some cases double page) is sumptuously illustrated showing events in that part of the poem. Now I cannot really describe the scenes as it really gives away the story since to be honest the book is only 36 pages long. However the sheer size and detail of it - make it a marvel to read.

Now Brian Aldiss is a bit of a character in the British science fiction circuit and apart from its knowledge and experiences he also has a truly kaleidoscopic range of material he has published include many which are treated as modern classics - okay this is not one of them but you can see the confidence in the mans work on each page.

Now I will not say this is his best work or that it it will take prize place in my collection but as a piece of experimental work from what feels a forgotten age of publishing this is a real find and one I am glad I stumbled across.

[Aaron · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is probably the kind of thing that Melnibonéans read to their kids.

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations were made first, the poem after. The drawings are the much stronger part. Pile is an amazing pastiche of every imaginable Western architectural style. It's really wonderful. The humans are interesting as well. The gender balance is way off. There is a line that says that women think Pile is hell. Anyways, it stood out.

Interesting experimental picture book for adults.

[Elise · Rating 5 out of 5]

shaped like a children's book
themed like psychedelic buddhism
in the language of jabberwocky
and the art of mc escher meets alice in wonderland

it's absolutely a trip. i'm hesitant to even leave this review because it is out of print and if you buy the last few copies on amazon i won't be able to get a backup

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so lucky to find this by chance in the poetry section of a local bookstore. I don't even normally read poetry and almost missed it. So, so glad I didn't. Every page of art is gorgeous and intricate in all its surrealist Boschian glory. If you're like me and love neo-medieval foolery and all that is bizarre, you will love this. The poetry is very over-the-top but I personally love literature that goes full ham and doesn't try to not be pretentious, so it works for me. It sounds like something straight out of a court jester's repertoire, but a little Seussian as well. It's the sort of thing that really needs to be read aloud instead of quietly to yourself.

[David McGrogan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is worth having for the stunning and disturbing art. The text, sadly, lets the side down; while I love Brian Aldiss, it seems that poetry is not exactly his forte. Too much of it is what Brits call 'sixth-form' and what Americans call 'sophomoric', and the rhythm and rhyme is frequently clumsy. (My favourite bad line: 'By hidden ways and secret circumbendibus/they reach the Oracle, all tremulous.' If you can put up with 36 pages of that kind of tripe while being satisfied with the beautiful pictures, then this book is for you!)

[Kenneth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lavishly illustrated book (by Mike Wilks) with quasi-medieval buildings. Brian Aldiss wrote a story to go with them, in poetic form, in the fantasy genre. Prince Scart is its ruler, and in his time, Pile crumbles and is swallowed up by something called Elip. Some of the characters in the later illustrations appear downright Lovecraftian.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

More an experience than a story, you soak up the atmosphere of the baroque, Ian Miller/Russ Nicholson-esque illustrations as the protagonist goes on a picaresque journey through a sort of Virinconium & its mirror image.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an obscure but fun little book. Aldiss was one of the big-name movers and shakers of British sf back in the day of the new wave and Moorcock's New Worlds; he and J.G. Ballard set the tone for experimental literary work of a generation, and I was surprised to find a book of his with which I was entirely unfamiliar. It's an oversized volume of illustrations by Mike Wilks with a long, narrative poem by Aldiss. The illustrations are delightful, very detailed, and it's fun to go over them repeatedly and find new little bits and pieces; imagine if Escher had done a Where's Waldo? Aldiss's poem isn't really great, but it's a lot of fun seeing the way he plays with the language and invents phrases to reach the description and have it all rhyme. And it all tells a nice little story, too.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Worth a look for the fantastic Escheresque illustrations, but the text doesn't live up to the pictures. The poem has its moments but the tone and quality of the verse is very uneven.

[Nicholas Whyte]

http://nhw.livejournal.com/948959.html[return][return]A rather peculiar conjunction of Aldiss (writing in verse for once) and Wilks (later famous for The Ultimate Alphabet) supplying a superb depiction of the crazed architecture of the city of Pile (and its mirror image Elip), plus the power-hungry prince Scart. Aldiss fan though I am, the gorgeous illustrations score over the written narrative.

[Erin Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strange both the poem and the pictures but, it works well together. Finding the details in the illustrations is a fun way to spend an afternoon.

[Anthony Faber · Rating 1 out of 5]

SF/Fantasy poem by Brian Aldiss, art by someone else. Not my cup of tea, but better than a lot of this ilk.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art's worth looking at, but the poem is hard to follow.