Helliconia
Helliconia is a planet that, due to the massively eccentric orbit of its own sun around another star, experiences seasons that lasts eons. Whole civilisations grow in the Spring, flourish in the Summer and then die in the brutal winters. The human-like inhabitants have been profoundly changed by their experience of this harsh cycle.
In orbit above the planet a terran mission struggles to observe and understand the effects on society of such a massive climatic impact.
Massive, thoroughly researched, minutely organised, full of action, pulp references and deep drama this is a classic trilogy.
2025 is the Centenary Year of Brian Aldiss
Brian Wilson Aldiss was born in 1925. He was a highly decorated science fiction author who achieved the rare feat of acceptance as a writer of real significance by the literary establishment in his lifetime. As well as his many award-winning novels he has been a hugely important anthologist and editor in the field. He also wrote the pre-eminent history of the genre (with David Wingrove), Trillion Year Spree. He died in 2017 the day after his 92nd birthday.