Brian Aldiss marked the centenary year of H G Wells' birth with this ingenious novella combining comedy, terror and, intriguingly, late nineteenth-century period charm. In a sleepy East Anglian town we meet Bruce Fox and Gregory Rolles - two young men who have sworn to Think Large in order to distinguish themselves from the masses of Cottersall. When a meteor lands in the pond of a local farm, Gregory seeks the advice of Mr Wells...Nine short stories complete the collection, including the highly autobiographical 'Girl and Robot With Flowers', which was taken up as a seminal story demarcating the new SF from the old. AUTHBIO: Brian Wilson Aldiss is 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 recently celebrated his seventy-fifth birthday and is still writing to ardent applause.