Short Science Fiction Story Review – Brian W Aldiss – Not For an Age
1955 – Friday Project Press – Spoiler alerts
A rather scary precursor to Groundhog Day, which wouldn’t be filmed for decades after this Aldiss take on the idea of living a single day over and over.
The hero, Rodney has lived his life out and died but suddenly he is reliving the worst day of his life again. Worse, each day it is replayed he has a different live audience watching, laughing as if enjoying a TV sit-com.
Rodney wants to change things but while being aware of and fully remembering, he can’t alter the actual events. He is powerless to deal with his wife’s suspected infidelity towards him.
He is actually a victim of a time grabbing carnival attraction, where viewers can observe episodes from the past as if on film except it is that piece of life being re-experienced on an endless loop – reduced to a scientific Hell.
Though I have had good and bad days there are none I’d like to relive this way.
Arthur Chappell
Image Credit » wall clock - taken by me
Comments
maramadalina wrote on January 14, 2015, 1:45 PM
I like your Science Fiction reviews. I like this genre.
MegL wrote on January 14, 2015, 1:55 PM
Some real greats here. Science Fiction was my favourite genre growing up. I still like it even now.
msiduri wrote on January 14, 2015, 5:02 PM
Oh, man, wouldn't this be hell on earth? Oh wherever he was.
AsADrivenLeaf wrote on January 14, 2015, 5:27 PM
I wouldn't want to relive the same mistakes I've done, even, to correct them. But I will correct my mistakes on the next level of existence -- forward.
BodieMor wrote on January 15, 2015, 10:19 AM
What an eerie concept! Like many of the old guard science fiction writers, did Aldiss write for "Twilight Zone" or "Outer Limits"? There is a series running on Prime Time TV here that I enjoy starring a Brit, which has a related premise. The hero, a forensic scientist, cannot die. Or remain dead, anyway. (I tend to be attracted to shows with (at least leaning on) SciFi themes.)