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.

Contents:
The saliva tree --
Danger, religion! --
The lonely habit --
A pleasure shared --
One role with relish --
Legends of Smith's Burst --
Day of the doomed king --
Paternal care --
The girl and the robot with flowers.