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M John Harrison: ‘If we met a real alien we’d have no clue what they thought’
At 80, SF author M John Harrison is producing some of his best work. He talks about finding his voice, alien intelligence and the advice from Iain Banks that still spurs him on
TL;DR
- M. John Harrison's new novel, "The End of Everything," features enigmatic alien lifeforms, the iGhetti, ruling a disintegrating Britain.
- Harrison aims to convey the alienness of true otherness, focusing on the reader's sense of incomprehensibility rather than definitive explanations.
- The author, now 80, reflects on his career, early influences like J.G. Ballard and Michael Moorcock, and advice from Iain Banks about writing with more 'fun'.
- Harrison's work, including the acclaimed "Climbers" and the Goldsmiths prize-winning "The Sunken Land Begins to Rise Again," is characterized by depth, density, and a unique sense of place.
- He describes his creative process as channeling a different, more capable voice, and finds motivation in tackling complex literary and existential problems.