What fascinates us about Science Fiction is its and inventiveness and ability to make us dream = and escape the attention seeking present and its certitudes. However, Science Fiction can also be stultifying and, at heart, nauseatingly conventional. Even the best Science Fiction can age fast and badly. However, Science Fiction when it is written by a great writer can be almost visionary.

Doris Lessing's book SHIKASTA is not perfect book and it is hard work, but the depth and breadth of its vision is daring and breath taking.