Wilson Harris is a modern version of the Renaissance humanist: his concern as an artist bears on all aspects of life, and, in his style of expression, he transcends all notions of genre. The main bulk of his work is in fiction, but his novels have also been interpreted as long poems in prose or as philosophical reflections. His experimentation with language makes him one of the most original and powerful writers of the twentieth century. He has often been called a "difficult" novelist. This comes from his unfailing dedication to the truth of his vision, the complexity and richness of which demands all the reader's attention and power of imagination. Harris never oversimplifies issues for the sake of clarity. His respect for the complexity of his art is only equalled by his faith in the reader's intelligence. He has frequently been compared with such visionary writers as...