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The Drowned World

By J. G. Ballard
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Check link for latest rating. ( 20,311 ratings, 1,749 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Drowned World, a novel by J. G. Ballard, is set in a future where global warming has melted the polar ice caps, submerging cities under tropical lagoons. The protagonist, Dr. Robert Kerans, navigates this transformed landscape, grappling with the effects of environmental collapse and psychological evolution. As the remnants of civilization confront nature's dominance, themes of survival and transformation intertwine.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you enjoy surreal, post-apocalyptic narratives set in a world transformed by climate catastrophe. It explores themes of human adaptation and psychological transformation, drawing you into a vividly imagined future where the boundaries of civilisation and nature blur intriguingly.

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The Drowned World

When London is lost beneath the rising tides, unconscious desires rush to the surface in this apocalyptic tale from the author of ‘Crash’ and ‘Empire of the Sun’, reissued here with an introduction from Martin Amis.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

This fast-paced narrative by the author of Crash and Empire of the Sun is a stunning evocation of a flooded, tropical London of the near future and a foray into the workings of the unconscious mind.

Set in the future, Ballard imagines a world in which global warming has melted the ice-caps and primordial jungles and swamps have returned to a tropical London. As various members of an expedition to the city busy themselves with more or less futile schemes like draining Leicester Square in hope of loot, the central character Kerans moves to a strange acceptance of and assimilation by this lushly transformed world, vanishing into a final epiphany of heat and light.

The Drowned World is a potent, sensual mood-piece – jewelled and unforgettable.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Drowned World by J. G. Ballard is often praised for its evocative and haunting depiction of a post-apocalyptic landscape. John Sutherland of the Sunday Times regards Ballard as a leading British novelist, while Kingsley Amis recognises him as a standout figure in post-war fiction. The book is noted for its exploration of human psyche and vivid imagery, making it a compelling read for fans of speculative fiction.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780007221837

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 20 February 2006

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Fourth Estate Ltd

Contributors:

  • Introduction by Martin Amis

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 14.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 180g

Pages: 192

Collections

Fiction General Fiction J. G. Ballard Literary Fiction

About the Author

J.G. Ballard was born in 1930 in Shanghai, where his father was a businessman. After internment in a civilian prison camp, he and his family returned to England in 1946. His 1984 bestseller Empire of the Sun won the Guardian Fiction Prize and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. It was later filmed by Steven Spielberg. His controversial novel Crash was also made into an equally controversial film by David Cronenberg. His most recent novels include the Sunday Times bestsellers Cocaine Nights and Super-Cannes.

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