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 a new introduction from Martin Amis. Fluctuations in solar radiation have melted the ice caps, sending the planet into a new Triassic Age of unendurable heat. London is a swamp; lush tropical vegetation grows up the walls of the Ritz and primeval reptiles are sighted, swimming through the newly-formed lagoons. Some flee the capital; others remain to pursue reckless schemes, either in the name of science or profit. While the submerged streets of London are drained in search of treasure, Dr Robert Kerans – part of a group of intrepid scientists – comes to accept this submarine city and finds himself strangely resistant to the idea of saving it. First published in 1962, Ballard’s mesmerising and ferociously imaginative novel gained him widespread critical acclaim and established his reputation as one of Britain’s finest writers of science fiction. This edition is part of a new commemorative series of Ballard’s works, featuring introductions from a number of his admirers (including Robert Macfarlane, Martin Amis, James Lever and Ali Smith) and brand-new cover designs.
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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 a new introduction from Martin Amis.
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‘The most important British writer of the latter half of the 20th century’ Will Self ‘Powerful and beautifully clear … Ballard’s potent symbols of beauty and dismay inundate the reader’s mind’ Brian Aldiss ‘One of the brightest stars in post-war fiction. This tale of strange and terrible adventure in a world of steaming jungles has an oppressive power reminiscent of Conrad’ Kingsley Amis ‘Extraordinarily prescient … Ballard is a prophet’ Philip Pullman, Guardian ‘The terrifying thing about Ballard is his logic; is this science fiction or history written ahead of its time?’ Len Deighton
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• J. G. Ballard was at the forefront of modern British fiction for over three decades, achieving remarkable critical acclaim and commercial success. He has a large and very dedicated fanbase. • ‘The Drowned World’ was his first major published novel – and seems eerily prescient in today’s flooded England. • It will be given a stunning new cover treatment and reissued as part of an ongoing update of the J. G. Ballard series style. It will feature a fantastic new introduction by Martin Amis • ‘Empire of the Sun’, shortlisted for the Booker Prize, was made into a film by Steven Spielberg. ‘Crash’ was also later made into an equally controversial film by David Cronenberg. An all-star film adaptation of ‘High-Rise’ directed by Ben Wheatley and starring Tom Hiddleston is in production now. Competition: Martin Amis;Brian Aldiss;
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Produktdetaljer

ISBN
9780007221837
Publisert
2006-02-20
Utgiver
Vendor
Fourth Estate Ltd
Vekt
180 gr
Høyde
198 mm
Bredde
129 mm
Dybde
14 mm
Aldersnivå
00, G, 01
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Heftet
Antall sider
176

Forfatter
Introduction by

Biographical note

J. G. Ballard was born in 1930 in Shanghai. After internment in a civilian prison camp, 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. His controversial novel ‘Crash’ was made into a film by David Cronenberg. His autobiography ‘Miracles of Life’ was published in 2008, and a collection of interviews with the author, ‘Extreme Metaphors’, will be published in 2012. J.G. Ballard passed away in 2009.