Drowned World

by J. G. Ballard

Hardcover, 158 pages

English language

Published April 6, 1981 by Music Sales Corp.

OCLC Number:: 9864358

(9 reviews)

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.

(via 2014 Fourth Estate edition)

18 editions

Owl of Minerva reviewed The Drowned World by J. G. Ballard

Review of 'The Drowned World' on 'Goodreads'

2 stars

I have to say I was quite disappointed with this book. It has nothing of the schizophrenic collage nature that my first encounter with Ballard offered. Neither does it contain a interesting story nor interesting characters. Only the drowned world is fascinating and what keept me going. I also had gotten the false idea that this represented some early cli-fi which made the disappointment more severe. Even though there is the team of man's relation to nature it is hardly investigated properly so in the end the book was good enough to be read but hardly impressive.