Items related to The Drowned World
Synopsis
A debut novel, set in London in the near future. The capital city has been flooded and transformed into a tropical location where social aberrations only serve as an indicator of the level of corruption of the modern mentality.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Review
This torrid, powerful 1962 novel--the 17th of Millennium's very strong SF Masterworks classic reprints--was a major turning point in J.G. Ballard's career. In this future our old world has been gradually drowned as global warming melts the ice-caps and primordial jungles and swamps have returned to tropical London, recreating the ancient ecology of the Triassic age. According to the logic of Ballardian "inner space", these Turkish-bath surroundings evoke the psychological suction of the deep past, calling the human "hindbrain" back to the enfolding warmth of the womb. The text is rich with dreamy phrases like "the fata morgana of the terminal lagoon" and "the brighter day of the interior, archaeopsychic sun". As various members of an expedition to London busy themselves with more or less futile schemes like draining Leicester Square in hope of loot, the passive central character Kerans moves in his own "neuronic odyssey" to a strange acceptance of and assimilation by this lushly transformed world, vanishing into a final epiphany of heat and light. There is little narrative drive or sense of story (fans of rip-roaring, action-adventure SF tend not to get on with Ballard). The Drowned World is a potent, sensual mood-piece--static, jewelled and unforgettable. --David Langford
Review
‘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
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherPenguin
- Publication date1974
- ISBN 10 0140022295
- ISBN 13 9780140022292
- BindingPaperback
- LanguageEnglish
- Number of pages176
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The Drowned World
Seller: Henniker Book Farm and Gifts, Henniker, NH, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Paperback. Condition: Very Good-. Dust Jacket Condition: No Dust Jacket. Very Good- Condition. No dust jacket. Front cover has a crease down the middle. Rear cover curling outwards slightly and a small (1/4 inch closed tear on the top corner along the spine). Pages are lightly toned. No marks on the text block. No marks of previous ownership or inscriptions. ; 12mo 7" - 7½" tall; 171 pages. Seller Inventory # 64412
Quantity: 1 available
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The Drowned World
Published by
Penguin Books, Middlesex & New York, 1976
ISBN 10: 0140022295
ISBN 13: 9780140022292
Used
Mass Market Paperback
Seller: DogStar Books, Lancaster, PA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Mass Market Paperback. Condition: Very Good+. Cover Art; 12mo 7" - 7½" tall; 171 pages; 1976 Penguin Books. Mass market paperback in glossy color pictorial covers. Reprint features the iconic cover art of David Pelham. Snugly bound and clean with no marks. Just mild shelf rub to cover edges; . Expected light general toning to page stock, heavier to the inside surface of the covers. VG+. Seller Inventory # 53882
Quantity: 1 available
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The Drowned World
Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Paperback. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.22. Seller Inventory # G0140022295I3N00
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The Drowned World
Seller: Hamelyn, Madrid, Spain
Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars
Condition: Muy bueno. A debut novel, set in London in the near future. The capital city has been flooded and transformed into a tropical location where social aberrations only serve as an indicator of the level of corruption of the modern mentality. EAN: 9780140022292 Tipo: Libros Categoría: Título: The Drowned WorldAutor: Ballard, J.G. Editorial: Penguin Books Formato: Libro de bolsillo. Seller Inventory # Happ-2024-03-20-53203818
Quantity: 1 available
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The Drowned World
Seller: Miranda Books, Easthampton, MA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Spine free of stress and creasing -- appears unread. First page clipped at corner. Near fine. Unmarked. Corners crisp. Color strong. Seller Inventory # 2409030003
Quantity: 1 available
Seller Image
The Drowned World
Published by
Penguin, (Middlesex, England), 1976
ISBN 10: 0140022295
ISBN 13: 9780140022292
Used
Softcover
Seller: Between the Covers-Rare Books, Inc. ABAA, Gloucester City, NJ, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Softcover. Condition: Near Fine. Reprint. Mass market paperback. Cover art by David Pelham. Rubbing on wrappers, near fine. Seller Inventory # 595909
Quantity: 1 available
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The Drowned World
Seller: Books & Bobs, Deeside, FLINT, United Kingdom
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Soft cover. Condition: Fine. Contents are tight and clean, with no inscriptions, no foxing, and no remainder mark. Some tanning to pages. Cover is in excellent condition, with just some slight shelfwear, but no creasing to spine. An excellent condition book, perfect for any collector of horror. 171pp. (11x18cm). Please contact us for any more information. Seller Inventory # 7510
Quantity: 1 available