J. G. Ballard
Probably best known for Empire of the Sun (1984) but, in days gone by, the
author of some wonderful 'soft' science fiction; i.e. that branch of the genre which
concerns itself with the human condition rather than fussing about with space-ships and
whatnot. Ballard was born in Shanghai, in 1930, and famously interred with his family in a
civilian prison camp following the attack on Pearl Harbour. The family moved to England in
1946, where Ballard studied medicine at Cambridge before embarking upon the career that
would finally lead to the publication of his first novel, The Drowned World, in
1962.
His less well-known publications include:
- The Crystal World (1966) - I particularly enjoyed The Crystal World as
a teenager, and then again in my mid-40s. Probably there were different attractions each
time, but clearly this book is a cut above the usual to possess such enduring appeal. The
book jacket description of Ballard's writing as "hallucinogenic" can be very
apt, as in this book. United States
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- The Drowned World (1962) - Less so of The Drowned World, a more
conventional SF tale, except in respect of the central character's ultimate fate which is
more typical of fantasy than SF - and very Ballard - but perfectly congruent with the
story. This was Ballard's first novel. United States
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- Vermillion Sands (1971) - Vermillion Sands is a strange one, well-deserving
of the hallucinogenic mantle, and
another title (it is a series of inter-related short stories) which appealed to both the
adolescent and middle aged me. United States
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- A User's Guide to the Millenium (1997) - I was looking for something to occupy
an evening at a trailer park in Lightning Ridge, NSW, when I bought User's Guide.
It fitted the bill, but, alas, the New Worlds sanctimony (if you've ever read an
issue of NW, you'll know exactly what I mean) was much in evidence, and holds the
book back from worthiness. The chapter on de Sade is a blast, though - of course! - far
less so than the actual 120 Days; now that is something we of sheltered
lives have to steel ourselves for. And, sure, I'm thankful for that. United States
(Amazon.com) / International
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