The Drowned World

Unfortunately - NOT a huge favourite, despite its appearance on numerous "best SF lists". The writing is wonderful. The characters are interesting. The plot is ... well the plot, such as it is, is pretty darn bizarre. Oops - was that a spoiler? Well - if bizarre, incomprehensible plots are a spoiler for you - as they generally are for me - then yes, please do consider it a spoiler.

HOWEVER - I do still plan to give the J.G. novels one more chance, with The Crystal World. I would also like to read "Empire of the Sun" - but my reading list is way too long.

If you would like some truly elevating prose from Mr. Ballard, I highly recommend some of his shorter fiction, for example - "The Drowned Giant".

There is another Ballard novel on this Classics of Science Fiction list - "The Crystal World" - that sounds fairly plausible - doesn't it? Of course, I thought the title "The Drowned World" was plausible - until it turned out that - no, that really would be a spoiler, and would violate the prime directive.

So I shall conclude with a special request "EARL GRAY - HOT" and depart the world-without-end ready room.