The Drowned World: A Novel

Unlike most entries in the post-apocalyptic fiction genre, J. G. Ballard's "The Drowned World" deals not with the immediate aftermath of a global calamity, but with the long-term psychiatric implications of such an event. Set some eighty years after an increase in solar activity has rendered most of the earth a tropical swamp, Ballard explores the human reaction to such a rapid change in geography and society at the most primal level.As such, it has more in common with the likes of Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" than "Alas, Babylon" or other contemporary works of apocalyptic fiction. In fact, in many ways it presents itself as a post-modern retelling of Conrad's journey into man's baser instincts. The main character, Dr. Kerans is an admirable stand in for Marolow, as like his literary predecessor he is both drawn to and repelled by his surroundings and what they do to him and those around him. Likewise, his aptly named nemesis Strangman is so reminiscent of Kurtz, including his almost cult-like relationship with Africans (more on that later) it is difficult not to picture him as a Marlon Brando type character.However, what separates the two novels, and keeps "The Drowned World" from being entirely derivative, is that Marlow has a civilization, a real civilization, to fall back upon. No matter his descent into the unknown, both internally and externally, there is always a thread, however tenuous, that he can use to pull himself back up out of the primitive. Kerans, on the other hand, is stuck in a global Congo, and the so-called civilization he could fall back upon is a mere shell of what it was, scratching out an existence above the Arctic and Antarctic Circles. As such, his backward drift into the primeval is both more intense and ultimately irrevocable.It is this backwards drift into something more primitive, but somehow better adapted to this new world that forms the compelling core of the narrative. His discussion of genetic memory, of the hard-coding of our response to our environment by millions of years of evolution is both believable and engaging, and has at least some foundation in fact as reflected by man's near universal dislike of such things as spiders and snakes. Wisely, Ballard doesn't attempt to draw any definitive conclusions, but rather leaves open the question of whether evolution is a one way street, or whether mankind is truly as adaptable as we suppose.Nicely juxtaposing this inner change is the change in society that necessarily attends such a radical change in the environment. Most of what is left of civilization is regimented under a quasi-military system, apparently under the auspices of the U.N., and what is left of the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Existing outside of this society are those who either refuse to let go, or who scratch out a living in a piratical sort of existence. Strangman is one of the latter, and he forms Ballard's most compelling character.Not explicitly bad, although almost certainly insane, he forms the question of whether the necessities of survival trump twentieth century morality, or if the two need not be mutually exclusive. As I mentioned above, his troop of African's forms the most puzzling aspect of "The Drowned World". It is unclear whether Ballard is indicating that because they are black they are more primitive mentally, or because they came from a more primitive setting geographically, they are better equipped for survival in this new world. Based upon the overall context of the novel I'm inclined to argue that the latter is the case, but I would be hard-pressed to categorically refute those who see racist overtones.Ultimately, "The Drowned World" is worth reading for its uniqueness in the genre. Forgoing questions of surivival which are taken as a given, it plumbs the depths of the human psyche looking for a more profound response to natural disaster. As Kerans slips deeper into his own mind the reader is left to question just how robust a creature man is. With our long-term survival left in doubt, Ballard leaves open the possibility of man evolving into something else or just going extinct. Although sometimes a little prone to lecturing, "The Drowned" world is still a fascinating and genuinely original contribution to the genre.Jake Mohlman

This book review is for the Drowned World by J.G. Ballard. The book I read is the one in the picture I provided.First thing I want to do is qualify this review. In all honesty, I didn't read the whole thing. After around the 5th or 6th chapter I started skimming sections. The descriptions were just too much for me. Tedium was setting in. I did read enough to get the gist of what was going on.I'll give it two stars only because the writer at least shows intelligence in his writing style. The problem is he chooses style over substance.I'm going to keep story details brief and not discuss the plot much... I did not like this story at all.I like post-apocalyptic stories. I don't like post apocalyptic stories that are very negative. I also don't like post-apocalyptic (or any story for that matter) in which characters don't behave in a logical or realistic way relative to the fictional world they are in.The author uses just too much detail. Yes, it enriches the world but you reach a point where boredom sets in. It's great to set up the world but then the plot needs to move. Ballard reminds me a lot of the 'Wheel of Time' author, Robert Jordan, except that Ballard's descriptions are more meaningful than Jordan's. Jordan's books become unreadable half way through his series because of the never ending meaningless descriptions. In those books, you get a line of dialogue followed by a paragraph of descriptions then another line of dialogue and then another paragraph or two of descriptions. It gets monotonous.*****WARNING - SOME SPOILERS BELOW THIS POINT*****For me, the evolution going backward 'thing' just doesn't work. I find this to be a very poor idea. How about forward evolution? For the record, I didn't like 'Altered States', another story in which evolution goes backward.My other big complaint is the depiction of the characters. Completely unbelievable to me. I hate the defeatist attitude of Kerans. I think Beatrice is completely unbelievable. The story tells us that Beatrice is a woman who enjoys the fine things in life and lives a luxurious lifestyle. Mankind is leaving and heading north. No woman of her type would decide to be left alone in a jungle... ever... under any circumstance. Sure, if she were like Jane Goodall and was working on scientific research but this is definitely not the case. Beatrice was not only not a tomboy but she was the opposite. There is no way she would forego the comforts of a good life knowing that she had just a few months before her supplies ran out and she was going to be forced to 'rough it' for life. I just find it preposterous that these two (Beatrice and Kerans) would just stay behind while humanity went northward. I'm not even going to bother going into the unbelievable reactions to the city when it was drained. At least there was somewhere to go. As if I'd rather live in a disgusting sweltering swamp with no where to even move... yeah right!I don't like the premise that there are lagoons and beaches and such everywhere. It's possible I missed something but the science is terrible. There is no way there could be that much silt even if the oceans really did rise as much as they did in the novels. Silt doesn't grow straight up. At the very least it would take many ages before that could happen. You can't have the whole world flooded and the water rising as high as it does in the novel and then have a beach and a small area completely drained. This just doesn't make any sense at all.CONCLUSIONS: I know there are plenty of people that disagree with me. Typically with stories like this, you get a wide diversity of opinions. This is the type of story that is polarizing. The people that like it will say to the people that don't like it, "you don't get it". Here's what I get...These characters are completely unbelievable and unlikable.This story has an interesting premise but is boring and a chore to read.If nothing else, I'd be curious to see what Hollywood could do with this story and it's setting.I won't be picking up any more books by this author. It's my first and last for this lifetime. That is, of course, unless I evolve backward.RATINGS:Plot: 1 star - I think it's terrible.Characters: 1 star - Unbelievable and underdeveloped.Setting : 4 stars. It's got a good setting at least.Overall: 2 stars

It's a fine book but the character's racism slips by young readers without notice which, you might argue, is the most dangerous type of racism. Just keep that in mind as you read it yourself.

J G Ballard's The Drowned World describes a future of global warming due to something happening with the sun. Most of the world's population has been decimated and a small band is located in northern Greenland. The story concerns an individual connected with a research vessel that is cataloguing 'stuff' operating mainly in the greater London area. Daily temperatures are extreme and most of the former landscape is underwater. Mental stability is cracking and there's a Heart of Darkness / Apocalypse Now feel throughout. While officially, there are attempts to preserve something for the future, the main perspective is from the point of view of mankind's eventual fading into extinction.Ballard may overdo the temperature extremes a bit as well as the technological support and maintenance given the environmental conditions, but his focus is on the mental grogginess induced by the climate and the various reactions different people express from nostalgia to fighting back to flat out nuttiness and finally the grudging acceptance of humanity's phase coming to an end. At the time Ballard wrote this, there was some concern that the Earth might be on the verge of entering another ice age which makes his tale even more sci-fi for its time.

Found this book interesting in terms it is one of the first to describe climate change. Very dream-like and descriptive writing. Sections of the book felt like the characters were cardboard cut-outs. This is also classic jungle adventure. The book left me unsatisfied even if for most of it I enjoyed aspects of Ballard’s dreamlike descriptions.

Took me a while to get into, but ended up being good.

Quite a disappointment. Don't understand how it makes so many great Sci Fi lists.

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Great read