Synopsis from amazon.co.uk

In the 21st century, fluctuations in solar radiation have caused the ide-caps to melt and the seas to rise. Global temperatures have climbed, and civilization has retreated to the Arctic and Antarctic circles. London is a city now inundated by a primeval swamp, to which an expedition travels to record the flora and fauna of this new Triassic Age. This early novel by the author of CRASH and EMPIRE OF THE SUN is at once a fast paced narrative, a stunning evocation of a flooded, tropical London of the near future and a speculative foray into the workings of the unconscious mind.

This is on of many of J. G. Ballard's works that is on the 1001 Must Read Books Before You Die List.

EDIT: started 19/10/2008.

I enjoyed this Ballard novel, it's interesting considering that climate change is such a big discussion at the moment. Not what I'd expect from Ballard but an interesting look at how the human mind would cope with it's near extinction.

Another 1001 book down, I'll be giving this to KT-J to read soon.

Next Up: Stuart Maconie - Pies and Prejudice: In Search of The North

Received from Stubee and about to be started.

I quite enjoyed this book, although I'm not really into sci-fi usually. I thought this had a good storyline and was amazingly resonant given the current importance on climate change, as this book was written before any of this was in the public mind.

I didn't really feel much for the characters but enjoyed the narrative so overall it was a good read.

This has been reserved for cally-c's 1001 UK bookbox.

Taken out of cally-c's 1001 book box.

Jozebedee - UK (UK)
Danielle23 - UK (UK)
DryKid - UK (UK)
Caroley - UK (Intl)
Vilda - Sweden (EU)
samulli - Germany (Intl)
cat207 - Australia (Intl)
bekoh - Australia (Intl if needed)
sarkiegirl - US (US)
rebeccaljames - US (US)

Received safely thanks! On the TBR pile - will get to it asap! :-)

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

I really enjoyed this - I haven't read any SF for a while but this didn't disappoint. Sending on now to the next on the list. Apologies for having had it for so long - the TBR pile seems to be going down a bit now!

Arrived safe and sound and will read very soon. Really looking forward to it too xx

I really enjoyed this book and found the subject really fascinating, the imagery of the lagoons was really beautiful. I was expecting the appearance of dinosaurs if I'm honest, with the brief mentions of the Pelycosaur and the giant crocs.

Still very enjoyable although Strangman really frightened me. Will be posted out to the next participant very soon.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Sending off to DryKid, the next in the ray xx

Thanks to Danielle for sending me this book which arrived this morning, and to lucy for organising this bookring, I'll get around to reading it as soon as possible.

I enjoyed the world Ballard created, but the plot didn't really go anywhere much like a lot of the characters, readable, but not a classic. Sent to Caroley 21-10-09

Arrived safely today thanks.

I don't have any other rings on the go so will bump this to the top of Mt. TBR.

I really enjoyed this! Couldn't put it down, in fact. The descriptions were wonderful - you could see the lagoons, the flora and fauna so clearly in your mind.
I liked the way the tone of the book changed halfway through as well as I'd wondered where it was going at one point.

Smashing book! Thanks very much for sharing it Lucy.

I've already PMd Vilda for her address and received a reply, so hope to get this to the post office this morning.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Posted airmail to Vilda.

Arrived today, thanks Caroley. I have two rings before this one but I'll get to it as soon as I can!

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Hm. Actually I didn't care so much for this novel. The idea was uncomfortably close to the least unlikely apocalypse in our time. But wasn't att all hooked and towards the end I just wished it to be over. Inspite of this I am glad I have read it as it wasn't similar to anything I've read before.

Now it travels to Germany. Hope you enjoy it more than I did. Thanks for the opportunity!

And here it is. I have to finish one other book before I can get to this one.
Recently read "The Drought" by the same author and was bored out of my skull. I hope this one is better. :-)

Phew, such a wee little book and I didn't even make it halfway through before giving up on it. I had looked forward to a story set in a half submerged London, but I found it a drag to read. The characters, just like in Ballard's other book I read, are completely unlikeable and they act unbelievable most of the time. The dialogue is wooden - nobody actually talks like that. And don't even get me started on all the rambling psychological mumbo-jumbo that bogs down the narrative.
Additionally Ballard seems to have only a very tenuous grasp on the biological facts - or maybe that's accountable to the fact that the book was written back in the sixties, I don't know. But all this talk of roaring iguanas, mutations that transformed species within a few decades and not to forget the 2000 alligators working as a kind of guard troupe for this group of scavengers or whatever, sounded completely wrong to me.
If there's a good story I have no problem with suspending my disbelief at some little details, but this book doesn't have a good story. It has a lot of convoluted ideas, acted out by mostly lethargic and otherwise completely implausible acting 2D characters and not much else. Whatever made this book into a masterpiece, I don't see it. This kind of storytelling is just not my cup of tea. Looking at the bright side, though, I can now finally give up on Ballard's other books, which shrinks my wishlist a bit.

The best thing about it was the beautiful cover. I should have left it at that and never opened the thing at all.

Will contact cat207 to send it on as soon as possible.

Edit:
The book is now on its way to Australia.

Arrived in today's mail. Thank you samulli and lucy-lemon, as always, for sharing your books. X

I enjoyed the imagery of this book, although not the story itself so much. Considering they were all going to die quite soon, the characters spent an awful lot of time trying to kill each other!

I'm waiting for an address for bekoh.

Heading off to bekoh in tomorrow's mail.

I like the cover!

I really enjoyed this. The imagery of the drowned world was spectacular.

I didn't view this novel as one about climate change and the geological/biological changes that brought about the age of Man (so I wasn't too worried about the scientific basis for Ballard's view of the effects of global warming) rather than an account of how one set of humans reacted to their rapidly changing environment and how the veneer of civilisation and even social interaction quickly decayed. The descriptions of various ways the characters descended into insanity (either passively, rampaging violently headlong towards it or politely ignoring the obvious - they were all insane in their own way) and their inevitable demise were fascinating.

It arrived safely. Have one ahead of it, and then I will get to it.
thanks!

Update: It's been a little bit over a month, but I'm not quite finished with it. I did pm the next reader a couple of weeks ago, but she hasn't answered. Maybe I will try to find her in the forums, and if I can't get a hold of her, I'll see if the book ring organizer wants me to send it back to them, or to send on. I'll keep going, and I'll try get to a hold of rebeccaljames
Thanks!

UPDATE: Unfortunately, I couldn't get into this book. I didn't even get halfway through it. I hate giving up on books, but I also don't want to hog it anymore.
Rebeccaljames never answered my pm, so lulcy-lemon sent me a name for someone I could send it to. Thanks Lucy-Lemon!

It's on it's way to England! Hope you enjoy!

Arrived yesterday - thank you!!