Terminal Beach

By J.G. Ballard

Book Overview

J.G. Ballard, author of Empire of the Sun, demonstrates his ability to mix and transcend genres and styles in this collection of short fictions including The Terminal Beach, The Gioconda of the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0460022652
• ISBN13: 9780460022651
• Release Date: January 1984
• Publisher: J M DENT & SONS LTD (ENGLAND)
• Length: 221 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Bleak, compelling speculations from a master

This collection of Ballard's stories contains some of his earlier stuff - it may have been his first published collection. For someone like me, who has read a few of his books, it is interesting to see how some of the ideas he brings out here got worked on and elaborated in later books. Overall, it is a mixed bag, not as consistent conceptually as some of his other collections. Here are Ballard's lonely, stoic heroes, confronting extreme circumstances that are not always technological in origin. Some of the pieces find them dealing with primitive worlds, or inner demons, or the horrors of contemporary life. Ballard is usually not at his best when describing relationships; he is much more powerful when he focuses on his bleak speculative fictions, and he does this very well in the title story. "End-Game" is another good one; a look at a condemned politician from a totalitarian country who tries desperately to win over the thug who is watching over him. I did at times have to ask myself what was enjoyable about this book. His prose is admirable, for one thing - always very cool and precise, with a powerful vocabulary and detailed descriptions. Below this metallic surface is often something dark and disturbing, a hypothetical scenario of the world falling apart, yet doing so in a way that is fascinating and strangely beautiful. There is a lot of unstated fear lurking in the corners of these stories and their dangerous speculative settings, and yet they can be very interesting places to visit.

Luminous Elegy

The title story has a rich and luminous serenity that is both gentle and unsettling. It is very characteristic of Ballard's best work, and serves as a bridge between his earlier science fiction books, and his later surrealistic novels. There is a distinct link to T.S. Eliot..."The Terminal Beach" could be a response to "Burnt Norton." This book is an excellent introduction to one of the great writers of the 20th Century.

Genius at work

This is a collection of short stories by J.G. Ballard, whose surrealistic approach to science fiction reaches its apex in this effort. "End Game", a story of executions in the future, leaves the reader not exactly knowing if the imprisoned political leader is about to be executed at its end, but the character development borders on the fabulous. Also recommended most highly are "Now Comes the Sea", and "Chronopolis", the latter being the story of a society where time measurement is outlawed, and of the outlaw who wants to bring it back.. You will never forget any of these stories. VVery, very highly recommended. This is a genius at his best.

The Sun of the beach

This collection of beautifully strange stories contains some of Ballard's most accessible work. His unique style and surreal imagination are displayed well in, The Terminal Beach, End Game, and The Time Tombs. Though he casts a long shadow, there's really no one else out there like Ballard. I highly recommend this book.

Fairly good collection of stories

Maybe even a 4.5. Not as comprehensive as "The Best Short Stories of...", but it's a good intro to Ballard's work. It gives a first-time reader a good idea of what to expect. Ballard writes some top-notch stories (The Drowned Giant, Bilennium, Deep End - all included here), but in his collections, they always seem to get diluted by the not-so-greats. Still, the majority of the stories in this book are quite good; more forward-thinking and original than anything that came out of that period. I think the best quality of his stories is that they deal with societal concerns, and not just sci-fi. Quite an enjoyable book.