This book is a series of short stories. The stories are enigmatic and generally have cataclysmic endings. The theme of Ballard's stories appears to be a dismal ending to people and generally to the human race. Some of the stories appear meaningless but are in general creative. The author appears to have some scientific training, which is put into the stories. I hesitantly recommend the book to those who are looking for something different. ( )

Ack. I got through it, but, as the other reviewers have implied, it's *L*iterary and depressing. Imo, stories, esp. SF stories, should have at least a little fun, adventure, or joy. Maybe fans of the Horror genre would like this better, but I'm not sure. My one star rating may seem harsh, but GR says one star means did not like it" and that is true." ( )

Ik las dit toen ik 16 jaar was; heb er eigenlijk geen herinnering meer aan. Vond het in elk geval maar matig ( )

Indeholder "The Voices of Time", "The Drowned Giant", "The Terminal Beach", "Manhole 69", "Storm-Bird, Storm-Dreamer", "The Sound-Sweep", "Billenium", "Chronopolis", "Build-Up", "The Garden of Time", "End-Game", "The Watch-Towers", "Now Wakes the Sea", "Zone of Terror", "The Cage of Sand", "Deep End".

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??? ( )

Ballard was a science fiction writer whose science fiction spent less time visualizing amazing futures with uncanny aliens and human-like robots. His science fiction was dark, grim, and depressing. In each of the stories presented here, we find common threads, usually involving death or dying, and also usually involving the sea.

While some episodes seemed like something you might see on Twilight Zone (or similar shows), the stories themselves are more than just 30-minutes of setting with a surprise ending. Many of the stories here are just as poignant today as they were back in the 60s.

If you are a fan of strange speculative fiction, then you might just find yourself enjoying J. G. Ballard. Otherwise, his stuff might be a bit too real for a topic a bit too speculative. ( )