J G Ballard

There are few authors I have enjoyed reading more than the late J G Ballard. Truly a visionary writer, he managed to make the most outlandish of concepts seem reasonable, and managed to get you to buy into his characters - no mean feat, given they are often undergoing the extreme symptoms of various mental conditions and horrific events. Some writers create wild and imaginative mindscapes and landscapes, others create readable novels. Ballard had the rare talent of being able to do both.

His death is a tragedy, but it is more the place of his family to mourn his passing rather than his readers. So instead I'll use this post as an opportunity to urge your to go and read his work if you haven't already. My favourites include Empire of the Sun, The Drowned World, High-Rise, Running Wild, Rushing to Paradise and, of course, Crash. But he was a prolific writer, and there is far more in his roster of novels to enjoy than just that limited list. You might enjoy his books, you might find them challenging: whatever you find, though, will be well worth your time and effort.