Another random pick-up from the library. Been meaning to read a) more scifi; b)some JG Ballard for a while. I loved the first sector of the book, but felt that the episodes were quite disjointed.....then I read that this was Ballard's first novel, which might explain some of its niggles. The opening section of the novel creates a real atmosphere of abandoned civilisation. It was reminiscent of the castle overgrown with creepers in 'Sleeping Beauty'.

Robert Karens, the protagonist, is a biologist working alongside a team of military types in the lagoons that now make up a major European city. He and his team develop disturbing dreams that hark back to a prehistoric past, and these dreams imbue their lives as the book progresses.

I found the attitude of the characters at odds with how I might imagine a survivor would feel about living in the lagoons......and this makes it a provocative read. Ballard tests the logic of civilisation and presents a pragmatic and perhaps authentic portrayal of survival.