Customer Reviews

The Unlimited Dream Co.

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The viewers who gave this book negative feedback obviouslydon't know the difference between magic realism and Jell-O puddingpops. Anthony Burgess (you know, the guy who wrote Clockwork Orange, among many other brilliant novels?) listed this novel as one the best 100 post WWII Novels. You might have also heard of a little movie Spielberg made not too long ago -- Empire of the Sun. Yeah, well, it's based on Ballard's Autobiographical novel of the same title.

Yes, this is an experimental novel. Yes, you can call it magic realism, or whatever buzzword they're using nowadays to describe fiction that breaks or stretches the molds of traditional narrative structure, but despite all this, for anyone who has half a brain and loves good writing and mind-altering fantasy, this is a good novel. (Borges selected Ballard's awesome short story "The Drowned Giant" in the anthology The Book of Fantasy.") Ballard is brave enough to do a lot of self-exploration in his work -- he isn't afraid to expose himself totally, unlike some more marketable American pop authors I know. Ballard works in a genre all his own, and he's one of the most fascinating writers working today, in any "genre."

This strange, hauntingly beautiful book finds author Ballard mythologizing his hometown of Shepperton, England. Blake, the protagonist, has stolen a light aircraft but soon crashes it into the Thames. Emerging from the submerged wreckage, he is embraced by the citizens of this small town as if risen from the dead. He soon finds himself vested with messianic powers which he uses to transform Shepperton into a surreal paradise. Cryptically, but powerfully written, The Unlimited Dream Company justifies the esteem with which Ballard is viewed by writers of our time. A must read for fans of his other works.

how I feel about this book, my first Ballard. So I looked for other readers' reviews. Found two. One giving it 1 star; the other 5 stars. I can understand. Found it new, interesting, clever. But now half-way through the book I'm wondering if I even want to continue. I don't know where it's going --- but do I care?

I first read this book many years ago. Its vivid all-too-real/unreal imagery left me inspired, transfixed and praying for the day when this novel would be transported to the large screen. Definitely not Spielberg's next Ballard picture, that's for sure. Perhaps Abel Ferrara and Bernardo Bertolucci could get together on this one............................................

The story line (if you could call it that) is so utterly stupid/inane that that alone is reason not to waste time reading it. What is this author?, on acid or something. What a flake.