Only after finishing this book did I find out that it is the same author who wrote Empire of the Sun, and that novel is based on the author’s experiences as a POW in World War II. All of which makes the setting of The Drowned World seem amazingly prescient.
The books opens on a flooded Earth, caused by some solar flares knocking the atmosphere out of position and heating up the planet. Only the poles are habitable, but people are still mounting expeditions into the flooded hot areas to learn more about how the world is changing.
The setting is set up brilliantly without too much exposition, and right away we see the contrasts between the world we know now and what it has become. The author’s vocabulary (especially in the psychology-centered episodes) is pretty daunting – I had to look up quite a few words – but otherwise it is an approachable book. The characters (and how they behave) is decidedly British – still enjoying tea and cocktails after the end of the world.
The female character in the book (the only one) seemed awfully helpless and much attention was paid to her scantily clad appearance and breasts. The story does lean more towards pulpy fiction in the second half – which was probably more fun to read for me.
Overall I liked the book. Shades of Heart of Darkness, but a surprising example of foresight in building a world that isn’t too far from future reality.
Next I am reading Goodnight, Nebraska by Tom McNeal.
