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A note on book covers: while we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.
The Crystal World
The Crystal World
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From J. G. Ballard, author of Crash and Cocaine Nights comes his extraordinary vision of an African forest that turns all in its path to crystal.
Through a ‘leaking’ of time, the West African jungle starts to crystallize. Trees metamorphose into enormous jewels. Crocodiles encased in second glittering skins lurch down the river. Pythons with huge blind gemstone eyes rear in heraldic poses. Most flee the area in terror, afraid to face a catastrophe they cannot understand.
But some, dazzled and strangely entranced, remain to drift through this dreamworld forest: a doctor in pursuit of his ex-mistress, an enigmatic Jesuit wielding a crystal cross and a tribe of lepers searching for Paradise.
In this tour de force of the imagination, Ballard transports the reader into one of his most unforgettable landscapes.
This edition is part of a new commemorative series of Ballard’s works, featuring introductions from a number of his admirers (including James Lever, Ali Smith, Hari Kunzru and Martin Amis) and brand-new cover designs.
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A note on book covers: while we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.

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One Line Summary
Surreal, luminous transformation of African jungle nightmare.
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Who is this book for?
If you love immersive, otherworldly stories that challenge reality, The Crystal World will fascinate you. Ballard’s vivid imagination transports readers to a mesmerizing landscape where the ordinary becomes extraordinary, and the whole world seems to shimmer with danger and beauty. It’s a haunting voyage that’s both unsettling and mesmerizing, perfect for those who enjoy deep dives into unusual worlds.