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The Complete Short Stories

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The Complete Short Stories

By: J. G. Ballard
Narrated by: Ric Jerrrom, William Gaminara, Sean Barrett, William Hope, Jeff Harding
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About this listen

A collection of 98 enthralling and pulse-quickening stories, spanning five decades, venerates the remarkable imagination of J. G. Ballard. With a body of work unparalleled in 20th-century literature, J. G. Ballard is recognized as one of the greatest and most prophetic writers in the world.

With the much-hailed release of The Complete Stories of J. G. Ballard, listeners now have a means to celebrate the unmatched range and mesmerizing cadences of a literary genius. Whether writing about musical orchids, human cannibalism, or the secret history of World War III, Ballard's Complete Stories evokes the hallucinations of Kafka and Borges in its ability to render modern paranoia and fantastical creations on the page.

A Washington Post Best Book of 2009, Boston Globe Best Book, Los Angeles Times Favourite Book, and San Francisco Chronicle Best Book.

©2009 J. G. Ballard (P)2014 Audible Studios Anthologies & Short Stories Science Fiction Short Stories Mind-bending Scary

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Editor reviews

One of the most revered writers of modern fantasy, J. G. Ballard and his unparalleled imagination is entirely encapsulated in the award-winning, best-selling and unabridged The Complete Short Stories of J. G. Ballard with an outstanding audiobook narration by voice artists Ric Jerron, William Gaminara, Sean Barrett, William Hope and Jeff Harding. This collection of stories fulfills the needs of even the most fanatic of fantasy enthusiasts. The world’s that Ballard creates in his stories are written with such ingenuity it is as if they hang suspended alongside our reality, of equal measure, accessible only through the words on the page. Available now from Audible.
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Most relevant  
A distortion in time, the sound of metal infections, induced insomnia, space interminable space, extreme Synesthesia, dystopian societies, visions of a past that never was, cities that never ever end and a myriad permutations and possibilities described with eloquence and beauty this is a very large gift that is well worth the price. A treat to discover and enjoy.

For information on the content look in Wikipedia under the name of the collection.

A myriad permutations and possibilities.

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Sixty five hours of masterfully read stories, by the master of the masterfully told story. This is s collection that is simply wonderful.

Incredible value.

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Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Average - it's good but not really cutting edge or classic. I know JG Ballard fans won't agree...

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

There were a lot of recurring themes, such as sonics. A lot of it feels quite dated; really good sci fi can stand the test of time ('1984' for instance)

What about the narrators’s performance did you like?

I thought the narration was good, easy to listen to

Could you see The Complete Short Stories being made into a movie or a TV series? Who would the stars be?

I think they'd have to do quite a bit of re-writing to bring it up to date enough for a movie

Any additional comments?

Might appeal to people who are already fans of JG Ballard

Not bad but starting to feel a bit dated

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Where does The Complete Short Stories rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

it's right near the very top of the list.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Complete Short Stories?

it's difficult to say because there are so many stories that are very good. but if you don't like one of the stories, there are multiple others to choose from.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

because it's so long and such a huge multitude of stories, i find it more enjoyable,to listen to it in parts between other books

Amazing Collection!

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It's amazing how many of the stories you already know without realising it!

There are some which are a little dated, but they're still great, and the mind that created them must have been inspired. There are stories in here I could listen to again and again. Those relating to Vermillion Sands are a favourite. All of the narrators are known to me, and present all the stories well. They also maintain a theme in the readings so, for example, all Vermilion Sands stories are read by William Hope. it was strange to hear Rick Gerrom reading some of these stories, being used to him reading very socially correct stories by Ngaio Marsh. It won't be long before I start this book again!

Wonderful Collection

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What a fantastic read! Would highly recommend it all my friends and family! Read it now!

Great read

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1. Prima belladonna
2. Escapement
3. The concentration city
4. Venus smiles
5. Manhole 69
6. Track 12
7. The waiting grounds
8. Now : zero
9. The sound-sweep
10. Zone of terror
11. Chronopolis
12. The voices of time
13. The last world of Mr. Goddard
14. Studio 5, the stars
15. Deep end
16. The overloaded man
17. Mr. F is Mr. F
18. Billennium
19. The gentle assassin
20. The insane ones
21. The garden of time
22. The thousand dreams of Stellavista
23. Thirteen to Centaurus
24. Passport to eternity
25. The cage of sand
26. The watch-towers
27. The singing statues
28. The man on the 99th floor
29. The subliminal man
30. The reptile enclosure
31. A question of re-entry
32. The time-tombs
33. Now wakes the sea
34. The Venus hunters
35. End-game
36. Minus one
37. The sudden afternoon
38. The screen game
39. Time of passage
40. Prisoner of the coral deep
41. The lost Leonardo
42. The terminal beach
43. The illuminated man
44. The delta at sunset
45. The drowned giant
46. The Gioconda of the twilight noon
47. The volcano dances
48. The beach murders
49. The day of forever
50. The impossible man
51. Storm-bird, storm-dreamer
52. Tomorrow is a million years
53. The assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy considered as a downhill motor race
54. Cry hope, cry fury!
55. The recognition
56. The cloud-sculptors of Coral D
57. Why I want to f**k Ronald Reagan
58. The dead astronaut
59. The Comsat angels
60. The killing ground
61. A place and a time to die
62. Say goodbye to the wind
63. The greatest television show on earth
64. My dream of flying to Wake Island
65. The air disaster
66. Low-flying aircraft
67. The life and death of God
68. Notes towards a mental breakdown
69. The 60 minute zoom
70. The smile
71. The ultimate city part 1
72. The ultimate city part 2
73. The dead time
74. The index
75. The intensive care unit
76. Theatre of war
77. Having a wonderful time
78. One afternoon at Utah Beach
79. Zodiac 2000
80. Motel architecture
81. A host of furious fancies
82. News from the sun part 1
83. News from the sun part 2
84. Memories of the space age
85. Myths of the near future
86. Report on an unidentified space station
87. The object of the attack
88. Answers to a questionnaire
89. The man who walked on the moon
90. The secret history of World War 3
91. Love in a colder climate
92. The enormous space
93. The largest theme park in the world
94. War fever
95. Dream cargoes
96. A guide to virtual death
97. The message from Mars
98. Report from an obscure planet
99. The secret autobiography of J.G.B.
100. The dying fall

Story Names/Chapter Headings

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Love this collection, but it is SO frustrating to only have the very many stories in this collection numbered and not named. Pleas can you add titles?

Great collection, but please add story titles!!!

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Is there anything you would change about this book?

Nearly all the stories start brilliantly, with an intriguing premise that really stimulates the imagination. But it's as if the author does not have the stamina to get to the end and form any kind of conclusion. For the first several, I continued to listen in hope, but I have started to expect to be disappointed.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

A middle and an end

Who might you have cast as narrator instead of the narrators?

most of them are fine, but Ric Jerrom's random vocal modulation are infuriating, almost to the point of being unlistenable.

Was The Complete Short Stories worth the listening time?

I have not quite reached the end, and I'm starting to view them as a bit of chore. I now skip the ones read by Ric Jerrom.

Ultimately unsatisfying

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Trying to find an odd angle that J.G hasn't used is like trying to find a moral standpoint at a porn convention, it's just not going to happen...the joy comes in watching a master twist, subvert and surprise you with wonderfully crafted tales.

The master weaver

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