J.G. Ballard, British author of the novels Crash (adapted by David Cronenberg starring James Spader) and Empire of the Sun, died at the age of 78 of prostate cancer.
Ballard was a part of the new wave of science fiction writers of 1960s writing stories of environmental disaster. But he moved on in the 1970s to write novels about humanity’s inner struggle of civility and animal violence like “High Rise” and “Super Cannes.” Ballard was held captive in Japanese prison camp during World War II, which he drew upon for his 1984 novel, Empire of the Sun. The novel then was adapted by Steven Speilberg and starred a young Christian Bale.
