The novel “The Wind from Nowhere” by J.G. Ballard was published for the first time in 1961 in two parts in the magazine “New Worlds Science Fiction” and in 1962 as a book.
When Dr. Donald Maitland returns home to his wife after finishing a job, he realizes that the wind is reaching an extraordinary force. What appears to be an anomalous event is just the beginning of a global phenomenon because all over the world the wind starts being so strong that it has increasingly destructive effects.
The British authorities are trying to set up a response to the growing danger of the wind but the only solution that appears viable around the world seems to move the survivors underground. The only exception is the construction of a pyramid strong enough to support the power of a wind that’s as destructive as none ever before.
J.G. Ballard started his writing career in the second half of the 1950s and for a few years published short fiction. Determined to become a full-time writer, he wrote his first novel very quickly for the purpose of getting into a market than was different from the one he was used to. “The Wind from Nowhere” was still published first in a magazine and after a few months as a book.
“The Wind from Nowhere” begins a sort of catastrophist quadrilogy in which human civilization collapses due to some force of nature. In this case the cause of the global catastrophe is wind, of which the author never explains the origin. Simply, for unknown reasons the wind starts increasing in intensity until it reaches a growing destructive force.
The initial part of “The Wind from Nowhere” explores the growing problems created by the wind. Initially they seem little more than annoyances with consequences like some broken glass and then they start becoming really serious when cars are moved around. At that point, for the people the wind becomes a danger and for almost all the only refuge seems to be underground. The only exception comes from the construction of a pyramid that is supposed to withstand even the terrible winds that are demolishing any other building.
Most of “The Wind from Nowhere” explores the consequences of wind on human civilization, which breaks up rather quickly. The survivors must take refuge underground trying to recover as many resources as possible and that causing fights to grab them.
In many ways “The Wind from Nowhere” is a typical apocalyptic novel but we start seeing the elements, including the psychological ones, characteristic of J.G. Ballard. The characters react in various ways to the catastrophe, in some cases with struggles for the resources still available but in many others creating bonds that are stronger than the ones that can be created under normal conditions.
Different characters become important in different parts of “The Wind from Nowhere” but Dr. Donald Maitland is the one who is mostly the protagonist, also with his personal story. From the beginning, it’s explained that the marriage between him and his wife Susan isn’t exactly a romantic story. The agreement between husband and wife is also subjected to increasing strains following the catastrophic events caused by the increasingly strong winds.
Years after the publication of “The Wind from Nowhere”, J.G. Ballard basically dismissed it as a hackjob. This seemed to me especially true for its ending and the novel would have needed some editing work to better develop and harmonize the various parts. These flaws are even more evident after reading this author’s following novels. In the end it’s not so bad but I think today it makes sense to read it if you want to see the author’s evolution.
