A century after an energy crisis forces the abandonment of the United States, a European expedition arrives to discover a continent transformed into a vast, desolate wasteland. The crew, led by the protagonist Wayne, navigates the skeletal remains of American civilization, from the ruins of Manhattan to the neon-lit decay of Las Vegas. They face the physical hazards of a desertified landscape and the psychological disorientation caused by encountering the fractured remnants of a once-dominant culture. The narrative follows their cross-continental trek, documenting the collision between the explorers' expectations and the bizarre, mutated reality of the abandoned nation.

This novel is frequently analyzed for its clinical, detached prose style which mirrors the desolation of its setting. Critics often highlight the work as a quintessential example of Ballard's preoccupation with the intersection of technology, landscape, and human psychology. The narrative is noted for its refusal to provide easy answers, instead forcing the reader to confront the absurdity of a civilization reduced to its own detritus. The text remains a significant entry in the author's bibliography, serving as a stark meditation on the fragility of global superpowers.