TRAVELS AND ADVENTURES OF JAMES MASSEY (1714) – This is Part Two of Balladeer’s Blog’s look at Simon Tyssot de Patot’s work of ancient science fiction about his creation James Massey. We will pick up where we left off last time – our main character Dr. Massey and his travel mate La Foret had just been taken in by the first living human beings they encountered on the lost island.
A few days later, while our heroes were still in the very early stages of learning the language spoken in the city, James and his friend got caught up in a ritual they barely understood. Early one morning, every family in the city made their way across the major bridge with each head of household carrying their largest rooster.
For a sophomoric laugh I’ll mention that one of the lines in the book is literally “Our opposite neighbor expos’d his cock against ours; and the others did the same thing, it being a general cock-match between the people on both sides of the canal.”
I’ll spare all of us any details of the actual cockfights. When the fighting was over, the family whose cock lost the fight welcomed the winner’s family over to their home. The winner’s family brought along all of the food they had prepared for this eventful day, and the two families feasted and drank together the rest of the day.
The following day the holiday celebrations continued, this time with the eldest son from each family on both sides of the canal taking part in Grease Pole competitions for the prize poultry at the top of said poles. Rather than a ham or turkey, the prize in this case was one of the oversized eagles indigenous to the uncharted island.
NOTE: In Part One of my review it was established that birds, like all the other animals on the island, were much larger than they were in the outside world. For instance, a beaver the size of a bear and a 25 foot long serpent were encountered. Goats were as large as horses and were used as mounts and beasts of burden. Continue reading
TRAVELS AND ADVENTURES OF JAMES MASSEY (1714) – By Simon Tyssot de Patot. Supposedly written in 1710 but not published until 1714, this novel dealt with the travels of the title character to exotic lands. 
VOYAGE TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH aka Planet at the Center of the Earth aka “Journey to the Centre of the Earth, or Various Adventures of Clairancy and His Companions, to Spitsbergen, to the North Pole, and to Unknown Countries, translated from the English of Hormidas Peath by M. Jacques Saint-Albin”. 
This particular story centers around the fictional seaman Hormidas Peath and his crew who became shipwrecked in the icy Arctic Sea in 1806. They were shocked to discover that temperatures got warmer the further north they went, so they kept following the warmer air until they reached the Iron Mountains. 
AN AUTOMATIC ENIGMA (1878) – By Julian Hawthorne, son of Nathaniel Hawthorne. In the past Balladeer’s Blog has reviewed some of 
ANOTHER WORLD (1873) – This highly detailed account of life in Montalluyah (“God’s own city”), the capitol city of Mars, was written by British author Benjamin Lumley under the pen name Hermes. The book is presented as excerpts from historical accounts, including a biography of the Great Martian Reformer Tootmanyoso. 
A VOYAGE TO THE MOON (1657) – Written by Cyrano de Bergerac. Yes, the one and only Cyrano de Bergerac, noted for his prominent proboscis and for Rostand’s play depicting his romance with Roxanne, at first acting on behalf of his friend. Some people still mistakenly believe Cyrano was a fictional character. 
Cyrano’s fictional space traveler was named Dyrcona and was the first to use multi-stage rockets to reach his destination. Dyrcona’s rocket design was based on firecrackers of the time period. The lunar inhabitants wore no clothing, had four legs and spoke in song. Their technology included transparent globes that captured solar rays for illumination, talking book-machines (early radio) and ray-guns that not only killed game but simultaneously cooked it. 
LIFE IN A THOUSAND WORLDS (1905) – Written by William Shuler Harris. This is yet another work of “ancient” science fiction that deals with life on other planets. Each celestial body that is visited gets its own chapter. 
A PESTILENT VAPOR (1903) – Written by Alice MacGowan, this neglected story introduced a figure who should have become as famous in his way as H.G. Wells’ Invisible Man. 
THE LAND OF THE CHANGING SUN (1894) – By William N. Harben, a former American literary giant who has since been forgotten. 
A HONEYMOON IN SPACE (1900) – Written by George Chetwyn Griffith- Jones under the pseudonym George Griffith. Jones had worked as a sailor, a journalist and a teacher before writing a series of novels covering a broad range of topics. 
