THE VIOLET FLAME (1899) – Here is another of the science fiction works written by THE Frederick Thomas Jane, of Jane’s Guides fame. Previously, Balladeer’s Blog reviewed Jane’s works The Incubated Girl and Guesses at Futurity.
This tale is set in the near future. A megalomaniacal scientist named Mirzabeau has devised a theory stating that the Earth and, indeed, our entire solar system, is alive.
To demonstrate the truth of his theory, Professor Mirzabeau uses his devices to manipulate the Earth itself. He causes global disasters and reduces mountains and buildings to near nothingness, leaving behind a miniature argon replica of each destroyed object.
With the world trembling before his power, Mirzabeau demands that all nations cede their sovereignty to him. He is acknowledged as the ruler of the world with the title the Beast. Continue reading
GUESSES AT FUTURITY – This was a series of nine full-page illustrations by THE Frederick Thomas Jane, the man behind the Jane’s manuals. He devoted as much attention to detail here as he would go on to do in illustrations of military hardware in later years. 
I. HOME LIFE IN ANNO DOMINI 2000 (October 1894) – Jane depicted Brits of the “future” living in homes with very high ceilings. The interior decoration is decidedly eclectic while the wardrobe of these Brits is a kind of retro revival of Medieval clothing. 
A DEMIGOD (1886) – Written by American author Edward Payson Jackson, this work preceded Philip Wylie’s Gladiator by more than 4 decades. 
THE MILLTILLIONAIRE (1895) – This novel was written by American author Albert Waldo Howard under the pen name M. Auburre Hovorre. A second edition came out in 1898. 
BY AEROPLANE TO THE SUN (1910) – Written by Donald W. Horner. This British novel features ideas that wouldn’t have been out of place decades earlier but in 1910 it’s astounding to encounter concepts like an alleged scientist believing that the sun is inhabited. 
THE DERELICT (1912) – This short story was originally published in Red Magazine in December of 1912. The author was William Hope Hodgson, whose other works have already been reviewed here at Balladeer’s Blog. 
A TALE OF THE X-RAY (1898) – Written by Clara H. Holmes. This short story was first published in her collection titled Floating Fancies Among the Weird and the Occult, but it’s more science fiction.
A JOURNEY TO THE WORLD UNDERGROUND BY NICHOLAS KLIMIUS (1741) – This novel was written by Danish author Ludvig Holberg and became a European sensation. Like Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, Holberg’s work in this book had satirical political meaning and though the issues and social criticism no longer apply to the modern-day world, the fundamental story structure still holds up on its own. 
The rope breaks, and Nicholas falls so far that his colleagues assume he was killed. Actually, Klimius fell down into the often-theorized Hollow Earth. In this case with an interior sun and small worlds in orbit around it. 
TRAVELS AND ADVENTURES OF JAMES MASSEY (1714) – This is Part Two of 
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. 
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. 
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