A Columbus of Space (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. An Edwardian Scientific Romance of Spacecraft Voyages, Venusian Cities, Alien Civilizations, and Cosmic DiscoveryBy Garrett P. Serviss
Length8h 36m
About this audiobook
A Columbus of Space is an early twentieth-century scientific romance that transforms interplanetary travel into a drama of discovery, peril, and speculative wonder. Centered on a visionary inventor whose spacecraft carries its passengers beyond Earth, the novel blends adventure narrative with astronomical conjecture, imagining strange worlds, alien societies, and the moral ambiguities of exploration. Its style is lucid, earnest, and explanatory, reflecting the transitional moment between Jules Verne's technological romance, H. G. Wells's philosophical speculation, and the emerging American pulp tradition. Garrett P. Serviss was unusually equipped to write such a work. A journalist, astronomer, and one of the great popularizers of science in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century America, he devoted much of his career to making celestial phenomena intelligible to general readers. His fiction grows naturally from this vocation: it converts lectures on astronomy, planetary science, and technological possibility into narrative form, while also revealing the period's fascination with invention, empire, and cosmic expansion. This book is recommended for readers interested in the origins of science fiction, especially those who value imaginative speculation grounded in the scientific assumptions of its age. It offers not modern realism, but a historically rich vision of wonder.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★ 3.3 (61)
Includes Goodreads
GenreScience Fiction
Length8 hrs 36 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateOct 5, 2018
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Introduction
2Introduction
3Synopsis
4Historical Context
5A Columbus of Space
Show all chaptersShow less
6Chapter I. A Marvelous Invention
7Chapter II. A Trip of Terror
8Chapter III. The Planetary Limited
9Chapter IV. The Caverns of Venus
10Chapter V. Off for the Sun Lands
11Chapter VI. Lost in the Crystal Mountains
12Chapter VII. The Children of the Sun
13Chapter VIII. Language Without Speech
14Chapter IX. An Amazing Metropolis
15Chapter X. Imprisonment and a Wonderful Escape
16Chapter XI. Before the Throne of Venus
17Chapter XII. More Marvels
18Chapter XIII. We Fall into Trouble Again
19Chapter XIV. The Sun God
20Chapter XV. At the Mercy of Fearful Enemies
21Chapter XVI. Dreadful Creatures of the Gloom
22Chapter XVII. Earth Magic on Venus
23Chapter XVIII. Wild Eden
24Chapter XIX. The Secret of the Car
25Chapter XX. The Corybantia of the Sun
26Chapter XXI. The Earth
27Analysis
28Reflection
29Memorable Quotes
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