
A Columbus of Space (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. An Edwardian Scientific Romance of Spacecraft Voyages, Venusian Cities, Alien Civilizations, and Cosmic DiscoveryBy Garrett P. ServissLength8h 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
GenreScience Fiction
Length8 hrs 36 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateOct 5, 2018
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Introduction
16Chapter XI. Before the Throne of Venus
2Introduction
17Chapter XII. More Marvels
3Synopsis
18Chapter XIII. We Fall into Trouble Again
4Historical Context
19Chapter XIV. The Sun God
5A Columbus of Space
20Chapter XV. At the Mercy of Fearful Enemies
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6Chapter I. A Marvelous Invention
21Chapter XVI. Dreadful Creatures of the Gloom
7Chapter II. A Trip of Terror
22Chapter XVII. Earth Magic on Venus
8Chapter III. The Planetary Limited
23Chapter XVIII. Wild Eden
9Chapter IV. The Caverns of Venus
24Chapter XIX. The Secret of the Car
10Chapter V. Off for the Sun Lands
25Chapter XX. The Corybantia of the Sun
11Chapter VI. Lost in the Crystal Mountains
26Chapter XXI. The Earth
12Chapter VII. The Children of the Sun
27Analysis
13Chapter VIII. Language Without Speech
28Reflection
14Chapter IX. An Amazing Metropolis
29Memorable Quotes
15Chapter X. Imprisonment and a Wonderful Escape