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Davis & Gerrold #1
A Thousand Degrees Below Zero
A thrilling science fiction tale by Murray Leinster about a sudden drop in temperature on the earth.
- GenresScience FictionFiction
88 pages, Paperback
First published July 15, 1919
15 people want to read
About the author
Murray Leinster
887 books117 followerssee also:
Will F. Jenkins
William Fitzgerald Jenkins
Murray Leinster was a nom de plume of William Fitzgerald Jenkins, an award-winning American writer of science fiction and alternate history. He wrote and published over 1,500 short stories and articles, 14 movie scripts, and hundreds of radio scripts and television plays.
An author whose career spanned the first six decades of the 20th Century. From mystery and adventure stories in the earliest years to science fiction in his later years, he worked steadily and at a highly professional level of craftsmanship longer than most writers of his generation. He won a Hugo Award in 1956 for his novelet “Exploration Team,” and in 1995 the Sidewise Award for Alternate History took its name from his classic story, “Sidewise in Time.” His last original work appeared in 1967.
Will F. Jenkins
William Fitzgerald Jenkins
Murray Leinster was a nom de plume of William Fitzgerald Jenkins, an award-winning American writer of science fiction and alternate history. He wrote and published over 1,500 short stories and articles, 14 movie scripts, and hundreds of radio scripts and television plays.
An author whose career spanned the first six decades of the 20th Century. From mystery and adventure stories in the earliest years to science fiction in his later years, he worked steadily and at a highly professional level of craftsmanship longer than most writers of his generation. He won a Hugo Award in 1956 for his novelet “Exploration Team,” and in 1995 the Sidewise Award for Alternate History took its name from his classic story, “Sidewise in Time.” His last original work appeared in 1967.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 21, 2020
ENGLISH: This is one of the first Leinster sci-fi novellas, published in 1919, his first year on the genre. It reminds somewhat Jules Verne's "Master of the World," with a villain that wants to be world dictator because he has developed an awful technology that makes it possible to freeze any body of water, even in August in New York.
A good part of the story deals with flying objects persecution and fight. As usual in Leinster, the love story is a little flat, although not so much as in other later novels.
The number of degrees in the title (Fahrenheit, of course) can be considered as a scientific mistake, although perhaps it wasn't Leinster's fault, but of his sources. He says that absolute zero is 425ºC below zero, when in fact it is 273.15ºC.
ESPAÑOL: Una de las primeras novelas de ciencia ficción de Leinster, pues se publicó en 1919, su primer año en este género. Recuerda un poco a "Dueño del mundo" de Julio Verne, con un villano que quiere convertirse en dictador mundial porque ha desarrollado una tecnología terrible que hace posible congelar cualquier masa de agua, incluso en agosto en el puerto de Nueva York.
Buena parte de la historia trata de persecución y lucha entre objetos voladores. Como es habitual en Leinster, la historia de amor es un poco plana, aunque no tanto como en otras novelas posteriores.
El número de grados en el título (Fahrenheit, por supuesto) puede considerarse un error científico, aunque quizá no fue culpa de Leinster, sino de sus fuentes. Dice que el cero absoluto está a 425ºC bajo cero, cuando en realidad son 273,15ºC.
A good part of the story deals with flying objects persecution and fight. As usual in Leinster, the love story is a little flat, although not so much as in other later novels.
The number of degrees in the title (Fahrenheit, of course) can be considered as a scientific mistake, although perhaps it wasn't Leinster's fault, but of his sources. He says that absolute zero is 425ºC below zero, when in fact it is 273.15ºC.
ESPAÑOL: Una de las primeras novelas de ciencia ficción de Leinster, pues se publicó en 1919, su primer año en este género. Recuerda un poco a "Dueño del mundo" de Julio Verne, con un villano que quiere convertirse en dictador mundial porque ha desarrollado una tecnología terrible que hace posible congelar cualquier masa de agua, incluso en agosto en el puerto de Nueva York.
Buena parte de la historia trata de persecución y lucha entre objetos voladores. Como es habitual en Leinster, la historia de amor es un poco plana, aunque no tanto como en otras novelas posteriores.
El número de grados en el título (Fahrenheit, por supuesto) puede considerarse un error científico, aunque quizá no fue culpa de Leinster, sino de sus fuentes. Dice que el cero absoluto está a 425ºC bajo cero, cuando en realidad son 273,15ºC.
January 11, 2021
In the middle of summer, an ice floe materializes in New York harbor, leaving two ships in distress. During the ensuing confusion, a strange black aircraft descends and hovers over the scene before vanishing as quickly as it appeared. Shortly after, several more ice "cakes" form without warning in the Straits of Gibraltar, Folkestone Harbor, and Yokohama.
With panic mounting across the globe, a manifesto is sent to the British government from a man named Wladislaw Varrhus, who announces his intention to assume control of all world governments and establish himself as dictator. If the nations fail to meet his demands, more waterways will be frozen, disrupting commerce.
The American military consults with one Professor Hawkins and his assistant Teddy Gerrod, who develop a method to neutralize Varrhus’s “cold bombs”—but the deranged inventor is not so easily foiled. He not only returns with an improved version of his cold bomb, but murders Professor Hawkins in revenge. With the help of the professor’s daughter, Evelyn, and an American pilot named Davis, Teddy devises a plan to defeat Varrhus.
A Thousand Degrees Below Zero was Murray Leinster’s (William Fitzgerald Jenkins) first published novella, featured in the July 1919 edition of The Thrill Book pulp magazine. It’s a typical Leinster story with two-dimensional protagonists and a plot that relies heavily on the science and technology of the time with inventive twists. A fun science fiction adventure tale that would make an enjoyable TV movie.
With panic mounting across the globe, a manifesto is sent to the British government from a man named Wladislaw Varrhus, who announces his intention to assume control of all world governments and establish himself as dictator. If the nations fail to meet his demands, more waterways will be frozen, disrupting commerce.
The American military consults with one Professor Hawkins and his assistant Teddy Gerrod, who develop a method to neutralize Varrhus’s “cold bombs”—but the deranged inventor is not so easily foiled. He not only returns with an improved version of his cold bomb, but murders Professor Hawkins in revenge. With the help of the professor’s daughter, Evelyn, and an American pilot named Davis, Teddy devises a plan to defeat Varrhus.
A Thousand Degrees Below Zero was Murray Leinster’s (William Fitzgerald Jenkins) first published novella, featured in the July 1919 edition of The Thrill Book pulp magazine. It’s a typical Leinster story with two-dimensional protagonists and a plot that relies heavily on the science and technology of the time with inventive twists. A fun science fiction adventure tale that would make an enjoyable TV movie.
April 10, 2018
Quite an interesting story involving use of technology to try and dominate the world. Though the ending is quite simplistic, it is an interesting and quick read. I personally listened to it on LibriVox. The descriptions were vivid enough to hold my attention.
February 5, 2021
This story was first published in Pulp Classics: The Thrill Book, July 14, 1919.
It is the heat of summer in New York, and a brutal cold front arrives out of nowhere! The evil Wladislaw Varrhus strikes! Varrhus maneuvers the Black Flyer! Will the dashing Teddy and his compatriot, Davis, save the world from the ever-dropping temperatures? Will the competent physicist Evelyn capture the heart of Teddy? And what about Davis?
This was a rollicking good short story with all the ingredients for a chilling tale. The follow-up story is The Silver Menace, published in The Thrill Book, Sept. 1, 1919.
🪐 🚀 Recommended.
🟣
It is the heat of summer in New York, and a brutal cold front arrives out of nowhere! The evil Wladislaw Varrhus strikes! Varrhus maneuvers the Black Flyer! Will the dashing Teddy and his compatriot, Davis, save the world from the ever-dropping temperatures? Will the competent physicist Evelyn capture the heart of Teddy? And what about Davis?
This was a rollicking good short story with all the ingredients for a chilling tale. The follow-up story is The Silver Menace, published in The Thrill Book, Sept. 1, 1919.
🪐 🚀 Recommended.
🟣
July 10, 2020
For a breathtakingly fast-paced (well, fast-paced for its day [That will be mildly funny after you read the book.]) tale of adventure and daring this book starts off surprisingly gentle, almost like a pleasure cruise. Ah – but then! What magic is this? Well, none of course because everything must have some scientific explanation, and who better than the foremost expert in ‘low temperatures’ to demystify the gigantic iceberg blocking the New York harbor. That might be boring except that Leinster has too good a sense of the absurd to let that happen and he mixes it with all sorts of other adventures like polar expeditions, dog fights (aerial variety), a love triangle, murders, a sinister villain, and fabulous inventions. You might think you know what to expect, but everything in this story has a wonderful, if dated, twist that is guaranteed to amuse and entertain.
There were a couple swear words.
There were a couple swear words.
April 20, 2023
Though very much a period piece of 1919, right down to the stereotypical Dastardly Villain, there are a lot of interesting concepts, such as the cold bomb.
Another interesting scientific aspect is using picric acid as a fuel additive, and this concept has been tested and patented; in 1980.
Perhaps not my favorite Leinster outing, but well worth the read.
Another interesting scientific aspect is using picric acid as a fuel additive, and this concept has been tested and patented; in 1980.
Perhaps not my favorite Leinster outing, but well worth the read.
July 5, 2022
This adventure novel has a monomaniacal villain who has mastered both temperture and aircraft. I enjoyed the pacing and the characters though the villain's motivations are not explored fully. The aircraft are turn of the century, fitting as this was published in the early 1900s.
July 31, 2018
read from Project Gutenberg where the etext was produced from The Thrill Book dated July 15, 1919
January 22, 2019
A novellette about a mad scientist's devious plot to conquer the world by freezing the major harbours and shipping routes. Forgettable.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews