The Mysterious Force and Other Anomalous Phenomena

by J.-H. Rosny aîné, Brian M. Stableford (Translator)

J.-H. Rosny Aine is the second most important figure in modern French science fiction after Jules Verne. Rosny, who was a member of the distinguished Goncourt literary academy, was also the first writer to straddle the line between mainstream literature and science fiction. Until now, Rosny has best been known to the English-speaking public for his prehistoric thriller, Quest for Fire.

Contents:
- The Cataclysm (Le Cataclysme) (1896)
- The Mysterious Force (La Force Mystérieuse) (1913)
- Hareton Ironcastle's Amazing Adventure (L'Etonnant Voyage de Hareton Ironcastle) (1922)

In The Cataclysm (1896), the physical laws of nature change in an entire region of France because of the arrival of a strange electro-magnetic entity from outer space.The Mysterious Force (1913) is about the destruction of a portion of the light spectrum by aliens who, for a brief while, share our physical existence. In Hareton Ironcastle (1922), explorers discover a mysterious alien world, fauna and flora, embedded in the Heart of Africa. This is the third in a series of seven volumes, six of which are translated and annotated by Brian Stableford, devoted to presenting the classic works of this giant of French science fiction.

332 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

J.-H. Rosny aîné was the pseudonym of Joseph Henri Honoré Boex, a French author of Belgian origin who is considered one of the founding figures of modern science fiction. Born in Brussels in 1856, he wrote together with his younger brother Séraphin Justin François Boex under the pen name J.-H. Rosny until 1908. After they ended their collaboration Joseph Boex continued to write under the name "Rosny aîné" (Rosny the Elder) while his brother used J.-H. Rosny jeune (Rosny the Younger).

Reviews

[Fx Smeets · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably Rosny's finest science fiction novel. The first part, with its apocalyptic scenes in the heart of Paris's red and suffocating night, has lost none of its impact. Of particular interest is the resemblance between this story and Conan Doyle's The Poison Belt, on the subject of with both authors have expressed curious opinions.