The Wreck of the Titan

by Morgan Robertson

"The Wreck of the Titan" tells the story of the fictional ocean liner Titan, which is described as the largest ship of its time and touted as unsinkable. However, the Titan strikes an iceberg in the North Atlantic and sinks, resulting in a high loss of life due to a lack of lifeboats. The novella explores themes of hubris, technological overreach, and the unpredictability of nature.

Robertson's work gained renewed attention after the sinking of the Titanic due to its striking parallels to the actual disaster. Despite being a work of fiction, "The Wreck of the Titan" is often cited as an example of life imitating art, as many aspects of the Titan's sinking closely resemble the events surrounding the Titanic's tragic demise.

Overall, "The Wreck of the Titan" stands as a chilling reminder of the dangers of human arrogance and the unpredictable forces of nature, and it continues to fascinate readers with its prescient portrayal of a maritime disaster.

Paperback

Published March 30, 2012

About the author

Morgan Andrew Robertson (1861 - 1915) was an American author of short stories and novels, as well as the self-proclaimed inventor of the periscope.

He is best remembered today as the author of Futility, or The Wreck of the Titan , an 1898 disaster novel noted for its similarities to the sinking of RMS Titanic fourteen years later.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A must-read for Titanic enthusiasts. This book was on board the Titanic when it sank. It was written 14 years prior and contains eerie similarities. While somewhat entertaining, it is a little dramatic and unbelievable.

[Shawn Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't really give an accurate review of this book as I cannot find a copy of the version that I have read.

However, I've always been fascinated with the sinking of the Titanic, and having just learned that a fictional story of a cruise ship that had hit an iceberg just like the Titanic did and sank, just like the Titanic did, which was written 14 years before the sinking of the Titanic, I found that to be quite fascinating.

The version I read didn't describe much of the events that took place as the ship was sinking, but still a pretty interesting story nonetheless.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though this book was written 14 years before the sinking of the Titanic, this story is eerily similar to the events that transpired in the North Atlantic on April 15, 2012. The language and storytelling are dated, of course, but the content kept me rapt from cover to cover (brief though this book might be).

[Mark Wilson · Rating 2 out of 5]

A strange book, largely due to the eerie coincidence of its subject matter. Apart from this, however, it is a mostly forgettable novella. Worth a glance for Titanic enthusiasts, perhaps, or as a literary curio…

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was written fourteen years before the sinking of the Titanic. The events in book are eerily similar to the actual events that would not happen for more than a decade.

[Nicole · Rating 1 out of 5]

If it wasn't so short I would have not finished it.

[Sophie Smyth · Rating 1 out of 5]

irredeemably bad