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The Messiah of the Cylinder
The story of a man who has been placed in suspended animation for 100 years.
- GenresFictionScience Fiction
364 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1917
2 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
Victor Rousseau Emanuel
94 books5 followersVictor Rousseau Emanuel (Avigdor Rousseau Emanuel) was a writer of pulp fiction who was active in Great Britain and the United States in the first half of the 20th century. He wrote under the pen names Victor Rousseau, V.R. Emanuel, H.M. Egbert and Lew Merrill.
After an early career as a reporter for the New York World and as an editor of Harper's Weekly, he became a fiction writer. He wrote in a variety of genres, including historical fiction, frontier stories, western romance and crime fiction, but was probably best known as an early exponent of science fiction and fantasy. His best known novels in those genres were The Messiah of the Cylinder, a story of a man placed in suspended animation for 100 years, and The Eye of Balamok, a lost-race novel. Several of his stories were adapted for Western films, and he was the author of one silent film screenplay, The Devil's Tower, based on one of his stories.
He also wrote at least the first three and possibly the first fifteen or so "Jim Anthony, Super Detective" novels. Jim Anthony was a short-lived pulp hero created in imitation of Doc Savage.
After an early career as a reporter for the New York World and as an editor of Harper's Weekly, he became a fiction writer. He wrote in a variety of genres, including historical fiction, frontier stories, western romance and crime fiction, but was probably best known as an early exponent of science fiction and fantasy. His best known novels in those genres were The Messiah of the Cylinder, a story of a man placed in suspended animation for 100 years, and The Eye of Balamok, a lost-race novel. Several of his stories were adapted for Western films, and he was the author of one silent film screenplay, The Devil's Tower, based on one of his stories.
He also wrote at least the first three and possibly the first fifteen or so "Jim Anthony, Super Detective" novels. Jim Anthony was a short-lived pulp hero created in imitation of Doc Savage.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 14, 2021
Everything in this novel is overdone for dramatic effect, and for this reason, an otherwise intelligent and splendidly visual example of Radium-Age science fiction has earned the reputation of pulp nonsense, dooming it to the depths of forgotten literary treasures. However, it really is not a bad little book. This 1917 dystopian thriller by prolific Victor Rousseau Emanuel is a thoughtful meditation on what happens to society when the family unit is systematically engineered to extinction by global elites. Readers who identify themselves as progressive, socialist, or atheist would probably find Rousseau's bleak and horrific portrait of the triumph of progressive ideals to be a bit insulting, and those who identify as more conservative or libertarian may either be cheering it's enlightened message or dismiss this book as antidemocratic and mere hysterical propaganda.
I believe this book is a little of everything. Yes, it is propaganda, one that is obviously reactionary to the author's perceived decline in traditional values in America and England at the time. The interstice between the World War I and the Great Depression was a period of intense sociopolitical upheaval that surprisingly mimics that of today. Growing populations of citizens began to question the status quo and demanded changes everywhere. More and more sympathy was given towards the idea of trying the socialist experiment in various countries. First-wave feminism was at its peak. Gender roles were being questioned, explored, and turned upside down. The integrity of the media was under fire, as well as the legitimacy of democratic elections. Religion, particularly Christianity, was losing some ground. Divorce rates were increasing. The generation divide was growing ever wider. All of this was occuring during a period of unprecedented economic prosperity, time for leisure, and advancements in technology.
Rousseau simply carried what he was seeing during his time forward. So this book is set in the future, interestingly at about this present epoch. Civilization has now completely embraced progressive policies, and the "liberal lunatics," as today's right-wing pundits would say, have taken things to the extreme. Largely modeled after the New World Order of H.G. Wells, who is called "The Prophet" by this society, Rousseau's version of the 21st Century is one where religious persecution, censorship, and eugenics are the tools for complete totalitarian control by enlightened but corrupt left-wing elites who are so far removed from society that they are incapable of any decisions other than those that manipulate the masses to solidify their control and pleasure in perpetuity. Through years of social engineering, people have relinquishes the family unit so that their only means of support is the government. They aren't even allowed to have more than one name, breaking all ties to heredity, ancestry, or family clan. Though religion has been abolished as oppressive nonsense, thus removing the human soul and therefore the importance of individual human life and inalienable rights, society does have a distinctly religious bent. They worship a golden idol of an ant, the ultimate symbol of the aspirations of this collective hive.
Only a messiah could deliver civilization from such tyranny, and indeed, one comes in the form of a lab tech from 20th Century Croydon, tricked by a jealous rival into entering a cylinder that can suspend life for a century, a man who's time in the cylinder has nearly come to an end, a man who will return old-fashioned white guy patriarchal values to this insane future, a man known by the name of... Arnold.
The adventure that follows is full of ray-gun battles, airship dog fights, harems of beautiful women living in a crystal palm garden, stereotypical villains, human and dog vivisection, and plenty of wooden characters.
None of this is unusual for science fiction of this era. I've read countless versions of this same drama, and it is notable how similar they are, no matter from what side of the political spectrum. Even those more progressive thinkers wishing to portray a future strictly controlled by enlightened elites as blissfully utopian can't help but acknowledge the consequences of their policies if unfettered to reach their extreme conclusions, such as Wells' own "The World Set Free," which is alluded to in this story.
The book is full of thought-provoking one-liners and snippets of political philosophy that salt the otherwise bland prose, like...
"...tyranny always becomes most cruel when it approaches its downfall, by inspiring terror, to create submission."
Or...
"Never before in history had tribe or nation existed but grew up round the focus of some god. The churchless State is a body without a soul. Warnings multiply—in France and in America—but who can read them? When religion goes, the spirit of the race is dying."
But what makes this cautionary tale less effective than others is it's complete heavy-handed allegory and obvious Christian bias. There is nothing subtle about this book, with it's soap opera dialogue, shallow relationships, and black-and-white digital logic. Rousseau doesn't let the psychology or politics of the situation speak for itself to an open-minded critical audience. And this makes the book quite tedious.
However, it really is a fascinating read, and I think speculative fiction from this era should be reintroduced to young people again as part of their overall literary introductions. There really are so many parallels in these books to current sociopolitical issues that I think people would find them more engaging and stimulating than at first supposed.
I can't say "Messiah of the Cylinder" ranks as one of my top Radium-Age choices in which to orient new readers to these kinds of books, but it is an easy read, well-paced, and packed with enough action that might intrigue most fans of dystopian literature.
I believe this book is a little of everything. Yes, it is propaganda, one that is obviously reactionary to the author's perceived decline in traditional values in America and England at the time. The interstice between the World War I and the Great Depression was a period of intense sociopolitical upheaval that surprisingly mimics that of today. Growing populations of citizens began to question the status quo and demanded changes everywhere. More and more sympathy was given towards the idea of trying the socialist experiment in various countries. First-wave feminism was at its peak. Gender roles were being questioned, explored, and turned upside down. The integrity of the media was under fire, as well as the legitimacy of democratic elections. Religion, particularly Christianity, was losing some ground. Divorce rates were increasing. The generation divide was growing ever wider. All of this was occuring during a period of unprecedented economic prosperity, time for leisure, and advancements in technology.
Rousseau simply carried what he was seeing during his time forward. So this book is set in the future, interestingly at about this present epoch. Civilization has now completely embraced progressive policies, and the "liberal lunatics," as today's right-wing pundits would say, have taken things to the extreme. Largely modeled after the New World Order of H.G. Wells, who is called "The Prophet" by this society, Rousseau's version of the 21st Century is one where religious persecution, censorship, and eugenics are the tools for complete totalitarian control by enlightened but corrupt left-wing elites who are so far removed from society that they are incapable of any decisions other than those that manipulate the masses to solidify their control and pleasure in perpetuity. Through years of social engineering, people have relinquishes the family unit so that their only means of support is the government. They aren't even allowed to have more than one name, breaking all ties to heredity, ancestry, or family clan. Though religion has been abolished as oppressive nonsense, thus removing the human soul and therefore the importance of individual human life and inalienable rights, society does have a distinctly religious bent. They worship a golden idol of an ant, the ultimate symbol of the aspirations of this collective hive.
Only a messiah could deliver civilization from such tyranny, and indeed, one comes in the form of a lab tech from 20th Century Croydon, tricked by a jealous rival into entering a cylinder that can suspend life for a century, a man who's time in the cylinder has nearly come to an end, a man who will return old-fashioned white guy patriarchal values to this insane future, a man known by the name of... Arnold.
The adventure that follows is full of ray-gun battles, airship dog fights, harems of beautiful women living in a crystal palm garden, stereotypical villains, human and dog vivisection, and plenty of wooden characters.
None of this is unusual for science fiction of this era. I've read countless versions of this same drama, and it is notable how similar they are, no matter from what side of the political spectrum. Even those more progressive thinkers wishing to portray a future strictly controlled by enlightened elites as blissfully utopian can't help but acknowledge the consequences of their policies if unfettered to reach their extreme conclusions, such as Wells' own "The World Set Free," which is alluded to in this story.
The book is full of thought-provoking one-liners and snippets of political philosophy that salt the otherwise bland prose, like...
"...tyranny always becomes most cruel when it approaches its downfall, by inspiring terror, to create submission."
Or...
"Never before in history had tribe or nation existed but grew up round the focus of some god. The churchless State is a body without a soul. Warnings multiply—in France and in America—but who can read them? When religion goes, the spirit of the race is dying."
But what makes this cautionary tale less effective than others is it's complete heavy-handed allegory and obvious Christian bias. There is nothing subtle about this book, with it's soap opera dialogue, shallow relationships, and black-and-white digital logic. Rousseau doesn't let the psychology or politics of the situation speak for itself to an open-minded critical audience. And this makes the book quite tedious.
However, it really is a fascinating read, and I think speculative fiction from this era should be reintroduced to young people again as part of their overall literary introductions. There really are so many parallels in these books to current sociopolitical issues that I think people would find them more engaging and stimulating than at first supposed.
I can't say "Messiah of the Cylinder" ranks as one of my top Radium-Age choices in which to orient new readers to these kinds of books, but it is an easy read, well-paced, and packed with enough action that might intrigue most fans of dystopian literature.
October 3, 2010
I came across this book in a rare book store, and recognized the author from some assorted readings in pulp magazines. I considered buying, but hesitated given a total price in the low three digits. Its premise and artwork pulled at me, and I resolved to do the smart thing (for once) and read the downloadable version before committing to a physical copy.
A very wise choice, as it turned out.
Various reviews compare it to H.G. Well's When the Sleeper Wakes, which I can't speak to. Rousseau certainly sets up the story as a rebuttal to the sort of utopian, scientifically-minded thinking that Wells is known for, and even calls out Wells specifically: he is referenced by name, and called a prophet and major influence on this future, dystopian society.
Rousseau equates scientific advancement and the secularization of society with corruption, hedonistic excess, eugenics, and tyranny. He goes as far as disparaging democracy itself as a governmental form, preferring a monarchal form with the strong moral influence of the Christian church and a healthy respect for aged traditions.
This is not a view that one sees much of in this form of literature.
Unfortunately his apparent thesis lacks cohesion as the book crashes to an ending, and it's not clear if he is actually proposing serious social changes.
It was a rapid read. The first half or so is more or less a travelogue into this future society as people conveniently explain to him how everything works, and the second half where the battle lines are drawn and battle engaged. I lost track of all the details of loyalties and specifics while waiting for the action to really start. And there are some plot twists that struck me as unnecessary.
Rousseau describes some entertaining ray-gun technology based upon new colors in the visible spectrum, and ambitious architecture in the soulless-megalith sense.
A very wise choice, as it turned out.
Various reviews compare it to H.G. Well's When the Sleeper Wakes, which I can't speak to. Rousseau certainly sets up the story as a rebuttal to the sort of utopian, scientifically-minded thinking that Wells is known for, and even calls out Wells specifically: he is referenced by name, and called a prophet and major influence on this future, dystopian society.
Rousseau equates scientific advancement and the secularization of society with corruption, hedonistic excess, eugenics, and tyranny. He goes as far as disparaging democracy itself as a governmental form, preferring a monarchal form with the strong moral influence of the Christian church and a healthy respect for aged traditions.
This is not a view that one sees much of in this form of literature.
Unfortunately his apparent thesis lacks cohesion as the book crashes to an ending, and it's not clear if he is actually proposing serious social changes.
It was a rapid read. The first half or so is more or less a travelogue into this future society as people conveniently explain to him how everything works, and the second half where the battle lines are drawn and battle engaged. I lost track of all the details of loyalties and specifics while waiting for the action to really start. And there are some plot twists that struck me as unnecessary.
Rousseau describes some entertaining ray-gun technology based upon new colors in the visible spectrum, and ambitious architecture in the soulless-megalith sense.
April 18, 2022
Wow, what a thriller!
Victor Rousseú´s ¨The Messiah of the Cylinder¨needs to be more widely read today. This science fiction book from a Christian perspective is absolutely phenomenal, the last few chapters absolute page turning aerial battles. The main character, Arnold, is a Christian who is tricked into being put in a cylinder and he wakes up into an antichristian world that has swallowed the doctrines of H.G. Wells hook, line and sinker. However, he later finds out that he was not the only want put in a cylinder, and the revolution, led by both the Russians and the Americans brings Christianity and the Christian ethic back to the world, inspired by ¨the messiah¨of the cylinder who ends the reign of the man who put him in the cylinder. If he had not put him in the cylinder, he would have won. This is a story of evil destroying itself, and ends on Easter, the day I happened by chance to read this remarkable book.
Victor Rousseú´s ¨The Messiah of the Cylinder¨needs to be more widely read today. This science fiction book from a Christian perspective is absolutely phenomenal, the last few chapters absolute page turning aerial battles. The main character, Arnold, is a Christian who is tricked into being put in a cylinder and he wakes up into an antichristian world that has swallowed the doctrines of H.G. Wells hook, line and sinker. However, he later finds out that he was not the only want put in a cylinder, and the revolution, led by both the Russians and the Americans brings Christianity and the Christian ethic back to the world, inspired by ¨the messiah¨of the cylinder who ends the reign of the man who put him in the cylinder. If he had not put him in the cylinder, he would have won. This is a story of evil destroying itself, and ends on Easter, the day I happened by chance to read this remarkable book.
December 18, 2020
The critical reviews of the book are very good, and it's supposed to be a "precursor to 1984". It's VERY Christian. I don't mind a little religion all good. This is crazy.
The imagination I don't know, it doesn't seem crazy good - but I didn't live in the 1920s. Not my favorite book, a bit novel otherwise wouldn't recommend.
The imagination I don't know, it doesn't seem crazy good - but I didn't live in the 1920s. Not my favorite book, a bit novel otherwise wouldn't recommend.
November 11, 2025
Scifi book, weird anti science
November 16, 2025
Interesting SciFi given how old it is. It kept my attention, but could have used a few more drafts to flesh out the plot.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews