The Evolution of Science Fiction discussion

We are looking for nominations for a sci-fi novel or collection of short stories written pre-1920 that has not previously been read by the group. Please check the bookshelf (https://www.goodreads.com/group/books...) & the nomination rules (https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...) before nominating a book.

Please also add your nominated book title as a clickable link directly to the goodreads' book page, so it looks like this:

Around the World in Eighty Days
Ideally, add the author, too: Jules Verne.
And mention the *Publication Year,* please!

Everything you can do to help the moderators' bookkeeping will help the group flourish, so thank you!

I'll nominate A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain. It one of the finest examples of how technology & change clashes with the social norm.

I will nominate The Last Man (1826) by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

Micromegas by Voltaire. A 1752 story about aliens coming to Earth.

Jim's review of The Last Man says that there are no SF elements, but I'd argue in favor of Rafael's suggestion because it's a 'What If' the plague was really really effective... at least according to the blurb.

Micromegas by Voltaire 1752,
The Last Man by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley 1826.
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain 1889.
The Master of the World by Jules Verne
Moving the Mountain by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Tomorrow's Eve by Villiers de L'Isle-Adam
The Feminine Future: Early Science Fiction by Women Writers ed. by Mike Ashley (from proto SF to the 30s)
The Man Who Rocked the Earth by Arthur Cheney Train 1915

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells (1895)

Adrian, Wells isn't allowed. We've already read 3 of his novels & one of his short stories.

At one point we said that we'd read 3 books by Verne, but Jo or I miscounted. We've only read 2, so one more of his is allowed before we cut him off.

"Last Man" is a fine nomination. I don't think it's SF, but that's me. Many others do. I found it a slog. I reviewed it about a year ago here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I nominate Tomorrow's Eve by Villiers de L'Isle-Adam.

Master of the World by Jules Verne???

I nominate A Voyage to the Moon by George Tucker.

Edit: I wish to cancel my above nomination in favor of a work I believe will be of even greater interest, an anthology of stories from the assigned period: The Feminine Future: Early Science Fiction by Women Writers edited by Mike Ashley.

Paul wrote: "Master of the World by Jules Verne???"

Please provide the book link next time, Paul. I'll do it for you this time.
The Master of the World by Jules Verne

Jim wrote: "Adrian, Wells isn't allowed. We've already read 3 of his novels & one of his short stories.

At one point we said that we'd read 3 books by Verne, but Jo or I miscounted. We've only read 2, so one ..."

No probs, my apologies for not reading ALL the rules , oops

Not a big deal, Adrian. We just want to give other authors an opportunity to shine. Please pick another, if you can think of one. It's by far the lightest period for the authors I've assembled so far. This is all I have:

Pre 1920 Old & Proto SF:
1 - Edwin A. Abbott (1880s-1900s) - Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions

- Ambrose Bierce (1870s-1910s) - mostly horror/weird & short stories.
1 - Edgar Rice Burroughs (1910s-1950) - Tarzan, Barsoom, Pellucidar, & Venus series plus.

- Villiers de L'Isle-Adam (1859-1890s, died 1889) French author of mostly mystery & horror. Tomorrow's Eve is SF.
1 - Arthur Conan Doyle (1880s-1920s) - Best known for Sherlock Holmes, he also wrote The Lost World & other Professor Challengers stories.

1 - William Hope Hodgson (1900s-1910s died in WWI) - we read The House on the Borderland, speculative/horror fiction.

1 - Jack London (1900s-1916 died) - Best known for his Yukon & Pacific Island stories, he also wrote The Iron Heel which we read in this group.

Jim wrote: "Not a big deal, Adrian. We just want to give other authors an opportunity to shine. Please pick another, if you can think of one. It's by far the lightest period for the authors I've assembled so f..."

I would've picked Conan Doyle, but I recently read almost of his Sci-Fi. Ok, thinking cap on

The Man Who Rocked the Earth by lawyer & writer Arthur Cheney Train and physicist Robert W. Wood, 1915.

I have eight nominations so far. Did I miss any? Does anyone want to make a campaign to voters for their favorites? We'll probably need either two polls or a run-off; Jim and I will discuss.

Cheryl wrote: "Does anyone want to make a campaign to voters for their favorites?"

All I can say is that "Tomorrow's Eve" is actually on my bookshelf already, and I will definitely read and discuss it if it is picked.

Some of the others look interesting and I would maybe read if easily available.