Sources of Science Fiction : Future War Novels of the 1890s

The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells, published almost exactly 100 years ago, is widely acknowledged as an icon of Victorian science fiction.

Less widely recognised is its role as a giant step in the evolution of a literary genre: the British speculative future war novel.

This collection sketches the development of this science fiction tradition in the 1890s, both before and following the publication of Wells's famous work.

These novels forecast invasions from the land, sea, air, and ultimately, outer space.

The largely Eurocentric conflicts that start the collection are followed by The Yellow Danger , by M.P.

Shiel (who is credited with coining the phrase 'the yellow peril'), which portrays the conquest by Japan and China of all of Europe except for England.

This is followed by a selection of the writings that came after the publication of Wells's novel, including a sequel and a parody of it.

Cole's The Struggle for Empire closes the century and the collection with a remarkable anticipation of Star Wars .

These novels can be interpreted in many ways: as fin-de-siecle paranoia, as critiques of British imperialism, as xenophobic tirades, or as fear of the advances of technology. Taken together they illustrate the development of the genre that culminated in The War of the Worlds and which afterwards overshadowed the whole of the twentieth century.

The set: * illustrates the background to and the writings that followed The War of the Worlds * ranges from documentary-style descriptions based on real historic wars to space-age alien invasions * although originally printed in large numbers, popular fiction was often thrown away, so many of these titles are now very rare * all the most important writers are represented here, and most titles are first editions * includes over 140 illustrations * includes many illustrations by Fred T, Jane (of Jane's Fighting Ships ) and a book authored by him * new introduction to each work and one general introduction to the collection by science fiction bibliophile, George Locke, discussing the publishing history of the genre * new preface by Professor Takayuki Tatsumi, leading cultural studies expert.