The Poison Belt

by Arthur Conan Doyle

Overview

"Nothing could be done. The thing was universal and beyond our human knowledge or control. It was death for young and old, for weak and strong, for rich and poor, without hope or possibility of escape." Just returned from his famous adventure in the Lost World, the resourceful Professor George Challenger faces his greatest danger yet: Earth will pass through a belt of poisonous ether, and mankind might not survive. As the poison enters the atmosphere, terror and madness sweep the globe. Cities are wracked by riots, societies crumble, and soon all communication ceases. Professor Challenger and his friends, barricaded in a sealed room, can only watch their planet die. The Poison Belt stands as one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's finest stories. A first-rate sequel to The Lost World, this novel continues the adventures of one of the most memorable characters in speculative fiction. Brilliant, witty, insufferable, and blessed with a booming voice and a huge black beard, Professor George Challenger is an eccentric and able champion of the human race.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9782291056058
Publisher:	AB Books
Publication date:	10/31/2018
Sold by:	Bookwire
Format:	eBook
Pages:	90
File size:	371 KB

About the Author

Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle KStJ DL (22 May 1859 - 7 July 1930) was a British writer best known for his detective fiction featuring the character Sherlock Holmes. Originally a physician, in 1887 he published A Study in Scarlet, the first of four novels about Holmes and Dr. Watson. In addition, Doyle wrote over fifty short stories featuring the famous detective. The Sherlock Holmes stories are generally considered milestones in the field of crime fiction.

Date of Birth:

May 22, 1859

Date of Death:

July 7, 1930

Place of Birth:

Edinburgh, Scotland

Place of Death:

Crowborough, Sussex, England

Education:

Edinburgh University, B.M., 1881; M.D., 1885

Editorial Reviews

Here are two more volumes in the publisher's ongoing series of sf classics. Burroughs's Pirates was initially serialized in Argosy Weekly in 1932 and released in book form soon after. It features astronaut Carson Napier, who becomes stranded on Venus and finds himself swept into numerous adventures. The Poison Belt portrays Conan Doyle's other great creation, Professor Challenger. In this 1913 outing, the professor grapples with the problem of Earth's passing through a poisonous cloud, putting humankind's existence in jeopardy. Both books feature vintage illustrations. Great fun. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal

Conan Doyle may be best remembered for his Sherlock Holmes mysteries, but his works of science fiction are as brilliant and historically significant as they are under-rated. Along with contemporaries H.G. Wells and Jules Verne, he helped create the mold for modern science fiction.”

SFReader.com

In Doyle's short novel featuring Professor Challenger, the earth moves through a poisonous belt of the "ether"—the stuff supposedly filling space—and the protagonists of the first Challenger novel, THE LOST WORLD, reunite to observe what seems to be the end of all life. The book, though a classic of science fiction, is painfully dated in its science and in its casual racism, which only surfaces occasionally but is off-putting. But Glen McCready's genial reading helps. He supplies appropriate voices for the major characters, including the rumbling, bull-like Professor Challenger, his dainty wife, and the drawling Lord Roxton. Overall, McCready delivers the somewhat talky text with careful expressiveness, helping to bring it to life. It’s entertaining for those who can overlook the book's deficiencies. W.M. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine

SEPTEMBER 2009 - AudioFile