M P Shiel – författare

Dark, desolate and fantastical, The Purple Cloud was a pioneer in the genre of apocalyptic novels, and the first great science fiction work of the twentieth century. It inspired authors such as H. P. Lovecraft and Stephen King. The Purple Cloud tells the grandly bleak story of Adam Jeffson: the first man to reach the North Pole and the last man left alive on earth. A sweet-smelling, deadly cloud of poisonous gas has devastated the world, and as Jeffson travels the stricken globe in search of human life, he slowly succumbs to madness, and unleashes fire and destruction on his planet. John Sutherland's introduction discusses M. P. Shiel's dissolute life, the originality of his book and its place within the context of 'last man' novels. This edition also includes a chronology, notes and further reading.

Dark, desolate and fantastical, The Purple Cloud was a pioneer in the genre of apocalyptic novels, and the first great science fiction work of the twentieth century. It inspired authors such as H. P. Lovecraft and Stephen King. The Purple Cloud tells the grandly bleak story of Adam Jeffson: the first man to reach the North Pole and the last man left alive on earth. A sweet-smelling, deadly cloud of poisonous gas has devastated the world, and as Jeffson travels the stricken globe in search of human life, he slowly succumbs to madness, and unleashes fire and destruction on his planet. John Sutherland's introduction discusses M. P. Shiel's dissolute life, the originality of his book and its place within the context of 'last man' novels. This edition also includes a chronology, notes and further reading.

"If now a swell from the Deep has swept over this planetary ship of earth, and I, who alone chanced to find myself in the furthest stern, as the sole survivor of her crew . . . What then, my God, shall I do?" The Purple Cloud is widely hailed as a masterpiece of science fiction and one of the best "last man" novels ever written. A deadly purple vapor passes over the world and annihilates all living creatures except one man, Adam Jeffson. He embarks on an epic journey across a silent and devastated planet, an apocalyptic Robinson Crusoe putting together the semblance of a normal life from the flotsam and jetsam of his former existence. As he descends into madness over the years, he becomes increasingly aware that his survival was no accident and that his destiny—and the fate of the human race—are part of a profound, cosmological plan.

This volume contains Matthew Phipps Shiel''s 1906 novel, "The Last Miracle". This book is recommended for fans of supernatural and science fiction, and is a must-have for collectors of Shiel''s work. Matthew Phipps Shiel (1865 - 1947) - also known as M. P. Shiel - was a seminal British writer best remembered for his supernatural and scientific romances. They were published as serials, novels, and as short stories. "The Purple Cloud" (1901) is his most famous and frequently reprinted novel. The chapters of this text include: "My Visit to Swandale", "The Wren", "The Styrian", "The Ritual", "The Street Corner", "The Death-Bed", "The Bells", "The Trail", "The Meeting", "The Compact"; "The Face of Robinson", ''''Crucify to Yourselves Afresh the Son of Man'''', etcetera. Many antiquarian texts such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive, and it is with this in mind that we are republishing this book now in an affordable, high-quality, modern edition. It comes complete with a specially commissioned biography of the author.