<div><p><strong>With a new Introduction by Cedric Watts, M.A., Ph.D., Research Professor of English, University of Sussex.</strong></p></div><div><p>These lively, varied and thought-provoking science-fiction stories (from the era of Jules Verne and H. G. Wells) are linked by their imposing central character, the pugnaciously adventurous and outrageous Professor Challenger. <em>The Lost World</em> (forebear of Jurassic Park) vividly depicts a perilous region in which the explorers confront creatures from the prehistoric era. <em>The Poison Belt</em> presents an eerie doomsday scenario, while <em>The Disintegration Machine</em> satirically comments on scientific cynicism.</p></div><div><p>In <em>When the World Screamed</em>, the planet responds violently to an experimental incursion. The strangest item is <em>The Land of Mist</em>, which seeks to reconcile science with spiritualism. This memorable collection provides imaginative entertainment, entrancing escapism and bold provocation.</p