S. Henry Berthoud (1804-1891) was a writer of considerable ability, remembered today mostly for his often reprinted collections of folkloric legends from Northern France. Yet, he was a writer who came close to inventing science fiction as early as the 1840s. This unique collection assembled, translated and introduced by Brian Stableford, gathers 32 of Berthoud's best works, displaying his often pioneering surges of imagination. It includes samples of his remarkable supernatural stories, his eccentric scientific fantasies, featuring real or imaginary scientists, his ground-breaking visions of the prehistoric past of Paris, and his futuristic novella about the Year 2865.
