Subject
Scientists -- Fiction Books
Best books
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus
"Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus" by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley is a Gothic novel published in 1818. It tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a living creature from assembled body parts in an unorthodox experiment. When the creature awakens, Victor flees in horror, abandoning his creation. The conscious being must navigate a world that fears him, learning language and seeking connection, only to face repeated rejection. Embittered and alone, the creature confronts his creator with a desperate request that will set both on a dark path of vengeance and tragedy.
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus
"Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus" by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley is a Gothic novel written in 1818. It tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a living creature from assembled body parts in an unorthodox experiment. When the creature awakens, Victor flees in horror, setting in motion a tragic tale of creation, abandonment, and revenge. This pioneering work has become one of English literature's most influential stories, spawning an entire genre of horror and forever changing popular culture.
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus
"Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus" by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley is a Gothic novel published in 1818. It tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sapient creature from different body parts in an unorthodox experiment. When the creature awakens, Victor flees in horror, setting in motion a tragic chain of events. The creature, initially innocent, learns language and seeks acceptance but faces only rejection. Embittered by humanity's cruelty, he demands his creator take responsibility, leading to devastating consequences that reach from Geneva to the Arctic.
H. G. (Herbert George) Wells
The Invisible Man: A Grotesque Romance
"The Invisible Man: A Grotesque Romance" by H. G. Wells is a science fiction novel published in 1897. Griffin, a brilliant scientist, discovers how to make himself invisible by altering his body's refractive index. But when he cannot reverse the process, his isolation and frustration spiral into madness and violence. As he terrorizes an English village and evades capture, Griffin's desperate quest for power transforms him into a dangerous fugitive hunted by increasingly desperate authorities. This influential novel explores the dark consequences of unchecked ambition and invisibility's corrupting power.
Ralph Sholto
"And That's How It Was, Officer"
"And That's How It Was, Officer" by Ralph Sholto is a comedic crime fiction novel set in the mid-20th century. The story unfolds through a letter from Homer Nicholas, who is addressing the perplexed Chief of Police, David Nixon, about a series of bizarre events involving gangsters disappearing in Morton City after his wedding reception. The narrative delves into themes of family relations, social status, and unique scientific experiments, with humor intertwined throughout the plot. The plot centers around Homer and his bride, Joy, who unwittingly find themselves embroiled in a dangerous situation involving Homer's eccentric Uncle Peter, a scientist with a penchant for unorthodox experiments. After the wedding, gangsters crash the reception, leading to a chaotic series of events fueled by Uncle Peter's mysterious serum that disintegrates people in a dramatic fashion. As Homer and Joy chase down various leads to understand what is happening, they navigate a world of colorful characters, from Bag Ears Mulligan, Homer's loyal but slightly confused friend, to criminal masterminds like Hands McCaffery. The narrative culminates in a hilarious yet suspenseful revelation about Uncle Peter's true intentions and the bizarre scientific method behind the chaos, ultimately blending elements of humor, crime, and familial loyalty.
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
Frankenstein, ou le Prométhée moderne Volume 1 (of 3)
"Frankenstein, ou le Prométhée moderne Volume 1 (of 3)" by Mary Shelley is a novel published in 1818. A young Swiss scientist creates a living being assembled from dead body parts, then abandons his hideous creation in horror. The intelligent creature, rejected and persecuted, seeks revenge against his maker and society. Told through nested narratives within an Arctic exploration frame, this pioneering work of gothic fiction and early science-fiction explores themes of creation, abandonment, and vengeance through the intertwined stories of creator and creation.
Raymond Roussel
Locus Solus
"Locus Solus" by Raymond Roussel is a novel published in 1914. A scientist named Martial Canterel invites colleagues to tour his estate, where he displays increasingly bizarre inventions. These include an aerial pile driver creating tooth mosaics, a water-filled glass diamond, and most remarkably, dead people revived with "resurrectine" who endlessly reenact their life's most crucial moments. The novel unfolds through detailed expositions followed by intricate explanations, creating a strange journey through Canterel's extraordinary world of mechanical wonders and macabre spectacles.
H. G. (Herbert George) Wells
The dream: A novel
"The Dream: A novel by H. G. Wells" is a novel published in 1924. In the year 4000 AD, a biologist named Sarnac experiences a vivid dream in which he lives the complete life of Harry Mortimer Smith, an Englishman born in the 1890s. Through this dream, Wells contrasts a utopian future with the "Age of Confusion" of Victorian and Edwardian England, exploring themes of class, family dysfunction, love, jealousy, and war through one ordinary man's tumultuous journey.
Jack McKenty
$1,000 a Plate
"$1,000 a Plate" by Jack McKenty is a science fiction short story written in the mid-20th century. The narrative is set on Mars and revolves around the challenges faced by the Mars Observatory due to frequent fireworks displays that disrupt their astronomical observations. The story explores themes of cooperation, creativity, and the unintended consequences of one's actions, particularly as it relates to the dangers of entertainment overrunning scientific endeavors. In the story, Dr. Morton and his team of scientists are frustrated by the annual Marsy Gras celebrations and the resulting skyrocket trails that ruin expensive photographic plates crucial for their research. As a solution, Dr. Morton devises a plan to manipulate the local casino owners into agreeing to halt fireworks displays by offering them horoscopes that predict their gambling success. Initially met with success, their plan faces a setback when they are ordered to cease their unscientific practices. In a twist, they resort to creating their own fireworks, leading to comedic mishaps that include the destruction of a casino owner's home. Ultimately, this unexpected outcome positively affects Dr. Morton's research ambitions while simultaneously enhancing the local gambler’s reputation, culminating in a humorous yet insightful commentary on the interplay between science and entertainment.
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
Frankenstein, ou le Prométhée moderne Volume 3 (of 3)
"Frankenstein, ou le Prométhée moderne Volume 3 (of 3)" by Mary Shelley is a novel published in 1818. A young Swiss scientist creates a living being from dead body parts, only to abandon his hideous creation in horror. The intelligent creature, rejected and persecuted, seeks revenge against his creator and society. Told through nested narratives within an Arctic exploration, the story weaves together Frankenstein's account and the monster's own tale of survival and suffering, creating a Gothic masterpiece that explores both terror and profound philosophical questions.
Susan Glaspell
The Glory of the Conquered: The Story of a Great Love
"The Glory of the Conquered: The Story of a Great Love" by Susan Glaspell is a novel written in the early 20th century. The narrative centers on Ernestine Stanley, a woman grappling with her identity as she navigates the complexities between love, art, and science, particularly in light of her engagement to a prominent scientist, Dr. Karl Hubers. The story delves into the emotional conflicts stemming from her upbringing and the expectations imposed by her parents, showcasing the tension between her artistic aspirations and the scientific world that Karl embodies. At the start of the novel, the reader is introduced to Ernestine as she reflects on her unexpected engagement to Karl, a man of science, contrasting her own artistic pursuits against his intellectual rigor. The opening chapters explore her tumultuous upbringing, characterized by the friction between her scientifically inclined father and her artistically inclined mother, which shapes Ernestine's internal struggles. A significant moment occurs when she acknowledges her love for Karl, realizing that it supersedes her previous uncertainties and doubts. This deep emotional resonance sets the stage for the exploration of their relationship against the backdrop of ambition and societal expectations, hinting at the trials they both must face as they seek to reconcile their very different worlds.
Jack Williamson
The green girl
"The Green Girl" by Jack Williamson is a science fiction novel written in the early 20th century. The story occurs in a futuristic setting, specifically on May 4, 1999, where a series of catastrophic cosmic events threaten the Earth. The protagonist, Melvin Dane, along with his guardian Dr. Samuel Walden, embarks on a journey that intertwines science, adventure, and the supernatural, particularly revolving around Melvin's dreams of a mythical "Green Girl." At the start of the novel, a mysterious and ominous phenomenon blots out the sun, plunging the world into chaos and signaling an impending freeze. Melvin lives in a serene Florida coastal cottage with Dr. Walden, who is secretly working on a scientific solution to the alien menace threatening the planet. As they prepare to confront the danger, Melvin recalls his lifelong companionship with a dream-like figure, the Green Girl, whom he believes may exist in reality. Soon after, they discover an otherworldly dimension beneath the ocean, populated by bizarre life forms, including the embodiment of Melvin's dreams—Xenora, the Green Girl. The narrative unfolds a blend of adventure, existential queries, and the exploration of unknown realms, making the story intriguing for readers who enjoy imaginative and speculative tales.
Recently surfaced classics