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y separately published work icon A Mystery of the Pacific single work   children's fiction   children's   fantasy  
Issue Details: First known date: 1899... 1899 A Mystery of the Pacific
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

'When the crew of the Pacific are searching for castaways, [...] a Roman trireme emerges from the mist, and leads them to an island inhabited by the descendants of Brutus. Their perfectly constructed marble city, Nova Messana, is fully equipped with the accoutrements of Rome. Fortunately, some of the crew speak Latin' (Oxford Companion to Australian Children's Literature, 392).

Notes

  • Sometimes referred to as one of the earliest examples of science fiction in an Australian children's book.

  • Darko Suvin asserts that this is a 'lost-race story of a large island with ancient Romans, magic Atlanteans, etc., with Vernean adventure elements, but no SF' ('On What Is and Is Not an SF Narration; With a List of 101 Victorian Books that should be excluded from SF Bibliographies,' Science Fiction Studies 5.1 (1978): 45-57).

  • Users are warned that this work contains terminology that reflects attitudes or language used at the time of publication that are considered inappropriate today.

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

    • London,
      c
      England,
      c
      c
      United Kingdom (UK),
      c
      Western Europe, Europe,      :       Blackie ,       1899 .
      person or book cover
      Link: 8490505Full text document AustLit Full Text
      Extent: 335p.
      Description: illus.
      Written as: Oliphant Smeaton
      Reprinted: 1904 New edition. , 1913
      Note/s:
      • Eight illustrations by Wal Paget.
      • Also includes a thirty-two page publisher's catalogue of books for children.
      • Digitised by AustLit, 2009, from the collection of the NLA.
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Works about this Work

Lost and Found Cities and Peoples : Islands Graham Stone , 2001 single work review
— Appears in: Notes on Australian Science Fiction 2001; (p. 89-90)
— Review of Colymbia Robert Ellis Dudgeon , 1873 single work novel ; A Mystery of the Pacific W. H. O. Smeaton , 1899 single work children's fiction ; The Expedition of Captain Flick Fergus Hume , 1896 single work novel ; The Island of Fantasy : A Romance Fergus Hume , 1892 single work novel
Lost and Found Cities and Peoples : Islands Graham Stone , 2001 single work review
— Appears in: Notes on Australian Science Fiction 2001; (p. 89-90)
— Review of Colymbia Robert Ellis Dudgeon , 1873 single work novel ; A Mystery of the Pacific W. H. O. Smeaton , 1899 single work children's fiction ; The Expedition of Captain Flick Fergus Hume , 1896 single work novel ; The Island of Fantasy : A Romance Fergus Hume , 1892 single work novel
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Last amended 22 Apr 2015 13:01:27
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