SCI-FI Boxed Set: 18 Fantastic Adventures Books, Lost World Stories & Science Fiction Novels (Annotated)

This expansive SCI-FI boxed set gathers eighteen of Abraham Merritt's fantastic adventures, lost-world tales, and early science-fiction romances into a panorama of wonder, peril, and metaphysical mystery. Merritt's fiction is marked by lush, incantatory prose, exotic settings, subterranean civilizations, ancient survivals, and encounters with forces that blur science, myth, and the supernatural. Situated between the scientific romances of H. G. Wells and the later pulp traditions of Weird Tales, these works exemplify the imaginative exuberance of early twentieth-century speculative literature. Abraham Merritt (1884–1943) was a journalist and editor whose professional life sharpened his narrative pacing while his wide reading in archaeology, occultism, exploration, and comparative myth furnished the materials of his fiction. As editor of The American Weekly, he understood popular appetite for marvels, yet his best work reveals a distinctive literary temperament: sensuous, erudite, and fascinated by civilizations hidden beneath modernity's surface. This collection is recommended for readers interested in the origins of fantasy and science fiction, especially those who value atmosphere, invention, and visionary scale. Merritt's novels may be products of their pulp era, but their strange beauty and narrative energy remain compelling. This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience. - A comprehensive Introduction outlines these selected works' unifying features, themes, or stylistic evolutions. - A Historical Context section situates the works in their broader era—social currents, cultural trends, and key events that underpin their creation. - A concise Synopsis (Selection) offers an accessible overview of the included texts, helping readers navigate plotlines and main ideas without revealing critical twists.