The Struggle for Empire: A Story of the Year 2236
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| Author | Robert William Cole |
|---|---|
| Country | UK |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Novelette |
| Publisher | Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.C. |
Publication date | 1900 |
| Text | The Struggle for Empire: A Story of the Year 2236 at Wikisource |
The Struggle for Empire: A Story of the Year 2236 written by Robert William Cole and first published in 1900 is a science fiction novel. It is regarded as one of the first space operas.[1]
Significance[edit]
It is often credited with being the first novel to introduce the concept of galactic empires, interstellar travel and fleets of starships in the thousands locked in combat.[2]
Plot[edit]
The British Empire has colonized the nations of Africa, Asia and others on Earth,[3] and in which the 'Anglo-Saxon race' had 'long ago absorbed the whole globe'.[4]
The expanding Anglo-Saxon Empire of Earth then clashes with a similar empire based on Kairet, a planet in the Sirius system. Both sides have forgotten spiritual and philosophical values, and are driven by greed. Commercial rivalries escalate into a interstellar war which results in the destruction of most of the Terran fleet and the invasion of Earth.
Future technology[edit]
The novel's technology includes antigravity, interplanetary radio, television, various forms of death ray and industrial transmutation.
References[edit]
- ^ Bleiler, Everett Franklin (1992). Science Fiction: The Early Years. Kent State University Press. p. 147. ISBN 978-0873384162.
- ^ Edward, James (1995). Anticipations: Essays on Early Science Fiction and Its Precursors. Syracuse University Press. p. 43. ISBN 978-0815626404.
- ^ Wetmore, Kevin J. (2017). The Empire Triumphant: Race, Religion and Rebellion in the Star Wars Films. McFarland. p. 13. ISBN 978-0786422197.
- ^ Claeys, Gregory (2016). Dystopia: A Natural History. Oxford University Press. p. 301. ISBN 978-0198785682.
External links[edit]
The full text of The Struggle for Empire at Wikisource- The Struggle For Empire (free PDF)
- The Struggle For Empire (free ePub)
