In 1894 the most famous science fiction writer in England was George Griffith. His stories introduced an extraordinary array of technological marvels to an appreciative British audience but his novels were almost never published in America.

Griffith is rarely considered to be in the same league as H. G. Wells but Wells admired Griffith for his ability to write great high adventure stories while packing them with plausible science and prophetic invention.

In 1897 Griffith wrote The Great Crellin Comet, a short story that introduced the concept that technology could stave off Armageddon and could save humanity from suffering the ignominious fate of the dinosaurs. In the process Griffith invented the countdown, an eminently practical and dramatic tool that is still used today for space launches.

In 1905 Griffith expanded this tale into a full fledged novel of science and romance, changing its name to The World Peril of 1910.

For the first time ever, both stories are reproduced together, complete and unabridged.

Robert Godwin is the space curator at the Canadian Air and Space Museum and an advocate of the Space Frontier Foundation. He is the author of Apollo 11, The Illustrated Collector’s Guide to Led Zeppelin, and The Lunar Exploration Scrapbook. He lives in Burlington, Ontario.