A Fossil Continent by Grant Allen
A Fossil Continent is a science fiction novel written by Grant Allen and published in 1896. The story follows the adventures of two scientists who discover a lost continent hidden beneath the ice of Antarctica. As they explore this ancient land, they encounter strange creatures and uncover secrets that have been buried for millions of years. Along the way, they must battle against harsh weather conditions and dangerous predators in order to survive. The novel is considered a classic of early science fiction and has influenced many other works in the genre.
By Grant Allen · First published 1896 · Genre: Science, Natural History, Travel · 6,201 words
First lines
If an intelligent Australian colonist were suddenly to be translated backward from Collins Street, Melbourne, into the flourishing woods of the secondary geological period -- say about the precise moment of time when the English chalk downs were slowly accumulating, speck by speck, on the silent floor of some long-forgotten Mediterranean -- the intelligent colonist would look around him with a sweet smile of cheerful recognition, and say to himself in some surprise, 'Why, this is just like Australia. ' The animals, the trees, the plants, the insects, would all more or less vividly remind him of those he had left behind him in his happy home of the southern seas and the nineteenth century. The sun would have moved back on the dial of ages for a few million summers or so, indefinitely (in geology we refuse to be bound by dates), and would have landed him at last, to his immense astonishment, pretty much at the exact point whence he first started.
What this Textopian page supports
A Fossil Continent is listed on Textopian as a novel by Grant Allen, dated 1896 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Grant Allen
- Date: 1896 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Science, Natural History, Travel, Historical, Educational
- Length: 6,201 words
- Structure: 1 section, 45 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
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Genres
- Science — The book extensively discusses geological and biological evolution, focusing on the unique development of Australia's flora and fauna.
- Natural History — It provides detailed descriptions of Australia's ancient and modern ecosystems, including its unique species and their evolutionary history.
- Travel — The narrative includes explorations and observations of the Australian continent, akin to a travelogue of its natural environment.
- Historical — The text delves into the historical development of the Australian continent from a geological perspective.
Tags
paleontology · geology · fossils · natural history · evolution · science · earth sciences · biogeography · extinction · prehistoric life · climate change · sedimentary rocks