BY late accounts from Rotterdam, that city seems to be in a high state of philosophical excitement. Indeed, phenomena have there occurred of a nature so completely unexpected-so entirely novel-so utterly at variance with preconceived opinions-as to leave no doubt on my mind that long ere this all Europe is in an uproar, all physics in a ferment, all reason and astronomy together by the ears.
The name Poe brings to mind images of murderers and madmen, premature burials, and mysterious women who return from the dead. His works have been in print since 1827 and include such literary classics as The Tell-Tale Heart, The Raven, and The Fall of the House of Usher. This versatile writer’s oeuvre includes short stories, poetry, a novel, a textbook, a book of scientific theory, and hundreds of essays and book reviews. He is widely acknowledged as the inventor of the modern detective story and an innovator in the science fiction genre, but he made his living as America’s first great literary critic and theoretician. Poe’s reputation today rests primarily on his tales of terror as well as on his haunting lyric poetry.
Just as the bizarre characters in Poe’s stories have captured the public imagination so too has Poe himself. He is seen as a morbid, mysterious figure lurking in the shadows of moonlit cemeteries or crumbling castles. This is the Poe of legend. But much of what we know about Poe is wrong, the product of a biography written by one of his enemies in an attempt to defame the author’s name.
The real Poe was born to traveling actors in Boston on January 19, 1809. Edgar was the second of three children. His other brother William Henry Leonard Poe would also become a poet before his early death, and Poe’s sister Rosalie Poe would grow up to teach penmanship at a Richmond girls’ school. Within three years of Poe’s birth both of his parents had died, and he was taken in by the wealthy tobacco merchant John Allan and his wife Frances Valentine Allan in Richmond, Virginia while Poe’s siblings went to live with other families. Mr. Allan would rear Poe to be a businessman and a Virginia gentleman, but Poe had dreams of being a writer in emulation of his childhood hero the British poet Lord Byron. Early poetic verses found written in a young Poe’s handwriting on the backs of Allan’s ledger sheets reveal how little interest Poe had in the tobacco business.
I seemed to connect less with this novella than with any of his other works I have read thus far. It was entirely too detailed with the scientific information and numbers which was frankly quite uninteresting and dragged the story down. I also couldn't help but be annoyed at the callousness of the protagonist with the animals he took and with throwing things out of the basket which could have killed someone or destroyed a home. I know it's fiction, obviously, but alas, I am quite analytical with things like this!
لأنه ليس مؤلف رعب فقط، بل مهووس الخيال..والعلم أه، والبالونات السيد بو لديه مخيلة لا مثيل لها، فبحكايته للمغامرة المذهلة لهانز فوول، الشخص البسيط المديون، الذي قام بالبالون 'المنطاد' فقط بالذهاب إلي القمر ، بل وأرسال رسالة عن ألغاز مثيرة عن الحياة الغامضة بالقمر لم يصل لها بشر بخياله من قبل ليكون ملهما لجول فيرن بعده ببضعة اعوام، واخرون حتي لقرون..بشرارة من مخيلته..وبالون Do you know the works of the great Jules Verne, Did you read The Martian? Here The Unparalleled Mr. Poe tells an even tougher story.. full of science, but with extra imagination.....
The work of Jules Verne really did inspired hundreds and thousands of writers and artists for years to come.. with Around the World in 80 Days, From Earth to Moon.. which inspired even bigger writrs as H.G. Wells... it may even the one that inspired Scientist to actually start working on landing on the moon.. And it all starts with simple, bankrupted, one Hans Pfaall, and his Unparalleled Adventure..
القصة القصيرة تلك تعتبر اطول نوعا ما... هي شرارة الالهام لكل قصص الذهاب الي القمر..بل وربما هي حافز بدء عمل العلماء علي ان ينزل اول إنسان علي سطح القمر ابتكرها السيد بو 1835 في يونيو علي ان تكون "خدعة" يتم تقديمها علي حلقات في الجرائد وقتها..حيث قام بو باضافات علمية كثيرة بما يسمح وقتها ، معلومات طبية وفلكية وجوية وفيزيائية وجغرافية عن كوكب الأرض وخلطها بخيال مسهب قوي ، متقن بل ومرعب في سطورها الاخيرة عن سكان القمر وكيف أن مصير كل بشري مرتبط بمصير كائن "كالقرين" في القمر...يتأثر كل منهما بالاخر كالمد والجزر الذي يحدث بسبب علاقة الارض والقمر
ولكنها توقفت لخدعة مماثلة "خدعة القمر" نشرت بصحيفة اخري - ونالت شهرة اكبر لسوء حظ بو وقتها- ولذا أنهي بو قصته بهذا الشكل ، بعد أن قام باضافة جزء علمي يقلل فيها تماما من شأن الخدعة الأخيرة "خدعة القمر" بالرغم من ان من وجهة نظري أن ما قاله بو علي لسان هانز فوول في رسالته في سطور قليلة عن الحياة علي القمر ، يستحق فعلا قصص اكثر عنه
○○○ الاحداث ○○○ تبدا القصة بشخص قزم عجيب يأتي برسالة من شخص يدعي هانز فوول، والذي اختفي من روتردام الهولندية منذ سنوات بعد أفلاسه وبينما يقرأ العمدة وأحد علماء الفلك بالمدينة تلك الرسالة الطويلة تشهد بأسلوب بو المفصل المستفيض مع ذلك بشكل مركز في قصة قصيرة- الرحلة اللا مثيل لها للمدعو هانز فوول ** الثلث الاول **
أوروبا كلها تعيش حالة من الاضطراب؛ والفيزياء حالة من الثورة؛ والعقل مع علم التنجيم حالة من الخصام
بهذه الاحوال يحكي لنا السيد بو كيف ان المدعو هانز فوول، الحداد المفلس وقع علي بعض الكتب بالصدفة اثناء هربه من الدائنين اوحت له الدراسات الموجودة بها بخطة ليهرب من دائنيه إلي الابد لم تخلو البداية بسطور قليلة بها تلميحات سياسية كيف ان الراديكالية والليبرالية التي اجتاحت اوروبا وقتها هي ما اصابت هذا الحداد 'نافخ الكير' أن يفلس في المقام الاول
وبتلميحات من دراسات علمية حقيقية وقتها عن ميكانيكا الهواء والطبيعة الجوية ، وايضا عن المنطاد الذي اثار مخيلة الجميع في حلم الطيران وقتها -1835-بالرغم من انه اصلا لم يرتفع لاكثر من 3000 مترا عن الارض وقتها، ولم تزد اطول رحلاته عن قطع 30 كيلومترا ، قرر ان يهرب المدعو هانز فوول من دائنيه، ومدينته بل والأرض كلها
لتبدا خطة صنع المنطاد وتركيبه المفصلة، والاحتياطيات التي اتخذها، وقوة الدفع الاولي وكيف دبر المال وكيف تخلص من دائنيه كل هذا بضربة واحدة -غير اخلاقية طبعا لكنها ناجحة وضرورية، شغل مكيافيللي- ، كل هذا جاء مفصل جدا رغم فعلا انها قصة قصيرة
** الثلث الثاني ** تبدا الرحلة بالمنطاد...الصعود من الارض مندفعا ثم تتابعات الارتفاع ذكرني كثيرا جدا بمارك ويتني ، هل تتذكره. بطل رواية أندي ماير الشهيرة "المريخي"، ..هنا ايضا قام هانز فوول بكل الخطوات بشكل علمي تفصيلي وبالضبط كمارك ويتني الذي جاء بعده بأكثر من قرن ونصف ، سلسلة من الاخفاقات تتلو كل سلسلة من النجاحات البسيطة يستعرض في هذا الجزء السيد بو فكرته المعززة بالدراسات وقتها عن ؛ ضغط الدم في المرتفعات عملية التنفس ايضا في المرتفعات الضغط الجوي ، والغلاف الجوي و خلخلة الهواء كيف قد يعيش مولود جديد في مثل هذا الاختلاف الجوي -من خلال قطط صغيرة وليدة، حزنت كثيرا لمصيرها المفاجئ- الارض الكروية وتحدبها ورؤيتها المقعرة في نقطة ما مرتفعة القطب الشمالي -مع شغل خيال عالي عن جدار ما بأقصي الشمال -ذكرني كثيرا وربما استوحاه السيد جورج آر آر مارتين بحائط الشمال في ملحمة لعبة العروش- السحب وتكون كهرباء البرق الجاذبية الارضية ثم جاذبية المدارات الفلكية وغيرها الكثير جدا من النظريات المختلطة بالخيال الجامح العلمي وسرعة التصرف
لا أنكر انني شعرت بشئ من الضيق حيث حتي في الترجمة العربية كان التركيز في قراءة صفحة واحدة لم يقل كثيرا عن قراءتها بالانجليزية الصعبة شيئا ما للسيد بو، وذلك لذخر القصة بالتفاصيل العلمية
** الثلث الثالث ** ثم اخيرا...الخروج للفضاء الخارجي...ثم الوصول إلي سطح القمر بعد الكثير من التجارب المعقدة المفصلة لاجهزة تنظيم الهواء عند الوصول للجزء المخلخل للهواء، وتنظيم منبه ليبقيه محافظا علي متابعة هذا الجهاز كي لا يقضي نحبه مخنوقا في "أول مكوك فضائي" في التاريخ
للاسف تنتهي الحكاية بسطور قليلة جدا مليئة بالغموض ومثيرة للخيال بمجرد وصوله للقمر ، لتعود مرة اخري للساحة التي شهدت ذلك الشخص العجيب الذي يتضح أنه من سكان القمر ، وطلب المدعو هانز فوول العجيب ليعود للأرض ويحكي لنا أسرار الحياة علي القمر والتي أثار رجفتي وخيالي بشكل رهيب من خلال سطور بسيطة تشويقية
لكن لا تنتهي القصة الي هذا الحد...بل تنتهي بملاحظات يكتبها بو بمحاولات انتقاد لاذع وموضوعي بنفس الوقت لخدعة القمر ، وهي قصة كتبها مؤلف اخر وبسبب شهرتها كانت ستجعل من قصة بو اذا ما قدم حلقات اخري عن حياة هانز فوول علي القمر مجرد تكرار فقد بريقه
------------------ ○○○ النهاية ○○○ قد يكون تقييمي للقصة مبالغ فيه، القصة بالنسبة لي 3 فقط حتي بظروف عصرنا لكن الزيادة هي للابتكار الحقيقي، الخيال الجامح الفريد وبغرس العلوم لتساعد الخيال ان يكون اكثر جموحا
للابتكار الذي بسببه خرج جول فيرن برحلته للقمر، ليتبعه ويلز وحتي هيرجيه بتان تان والكثير من كبار المخرجين السينمائيين حتي قبل ان يتم وضع مخطط مكوك فضائي واحد كل هذا من شرارة خيال من بو، ومكوك عبارة عن بالون
لذا جاء هذا التقييم تحية للخيال، تحية للمبتكرين وتحية للمدعو ادجار الان بو ومغامراته اللا مثيل لها
The Unparalleled Adventures of One Hans Pfaal is a short story about a man from Rotterdam who finds a way to go to the moon in a special hot air balloon of his own design. He also finds a way to create breathable air in a vacuum. Through trials and tests, Pfaal is able to rise above the earth and eventually land on the moon. His tale is told through a letter he has sent back with an inhabitant of the moon, who used Pfaal’s balloon to bring the letter to the government leaders of Rotterdam. Pfaal states that he will tell the college of sciences about the moon people if he is pardoned for the deaths he caused during his explosive takeoff from earth. They are willing to do so but they cannot communicate this since the moon man and hot air balloon have left.
Such a fun tale! Poe meant it to be a serial where he explored more about Pfaal’s travels and experiences on the moon. It was supposed to be a moon hoax, a tale that people might believe to be true. However, a newspaper put out their own moon hoax soon after Poe’s story was published. Both stories hold a sense of unbelievability but have enough theoretical science that some may have been duped (at least for a few pages). Poe’s exploration of science fiction is very different from his usual macabre tales and I really enjoyed it. I wish he had written more about Pfaal on the moon. While Jules Verne wrote successfully in this genre, he was inspired by Poe’s story. I love that Poe explored this science fiction genre before others. He really was a revolutionary author!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Es una historia bien escrita y rebosante de imaginación, pero muy extraña. Es una mezcla entre "De la Tierra a la Luna" y "Cinco semanas en globo" de Jules Verne. Hans Pfaall, tras arruinarse económicamente, emprende un viaje en globo que le llevará hasta la Luna. Poe demuestra unos conocimientos científicos extraordinarios ya que el relato está lleno de conceptos de física, de química, de matemáticas, etc, muy complejos y difíciles de comprender con una lectura básica. A ratos, se ha hecho muy pesada, pero es increíble la imaginación que tenía Poe ya a principios del siglo XIX.
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It is a well-written story, full of imagination, but very strange. It is a mix between "From the Earth to the Moon" and "Five Weeks in a Balloon" by Jules Verne. Hans Pfaall, after financial ruin, sets off on a balloon trip to the moon. Poe demonstrates extraordinary scientific knowledge, as the story is full of concepts of physics, chemistry, mathematics, etc., which are very complex and difficult to understand with a basic reading. At times, it was very heavy, but it is incredible how imaginative Poe was at the beginning of the 19th century.
ورغم تفرد الفكرة وغرابتها بالنسبة لوقت كتابتها ومفاجأة أن تكون من تأليف إدجار آلان بو سيد قصص الرعب الأسود إلا أنها كانت مملة إلى أقصى درجة ولولا فضولي لمعرفة النهاية كنت تركتها فأسلوبها تقريري وباهت كما لو كان تقرير علمي في ناشيونال چيوجرافيك خال من أي لمسات فنية ولكن تظل الفكرة مبتكرة وجميل اكتشاف هذا الجانب من قلم السيد بو ..
The long titled, novella-length story, The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Phall written by Edgar Allan Poe was published in the Southern Literary Messenger in June 1835 as a hoax, but fell flat pre-empted because the following month The Great Moon Hoax was published by the New York Sun. Annoyed, Poe later wrote that he felt that his story was tonally satirical which made the story read overtly fictional. Whatever the case, the story is an early science fiction story. I choose not to call it the first because there are many that vie for that title, although this is certainly Poe's first, and no less than Jules Verne credits Poe for beginning an entire subgenre of aeronaut, balloon adventure narratives. The story is about a man named Hans Phall who undertakes to avoid justice (failing to pay creditors and murdering those insistent creditors) by escaping on a balloon to the moon. The entire story is told via a manuscript that is delivered to the Burgomaster of Rotterdam and is read to the populace. It is fantastical, adventurous, and descriptive of created devices with speculative fiction ideas that become tropes, even as to mention very plausible ways as to how these impossible things can be made possible. The story is clearly significant to the sci-fi genre. I deem it worthy of the term "classic" because it meets my three criteria of longevity, exceptionalism, and paradigm-shifting.
Unlike Poe’s darker and more famous works, this story was a blend of sci-fi and humor, giving a quirky account of a man’s balloon journey to the moon. Poe narrated the tale with detailed, pseudo-scientific descriptions of Hans Pfaall’s voyage, describing the balloon's construction, the mechanics of space travel, and life on the moon, which are not accurate based on modern science, but innovative for its time.
While the story sometimes gets bogged down in these fictional details, its lively, almost whimsical descriptions create a sense of curiosity and wonder. Rather than using horror or mystery, he employs irony and satire to comment on human ambition, as Hans Pfaall’s bizarre yet sincere escape plan offers a critique of both obsessive science and the desire to escape societal pressures.
In short, it’s unlike Poe’s other works, missing the deep psychological exploration seen in his darker stories (or at least I couldn’t find it here). Still, it’s intriguing to see him write in this style.
Once upon a time I was sad that I didn't have any money. All these collectors kept hounding me and so I ran away to a bookshop and I found a book full of lots of sciency-things.
I loved this book so much I decided that there was really only one thing left to do - attempt to fly to the moon.
Very tricky like I made the collectors help me build a massive balloon. It only took us about 10,000 years to complete.
Finally, the launch day arrived. The nasty collectors helped me set it off and then, for revenge, I blew them up. I was on my way to the moon.
The way to the moon was long. Very, very, very, very long, but not nearly as long as it took to build my brilliant balloon.
Alas, some cats and birds died.
I would love to tell you all about my adventures with the little moon people, but I already took up all the time telling you how I made my balloon.
Sincerely,
Hans Pfaall
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
A man dodges some people he owes money and writes them, claiming he escaped on a balloon and made his way to the moon, where he presently writes from, having sent a weird and ugly looking messenger to earth. The vivid flight terrified me but in the end you realize Hans has quite remarkable storytelling abilities in the fiction department. The story received low ratings. I assume people rate it low for the out of date science. Poe gives descriptive detail and scientific data through his character, so convincing a reader wants to think he knows what he's talking about, though he justifies what we now know as impossibility. Poe is the freaking bomb-diggity!!!!
The rating is based on personal opinion of how I loved the story. It does not show that there was something wrong with Poe's writing style or his mastery of this craft. Basically, it began very well, the framework was strong and firm as it always is. The ending was highly expected regarding Poe's POV. How a drunk bankrupt strives to higher pillars of astronomic science with his imagination and his own effort was what the story apparently tried to show. However, on a deeper level, Poe was emphasizing how when you are a nobody, does not matter what you do, or what you even invent if the crowd and media have decided to drown you, they will!
No cabe duda que Jules Verne debe haberse inspirado en este cuento para sus novela "Cinco semanas en globo". La narración del holandés Hans Pfaall y de su intrépido viaje en globo que llega hasta la Luna incluye todos los conocimientos que Poe tenía de astronomía y aeronáutica, que pueden ser ingenuos tal vez, pero que no a cualquier autor le salía tan espontáneamente como a él.
Reading "The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall" was a fantastic experience, especially after diving into "The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket." Both works showcase Poe's incredible talent for crafting adventurous tales, but while Arthur Gordon's journey explores the wonders of maritime exploration, Hans Pfaall takes us on an astonishing voyage beyond our earthly realm to the moon.
What I particularly admire about Poe's writing is his meticulous attention to detail. From the intricacies of the balloon to the charming presence of the cat and the pigeons, every element adds richness to the narrative. Poe's vivid descriptions transport readers into his imaginative worlds, making each moment feel alive and engaging.
I wholeheartedly recommend "The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall" to anyone who loves science fiction literature. It’s a must-read for those eager to explore the imaginative landscapes created by one of the genre's undisputed masters.
Citibank harassing ya? Wells Fargo getting you down? Well blow them the hell up, build a balloon out of trash and sail that mutha to the moon. Or just say you did and see how many people actually believe you.
Early sci-fi? Pythonesque balloonist/ astronaut's adventures in space accompanied by cats. Parleys with lofty Dutch bureaucrats thereafter. Tediously long but amusing in parts.
Putting aside the impossible amount of detail as to how the protagonist built his stupid balloon (none of that stuff sank in; for the first time in ages, I found myself skim-reading), this story does quite fascinating, especially in the way it describes the character struggling to maintain oxygen as he rises into space. Hans Pfaal was pretty long and heavily-written, and was not what I expected or wanted from Poe at all. But having said that, I did quite enjoy this story - especially the ending, which feels very much like something H.G. Wells would have written.
2 Stars. I'd be surprised if you enjoy reading this tale. I didn't. It has the reputation of being one of the earliest sci-fi short stories in western literature and a pre-cursor for later authors; Jules Verne and Arthur Conan Doyle are but two. Yes, it is that, but it's early Poe and difficult for many readers in the 21st century to enjoy. I've said previously that he revels in using quotes in Latin and other languages, and demonstrating his learning on obscure matters. Little of that here, but what you'll find is copious bafflegab about trivial details, more than this reader could handle. And a story lacking in a sensible time-line. At about 40 pages, it's actually a novella. Hans Pfaall of Rotterdam is having money problems and develops a scheme to avoid his creditors. He'll escape by going to the moon by balloon. This is the story of his 19-day journey, and his five-year stay. When it came out readers should should have known it was a hoax. Mr. Pfaall even mentions April 1st - the day of deception. There's some fun stuff - he utilizes an atmosphere-searching technique now being used in efforts to find habitable exo-planets! Amazing. My congratulations to you if you can wade through it. (Au2024)
"Critics consider this story to be one of the first true science-fiction tales. The story also provides entertainment as a hoax that speaks to the fascination with international balloon flight in Poe's time." Sova, Dawn B. (2001). Edgar Allan Poe A to Z. New York: Checkmark Books. (p. 244). Another essayist John Tretsch points out that " Verne retold “Hans Phaall” as From the Earth to the Moon and “The Balloon Hoax” in Around the World in Eighty Days, while taking off from where The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym left off with The Ice Sphinx. Moreover, the tale that has been identified as the prototype for the bulk of twentieth century science-fiction, H. G. Wells’ “The Time Machine,” finds a precedent in two tales of Poe." Tretsch, John. "Extra! Extra! Poe invents science fiction!" as collected in The Cambridge Companion to Edgar Allan Poe, edited by Kevin J. Hayes. Cambridge University Press, 2002: 117. Poe was very familiar with the technology of his time and often used the new gizmos in his stories to add plausibility along with his love of mathematics in this case trigonometry as well as meteorology to have some people actually believing the hoax. Kudos again go to Poe's adaptability in incorporating science into science fiction than into the imagination of the twilight zone of the reader's mind.
I believe this was the first story I ever read by Edgar Allan Poe, and it was not what I was expecting; I was pleasantly surprised. I've always been fascinated with travelling to distant places, and I can't think of a more exciting adventure than the one described here: our protagonist takes a hot-air balloon to the moon! This is obviously impossible, and I don't know how much scientific knowledge they had about this type of travel at the time of the writing, but Poe's detailed description of everything that was necessary for a successful trip sounds pretty convincing. He also describes what the Earth looks like as it becomes more distant and describes the sensation of entering the moon's gravitational field. It certainly sounds more fun than travelling by rocket, although I would be thrilled to try either method. Hans Pfaall used the balloon to escape the reality of his difficult life, and I imagined myself riding in the balloon as a way of relieving the stress of my own life. I never thought about riding in a hot-air balloon before, but now I want to try it. Poe is best known for his horror fiction, but this and other stories show that he isn't just limited to one genre. This is my favorite story by him so far.
While reading this story, I was convinced it was satirizing Jules Verne.
I mean, it's utterly ridiculous! And hilarious! It's funny how in-depth Poe got with the pseudoscience - it seriously sounds like it's mocking the process that Verne uses in every one of his novels to describe the adventures provided by the wonders of science. I've read three Verne novels, so I thought my hypothesis a pretty good one. Some of Verne's scientific usage is, admittedly, a bit on the absurd side.
Imagine my surprise when I read that Jules Verne actually cited this story as one of his biggest influences! I guess I've been misinterpreting Verne a little, thinking he took his own novels more seriously than he actually did. Of course, I could be wrong, but those books are far better read as satire than as serious adventure. Just look at From the Earth to the Moon.
Anyway, this is a really funny story. Probably my favorite Poe so far, which is probably shocking to actual Poe fans. I think it actually works better as a satire of Jules Verne, so I choose to interpret it as such. Don't burst my bubble.
Poe, în această "proză scurtă de dimensiuni considerabile", a dat dovadă de o uluitoare imaginaţie (stimulată poate de opiu?!). Scrierea se prezintă la început ca o povestire, iar mai apoi ca un microroman epistolar. Scrisă în 1835, ea prezintă călătoria pe lună a unui anumit olandez numit Hans Phaall, iar -lucru extrem de curios!- prezintă informaţii care sunt demne de ştiinţa de astăzi. Pe mine unul m-a făcut să plutesc în balonul improvizat de Hans Phaall, m-a făcut să privesc Terra de la înălţime şi mi-a stimulat imaginaţia până dincolo de hotarele pe care credeam eu că le avea. Desigur, povestea este prin excelenţă neverosimilă (căci distanţa dintre Pământ şi lună este totuşi considerabilă şi nu poate fi parcursă cu un balon), dar textul trebuie cântărit literar, nu ştiinţific (cu toate că Poe dovedeşte o excelentă erudiţie).
I will say what I always say about Poe, no matter which of his stories/poems I read... Poe is an artist! Poe is unique! Poe is mysterious! Poe is scary! Poe is Poe!!! <3 And I love him!!! All of his stories and poems give you the chills and you just can't stop reading!!! If you haven't read any of his work...please do a gift to yourself and go read some!!!
It’s probably for the best that Poe stuck chiefly to poetry and tales of the macabre, leaving science fiction to others. It was interesting nonetheless to see the speculations of a great writer who came long before the great masters of the genre.
After I finished all of Poes poetry last year, I decided that this year I would read as much of his work as I could. And this is where I started. This is a science fiction story, about a man called Hans Pfaall, who tries to escape the difficulties and trials of life. He builds a balloon to ultimately take him to the moon, on the way he observes the earth and the solar system. I was sure if Hans was a genius or completely mad, or both but along his unusual journey he documents he adventure for further study.
This is a story completely out of my comfort zone. It's more a vintage science fiction story and I'm not well versed in them. Even though I found myself bored, I appreciated the charm of this story and it's existence.
3-1/2 Stars An early science fiction. If you can't suspend reality and your known understanding of flight and space travel, leave this one alone. If you can accept that it was written as entertainment 185 years ago and doesn't stand up to todays known facts you are in for a treat. Its not great, but it was a fun read.
I thought I'd try an Edgar Allan Poe as I've never actually read any of his short stories or books. This one was absolutely absurd. Think I'll try one more and hope that it's better?
The most verbose intellectual writes a tedious story about going to the moon in a hot air balloon. I’m sure that this book was entertaining at the time and important for being one of the first steampunk stories, but it reads like a scientific paper on weather patterns.
This seems to be considered a lesser Poe story by many but there was something transcendent in here that impressed itself on me. The idea of a desperate person committing a heinous act against earthly tormentors, fleeing in a balloon, and deciding to voyage ever upward and away from their past until, against all odds, they reach an entirely new yet parallel world is really something; in my mind the possible interpretations and allegories that could be superimposed over the story at least grant it worthiness of being studied. And the imagery is phenomenal, written in the fiery, ornate, slightly diabolical style that Poe does so well:
"April 4th. Arose in good health and spirits, and was astonished at the singular change which had taken place in the appearance of the sea. It had lost, in a great measure, the deep tint of blue it had hitherto worn, being now of a grayish-white, and of a lustre dazzling to the eye. The convexity of the ocean had become so evident, that the entire mass of the distant water seemed to be tumbling headlong over the abyss of the horizon, and I found myself listening on tiptoe for the echoes of the mighty cataract."
There is a fair bit of blinding with science, mostly to obscure the fact that the journey undertaken by Hans is physically impossible for many reasons, although Poe seems to have put in a fair bit of research in order to do this somewhat convincingly. If I were to venture upon trying to improve this early Poe story, I think I would cut down on the scientific explanations a tad and include a little bit more of Hans's introspection about his having murdered three people (we know from later stories that Poe is GOAT at this kind of writing), mostly to maintain some presence of what he is fleeing from. And I also wouldn't spell it out so clearly whether or not the whole thing was a hoax, I think some ambiguity is healthy for leaving an impression on the reader.
Regardless of my criticisms, this was clearly a pioneering work in the science fiction genre and is a fascinating story to boot, prompting contemplation. It at least captured my imagination, and I would definitely like to read it again at some point.