Boussenard, Louis
Entry updated 12 September 2022. Tagged: Author.
(1847-1910) French physician and author in various genres whose popular scientific romances, which have some speculative content, often appeared in Le Journal des Voyages. He remains of greatest genre interest for Les secrets de Monsieur Synthèse ["The Secrets of Mr Synthesis"] (1888-1889 Journal des Voyages; 1888) and its sequel, 10,000 ans dans un bloc de glace (17 August-26 October 1889 Journal des Voyages; 1889; trans John Paret as 10,000 Years in a Block of Ice 1898; both trans Brian Stableford together as Monsieur Synthesis omni 2013), in which the Mad Scientist protagonist initially attempts to impose accelerated Evolution on the human race, which apparently causes his death; but awaking in the sequel aeons hence from Suspended Animation (see Sleeper-Awakes), Monsieur Synthesis discovers a unified world-Utopia circling the equator and peopled by small men – Cerebrals – who are descended from Chinese and Black Africans and can teleport themselves (see Teleportation). Some form of Communication with Mars is possible. All remaining whites have been enslaved (see Slavery; Yellow Peril). It has been noted by Pierre Versins that in this work Boussenard displays – astonishingly for this period of European history – almost no racial prejudice as such against non-whites (see Race in SF).
A later tale, Monsieur ... Rien!: Aventures extraordinaires d'un homme invisible ["Mr ... Nothing!: Extraordinary Adventures of an Invisible Man"] (1907 chap), features a man capable of becoming invisible (see Invisibility), who terrorizes the Tsar's security police; this attitude may account, at least in part, for Boussenard's great popularity in Russia. He is nearly forgotten in English-language countries. [JC]
Louis Henri Boussenard
born Escrennes, Loiret, France: 4 October 1847
died Orléans, France: 11 September 1910
works (selected)
series
Monsieur Synthese
- Les secrets de Monsieur Synthèse ["The Secrets of Mr Synthesis"] (Paris: C Marpon and F Flammarion, 1888) [first appeared 1888 La Science Illustrée: Monsieur Synthese: illus/Ch Clérice: hb/nonpictorial]
- 10,000 ans dans un bloc de glace (Paris: C Marpon and F Flammarion, 1888) [first appeared 17 August-26 October 1889 La Science Illustrée: Monsieur Synthese: illus/Ch Clérice: hb/nonpictorial]
- 10,000 Years in a Block of Ice (New York: F Tennyson Neely, 1898) [trans by John Paret of the above: Monsieur Synthese: hb/]
- Monsieur Synthesis (Encino, California: Hollywood Comics/Black Coat Press, 2013) [trans by Brian Stableford of the above two: introduction by translator: Monsieur Synthese: pb/David Lecossu]
individual titles
- "Le tour du monde d'un gamin de Paris" (1880 Journal des Voyages) [mag/]
- Les dix millions de l'oppossum rouge (Paris: Grands Aventures/Flammarion, 1880) [binding unknown/]
- "Les Robinsons de la Guyane: le tigre blanc" [magazine publication date not found: mag/]
- The Crusoes of Guiana; Or, the White Tiger (London: Sampson Low, 1884) [anon trans of the above: hb/]
- "Les Robinsons de la Guyane: Le secret de l'or" [magazine publication date not found: mag/]
- The Crusoes of Guiana II: The Goldseekers (London: Sampson Low, 1884) [anon trans of the above: hb/]
- Le mystère du Guyane ["The Mystery of Guiana"] (Paris: Librarie de Champs-Élysées, 1890) [hb/]
- Le mystère de la foret vierge ["The Mystery of the Virgin Jungle"] (Paris: Librarie de Champs-Élysées, 1892) [hb/]
- Le secret de l'or ["The Secret of the Gold"] (Paris: Librarie de Champs-Élysées, 1892) [hb/]
- Aventures d'un gamin de Paris à travers l'océanie (Paris: Librairie des Champs-Élysées, 1892) [hb/]
- Aventures d'un gamin de Paris au pays des bisons (Paris: Librairie des Champs-Élysées, 1892) [hb/]
- Aventures d'un gamin de Paris au pays des lions (Paris: Librairie des Champs-Élysées, 1892) [hb/]
- Aventures d'un gamin de Paris au pays des tigres (Paris: Librairie des Champs-Élysées, 1892) [hb/]
- Les français au pôle nord ["The French at the North Pole"] (Paris: E Flammarion, 1892) [first appeared 1892-1893 Journal des Voyages: binding unknown/]
- L'île en feu ["Island Ablaze"] (Paris: Journal des Voyages, 1898) [pb/]
- Monsieur ... Rien!: Aventures extraordinaires d'un homme invisible ["Mr ... Nothing!: Extraordinary Adventures of an Invisible Man"] (Paris: Journal des Voyages, 1907) [story: chap: in the publisher's La vie d'aventures series: pb/F Conrad]
links
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