Moselli, José
Entry updated 12 September 2022. Tagged: Author.
Working name of French author Joseph Moselli (1882-1941), who also wrote as by Pierre Agay, Jack Duridan, Jules Dupont, Explorateur, J Fauconnier, Captain Harry, Jim Houch, Ledam, Jacques Mahan, Nord-55-Est, Jacques North and Pierre de Villebrune; his experience of active service in World War One may have been restricted to the Salonika Front. He concentrated on feuilletons and other periodical works, mostly for Pulp magazines, none of his large output appearing in book form until after his death; of very considerable sf interest is La Fin d'Illa (20 January-9 July 1925 Sciences et Voyages; in coll 1970; first separate publication 1972; trans Brian Stableford as Illa's End 2011). In 1875 a ship discovers a previously unknown Island, full of massive artefacts, including many ancient documents dating back to Gondwana, more than a hundred million years earlier. They described the conflict between the Cities of Illa and Nour, describing en passant a civilization extraordinarily advanced in terms of Technology – including nuclear weapons, Force Fields, flying saucers, solar power (see Power Sources), and Genetically Engineered ape-like slaves (see Apes as Human). Unfortunately, Illa, which has become a fascist Dystopia, sets off a "preventive" nuclear War, very graphically depicted, and civilization ends. More sf by Moselli may exist in magazine form, and awaits retrieval. [JC]
Joseph Théophile Maurice Moselli
born Paris: 28 August 1882
died Le Cannet, Alpes-Maritimes, France: 21 July 1941
works (selected)
- "Le Voyage Eternal" ["The Eternal Voyage"] (1923 L'Almanach Scientifique: Sciences et Voyages) [novel: mag/]
- "Le Messager de la Planète" ["The Messenger of the Planet"] (1924 L'Almanach Scientifique: Sciences et Voyages) [novel: mag/]
- La Fin d'Illa (Paris: Èditions Rencontre, 1970) [coll: comprising title novel plus two short stories: title novel first appeared 20 January-9 July 1925 L'Almanach Scientifique: Sciences et Voyages: binding unknown/]
- La Fin d'Illa (Paris: Marabout, 1972) [cut version of the above: reprinting title novel only: binding unknown/]
- Illa's End (Encino, California: Hollywood Comics/Black Coat Press, 2011) [trans by Brian Stableford of the above: pb/Jean-Félix Lyon]
- La Fin d'Illa (Paris: Marabout, 1972) [cut version of the above: reprinting title novel only: binding unknown/]
- "La Cité du Gouffre" ["The City of the Pit"] (1925 L'Almanach Scientifique: Sciences et Voyages) [novel: mag/]
links
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