J.-H. Rosny aîné
Encyclopedia
J.-H. Rosny aîné was the pseudonym
of Joseph Henri Honoré Boex (17 February 1856 - 11 February 1940), a French
author of Belgian
origin who is considered one of the founding figures of modern science fiction
. Born in Brussels
in 1856, he wrote in the French language
, together with his younger brother Séraphin Justin François Boex under the pen name J.-H. Rosny
until 1909. After they ended their collaboration Joseph Boex continued to write under the name "Rosny aîné" (Rosny the Elder) while his brother used J.-H. Rosny jeune
(Rosny the Younger).
or Olaf Stapledon
in his concepts and his way of dealing with them in his novels. He was, without a doubt, the second most important figure after Jules Verne
in the history of modern French science fiction
.
Rosny’s first science fiction tale was the short story
"Les Xipehuz" (1887), in which primitive humans (the story took place a thousand years before Babylon
ian times) encounter inorganic aliens, with whom all forms of communication prove impossible. Men eventually drive away the invaders, but the hero mourns the loss of another life. This was the first time that science fiction had abandoned its usual anthropomorphic approach in the description of alien life.
The story "Un Autre Monde" ["Another World"] (1895) establishes that humans share the Earth with the land-bound Moedingen and the air-borne Vuren, two infinitely flat and invisible species who cohabit with us. Only a mutant
whose vision is superior to that of ordinary men can see them. In Le Cataclysme [The Cataclysm] (1896), an entire region of France sees the physical laws of nature change, as a result of the arrival of a mysterious electro-magnetic entity from outer space
.
Rosny’s short novel, La Mort de la Terre [The Death of the Earth] (1910), takes place in the far future, when Earth had all but dried out. In it, the last descendants of mankind become aware of the emergence of a new species, the metal-based "Ferromagnetals", fated to replace us. La Mort de la Terre is one of the most moving tales ever written about the extinction of Man.
Another novel, La Force Mystérieuse [The Mysterious Force] (1913), tells of the destruction of a portion of the light spectrum by a mysterious force—possibly aliens from outer space who, for a brief while, share our physical existence. This causes panic, then a progressive and potentially deadly cooling of the world.
L'Énigme de Givreuse [The Enigma of Givreuse] (1917) is another remarkable novel about a fissiparous human being, divided into two totally similar individuals, each naturally believing himself to be the original.
The novella La Jeune Vampire [The Young Vampire] (1920) was the first time that vampirism was described as a genetic mutation
, transmissible by birth.
L'Étonnant Voyage d'Hareton Ironcastle [The Amazing Journey of Hareton Ironcastle] (1922) is a more traditional adventure novel
; in it, explorers eventually discover a fragment of an alien world, with its fauna and flora, attached to Earth. The novel was adapted and retold by Philip José Farmer
.
Rosny’s masterpiece is Les Navigateurs de l'Infini [The Navigators of Infinity] (1925) in which the word “astronautique” was coined for the first time. In it, Rosny’s heroes travel to Mars
in the “Stellarium”, a spaceship
powered by artificial gravity and made of “argine”, an indestructible, transparent material. On Mars, the human explorers come in contact with the gentle, peaceful, six-eyed, three-legged “Tripèdes”, a dying race who is slowly being replaced by the “Zoomorphs”, alien entities who bear some resemblance to the “Ferromagnetals” of La Mort de la Terre. Later, a young Martian female, capable of bearing children parthenogetically
by merely wishing it, gives birth to a child after falling in love with one of the human explorers, undoubtedly the first romance ever written between a man and an alien female. This heralds the rebirth of the Martian race and, with Man’s help, the eventual reconquest of their planet.
Rosny also penned five powerful classic prehistoric novels: Vamireh (1892), Eyrimah (1893), the world-renowned classic La Guerre du Feu better known as Quest for Fire
(1909), Le Félin Géant [The Giant Cat] (1918) (sometimes known as Quest of the Dawn Man) and Helgvor du Fleuve Bleu [Helgvor of the Blue River] (1930). In it, he combined the notions of modern drama with the ability to depict Man’s early days in a colorful, yet totally believable fashion.
In 1897, Joseph Boex was named to the French
Légion d'honneur
and in 1903 was named to the first jury of the Prix Goncourt
along with his brother
. Rosny aîné remained involved with the Académie Goncourt
and in 1926 became its president. He died in Paris
in 1940.
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
of Joseph Henri Honoré Boex (17 February 1856 - 11 February 1940), a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
author of Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
origin who is considered one of the founding figures of modern science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
. Born in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
in 1856, he wrote in the French language
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, together with his younger brother Séraphin Justin François Boex under the pen name J.-H. Rosny
J.-H. Rosny
J.-H. Rosny was the pseudonym of the brothers Joseph Henri Honoré Boex and Séraphin Justin François Boex , both born in Brussels. Together they wrote a series of novels and short stories about natural, prehistoric and fantasy subjects, published between 1886 and 1909, as well as several popular...
until 1909. After they ended their collaboration Joseph Boex continued to write under the name "Rosny aîné" (Rosny the Elder) while his brother used J.-H. Rosny jeune
J.-H. Rosny jeune
J.-H. Rosny jeune was the pseudonym of Séraphin Justin François Boex , a French author of Belgian origin who, along with his better known older brother J.-H. Rosny aîné, is considered one of the founding figures of modern science fiction...
(Rosny the Younger).
Overview
Rosny Aîné was very much like H. G. WellsH. G. Wells
Herbert George Wells was an English author, now best known for his work in the science fiction genre. He was also a prolific writer in many other genres, including contemporary novels, history, politics and social commentary, even writing text books and rules for war games...
or Olaf Stapledon
Olaf Stapledon
William Olaf Stapledon was a British philosopher and author of several influential works of science fiction.-Life:...
in his concepts and his way of dealing with them in his novels. He was, without a doubt, the second most important figure after Jules Verne
Jules Verne
Jules Gabriel Verne was a French author who pioneered the science fiction genre. He is best known for his novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea , A Journey to the Center of the Earth , and Around the World in Eighty Days...
in the history of modern French science fiction
French science fiction
French science fiction is a substantial genre of French literature. It remains an active and productive genre which has evolved in conjunction with anglophone science fiction and other French and international literature....
.
Rosny’s first science fiction tale was the short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
"Les Xipehuz" (1887), in which primitive humans (the story took place a thousand years before Babylon
Babylon
Babylon was an Akkadian city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which are found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers south of Baghdad...
ian times) encounter inorganic aliens, with whom all forms of communication prove impossible. Men eventually drive away the invaders, but the hero mourns the loss of another life. This was the first time that science fiction had abandoned its usual anthropomorphic approach in the description of alien life.
The story "Un Autre Monde" ["Another World"] (1895) establishes that humans share the Earth with the land-bound Moedingen and the air-borne Vuren, two infinitely flat and invisible species who cohabit with us. Only a mutant
Mutant
In biology and especially genetics, a mutant is an individual, organism, or new genetic character, arising or resulting from an instance of mutation, which is a base-pair sequence change within the DNA of a gene or chromosome of an organism resulting in the creation of a new character or trait not...
whose vision is superior to that of ordinary men can see them. In Le Cataclysme [The Cataclysm] (1896), an entire region of France sees the physical laws of nature change, as a result of the arrival of a mysterious electro-magnetic entity from outer space
Outer space
Outer space is the void that exists between celestial bodies, including the Earth. It is not completely empty, but consists of a hard vacuum containing a low density of particles: predominantly a plasma of hydrogen and helium, as well as electromagnetic radiation, magnetic fields, and neutrinos....
.
Rosny’s short novel, La Mort de la Terre [The Death of the Earth] (1910), takes place in the far future, when Earth had all but dried out. In it, the last descendants of mankind become aware of the emergence of a new species, the metal-based "Ferromagnetals", fated to replace us. La Mort de la Terre is one of the most moving tales ever written about the extinction of Man.
Another novel, La Force Mystérieuse [The Mysterious Force] (1913), tells of the destruction of a portion of the light spectrum by a mysterious force—possibly aliens from outer space who, for a brief while, share our physical existence. This causes panic, then a progressive and potentially deadly cooling of the world.
L'Énigme de Givreuse [The Enigma of Givreuse] (1917) is another remarkable novel about a fissiparous human being, divided into two totally similar individuals, each naturally believing himself to be the original.
The novella La Jeune Vampire [The Young Vampire] (1920) was the first time that vampirism was described as a genetic mutation
Mutation
In molecular biology and genetics, mutations are changes in a genomic sequence: the DNA sequence of a cell's genome or the DNA or RNA sequence of a virus. They can be defined as sudden and spontaneous changes in the cell. Mutations are caused by radiation, viruses, transposons and mutagenic...
, transmissible by birth.
L'Étonnant Voyage d'Hareton Ironcastle [The Amazing Journey of Hareton Ironcastle] (1922) is a more traditional adventure novel
Adventure novel
The adventure novel is a genre of novels that has adventure, an exciting undertaking involving risk and physical danger, as its main theme.-History:...
; in it, explorers eventually discover a fragment of an alien world, with its fauna and flora, attached to Earth. The novel was adapted and retold by Philip José Farmer
Philip José Farmer
Philip José Farmer was an American author, principally known for his award-winning science fiction and fantasy novels and short stories....
.
Rosny’s masterpiece is Les Navigateurs de l'Infini [The Navigators of Infinity] (1925) in which the word “astronautique” was coined for the first time. In it, Rosny’s heroes travel to Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
in the “Stellarium”, a spaceship
Spacecraft
A spacecraft or spaceship is a craft or machine designed for spaceflight. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, planetary exploration and transportation of humans and cargo....
powered by artificial gravity and made of “argine”, an indestructible, transparent material. On Mars, the human explorers come in contact with the gentle, peaceful, six-eyed, three-legged “Tripèdes”, a dying race who is slowly being replaced by the “Zoomorphs”, alien entities who bear some resemblance to the “Ferromagnetals” of La Mort de la Terre. Later, a young Martian female, capable of bearing children parthenogetically
Parthenogenesis
Parthenogenesis is a form of asexual reproduction found in females, where growth and development of embryos occur without fertilization by a male...
by merely wishing it, gives birth to a child after falling in love with one of the human explorers, undoubtedly the first romance ever written between a man and an alien female. This heralds the rebirth of the Martian race and, with Man’s help, the eventual reconquest of their planet.
Rosny also penned five powerful classic prehistoric novels: Vamireh (1892), Eyrimah (1893), the world-renowned classic La Guerre du Feu better known as Quest for Fire
Quest for Fire
Quest for Fire is a 1911 Belgian novel by "J.-H. Rosny", the pseudonym of two brothers; the author was likely the elder of the two, Joseph Henri Honoré Boex . It was first published in English in 1967....
(1909), Le Félin Géant [The Giant Cat] (1918) (sometimes known as Quest of the Dawn Man) and Helgvor du Fleuve Bleu [Helgvor of the Blue River] (1930). In it, he combined the notions of modern drama with the ability to depict Man’s early days in a colorful, yet totally believable fashion.
In 1897, Joseph Boex was named to the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
and in 1903 was named to the first jury of the Prix Goncourt
Prix Goncourt
The Prix Goncourt is a prize in French literature, given by the académie Goncourt to the author of "the best and most imaginative prose work of the year"...
along with his brother
J.-H. Rosny jeune
J.-H. Rosny jeune was the pseudonym of Séraphin Justin François Boex , a French author of Belgian origin who, along with his better known older brother J.-H. Rosny aîné, is considered one of the founding figures of modern science fiction...
. Rosny aîné remained involved with the Académie Goncourt
Académie Goncourt
The Société littéraire des Goncourt , usually called the académie Goncourt , is a French literary organization based in Paris. It was founded by the French writer and publisher Edmond de Goncourt...
and in 1926 became its president. He died in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1940.
Selected bibliography
- Les Xipehuz (1887) translated by Brian StablefordBrian StablefordBrian Michael Stableford is a British science fiction writer who has published more than 70 novels. His earlier books were published as by Brian M. Stableford, but more recent ones have dropped the middle initial and appeared under the name Brian Stableford...
included in The Navigators of Space, 2010, ISBN 978-1-935558-35-4 - La Sorcière (1887) translated by Brian Stableford included in The Young Vampire, 2010, ISBN 978-1-935558-40-8
- La Légende Sceptique (1889) translated as The Skeptical; Legend included in The Navigators of Space, 2010, q.v.
- Vamireh (1892) translated by Brian Stableford included in Vamireh, 2010, ISBN 978-1-935558-38-5
- Eyrimah (1893) translated by Brian Stableford included in Vamireh, q.v.
- Nymphée (1893) translated by Brian Stableford included in The World of the Variants, 2010, ISBN 978-1-935558-36-1
- Le Jardin de Mary (1895) translated by Brian Stableford included in The Givreuse Enigma, 2010, ISBN 978-1-935558-39-2
- Un autre monde ["Another World"] (1895) translated as Another World included in The Navigators of Space, 2010, q.v.
- Les Profondeurs de Kyamo [The Depths of Kyamo] (1896) translated by Brian Stableford included in The World of the Variants, 2010, q.v.
- La Contrée Prodigieuse des Cavernes(1896) translated by Brian Stableford included in The World of the Variants, 2010, q.v.
- Le Cataclysme (1896) translated by Brian Stableford included in The Mysterious Force, q.v.
- Nomai (1897) translated by Brian Stableford included in Vamireh, 2010, q.v.
- Le Voyage (1900) translated by Brian Stableford included in The World of the Variants, 2010, q.v.
- La Guerre du Feu Quest for FireQuest for FireQuest for Fire is a 1911 Belgian novel by "J.-H. Rosny", the pseudonym of two brothers; the author was likely the elder of the two, Joseph Henri Honoré Boex . It was first published in English in 1967....
(1909) transl. as The Quest for Fire, 1967 - Le Trésor dans la Neige [The Treasure in the Snow] (1910) translated by Brian Stableford included in The World of the Variants, 2010, q.v.
- La Mort de la Terre [The Death of the Earth] (1910) translated as The Death of the Earth included in The Navigators of Space, 2010, q.v.
- La Force Mystérieuse [The Mysterious Force] (1913) translated by Brian Stableford included in The Mysterious Force, 2010, ISBN 978-1-935558-37-8
- L'Aube du Futur [The Dawn of the Future] (1917)
- L'Énigme de Givreuse [The Enigma Of Givreuse] (1917) translated by Brian Stableford included in The Givreuse Enigma, 2010, q.v.
- Le Félin Géant (1918) transl. as The Giant Cat, 1924; a.k.a. Quest of the Dawn Man, 1964, translated by The Honorable Lady Whitehead included in Helgvor of the Blue River (2010), ISBN 978-1-935558-46-0
- La Grande Énigme [The Great Enigma] (1920) translated by Brian Stableford included in The World of the Variants, 2010, q.v.
- La Jeune Vampire (1920) (a.k.a. Le Vampire de Bethnal Green) translated by Brian Stableford included in The Young Vampire, 2010, q.v.
- L'Étonnant Voyage d'Hareton Ironcastle [The Amazing Journey of Hareton Ironcastle] (1922) adapted & retold by Philip Jose Farmer as Ironcastle, 1976; translated by Brian Stableford included in The Mysterious Force, q.v.
- L'Assassin Surnaturel [The Supernatural Assassin] (1923) translated by Brian Stableford included in The Young Vampire, 2010, q.v.
- Les Navigateurs de l'Infini [The Navigators of Infinity] (1925) translated as The Navigators of Space included in The Navigators of Space, 2010, q.v.
- La Terre Noire [The Black Earth] (1925)
- Le Trésor Lointain [The Far-Away Treasure] (1926)
- La Femme Disparue [The Vanished Woman] (1926)
- Les Conquérants du Feu [The Conquerors of Fire] (1929)
- Les Hommes-Sangliers [The Boar-Men] (1929) translated by Brian Stableford included in The World of the Variants, 2010, q.v.
- Helgvor du Fleuve Bleu [Helgvor of the Blue River] (1929), translated by Georges Surdez included in Helgvor of the Blue River (2010), q.v.
- Au Château des Loups Rouges [At the Castle of the Red Wolves] (1929)
- L'Initiation de Diane [Diana's Initiation] (1930)
- Tabubu (1932)
- Les Compagnons de l'Univers [The Companions of the Universe] (1934) translated by Brian Stableford included in The Young Vampire, 2010, q.v.
- La Sauvage Aventure [The Savage Adventure] (1935) translated by Brian Stableford included in The Givreuse Enigma, 2010, q.v.
- Dans le Monde des Variants (1939) translated by Brian Stableford included in The World of the Variants, 2010, q.v.
- Les Astronautes (pub. 1960) translated as The Astronauts included in The Navigators of Space, 2010, q.v.