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Synopsis
From Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth to Rudy Rucker's The Hollow Earth, subterranean worlds have been a source of both fascination and fear for the literary imagination, and The Coming Race is no exception. An evolutionary fantasy first published in 1871, the story draws upon ideas of Darwinism to describe a near-future world characterized by female dominance, physical perfection, and vast technological progress. The novel was extremely popular in its time and is now considered seminal science fiction text by contemporary scholars.
Is Vril appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 13 and up.
A Victorian-era science fiction novel exploring an underground civilization with advanced technology and inverted gender dynamics. Contains social commentary and philosophical speculation but minimal violence or inappropriate content.
What to know going in
This book has mild violence, no sexual content, and clean language. Content notes include class struggle.
Publisher ages reflect reading level; our rating reflects content maturity — they can differ.
Who'll love this
Teens interested in classic science fiction and thought-provoking explorations of alternative societies will find this intriguing despite its dated Victorian prose.