Through the sun in an airship
| Language | en |
|---|---|
| First published | 2026-02-05 |
| Rights | Public domain in the USA. |
| Gutenberg ID | #77867 |
Description
"Through the sun in an airship" by John Mastin is a science fiction novel written in the early 20th century. It follows three scientist-adventurers—Ross Ainley, Gilbert Eastern, and Dennis Oakland—who revive the legendary, gravity-defying airship Regina and aim for voyages beyond Earth, including to a newly arrived second moon called Bona. The tale mixes speculative technology and cosmic travel with a vein of social satire and public controversy. The opening of the novel sets a future, highly “scientific” society and introduces Ross and Gilbert picnicking near the North Pole while debating modern life. Dennis arrives, reveals he owns the famed but untouchable Regina, and recounts its history: a protective de-atomizing field, the death of its co-inventor, and the secret lost when the survivor died. The trio vow to solve the mystery, study for years, finally breach the field, and retrieve the ship’s detailed plans from its safe. When townsfolk and an official intrude, they prove their control by gently altering people’s weight, defusing hostility, and announcing joint stewardship. They refit the vessel with modern stores, conduct a dazzling test flight inside and beyond the atmosphere, and prepare to depart for Bona while arranging scheduled ether-wave reports to Earth. (This is an automatically generated summary.)