This early work by H. G. Wells was originally published in 1894 and we are now republishing it with a brand new introductory biography as part of our Cryptofiction Classics series. 'In the Avu Observatory' is a short story of a man working in an observatory in Borneo who gets attacked by a strange bat-like creature. Herbert George Wells was born in Bromley, England in 1866. He apprenticed as a draper before becoming a pupil-teacher at Midhurst Grammar School in West Sussex. Some years later, Wells won a scholarship to the School of Science in London, where he developed a strong interest in biology and evolution, founding and editing the Science Schools Journal. However, he left before graduating to return to teaching, and began to focus increasingly on writing. It was in 1895 that Wells seriously established himself as a writer, with the publication of the now iconic novel, The Time Machine. Wells followed The Time Machine with the equally well-received War of the Worlds (1898), which proved highly popular in the USA. The Cryptofiction Classics series contains a collection of wonderful stories from some of the greatest authors in the genre, including Ambrose Bierce, Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Jack London. From its roots in cryptozoology, this genre features bizarre, fantastical, and often terrifying tales of mythical and legendary creatures. Whether it be giant spiders, werewolves, lake monsters, or dinosaurs, the Cryptofiction Classics series offers a fantastic introduction to the world of weird creatures in fiction.

The observatory at Avu, in Borneo, stands on the spur of the mountain. To the north rises the old crater, black at night against the unfathomable blue of the sky. From the little circular building, with its mushroom dome, the slopes plunge steeply downward into the black mysteries of the tropical forest beneath. The little house in which the observer and his assistant live is about fifty yards from the observatory, and beyond this are the huts of their native attendants. Thaddy, the chief observer, was down with a slight fever. His assistant, Woodhouse, paused for a moment in silent contemplation of the tropical night before commencing his solitary vigil.

"A review of astronomy" (varies).

A man is attacked by a strange bat-like beast whilst working at an observatory in Borneo one night!...

When the Minority Becomes the Majority “In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.” - Desiderius Erasmus (a constant motive in The Country of the Blind short story) Using his outstanding imagination and his ahead-of-time world views, H. G. Wells makes an interesting experiment in the short story The Country of the Blind: he creates a world in which the minority becomes the majority. In his attempt to conquer a mountain crest, main character Nuñez discovers a society comprised only of blind people. He thinks he can conquer them just like a mountain crest using his sight, but will he be understood by those deprived of sight? This Xist Classics edition has been professionally formatted for e-readers with a linked table of contents. This eBook also contains a bonus book club leadership guide and discussion questions. We hope you’ll share this book with your friends, neighbors and colleagues and can’t wait to hear what you have to say about it. Xist Publishing is a digital-first publisher. Xist Publishing creates books for the touchscreen generation and is dedicated to helping everyone develop a lifetime love of reading, no matter what form it takes

Complete text of The Invisible Man plus 17 short stories, including "The Crystal Egg," "Aepyornis Island," "The Strange Orchid," "The Man Who Could Work Miracles," and "A Dream of Armageddon."