The Heads of Cerberus and Other Stories
Adventures in a dystopian future and parallel universes
Francis Stevens author Lisa Yaszek author
Format:Paperback
Publisher:MIT Press Ltd
Published:17th Sep '24
Should be back in stock very soon
Three travelers in a dystopian Philadelphia must navigate supernatural challenges after inhaling a mysterious dust in The Heads of Cerberus and Other Stories.
In The Heads of Cerberus and Other Stories, readers are introduced to a gripping narrative set in the year 2118. Three travelers inadvertently inhale a high-tech dust that allows for interdimensional travel, propelling them into a dystopian version of Philadelphia. This alternate reality is a totalitarian state where individuals are stripped of their identities, reduced to mere numbers. As they navigate this eerie landscape populated by supernatural beings, their quest for escape becomes a fight for survival against a regime that seeks to control every aspect of life.
The author, Francis Stevens, writing under the pseudonym of Gertrude Barrows Bennett, is celebrated for her pioneering contributions to the science fiction and fantasy genres. Her stories, crafted between 1904 and 1919, showcase her remarkable range and imagination, making her a significant figure in the evolution of modern genre fiction. The Heads of Cerberus not only reflects her innovative storytelling but also highlights themes of identity and freedom that resonate deeply in today’s world.
Bennett's work has influenced a multitude of writers and creators, from Philip K. Dick to contemporary franchises like The Hunger Games. As the first American woman to gain recognition in fantasy and science fiction, her stories remain relevant, echoing the struggles and triumphs of characters who challenge oppressive systems. This collection, introduced by Lisa Yaszek, invites readers to explore the enduring legacy of a writer who dared to push the boundaries of imagination.
“[Stevens] wrote in the early 20th century and anticipated much about where the genre would go.”
—Reactor Magazine
“An excellent way to rediscover an excellent writer.”
—Transfer Orbit
"Stevens’ writing is both reflective of the societal upheaval in her time and freshly insightful. And frighteningly, there are intense similarities to tensions today. Her clear-eyed, laser pointed writing strips away any pretense, leaving the simple truth to make the reader queasy. . . . Anyone who enjoys speculative or science fiction like The Twilight Zone, or steampunk like Jules Verne, or dystopian novels like The Hunger Games needs to be reading Francis Stevens."
—Meaghan Walsh Gerard
“The stories in this collection are richly evocative of their time’s vision for our possible future, and their influence on the genre continues to broadly underpin the language by which contemporary works now explore today’s futures.”
—Suzanne Palmer, Hugo Award–winning author of “The Secret Life of Bots” and The Finder Chronicles
“I am always delighted when I find Francis Stevens ‘booked for a thriller.’”
—Reader’s letter to The Argosy (1919)
“Those who insist on the close reasoning and the satirical wit of modern science fiction will find surprising amounts of both here.”
—Damon Knight, In Search of Wonder
“What strikes us in [Stevens’s ‘Friend Island’] is the happy combination of an imagination that is projected into the distant future with a bubbling sense of humor that knows how to turn all the clichés of the hour into a rollicking good laugh. An unusual bit of work, which will be sure to delight all appraisers of the new and the delightful.”
—All-Story Weekly (1918)
“‘Behind the Curtain,’ by Francis Stevens, is a lot better than Poe’s ‘The Cask of Amontillado,’ if we do say it.”
—All-Story Weekly (1918)
Re: The Heads of Cerberus: “A highly imaginative work, one of the classics of early pulp fantastic fiction.”
—E. F. Bleiler
Re: The Heads of Cerberus: “Perhaps the first science fantasy to use the alternate time-track, or parallel worlds, idea.”
—Groff Conklin
ISBN: 9780262549066
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
396 pages