Overview

The Heads of Cerberus (1919) is a science fiction novel by Francis Stevens. Originally serialized in The Thrill Book, a popular pulp magazine, The Heads of Cerberus was recognized as “perhaps the first science fiction fantasy to use the alternate time-track, or parallel worlds, idea” by anthologist and critic Groff Conklin. Noted for its satirical tone and dystopian themes, The Head of Cerberus remains central to Stevens’ reputation as a pioneering author of fantasy and science fiction. In 1918, three friends from Philadelphia discover a strange powdery substance. Before they can find out what it is or where it came from, they are transported to the year 2118. Somehow, the city has come under complete totalitarian control, forcing the vast majority of its poor citizens to live in constant fear of death and imprisonment. Names have been replaced by identification numbers and annual contests run by the ruthless overseer leave families torn apart by violence and death. With her eye on the present, writing at a time of war and increasing political division, Stevens tells a story about a future both strange and all too familiar, warning her readers about the dangers of unchecked power through the guise of fantasy and adventure. This edition of Francis Stevens’ The Heads of Cerberus is a classic work of American science fiction reimagined for modern readers. Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book. With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.

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9781513133515

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Francis Stevens was the pseudonym of Gertrude Barrows Bennett (1884-1948), an American writer of science fiction and fantasy novels. Born in Minneapolis, Stevens wrote her first story at 17, finding publication in popular pulp magazine Argosy. Believed to be one of the first American women to publish a work of science fiction, Bennett gained a nationwide reputation as a leading short story writer with such tales as “The Nightmare” (1917), “Friend Island” (1918), and “Serapion” (1920). Additionally, Bennett published several novels throughout her career, including The Citadel of Fear (1918), The Heads of Cerberus (1919), and Claimed! (1920). To supplement her writing, Stevens—who was widowed in 1910 when her husband Stewart Bennett died at sea—worked as a stenographer to support herself, her daughter, and her invalid mother. Credited with influencing H. P. Lovecraft and A. Merritt, Bennett is recognized as a pioneering figure in the history of science fiction.

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