Claimed (1920) is a science fiction novel by Francis Stevens. Using
her well-known pseudonym, Gertrude Barrows Bennett published some of the
twentieth century's greatest science fiction stories and novels.
Claimed, her final novel, has been recognized as a powerful tale of
dark fantasy for its combination of nautical adventure and the occult,
and remains central to Stevens' reputation as a pioneering author of
fantasy and science fiction. "From where we stood the illusion of ruins
was nearly perfect, and indeed--who knows?--we may to-day have looked
upon the last surviving trace of some ancient city, flung up from the
abyss that engulfed it ages before the brief history we have of the race
of man began." On a voyage at sea, a merchant vessel chances upon a
recently formed volcanic island. Unable to stay for long, mesmerized by
the geometric rock formations reaching their pinnacle at its smoldering
center, they take a memento of their discovery: a small, rectangular
block of a metallic green color, perfect for carving into a sea chest.
Eventually, the artifact makes its way into the collection of Jesse J.
Robinson, a famous antiquarian from Tremont, a town located along the
Delaware River. When Robinson and his niece Leilah fall victim to
powerful hallucinations, Doctor John Vanaman is brought in to help.
Soon, he launches an investigation into the nature of the box, tracking
down its original owner and the dealer who sold it to Robinson. To his
horror, they seem to have succumbed to the same madness plaguing the
antiquarian's home. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally
typeset manuscript, this edition of Francis Stevens' Claimed is a
classic work of American science fiction reimagined for modern readers.
