Unveiling a Parallel (1893) is a novel by Alice Ilgenfritz Jones and
Ella Merchant. Alongside Mary E. Bradley Lane's Mizora (1890) and
Elizabeth Corbett's New Amazonia (1889), Unveiling a Parallel is an
important early work of feminist utopian science fiction. "Having
launched my aeroplane on the current of attraction which flows
uninterruptedly between this world and that, traveling was as swift as
thought. My impression is that my speed was constantly accelerated until
I neared my journey's end, when the planet's pink envelope interposed
its soft resistance to prevent a destructive landing. I settled down as
gently as a dove alights, and the sensation was the most ecstatic I have
ever experienced." A nineteenth century voyager travels by aircraft to
the planet Mars, where he encounters two advanced civilizations of
Martians. In Paleveria, women have taken control over men by adopting
their tactics for violence and oppression. Their capitalist society is
highly stratified, allowing wealthy women to hold all financial and
political power. In Caskia, men and women have learned to live in
harmony. Unlike their neighbors, they value egalitarianism, art, and
intellectual advancement over wealth and power. Before returning to
Earth, the voyager learns as much as he can about these Martian
civilizations, speaking with their leaders to gain a better
understanding of the values that guide their progress. With a
beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this
edition of Alice Ilgenfritz Jones and Ella Merchant's Unveiling a
Parallel is a classic of feminist utopian science fiction reimagined
for modern readers.
