The Romance of Golden Star — George Griffith / George Chetwynd Griffith

The Romance of Golden Star is an adventurous story about the restoration of the lost Incan Empire. "They were standing over a long packing-case, some seven feet in length and two and a-half in breadth, in which lay, at full length, wrapped in grave-clothes that had once been gaily coloured, but which were now faded and grey with the grave-dust, the figure of a man with hands crossed over the breast, dead to all appearances, and yet so gruesomely lifelike that it seemed hard to believe that the broad, muscular chest over which the crossed hands lay was not actually heaving and falling with the breath of life." George Griffith was born in 1857 in Plymouth England. His father, a cleric, had little money at his death, but had provided young George with access to his extensive library and the fantastic works of Jules Verne. On retiring as a seaman he spent several years working as a teacher and began writing for the local newspaper. Griffith is considered "the first professional science fiction writer" because he produced story after story, on demand, for his editors and publishers.