The Cosmic Courtship by Julian Hawthorne
Original cover art by Fred W. Small
Cirsova Publishing

There is a unique thrill in being able to read a work of fiction that few alive today have read. The Cosmic Courtship was written by Julian Hawthorne; the son of Nathaniel Hawthorne. It was published in All Story Weekly over four issues in the latter part of 1917, never to see print again; essentially making this story very rare and expensive to collect. Cirsova Publishing seeks to remedy that.

In early April of this year a Kickstarter campaign was begun. Within a month the project ended, not only reaching its intended goals, but far exceeding them. A whopping $17,104 was pledged by 476 backers, ensuring that this endeavor would in fact become a reality. Utilizing scans of the pertinent magazine issues provided by Michael Tierney, the story was then transcribed by Robert Allen Lupton. The Cosmic Courtship is expected to see print late this summer.

The story:

The year is 2001. Not quite the 2001 I remember, but Hawthorne has some surprises in his tale of the future. Women have achieved equality with men and technological advancements have abounded. Miriam Mayne is a woman of her time. Being born to wealth has given her the freedom to become the protégé to Mary Faust, a brilliant scientist. Faust has been secretly developing a new machine to traverse the cosmos. Left unattended, Miriam triggers the machine sending her to the far end of the solar system.

Her disappearance has not gone unnoticed. Jack Paladin and his young stalwart companion Jim call on Mary Faust seeking the whereabouts of Miriam. Discovering what has transpired, Jack decides to follow and if possible retrieve Miriam. So begins our adventure.

My take:

The invention of Mary Faust utilizes a chair. Several authors of speculative fiction also make use of chairs in devices of magic or science. I wonder if Hawthorne is referencing the Siege Perilous also known as The Perilous Seat of Arthurian legend? Or was it pure convenience?

At first glance Hawthorne's Saturn is a place barren of people and structures. It seems they have developed their minds to the degree that they are able to form habitations and buildings at will. They build nothing of permanence. They are also able to cloak themselves from sight until they desire to be noticed. A very strange tableau.

The love story presented is love at first sight, a common theme in pulp writing. Although as the lovers are separated they are both confronted with individuals who 'love' them and only want to have their love returned. Both seek to isolate their 'love' and in their own way convince the other to love them back. In a way this reminds me of the love triangle in Eric Brighteyes by H. Rider Haggard.

The villain, Torpeon, is billed as a sorcerer, but his magic doesn't seem to be all that different than what the people of Saturn utilize. He views his people as a means to an end; as tools to be used and discarded. And his diabolical plan, while it makes sense to him, is completely bonkers.

This forgotten proto-science fiction story is engaging and very readable. Parts of the story show its age. Although, it's far from being a dud. Fans of such authors as Edgar Rice Burroughs, Otis Adelbert Kline, and Edwin Lester Arnold will also find many things to enjoy within The Cosmic Courtship.

I had the pleasure to read the pocket paperback. As the name suggests it's perfect for on the go because it fits right in my back pocket and it sits perfectly on the shelf with my other paperbacks. Short chapters also offer a great opportunity to read this when you have limited time. The only downside is the small print, which wasn't a problem with me generally, but it made reading before bed more difficult as I needed more light to see.

Conclusion:

The Kickstarter was a resounding success. And if you are concerned that you missed the boat, don't be. Cirsova has you covered. There will be copies available in a pocket paperback, a magazine edition, a trade paperback, and a hardcover. These will be available in the usual places. But keep an eye out here: The Cosmic Courtship | Cirsova (wordpress.com) for up to date info concerning the release.