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The Encyclopedia of Fantastic Victoriana
by Jess Nevins
(MonkeyBrain Books, US$50.00, 1009 pages, hardcover; ISBN 1-932265-15-5.)
Review by Marianne Plumridge
 The
rise of the Victorian presence in current fiction of the fantastic --
be it novel, film, television, graphic novel, etc. -- over the last
decade or so has become a reflection of the current state of social
mind. Up till a quarter century ago, the reading and viewing public
saw only the 'future' as something to be yearned after; something to
strive towards, something exciting, thrilling, magnificent. However,
in that last previous quarter-century we have begun to live that future
of the fantastic: we have space-flight; walked upon another orbital
body in space; built a space-station or two; fast produced technology
which grows ever more microscopic, and available to the common person
-- cell phones, music players that fit in the palm of one's hand, satellite
tracking for cars, car computers that can transmit self-diagnostic data,
email, the internet, fantastic gadgets for life and home, etc, etc,
etc.
Unfortunately, the modern world has become all a bit blasé and
restricted as the using public tries to conform with so many conflicting
signals at once, of what we should and shouldn't do, wear, buy, prefer...
Market research makes our decisions for us in a new kind of conformity
that's almost, hey, Victorian. But in looking back at that century,
to that time of new industrialization, changing attitudes and manners,
emerging technology and fantastic visions in a previously un-envisioned
world, everything appears rosily simple and exotic. The rules were being
re-written in the age of England's Queen Victoria, and during that time,
the sky wasn't the limit. So, in more recent decades there have appeared
tomes like The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, the Amelia
Peabody murder mysteries, vintage adventure stories, a plethora of Sherlock
Holmes pastiches in film and literary fiction, Steamboy (Japanese
anime), and a long list of current creative endeavors that reflect the
times when invention and imagination knew no bounds. In his book, The
Encyclopedia of Fantastic Victoriana, Jess Nevins lovingly and respectfully
attempts to place the roots of some of these visions -- two hundred
years of genre and adventure writing -- into perspective, where they
belong. So saddle up, hail a hansom cab, put your pipe in your pocket
along with the secret documents, your choice of pistol, rifle or elephant
gun, swirl the cape and clap on a top hat or bonnet: the adventure is
about to begin...
The Encyclopedia of Fantastic Victoriana looks, at first glance,
exactly that: a series of encyclopedic entries describing various characters
from Victorian fiction. However, this compilation is far more than that.
Each entry -- fully annotated -- not only states who created a character,
but an in-depth synopsis of where and when the character appeared, and
in what environment he, she, or it existed, story, etc. Far and above
this, each entry is supported by a vibrant and knowledgeable analysis
by Mr. Nevins, regarding the character/story's effect on society at
the time of publishing and vice versa. The text brings to life many
stories and personalities that have since been swallowed whole by time
and history, and gives them new voice. Enough so, that the reader may
just go hunt up some of these stories and personas to read them for
him or herself. These efforts range from still popular heavyweights
like Sherlock Holmes and associates to forgotten creations of brilliance
in the vein of Ambrosio, the protagonist from M.G. Lewis's original
gothic novel The Monk: A Romance (1796), and beyond. From the
truly great efforts of literature down to the merely mediocre, authors
across decades and borders spanning most nations of Europe, the United
Kingdom, Russia, the Middle East and distant Orient are all exemplified
within the copious pages of this Encyclopedia.
Other entries chronicle various stereotypes of the Victorian era, within
fiction and without: their evolution and how they were treated by the
society of the day. For example, one of these is an apt description
of the 'Adventuress', both in fiction and real life, and how the meaning
of the term changed irrevocably with the growing emancipation of women.
Another, 'Anarchists' describes why terror-style and anarchy-style fiction
became the vogue in the latter two decades of the 19th century as a
response to the public's general feeling of 'unease' in these matters.
Many more entries cover topics like: Hero-Villain; The Gothic; The New
Woman; The School Story; The Great Detective; Future War; The Hypnotist;
Martians (I) and (II); The Lost Race Story; and so on -- all meticulously
and extensively cross-referenced throughout.
This type of book, with its insightful look at the Victorian era literature
and social mores, would make an excellent addition to any writer's reference
shelf, especially those writers who create modern fiction set in that
age. Even readers who are admirers of fiction emanating from Victorian
times, whether written then or written now, would find this encyclopedia
compelling reading matter. The text and analysis are not only informative,
but rather entertainingly so.
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