Book Description

Two novelettes about madmen who want to conquer the world. The Beetle Horde was the cover story for the initial issue of Astounding Stories in January 1930. The Invisible Death was the cover story for Astounding Stories in the October 1930 issue. Both stories were about the revenge that spurned egotistical men will wreak upon the world when they don’t get their ways. Both stories reveal weak men in positions of advantage as the aspiring autocrats of their fantasies. The Beetle Horde (1930) Only two young explorers stand in the way of the mad Bram’s horrible revenge— the releasing of his trillions of man-sized beetles upon an utterly defenseless world. Chapter I – Dodd’s Discovery Chapter II – Beetles and Humans Chapter III – Ten Miles Underground Chapter IV – Bram’s Story Chapter V – Doomed! Chapter VI – Escape! Conclusion Bullets, shrapnel, shell—nothing can stop the trillions of famished, man-sized beetles which, led by a madman, sweep down over the human race. Chapter VII – Through the Inferno Chapter VIII – Recaptured Chapter IX – The Trail of Death Chapter X – At Bay Chapter XI – The World Set Free The Invisible Death (1930) With night-rays and darkness-antidote America strikes back at the terrific and destructive Invisible Empire. Chapter I – Out of the Hangman’s Hands Chapter II – Conference Chapter III – In the White House Chapter IV – The Invisible Ambassador Chapter V – The Enemy Strikes Chapter VI – The Gas Chapter VII – On the Trail Chapter VIII – The Magnetic Trap Chapter IX – The Invisible Emperor Chapter X – The Tricks of the Trade Chapter XI – In the Laboratory Chapter XII – Von Kettler’s End Chapter XIII – You Can’t Down the Marines Invisible Death has 3 illustrations.