"An afterword offers an insightful discussion of the novel as an adumbration of many masterpieces and characters in other of Balzac's acknowledged creations. Perhaps most interesting, the translators make the case that The Centenarian lays the philosophical foundation of Balzac's 'science' (including Mesmer), which brought a number of his geniuses to failure. All of this, along with the excellent translation (with its appropriate footnotes), makes this an enchanting and worthwhile publication. Highly recommended."
~Choice
""The Centenarian is remarkable in its exploration of then-new scientific concepts and then-current themes (including those common to Gothic novels), and for its anticipation of elements of future SF as well.""
~INFODAD.com
""An afterword offers an insightful discussion of the novel as an adumbration of many masterpieces and characters in other of Balzac's acknowledged creations. Perhaps most interesting, the translators make the case that The Centenarian lays the philosophical foundation of Balzac's 'science' (including Mesmer), which brought a number of his geniuses to failure. All of this, along with the excellent translation (with its appropriate footnotes), makes this an enchanting and worthwhile publication. Highly recommended.""
~Choice
""With the publication of the first English translation of Balzac's disavowed 1822 novel, the Wesleyan 'Early Classics of Science Fiction' series continues to rewrite the history of the genre. The work is...undeniably fascinating both as a luminal science-fiction text occupying the mostly uncharted cusp between supernatural gothicism and 19th-century science and, with a cliff-hanger ending in the catacombs of Paris, as early hack-work by the writer soon to be the leading example of French social realism. ...The translation also includes helpful notes and an afterword that intriguingly suggests how this early novel may presage some of Balzac's later characters and themes.""
~Library Journal website
"In The Centenarian, Balzac first discovered his artistic stride, first amalgamated the distinctive preoccupations of French science fiction, and first forged a philosophical framework for his Comédie humaine. This translation is a revelation."
~Eric S. Rabkin, Professor of English, University of Michigan
"In The Centenarian, Balzac first discovered his artistic stride, first amalgamated the distinctive preoccupations of French science fiction, and first forged a philosophical framework for his Comédie humaine. This translation is a revelation."
~Eric S. Rabkin, Professor of English, University of Michigan
"The Centenarian is a very lively read. This translation throws new light on the development of realism, the Faust myth, and the origins of science fiction.""
~Allen Thiher, author of Fiction Rivals Science: The French Novel from Balzac to Proust
