Spirit of Wonder

Impossible inventions and very human wishes meet in this collection of science-fiction stories. Time machines, submerged cities and journeys beyond familiar space provide settings for people whose curiosity repeatedly carries them past the limits of sensible behaviour. Scientific ambition can be grand, but the desire behind an invention is often surprisingly intimate. Among the recurring characters are China, the inventive Jim and the eccentric Professor Breckenridge. Their encounters make extraordinary devices part of everyday relationships, with affection, frustration and improbable experiments all sharing the same space. Other stories broaden the collection's range of imagined worlds and peculiar discoveries. Kenji Tsuruta gives these adventures a gentle sense of wonder through detailed drawing and an interest in the people doing the dreaming. The collection treats science fiction as an invitation to curiosity and possibility, allowing romance, humour and moments of quiet reflection to coexist with its remarkable machines.