The waning of a world: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
The waning of a world: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.

The waning of a world is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Backus, W. Elwyn (Waldo Elwyn) (1892–1979).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"The Waning of a World" by W. Elwyn Backus is a science fiction novel written in the early 20th century. It is centered around the intellectual rivalry between two professors, Bernard Palmer and L. R. Margard, concerning the potential for life on Mars, sparked by Palmer's theories published in his book, "Man and the Universe". The narrative features young inventor Robert Sprague, who claims to have developed a remarkable gravity-defying machine called the "Sphere", and his partnership with Professor Palmer, setting the stage for an ambitious attempt to journey to Mars. At the start of the story, readers are introduced to the ongoing debate surrounding Mars and its inhabitants. Robert, influenced by his father's previous work, approaches Professor Palmer to discuss the "Sphere" and its capabilities. As excitement builds surrounding the machine, the two men forge an unlikely partnership to explore the mysteries of Mars. The opening portion establishes the characters, plots, and themes of discovery, innovation, and the quest for knowledge, as the duo prepares to embark on a groundbreaking journey that promises not only personal glory but also answers to humanity's long-standing questions about life beyond Earth.
Book and edition facts
- Title: The waning of a world
- Author credits: Backus, W. Elwyn (Waldo Elwyn) (1892–1979)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Martians -- Fiction
- Science fiction
- Space flight to Mars -- Fiction
- Space ships -- Fiction
Gutenberg collections
- Category: Novels
- Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy
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View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.
Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.


