Written by Charles Willing Beale (1845-1932), 'The Secret of the Earth' (1899) is an intriguing lost-world tale. When Dirk Waaijen, the master of the Voorne, is five days out from the island of Celebes, he spies an object floating in the water ahead. Inside is a document that tells of a lost race living in a subterranean world.Full of weird creatures, alien sights, and a mysterious people, this classic hollow earth fantasy novel is a perfect read for all sci-fi fans.-

Charles Willing Beale (1845-1932) was an American writer of science fiction novels and short stories. A prolific writer, he contributed many short stories to various periodicals but is best known for his science fiction novels, 'The Ghost of Guir House (1897), 'Miss Jack, of Tibet' (1910), and the hollow earth story 'The Secret of the Earth' (1898).