The Purple Cloud cover

The Purple Cloud

by M. P. Shiel

Published in 1901, M. P. Shiel's The Purple Cloud is an early "last man" science fiction novel. Foretold by a priest as being against the will of God, Adam Jeffson's Arctic expedition unleashes a terrible fate on the world - a mysterious purple cloud that spreads far into the heavens and across the earth. Jeffson returns to the horror of finding the entire crew dead onboard his ship, and, as he gradually realizes, the entire population of the planet has been wiped out. Descending into a madness, he burns cities, declares himself a monarch with no subjects, attempts to create an enormous golden palace for God and for himself. But everything changes as he discovers he is not the only person left, stumbling upon a naked young woman without any knowledge of the world that once stood.

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Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?