''The Romance of Atlantis'' is a fantasy novel by
Taylor Caldwell about the ancient, erudite, and very advanced
civilisation of
Atlantis.
Caldwell wrote this novel when she was twelve years old, and had attempted to publish it through her grandfather's publishing company, but he accused her of plagiarism because it seemed impossible that a twelve-year-old could have written such an advanced book,
[New York Times, Sep 2 1985, pg. 26 -]
Taylor Caldwell, Prolific Author, Dies
and it was not published until 1975, when Caldwell revised it with the assistance of
Jess Stearn, and it was finally actually published. Caldwell based this book on a recurring dream she was having every night for about 2 years, each night the dream beginning where it ended the previous night. The dream was so real, that she began to believe that it was her real life.
Plot summary
Atlantis is ruled by the beautiful and intelligent Empress Salustra. The fate of the Empire will be decided by an
arranged marriage
Arranged marriage is a type of marital union where the bride and groom are primarily selected by individuals other than the couple themselves, particularly by family members such as the parents. In some cultures a professional matchmaker may be us ...
with the ruler of a less advanced, semi-barbarian northern kingdom, as the advanced technology of Atlantis is powerless against strange
environmental and ecological disasters.
References
Atlantis in fiction
1975 American novels
American fantasy novels
Novels by Taylor Caldwell
Novels involved in plagiarism controversies
William Morrow and Company books
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