The Prots: A Weird Romance

Insurance clerk Jack Granton spends his evenings chasing a dream of creating life in a test tube. One night, after many failed experiments, a mistake when measuring reactants for his next attempt results in the appearance of hundreds of tiny, fast-moving jelly-like creatures. Over the following hours of observation under the microscope, the creatures are seen to be not only multiplying in number but also growing in size and developing into more complex forms.The story follows the adventures of Granton and his friend and faithful supporter Montague Dudbroke as the creatures continue to grow in size and require progressively more elaborate care and accommodation. Their development attracts the attention of the scientific world, fulfilling Granton's desire to be taken seriously as a scientist. However, not all of the attention is of a benevolent nature...The Prots: A Weird Romance was originally published in 1903 by S. H. Bousfield & Co., Ltd., and attributed to the pseudonymous author "Dudbroke" (the true identity of the author is unknown). The book has never been republished until now. This 2023 edition, published by Enchanted Bit one hundred and twenty years after the original, includes a foreword by Artificial Life researcher Dr Tim Taylor. The new edition makes this early example of science fiction involving the evolution of synthetic life available once again to readers interested in early science fiction, and to those who simply enjoy a good old-fashioned adventure!