The story in one page
After a mining accident in a deep shaft, an American wanderer stumbles into the subterranean world of the Vril-ya. These winged, bronze-skinned giants live in a high-tech paradise governed by 'Vril,' a multi-purpose energy that powers everything from domestic robots to city-leveling weapons. The narrator is treated as a primitive biological curiosity and houseguest, but the mood shifts when the magistrate's daughter, Zee, falls in love with him. Because the Vril-ya view humans as inferior, carnivorous ancestors, the narrator’s presence becomes a genetic threat. Facing execution, he must rely on his giant suitor’s mercy to find a way back to the sunlit surface.
Who's who
- The Narrator
An opulent American traveler who stumbles into a subterranean civilization.
- Zee
A brilliant Vril-ya scientist who falls in love with the narrator.
- Aph-Lin
A Vril-ya magistrate and the narrator's reluctant host.
- Vril-ya
The advanced, subterranean master race that evolved from prehistoric frogs.
- Vril
A mysterious, all-permeating fluid capable of both healing and total destruction.
What it's really about
- Technological Determinism
- Unlimited power leads to a sterile, conflict-free society.
- Evolutionary Anxiety
- The fear of being replaced by a superior species.
Why it's memorable
- A gallery of portraits showing the Vril-ya evolved from giant prehistoric tadpoles.
- The sight of Vril-ya children casually disintegrating massive lake monsters with handheld wands.
The ending, explained
Spoilers — show the ending
After being safely deposited on the surface by Zee, the narrator spends his final days in the United States, warning that the Vril-ya will eventually emerge to replace humanity.
For your book club
- Is a society without crime, competition, or art actually a desirable utopia?
- How does the Vril energy serve as a metaphor for the potential of electricity or nuclear power?