New editions of W. Grove's novels coming soon!

31 July 2026

We are delighted to lift the curtain on a project we have been working on behind the scenes for more than a year: brand new editions of two remarkable early science-fiction novels by the British author W. Grove.

Written in the late nineteenth century, the novels are among the earliest works to explore the idea of self-reproducing machines that evolve beyond human control — a theme that would later become central to the enduring literary tradition of the revolt of the machines, and, more recently, to concerns about AI takeover. Grove’s first novel, A Mexican Mystery, appeared in 1888, followed by The Wreck of a World in 1890.

A Mexican Mystery has become exceptionally rare, with copies now held by only a handful of libraries worldwide. The Wreck of a World has been republished by the British Library, but only as a facsimile of the original edition, with no new editorial material.

The new Enchanted Bit editions will feature newly typeset text, new forewords placing the novels in their historical context, and striking new cover artwork. As well as publishing through Amazon KDP, we will also be using IngramSpark to make the books available through booksellers worldwide.

Paperback editions of both novels are planned for release by the end of September, with ebook editions to follow soon afterwards. Watch this space for further updates, release dates and information on how to order your own copies of these fascinating and long-overlooked works of early science fiction.