The Blazing World
The Blazing World, also known as The Description of a New World, Called The Blazing-World is a prose work written by English writer Margaret Cavendish in 1666.
Some feminist critics consider it a precursor to science fiction, being one of the first early examples of what can be considered as such today. It can also be considered a utopia, as well as being part romance and part adventure book.
The Blazing World describes a utopian and satirical kingdom located on another planet that can be traveled to through the North Pole. A young woman arrives in the other world and becomes the empress of a society made up of talking animals and organizes how to invade her home world.
"A Merchant travelling into a foreign Country, fell extreamly in Love with a young Lady; but being a stranger in that Nation, and beneath her, both in Birth and Wealth, he could have but little hopes of obtaining his desire..."
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Public domain (US)·No sign-up·DRM-free·Real text, not scans
Copyright note. The Blazing World by Margaret Cavendish is believed to be in the public domain in the United States only. It may still be copyrighted in other countries. If you are not in the United States, please check your local laws to ensure this eBook is in the public domain in your country before downloading The Blazing World in PDF or EPUB.
- Pages
- 101
- Reading time
- 3 hours 24 minutes
- Pace
- Slow
- First published
- 1666
- Language
- English
- Downloads
- 3,725
360 years later, still timely
Why Read The Blazing World in 2026?
A portal opens to a realm of animal philosophers and an empress who rules by experiment and decree. It is proto science fiction, utopia, and authorial bravado at once—world-building before the term existed. Bold, eccentric, and visionary.
Today's connection
Speculative design, women in science, and sovereignty debates need ancestors. This book supplies them with flair.
Proto sci-fi
Ideas in strange shapes.
New world
Geography of possibility.
Utopian debate
Power imagined and tested.
These collections include The Blazing World
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About the author
Margaret Cavendish
Bold philosophy and visionary fiction that test science, gender, and imagination ahead of their time.
