When the World Screamed

When the World Screamed is a science fiction novel written by Arthur Conan Doyle and first published in 1928.

The novel stars Professor Challenger, a character who has appeared in previous Conan Doyle novels. It is the fourth story in the Professor Challenger series and retains only Challenger and Malone as recurring characters from the first novel.

Mr. Peerless Jones is an expert at performing artesian digging and drilling. Together with the help of Professor Challenger and Mr. Edward Malone, they undertake an experiment to drill into the earth until they reach the mantle.

He theorizes that it is a sentient being and that by reaching it he will be alerted to the presence of mankind.

The giant creature really exists and is awakened, but in the face of the threat it proceeds to destroy its excavation and releases a noxious and dangerous liquid to the spectators.

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was legally published within the United States before 1964, and copyright was not renewed.

"I had a vague recollection of having heard my friend Edward Malone, of the Gazette, speak of Professor Challenger, with whom he had been associated in some remarkable adventures. I am so busy, however, with my own profession, and my firm has been so overtaxed with orders, that I know little of what is going on in the world outside my own special interests".