Adrift in the Unknown; or, Queer Adventures in a Queer Realm

"Adrift in the Unknown; or, Queer Adventures in a Queer Realm" by William Wallace Cook is a science fiction story from the early 1900s that follows Professor Quinn, a brilliant mind who invents a way to beat gravity, and the wild things that happen because of it. At the start, a strange mystery unfolds when Quinn's Castle, a steel building, vanishes along with four rich businessmen, kicking off an exciting trip into a strange world. A former thief named James Peter Munn tries to rob Professor Quinn but ends up getting mixed up in his huge plan instead. A news story adds to the puzzle by talking about how Quinn's Castle and its visitors suddenly disappeared. While hiding, Munn watches as Professor Quinn tries to show off his anti-gravity machine to the wealthy men, which leads to them being kidnapped into space. The story blends thoughts on society, adventure, and weird stuff, drawing readers in with ideas about right and wrong, social classes, and how dangerous greed can be.