Among the Ruins, by Lawrence Alma-Tadema (detail) [1902-4] (Public Domain Image)

Selestor's Men of Atlantis by Clara Iza von Ravn [1937]

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Contents Start Reading Page Index

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This is a novel of Atlantis, written as a channeled message from a disembodied sage named 'Selestor.' Selestor recounts the history of Atlantis, from its rise to its destruction, thousands of years ago. The author does not use the usual framing story as many of these books do. Instead she dives right in, with the implication that she sees what has been written here as the literal truth.

The book is written in an affected, slightly archaic style reminiscent of (but certainly not in the same league as), Robert E. Howard, Lord Dunsany or E.R. Eddison. However, this makes the book much more readable than other occult novels such as A Dweller on Two Planets, or Unveiled Mysteries. Even when Selestor is going on about mineralogy, it still sounds a bit like an oriental opium dream.

Selestor's Atlanteans have advanced technology, including some kind of super-telescope which allows them to observe and even hear battles on the planet Mars. Selestor provides much detail about the culture and history of the Atlanteans, including their laws, industries, and science. They are somehow contemporaries of Vikings and Mayans (or their prehistoric predecessors). They even engage in a spectacular naval battle with the Northmen, similar to an episode in Cutcliffe Hyne's The Lost Continent.

The author, Clara Iza von Ravn, is a bit of a mystery, at least on the Internet. She is often listed in bibliographies as one 'Mrs. Tibbets.' She appears to be an American citizen living on the west coast. So it is likely that the 'Baroness' title she is given on the back cover blurb is probably an affectation. I can establish that she was born in 1870 and died in 1942, and wrote one other book with an occult theme, The Scribe of a Soul (Seattle, Washington: Denny-Coryell Company) in 1901.

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Title Page
Foreword
Contents
Chapter I. Growth of an island. Its location. Physical features and peopling
Chapter II. The government of Atlantis. Educational methods. Peopling and customs.
Chapter III. The origin of wheat. Marriage customs. Laws regarding children born. Cremation of the dead. Some industries. Music.
Chapter IV. Institutions for the training of youth. Music. Arts. Industries. Some customs. Food.
Chapter V. Other inventions of the Atlantians. The science of Ellipse of Sound.
Chapter VI. Atlantian knowledge of creation's laws. Origin of the priesthood. Authority of the priests.
Chapter VII. Weakening of priestly power. The punishment for certain crimes.
Chapter VIII. Punishment by the priesthood for murder. Punishment of women for children's death.
Chapter IX. An ancestress of the Assyrians.
Chapter X. The navy of Atlantis. Minerals of the island and theories regarding them held by the mineralogists of that day and country.
Chapter XI. Mining and minerals of Atlantis. The man who came to Atlantis from Spain to study its minerals
Chapter XII. The crime of old King Osiris and the king Atlantis gave to Egypt
Chapter XIII. The flight of Prince Osiris. His Egyptian court.
Chapter XIV. The death of Prince Osiris’ bride—Albirothisis
Chapter XV. Origin of the Mongolian race. Kling, from Atlantis, tempted.
Chapter XVI. The first Mongolian city. Mention of Yucatan
Chapter XVII. An Atlantian tradition.
Chapter XVIII. Battle on Mars as described by the watching sage. The army of shadows
Chapter XIX. The great sea-fight of Atlantis. Setting out of the Northmen for plunder
Chapter XX. Warning of the sage and setting out of the Atlantian navy to meet the foe
Chapter XXI. Arrival of the Northmen and their allies. Morning and the sea-fight.
Chapter XXII. Death of the king of Atlantis on the day of the great sea-fight
Chapter XXIII. The destruction of Atlantis. Activities of the inhabitants on the morning the island sank into the ocean