The Coming Race

The Coming Race by Edward Bulwer-Lytton is a science fiction novel introducing the Vril-ya, an advanced subterranean race with access to a powerful energy source called Vril. The narrator, an English explorer, descends into their world and is astonished by their technology, social structure, and spiritual depth. Blending science fiction with utopian speculation, the book reflects 19th-century ideas about progress, race, and the potential of humanity. It inspired both fascination and parody in late Victorian culture.