Creatures of the Light

by Sophie Wenzel Ellis

Release: February 1930
Format: Novelette
Genre: Science Fiction
Audience: Adults
Content: Debatable Time Travel
Original Language: English

A Teutonic scientist attempts to create a race of artificially created superman who, among other things, can jump a few seconds through time, but only as invisible witnesses to the future goings-on. The story is disturbingly prescient of Nazi ideas of an Aryan Herrenvolk.

— Michael Main

Before Northwood’s horrified sight, he vanished; vanished as though he had turned suddenly to air and floated away.

DEBUT

“Creatures of the Light,” in Astounding Stories of Super-Science, February 1930.

VARIANTS

3 English variants

TAGS(SPOILERS!)

Time Periods

Circa AD 1930 to 1939: presumed time period

Timeline Models

Time Travel Methods

Innate Time Travelers: accelerated evolution has given small time travel powers to the new super-race

Themes

Invisible Traveler
Unusual Aging: People of the super-race mature quickly and then live long lives.

Groupings

Astounding · Analog (periodical): February 1930

TIME TRAVEL ITINERARY (SPOILERS!)

From various times and places at an unknown time ⋙ to a few minutes into the future. Multiple round trips. Note: The traveler is an invisible observer.