The Battle of Dorking

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Popularized the 'invasion literature' genre, creating a public appetite for stories about foreign threats and national vulnerability that spy narratives would later address.

What it is

This novella depicts a fictional, surprise German invasion of Britain, resulting in a swift and devastating defeat for the unprepared British forces. Published as a serial, it ignited widespread public debate and fear about national security.

↑Inherited from

This work originated its idea. No known prior influences in the dataset.

↓Passed on to(1)

The Riddle of the Sands· 1903↓ open

The Riddle of the Sands directly engages with the anxieties and themes of national peril raised by 'The Battle of Dorking' and similar invasion literature, transforming the passive fear into an active espionage plot to prevent such an event.