author
Charles Gilson
1878–1943
A British army officer turned prolific storyteller, he wrote fast-moving adventure, science fiction, and historical tales for young readers. His books capture the energy of early 20th-century boys' fiction, from lost worlds and wartime exploits to sweeping imperial adventures.
5 Audiobooks
Treasure of Kings Being the Story of the Discovery of the "Big Fish," or the Quest of the Greater Treasure of the Incas of Peru.
by Charles Gilson
Submarine U93
by Charles Gilson
Held by Chinese Brigands
by Charles Gilson
The Fire-Gods: A Tale of the Congo
by Charles Gilson
Across the Cameroons: A Story of War and Adventure
by Charles Gilson
About the author
Born in 1878, Charles James Louis Gilson was a British officer who published widely as Captain Charles Gilson and later Major Charles Gilson. Alongside his military career, he became a popular writer of fiction for children and teenagers, especially boys' adventure stories.
His work ranged across science fiction, historical fiction, and action-heavy imperial adventures. Many of his stories first reached readers through the lively magazine culture of the time, and his novels often feature danger, travel, secret missions, and dramatic clashes in far-flung settings.
Gilson died in 1943, but his books remain part of the long tradition of early 20th-century popular fiction for younger readers. Today he is remembered both for his storytelling pace and imagination and as a writer whose work reflects the attitudes and assumptions of the era in which he wrote.