It's taken a lot longer than we intended - for which we humbly apologise - but episode 5 of our second season is finally ready. It's another aeronautical adventure, this time from the pen of the great Jules Verne. It was first published in August 1851 under the title La Science En Famille. Un Voyage En Balloon, but is better known as A Drama in the Air.

The author needs no introduction, of course. A prolific novelist, poet and playwright, he is one the true pioneers of the science fiction genre.  He is the second most translated author in the world, beaten only by Agatha Christie, and his work has been adapted countless times for film, television and pretty much anything else you can think of. In this particular story, he interweaves a gripping narrative with fascinating snippets of ballooning history, vividly conveying how completely the exploration of the previously out of reach sky had captured the public imagination. It was the first piece of his writing to be translated into English, and although it's not as famous as some of his other works, it still clearly exhibits his skill as a storyteller. 

Our version uses the original English translation with our usual immersive soundscape and music by Kevin MacLeod. Join us now as we leave the present behind and soar up into the clouds in the month of September 1850.