Edward Bulwer-Lytton (1803—1873) was an English novelist, poet, playwright and politician. A lot of his works contributed to the early growth of the science fiction genre. "Ernest Maltravers" is a novel about a young man of wealth and education just returned to England from a German university. Belated by a storm, he seeks shelter in the hut of Darvil, a man of evil character. Darvil has a daughter Alice, young and beautiful, but of undeveloped moral and mental power. Moved by her helplessness, her beauty, and her innocence, Maltravers instantly falls in love.