âThe Purple Cloudâ, âThe Lord of the Seaâ (both 1901), and âThe Last Miracleâ (1906) is a trilogy of science fiction; and at least the first two are considered early masterpieces in the genre. âThe Purple Cloudâ is widely hailed as a masterpiece of science fiction and one of the best âlast manâ novels ever written. A deadly purple vapor passes over the world and annihilates all living creatures except one man, Adam Jeffson. Adam adventures to the North Pole; on returning he realizes the entire population of the world has been destroyed by a cloud of cyanogen; he tours with world as master of all he sees, reveling and destroying as he will.