He became a journalist in 1883, and published his first books A Holiday in Scandinavia (1877) and Bird Life in England (1887) before writing his first novel The Wonderful Adventures of Phra the Phoenician, the adventures of a warrior who goes in and out of an unexplained state of suspended animation in order to be a witness to invasions or attempted invasions of England.
Gullivar Jones: His Vacation is considered important to 20th century science fiction literature, in that it may have inspired the Edgar Rice Burroughs Barsoom series, which was written six years later.
A more recent Bison Books edition was issued as Gullivar of Mars, adapting the Ace title to Arnold's spelling.
Marvel's Gullivar was a Viet Nam vet, and the series started in modern times.
Both Gullivar and John Carter make an appearance at the beginning of volume two in Alan Moore's League of Extraordinary Gentlemen comic book series.