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The Steam House #1-2
Ο ατσαλένιος γίγας
Zemí šelem, česky vydáno též jako Nana Sahib nebo jako Ocelový olbřím.
Román vypráví napínavý příběh odehrávající se v Indii roku 1867. Inženýr Banks pozve plukovníka Munra, kapitána Hooda a Francouze Mauclera na výpravu po severních částech Indie. Jako dopravní prostředek jim má sloužit obrovský ocelový slon poháněný parním strojem, původně vyrobený jako hračka pro bohatého rádžu. Kolos jako kráčející lokomotiva táhne dva pojízdné obytné bungalovy, je však také schopen plavby ve vodě, neboť jeho nohy mohou ve vodním prostředí sloužit jako lopatková kola a bungalovy mohou rovněž plavat. Jako komín slouží stroji zvednutý chobot. Popis putování výpravy je pro Verna rámcem, do kterého kromě geografických a přírodních zajímavostí vložil jako hlavní dobrodružný motiv snahu plukovníka Munra pomstít smrt své ženy. Za tu je odpovědný jeden z bývalých vůdců povstání sipáhijů z roku 1857 Nana Sáhib, který je již deset let hledán pro zločiny, které během tohoto povstání spáchal. Na jeho rozkaz byla plukovníkova žena vržena do studny a tam pak byla zasypána. Dozvídáme se však také, že plukovník Munro zavinil smrt družky Nany Sáhiba...
Román vypráví napínavý příběh odehrávající se v Indii roku 1867. Inženýr Banks pozve plukovníka Munra, kapitána Hooda a Francouze Mauclera na výpravu po severních částech Indie. Jako dopravní prostředek jim má sloužit obrovský ocelový slon poháněný parním strojem, původně vyrobený jako hračka pro bohatého rádžu. Kolos jako kráčející lokomotiva táhne dva pojízdné obytné bungalovy, je však také schopen plavby ve vodě, neboť jeho nohy mohou ve vodním prostředí sloužit jako lopatková kola a bungalovy mohou rovněž plavat. Jako komín slouží stroji zvednutý chobot. Popis putování výpravy je pro Verna rámcem, do kterého kromě geografických a přírodních zajímavostí vložil jako hlavní dobrodružný motiv snahu plukovníka Munra pomstít smrt své ženy. Za tu je odpovědný jeden z bývalých vůdců povstání sipáhijů z roku 1857 Nana Sáhib, který je již deset let hledán pro zločiny, které během tohoto povstání spáchal. Na jeho rozkaz byla plukovníkova žena vržena do studny a tam pak byla zasypána. Dozvídáme se však také, že plukovník Munro zavinil smrt družky Nany Sáhiba...
293 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1880
24 people are currently reading
984 people want to read
About the author
Jules Verne
6,307 books12k followersNovels of French writer Jules Gabriel Verne, considered the founder of modern science fiction, include
Journey to the Center of the Earth
(1864) and
Around the World in Eighty Days
(1873).
This author who pioneered the genre. People best know him for Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1870).
Verne wrote about space, air, and underwater travel before people invented navigable aircraft and practical submarines and devised any means of spacecraft. He ranks behind Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie as the second most translated author of all time. People made his prominent films. People often refer to Verne alongside Herbert George Wells as the "father of science fiction."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_V...
This author who pioneered the genre. People best know him for Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1870).
Verne wrote about space, air, and underwater travel before people invented navigable aircraft and practical submarines and devised any means of spacecraft. He ranks behind Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie as the second most translated author of all time. People made his prominent films. People often refer to Verne alongside Herbert George Wells as the "father of science fiction."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_V...
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January 7, 2020
خانه متحرک، به شورش هندی ها علیه استعمارگران انگلیسی در سال 1857 می پردازه و شخصیتِ تاریخیِ نانا صاحب رهبر شورشیان که پس از سرکوبِ شورش ناپدید میشه و سرگذشتش نامعلوم میمونه رو معرفی میکنه...
رمانیست تخیلی ، از این بابت که یکی از شخصیت های داستان ، خانه ی متحرکی میسازه که توسط یک فیل عظیم الجثه ی مکانیکی و بوسیله ی نیروی بخار به حرکت درمیاد و علی رغم عظمتش هیچ وقت هیچ محدودیتی در حرکتش به وجود نمیاد و سرتاسر هند رو باهاش سفر میکنن ...
تاریخی هم هست بخاطر پرداختن به استعمار هند توسط انگلیس و قیامهای متعدد مردم هند و سرکوبهای شدید استعمارگران ...
و یک سفرنامه ی پر از جزئیات هم هست ....
اما چیزی که این کتاب نداره، جذابیته ! و حجم خیلی زیادی از اون، تشریح ریز جزئیاتِ شکار رفتن هاشون در طول سفر هست...
این مسئله رو هم متوجه نشدم که چرا ژول ورن در این رمان سعی داشت انگلیسیها رو مظلوم و شورشیان هندی رو ظالم جلوه بده!
هر کی فهمید به منم بگه...
رمانیست تخیلی ، از این بابت که یکی از شخصیت های داستان ، خانه ی متحرکی میسازه که توسط یک فیل عظیم الجثه ی مکانیکی و بوسیله ی نیروی بخار به حرکت درمیاد و علی رغم عظمتش هیچ وقت هیچ محدودیتی در حرکتش به وجود نمیاد و سرتاسر هند رو باهاش سفر میکنن ...
تاریخی هم هست بخاطر پرداختن به استعمار هند توسط انگلیس و قیامهای متعدد مردم هند و سرکوبهای شدید استعمارگران ...
و یک سفرنامه ی پر از جزئیات هم هست ....
اما چیزی که این کتاب نداره، جذابیته ! و حجم خیلی زیادی از اون، تشریح ریز جزئیاتِ شکار رفتن هاشون در طول سفر هست...
این مسئله رو هم متوجه نشدم که چرا ژول ورن در این رمان سعی داشت انگلیسیها رو مظلوم و شورشیان هندی رو ظالم جلوه بده!
هر کی فهمید به منم بگه...
October 12, 2021
FRANÇAIS: Ce roman m'a rappelé le mien (El Rubi del Ganges), qui se déroule pendant la rébellion Cipaye en Inde, car le chapitre 3 du roman de Verne résume cette rébellion.
Le roman, cependant, commence dix ans après la rébellion et exploite certaines choses douteuses sur le sort des chefs de la rébellion, comme qui a tué le Rani de Jhansi, ou la date, le lieu et les circonstances de la mort de Nana Sâhib.
Verne profite de cette information douteuse ou inexistante pour que le héros de son roman (le colonel Munro) soit celui qui aurait tué le Rani de Jhansi, et pour que Nana Sahib réapparaisse et tente d'organiser une nouvelle rébellion dix ans après le premier, çe qui le confrontera au colonel Munro, dont la femme serait morte lors de la rébellion au massacre de Cawnpore, provoquant une haine passionnée entre les deux hommes.
Verne montre dans ce livre qu'il ne connaît pas bien la religion hindoue. L'attaque concertée de tigres et panthères contre un camp entouré par une palissade retranché ne me paraît pas crédible, tout comme la persecution de les protagonistes par plus d'une centaine d'éléphants sur plusieurs kilomètres. Verne a également utilisé cette idée dans Le Village aérien.
En général, les personnages n'ont pas gagné ma sympathie, pas même le narrateur français, introduit par Verne, comme d'habitude.
ENGLISH: This novel has reminded me of my own novel (The ruby of the Ganges), which takes place during the Sepoy rebellion in India. Chapter 3 of Verne's novel summarizes this rebellion.
The novel, however, begins ten years after the rebellion, and taps into some dubious things about the fate of the rebellion leaders, such as who killed the Rani of Jhansi, or the date, place, and circumstances of the death of Nana Saheb.
Verne takes advantage of this dubious or non-existent information, so that the hero of his novel (Colonel Munro) would have been the person who killed the Rani of Jhansi, and so that Nana Saheb reappears and tries to organize a new rebellion ten years after the first, that will pit him against Colonel Munro, whose wife would have died during the rebellion at the Kanpur massacre, causing both men to warmly hate each other.
Verne shows in this book that he is not well versed in Hindu religion. Also I don't find credible the concerted attack by tigers and panthers against a stockaded camp, together with the scene where more than a hundred elephants chase the protagonists for several kilometers. Verne also used this idea in Village in the Treetops.
In general, I didn't like the characters especially, not even the French narrator, introduced by Verne, as usual.
ESPAÑOL: Esta novela me ha recordado la mía (El Rubi del Ganges), que tiene lugar durante la rebelión de los Cipayos en la India, porque el capítulo 3 de la novela de Verne hace un resumen de esta rebelión.
La novela, sin embargo, empieza diez años después de la rebelión y aprovecha algunas cosas dudosas sobre el destino de los cabecillas de la rebelión, como quién mató a la Rani de Jhansi, o la fecha, el lugar y las circunstancias de la muerte de Nana Sahib.
Verne aprovecha esa información dudosa o inexistente para que el héroe de su novela (el Coronel Munro) sea quien habría matado a la Rani de Jhansi, y para que Nana Sahib reaparezca y trate de organizar una nueva rebelión diez años después de la primera, lo que le enfrentará con el Coronel Munro, cuya esposa habría muerto durante la rebelión en la masacre de Kanpur, lo que hace que ambos hombres se odien cordialmente.
Verne demuestra en este libro que no está muy versado en la religión hinduista. Tampoco me parece verosímil el ataque concertado de tigres y panteras contra un campamento fortificado, así como que más de cien elefantes persigan a los protagonistas durante varios quilómetros. Verne utilizó también esta idea en El pueblo aéreo.
En general, los personajes no me resultaron muy simpáticos, lo que incluye al narrador francés, que Verne introduce, como de costumbre.
Le roman, cependant, commence dix ans après la rébellion et exploite certaines choses douteuses sur le sort des chefs de la rébellion, comme qui a tué le Rani de Jhansi, ou la date, le lieu et les circonstances de la mort de Nana Sâhib.
Verne profite de cette information douteuse ou inexistante pour que le héros de son roman (le colonel Munro) soit celui qui aurait tué le Rani de Jhansi, et pour que Nana Sahib réapparaisse et tente d'organiser une nouvelle rébellion dix ans après le premier, çe qui le confrontera au colonel Munro, dont la femme serait morte lors de la rébellion au massacre de Cawnpore, provoquant une haine passionnée entre les deux hommes.
Verne montre dans ce livre qu'il ne connaît pas bien la religion hindoue. L'attaque concertée de tigres et panthères contre un camp entouré par une palissade retranché ne me paraît pas crédible, tout comme la persecution de les protagonistes par plus d'une centaine d'éléphants sur plusieurs kilomètres. Verne a également utilisé cette idée dans Le Village aérien.
En général, les personnages n'ont pas gagné ma sympathie, pas même le narrateur français, introduit par Verne, comme d'habitude.
ENGLISH: This novel has reminded me of my own novel (The ruby of the Ganges), which takes place during the Sepoy rebellion in India. Chapter 3 of Verne's novel summarizes this rebellion.
The novel, however, begins ten years after the rebellion, and taps into some dubious things about the fate of the rebellion leaders, such as who killed the Rani of Jhansi, or the date, place, and circumstances of the death of Nana Saheb.
Verne takes advantage of this dubious or non-existent information, so that the hero of his novel (Colonel Munro) would have been the person who killed the Rani of Jhansi, and so that Nana Saheb reappears and tries to organize a new rebellion ten years after the first, that will pit him against Colonel Munro, whose wife would have died during the rebellion at the Kanpur massacre, causing both men to warmly hate each other.
Verne shows in this book that he is not well versed in Hindu religion. Also I don't find credible the concerted attack by tigers and panthers against a stockaded camp, together with the scene where more than a hundred elephants chase the protagonists for several kilometers. Verne also used this idea in Village in the Treetops.
In general, I didn't like the characters especially, not even the French narrator, introduced by Verne, as usual.
ESPAÑOL: Esta novela me ha recordado la mía (El Rubi del Ganges), que tiene lugar durante la rebelión de los Cipayos en la India, porque el capítulo 3 de la novela de Verne hace un resumen de esta rebelión.
La novela, sin embargo, empieza diez años después de la rebelión y aprovecha algunas cosas dudosas sobre el destino de los cabecillas de la rebelión, como quién mató a la Rani de Jhansi, o la fecha, el lugar y las circunstancias de la muerte de Nana Sahib.
Verne aprovecha esa información dudosa o inexistente para que el héroe de su novela (el Coronel Munro) sea quien habría matado a la Rani de Jhansi, y para que Nana Sahib reaparezca y trate de organizar una nueva rebelión diez años después de la primera, lo que le enfrentará con el Coronel Munro, cuya esposa habría muerto durante la rebelión en la masacre de Kanpur, lo que hace que ambos hombres se odien cordialmente.
Verne demuestra en este libro que no está muy versado en la religión hinduista. Tampoco me parece verosímil el ataque concertado de tigres y panteras contra un campamento fortificado, así como que más de cien elefantes persigan a los protagonistas durante varios quilómetros. Verne utilizó también esta idea en El pueblo aéreo.
En general, los personajes no me resultaron muy simpáticos, lo que incluye al narrador francés, que Verne introduce, como de costumbre.
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February 9, 2017History and adventure in India...
December 14, 2018
The older the book, the more benefit of the doubt I give it. And for a book published originally in 1880, I give this book a lot of doubt. This is a LONG book, mostly made up of travelling through India without any tension or captivating motive. But…it’s not supposed to be. The author in 1880 wasn’t trying to write a book to fit into the expectation of the modern-day.
But that doesn’t mean I enjoyed it. I’m a modern-day kind of gal and I like my plots thrilling and emotional. And for a book written in first person (the closest kind of POV) there is no emotion or thought really throughout the book, much less a plot. Sure, there is a giant mechanical elephant, but it’s only used as shorthand for getting around India. But…that’s what the author set out to do. So, I can’t be angry at the author succeeding in what they wished to do but it doesn’t mean I like it.
Not really a story
If this is meant as a guide to 19th century India, then it is amazing at its job. There’s no real plot, not really, and scenes happen without reason, though it doesn’t feel jarring or unnecessary as it is just what happens in this slice of life. It loves its description and, in a book this big it makes it drag. That is not to say it isn’t gripping, I suddenly want to know about the smallest details of how to build mechanical elephants (I mean who wouldn’t?). It is more of a tour around 19th century India which is interesting, I like reading about India, it’s mountains, it’s animals just not for 700 pages.
A look back at the history of writing
What’s REALLY interesting about a book like this is the language used for the time. It was written while India was still under British rule and when reading for leisure wasn’t a mainstream or even commonplace occurrence. The language is slightly inaccessible and with huge paragraphs and an old-fashioned terminology, it isn’t a completely easy read by any means. It also refuses to hold your hand when it comes to the history and geography. The writing is slightly overdramatic in the way that Victorian Upper-Class men are often associated with.
It’s the little grammatical and word differences that really excite me, (oh how boring I am):
“Fox! get all the guns, rifles and revolvers in good order!”
“But to-morrow it will be daylight again.”
It’s also really meta, in a way books just can’t be anymore, the author literally starts talking to the reader at several points:
'We will leave them [the characters] for a time in their winter-quarters and devote a few pages to some other characters who have appeared in our story.'
But that doesn’t mean I enjoyed it. I’m a modern-day kind of gal and I like my plots thrilling and emotional. And for a book written in first person (the closest kind of POV) there is no emotion or thought really throughout the book, much less a plot. Sure, there is a giant mechanical elephant, but it’s only used as shorthand for getting around India. But…that’s what the author set out to do. So, I can’t be angry at the author succeeding in what they wished to do but it doesn’t mean I like it.
Not really a story
If this is meant as a guide to 19th century India, then it is amazing at its job. There’s no real plot, not really, and scenes happen without reason, though it doesn’t feel jarring or unnecessary as it is just what happens in this slice of life. It loves its description and, in a book this big it makes it drag. That is not to say it isn’t gripping, I suddenly want to know about the smallest details of how to build mechanical elephants (I mean who wouldn’t?). It is more of a tour around 19th century India which is interesting, I like reading about India, it’s mountains, it’s animals just not for 700 pages.
A look back at the history of writing
What’s REALLY interesting about a book like this is the language used for the time. It was written while India was still under British rule and when reading for leisure wasn’t a mainstream or even commonplace occurrence. The language is slightly inaccessible and with huge paragraphs and an old-fashioned terminology, it isn’t a completely easy read by any means. It also refuses to hold your hand when it comes to the history and geography. The writing is slightly overdramatic in the way that Victorian Upper-Class men are often associated with.
It’s the little grammatical and word differences that really excite me, (oh how boring I am):
“Fox! get all the guns, rifles and revolvers in good order!”
“But to-morrow it will be daylight again.”
It’s also really meta, in a way books just can’t be anymore, the author literally starts talking to the reader at several points:
'We will leave them [the characters] for a time in their winter-quarters and devote a few pages to some other characters who have appeared in our story.'
April 15, 2013
Un libro francamente genial.
Tenía un rato sin leer algo de Julio Verne y me enteré por ahí de la existencia de este, como nunca había oído hablar de él pues me interesó pero nunca me había imaginado lo sensacional que fue.
Un viaje, como todos los de Verne, pero el vehículo en el que viajan y los parajes por los que el viaje es realizado hacen de este un viaje excepcional.
Por ultimo solo me gustaría agregar que usando Google Earth me puse a señalar los puntos por los que pasaron los personajes de este libro en su travesía por la India, y noté dos cosas:
1) El libro incluye dos mapas y al revisarlos con Google Earth se notan muchas diferencias, lo que deja entrever que la cartografía no era precisa en esa época, no es de sorprender, solo que nunca lo había notado antes.
2) Algunos de los puntos no los pude encontrar, ya sea que cambiaron de nombre con el tiempo o que simplemente dejaron de existir. Los accidentes geográficos como ríos y lagos están ahí pero algunos pueblos o ciudades no y por eso no pude encontrar algunos, sin embargo si encontré la mayoría.
Tenía un rato sin leer algo de Julio Verne y me enteré por ahí de la existencia de este, como nunca había oído hablar de él pues me interesó pero nunca me había imaginado lo sensacional que fue.
Un viaje, como todos los de Verne, pero el vehículo en el que viajan y los parajes por los que el viaje es realizado hacen de este un viaje excepcional.
Por ultimo solo me gustaría agregar que usando Google Earth me puse a señalar los puntos por los que pasaron los personajes de este libro en su travesía por la India, y noté dos cosas:
1) El libro incluye dos mapas y al revisarlos con Google Earth se notan muchas diferencias, lo que deja entrever que la cartografía no era precisa en esa época, no es de sorprender, solo que nunca lo había notado antes.
2) Algunos de los puntos no los pude encontrar, ya sea que cambiaron de nombre con el tiempo o que simplemente dejaron de existir. Los accidentes geográficos como ríos y lagos están ahí pero algunos pueblos o ciudades no y por eso no pude encontrar algunos, sin embargo si encontré la mayoría.
November 8, 2021
Another tourist book by the author through which we travel to India and visit many beautiful and exotic places, learning many things about this mysterious country and its colourful inhabitants. It is very good that the author does not leave out of his narrative the subject of colonialism and the reaction of the Indians which had already begun to be felt, of course without departing from the dominant Western view which considered European domination beneficial and uprisings as proof of the barbarity of the natives. Our heroes travel in this environment, in a miracle of technology: a steam-powered elephant that functions as a train, car and steamer at the same time. So they move quickly from one place to another, making tourism and exterminating many animals, while a plan of revenge is evolving against them. In other words, a book that contains all that the author loved to offer us, namely a male adventure in a difficult landscape, technological achievements, interesting characters, including the evil one of the story, and a general sense of optimism. We can not ask for more.
Ένα ακόμα τουριστικό βιβλίο του συγγραφέα μέσα από το οποίο ταξιδεύουμε στην Ινδία και επισκεπτόμαστε πολλά ωραία και εξωτικά μέρη, μαθαίνοντας πολλά πράγματα για αυτήν την μυστηριώδη χώρα και τους πολύχρωμους κατοίκους της. Είναι πολύ καλό που ο συγγραφέας δεν αφήνει έξω από την αφήγηση του το θέμα της αποικιοκρατίας και της αντίδρασης των Ινδών που είχε ήδη αρχίσει να γίνεται αισθητή, φυσικά χωρίς να ξεφεύγει από την κυρίαρχη Δυτική οπτική που θεωρούσε την κυριαρχία των ευρωπαίων ευεργετική και τις εξεγέρσεις ως απόδειξη της βαρβαρότητας των ιθαγενών. Μέσα σε αυτό το περιβάλλον ταξιδεύουν οι ήρωες μας, μέσα σε ένα θαύμα της τεχνολογίας: έναν ατμοκίνητο ελέφαντα που λειτουργεί ως τρένο, αυτοκίνητο και ατμόπλοιο ταυτόχρονα. Έτσι μετακινούνται γρήγορα από το ένα μέρος στο άλλο, κάνοντας τουρισμό και εξολοθρεύοντας πλήθος ζώων, την ώρα που ένα σχέδιο εκδίκησης εξελίσσεται εναντίον τους. Με άλλα λόγια ένα βιβλίο που περιέχει όλα αυτά που αγαπούσε να μας προσφέρει ο συγγραφέας, δηλαδή μία ανδρική περιπέτεια σε ένα δύσκολο τοπίο, τεχνολογικά επιτεύγματα, ενδιαφέροντες χαρακτήρες, συμπεριλαμβανομένου του κακού της ιστορίας και μία γενικότερη αίσθηση αισιοδοξίας. Δεν μπορούμε να ζητήσ��υμε περισσότερα.
Ένα ακόμα τουριστικό βιβλίο του συγγραφέα μέσα από το οποίο ταξιδεύουμε στην Ινδία και επισκεπτόμαστε πολλά ωραία και εξωτικά μέρη, μαθαίνοντας πολλά πράγματα για αυτήν την μυστηριώδη χώρα και τους πολύχρωμους κατοίκους της. Είναι πολύ καλό που ο συγγραφέας δεν αφήνει έξω από την αφήγηση του το θέμα της αποικιοκρατίας και της αντίδρασης των Ινδών που είχε ήδη αρχίσει να γίνεται αισθητή, φυσικά χωρίς να ξεφεύγει από την κυρίαρχη Δυτική οπτική που θεωρούσε την κυριαρχία των ευρωπαίων ευεργετική και τις εξεγέρσεις ως απόδειξη της βαρβαρότητας των ιθαγενών. Μέσα σε αυτό το περιβάλλον ταξιδεύουν οι ήρωες μας, μέσα σε ένα θαύμα της τεχνολογίας: έναν ατμοκίνητο ελέφαντα που λειτουργεί ως τρένο, αυτοκίνητο και ατμόπλοιο ταυτόχρονα. Έτσι μετακινούνται γρήγορα από το ένα μέρος στο άλλο, κάνοντας τουρισμό και εξολοθρεύοντας πλήθος ζώων, την ώρα που ένα σχέδιο εκδίκησης εξελίσσεται εναντίον τους. Με άλλα λόγια ένα βιβλίο που περιέχει όλα αυτά που αγαπούσε να μας προσφέρει ο συγγραφέας, δηλαδή μία ανδρική περιπέτεια σε ένα δύσκολο τοπίο, τεχνολογικά επιτεύγματα, ενδιαφέροντες χαρακτήρες, συμπεριλαμβανομένου του κακού της ιστορίας και μία γενικότερη αίσθηση αισιοδοξίας. Δεν μπορούμε να ζητήσ��υμε περισσότερα.
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June 27, 2025Una lectura sorprendentemente rica. Empieza como una típica aventura "verneana" y pronto se convierte en un viaje por la India que combina la exploración, la política colonial y el exotismo con una sensibilidad visual muy inmersiva. Uno de sus mayores logros es la idea del vehículo a vapor en el que transcurre la historia (un elefante mecánico que anticipa, con claridad asombrosa, el concepto de casa rodante), mezcla de invención técnica y símbolo de lujo colonial.
La novela está estructurada en dos partes claramente diferenciadas y un epílogo: una primera, móvil y aventurera, que recorre gran parte del norte de la India; una segunda, estática y contenida, ambientada en el Himalaya; y un cierre que pone el foco en la resolución del conflicto.
A lo largo del relato, la India es descripta con detalle y fascinación, pero también con un marcado etnocentrismo. Es un joven Verne que no escapa a los prejuicios de su época, aunque deja entrever cierta simpatía hacia la complejidad cultural y religiosa del territorio que retrata. Me interesó especialmente cómo incorpora la figura real de Nana Sahib, aún si su tratamiento narrativo está teñido de mirada europea. El trasfondo histórico de la rebelión de 1857 está presente, pero filtrado por la lente de la novela de aventuras.
Lo que más disfruté fue el contraste entre la sofisticación mecánica de la casa a vapor y la fragilidad humana de los personajes. Hay momentos de contemplación, de peligro y de extrañeza que funcionan muy bien y construyen una atmósfera sostenida. También destaca la forma en que Verne transforma el paisaje en un personaje más: desde las selvas del Ganges hasta las estribaciones del Himalaya, todo vibra y respira.
Un punto importante: simpatizo más con los villanos que con los héroes. Me cuesta sentir empatía por el sufrimiento de personajes que no tenían nada que hacer en ese lugar, y cuya presencia misma responde al colonialismo. Esto no arruina la lectura, pero sí me coloca como ya dije en una posición crítica frente a los supuestos del narrador.
Desde las primeras páginas supe que sería una de mis novelas favoritas de Verne. Fue un gran descubrimiento, sobre todo porque no es de las más conocidas, y sin embargo ofrece todo lo mejor de su estilo con una ambientación exótica, una invención memorable y una narrativa que no se agota en la aventura.
La novela está estructurada en dos partes claramente diferenciadas y un epílogo: una primera, móvil y aventurera, que recorre gran parte del norte de la India; una segunda, estática y contenida, ambientada en el Himalaya; y un cierre que pone el foco en la resolución del conflicto.
A lo largo del relato, la India es descripta con detalle y fascinación, pero también con un marcado etnocentrismo. Es un joven Verne que no escapa a los prejuicios de su época, aunque deja entrever cierta simpatía hacia la complejidad cultural y religiosa del territorio que retrata. Me interesó especialmente cómo incorpora la figura real de Nana Sahib, aún si su tratamiento narrativo está teñido de mirada europea. El trasfondo histórico de la rebelión de 1857 está presente, pero filtrado por la lente de la novela de aventuras.
Lo que más disfruté fue el contraste entre la sofisticación mecánica de la casa a vapor y la fragilidad humana de los personajes. Hay momentos de contemplación, de peligro y de extrañeza que funcionan muy bien y construyen una atmósfera sostenida. También destaca la forma en que Verne transforma el paisaje en un personaje más: desde las selvas del Ganges hasta las estribaciones del Himalaya, todo vibra y respira.
Un punto importante: simpatizo más con los villanos que con los héroes. Me cuesta sentir empatía por el sufrimiento de personajes que no tenían nada que hacer en ese lugar, y cuya presencia misma responde al colonialismo. Esto no arruina la lectura, pero sí me coloca como ya dije en una posición crítica frente a los supuestos del narrador.
Desde las primeras páginas supe que sería una de mis novelas favoritas de Verne. Fue un gran descubrimiento, sobre todo porque no es de las más conocidas, y sin embargo ofrece todo lo mejor de su estilo con una ambientación exótica, una invención memorable y una narrativa que no se agota en la aventura.
February 4, 2024
It’s always guaranteed that a Jules Verne’s stories will be a true adventure. And this one is no exception. Gave it 3 starts because i’m not a fan of the scenes where the animals are hunted. It seems those were the times in India.
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March 24, 2017J
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 3, 2025
Amazing story, there's always something happening.
October 24, 2022
"The Steam House" is SF only inasmuch as the protagonists move about the novel in a rather unusual mode of transportation: a sort of steampunk trailer pulled along by a mechanical elephant. Otherwise it is a rather traditional Indian adventure tale in the vein of a later Rudyard Kipling, filled with tiger hunting, battles against the elements, clashes with hostile natives and even a little bit of romance, if ever so brief. As is often the case with Verne, the technological marvel of the mechanical elephant, while prominent, merely functions as a device to allow the protagonists to traverse the breadth of the world, bringing the readers along into the volatile world of late 19th century India. Our protagonists are, unusually for Verne, British soldiers, but not without the addition of a little French flavour, as they are joined by a French adventurer and a black cook of French origin. Along their journey they cross paths with the (real life) rebel leader Nana Sahib, who is also accused of having killed the French adventurer's wife.
The book takes place in the aftermath of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 against British rule, with the passions and traumas aroused still very much alive among Indians and British alike. An alternate title by which the book was known - "The End of Nana Sahib" - refers to the disappearance of Sahib after the crushing of the rebellion, his ultimate fate unknown. Verne offers a fictional explanation to his disappearance.
Not one of Verne's greatest works, the characters of the novel are unusually flat and much of the book is taken up by trivialities as the protagonists dash haphazardly from one adventure to the next, be it a tropical thunderstorm, an attack by natives or a rabid tiger. It does, however, provide an interesting counterpoint to the many British novels written during the same era, which depicted Sahib and his insurgents as bloodthirsty devils.
The book takes place in the aftermath of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 against British rule, with the passions and traumas aroused still very much alive among Indians and British alike. An alternate title by which the book was known - "The End of Nana Sahib" - refers to the disappearance of Sahib after the crushing of the rebellion, his ultimate fate unknown. Verne offers a fictional explanation to his disappearance.
Not one of Verne's greatest works, the characters of the novel are unusually flat and much of the book is taken up by trivialities as the protagonists dash haphazardly from one adventure to the next, be it a tropical thunderstorm, an attack by natives or a rabid tiger. It does, however, provide an interesting counterpoint to the many British novels written during the same era, which depicted Sahib and his insurgents as bloodthirsty devils.
October 7, 2015
Jules Vernen "Höyrytalo" (Kokoelmassa "Merkilliset matkat, WSOY, 1998) oli kiistatta eräs varhaisnuoruuteni suosikkikirjoista. Se kertoo ranskalais-englantilaisesta joukosta, joka matkaa höyrykoneella varustetulla rautaisella norsulla halki Intian, ja kohtaa matkallaan niin tiikereitä kuin verisen Sepoy-kapinan osaanottajiakin.
Vernen tarina on sinänsä oivallinen ja jännittävä, vaikka kerronnallisesti siinä onkin muutamia kömpelyyksiä; esimerkiksi sankareidemme keskuuteen soluttautuva juonittelija olisi takuulla hahmona tehokkaampi, mikäli hänen henkilöllisyytensä ei olisi välittömästi lukijan selvillä. Paljon aikaa käytetään myös Intian erilaisten ihmeiden ja nähtävyyksien kuvailemiseen, mikä on varmasti ollut 1800-luvun lukijasta kiinnostavampaa kuin nykyisin.
Vernen tarina on sinänsä oivallinen ja jännittävä, vaikka kerronnallisesti siinä onkin muutamia kömpelyyksiä; esimerkiksi sankareidemme keskuuteen soluttautuva juonittelija olisi takuulla hahmona tehokkaampi, mikäli hänen henkilöllisyytensä ei olisi välittömästi lukijan selvillä. Paljon aikaa käytetään myös Intian erilaisten ihmeiden ja nähtävyyksien kuvailemiseen, mikä on varmasti ollut 1800-luvun lukijasta kiinnostavampaa kuin nykyisin.
February 11, 2020
Some of the harder to find Jules Verne novels are very hit or miss, and there's a reason why. Some are just not very good. In this one, I guess it's partially my issue, but Verne writes as if the reader has a very clear and thorough understanding of India's geography and culture, which I don't have. This was not an easy read and I couldn't get myself to continue. It's fine, he has plenty of others I'll enjoy reading. You never know what you are going to get until you get the book, and unfortunately, this one didn't hit the mark for me.
December 15, 2016
I always love this author, because he could write about things he never saw (or just imagine them) and he is so lively and full of feelings. Science fiction, exotic countries and tragic love stories. What a wonderful mix!
May 23, 2024
A number of elements combine to render Jules Verne's best works truly remarkable; they are at once informative, innovative, dramatic, and funny. Unfortunately, "The Steam House" does not belong to Verne's best works...
-Informative-
Verne was up-to-date on the latest technology ("20,000 Leagues Under the Sea") and also drew back the curtain on far-flung places his readers would probably never get to visit themselves ("Around the World in 80 Days"). While he certainly provides lots of information on India in "The Steam House," it's not particularly interesting, but rather what you might find in the first two paragraphs of a travel guide or Wikipedia article. Except, the information is now 150 years out-of-date, and my own paucity of knowledge about India means I haven't got much to compare it with.
-Innovative-
Verne had the exciting ability to take the most modern technology and craft a story that took it several stages farther. "The Steam House" scores fairly well on this metric, as Verne basically predicted RVs, sending his protagonists on a road trip in something that could quite literally be described as a "mobile home," consisting as it does of two actual houses pulled by a steam-powered elephant. As he correctly guesses, this combines the power, reliability, and comfort of railroads with the free mobility of wagons. The steam house itself was easily the most interesting aspect of the book, and it's no wonder that it made its way into the title.
-Dramatic-
An exciting concept or setting doesn't necessarily make for an exciting story, but Verne usually knew how to keep the drama moving along, with an ultimate goal, intermediate perils or challenges along the way, and plenty of unexpected twists. "The Steam House" scores horribly by this metric. The central rivalry between Captain Monro and Nana Sahib did not keep my interest whatsoever, and even IT only flared up on occasion. The majority of the book is just these guys taking a somewhat slow, somewhat boring vacation through India. The supposed plot twists and "unexpected" revelations are telegraphed from a mile away. I was not at all invested in the narrative of this book, nor in any of its characters.
-Funny-
Although Jules Verne was not a comedian, he clearly had a good sense of humor, commenting sarcastically on the world in which he found himself. Although there was good potential for this in "The Steam House" due to the fact that the narrator is a Frenchman traveling with Britons through a British colony, I found very little humor in the book. The comical character of Mathias Van Guitt brought a little sunshine in, but in payment I had to endure lengthy descriptions of tigers being killed for the sake of killing tigers. The extended accounts of war atrocities didn't make for the lightest reading, either.
In summary, there are better books by Jules Verne, and I recommend starting with them first!
Note: I listened to "The Steam House" as a Librivox audiobook.
-Informative-
Verne was up-to-date on the latest technology ("20,000 Leagues Under the Sea") and also drew back the curtain on far-flung places his readers would probably never get to visit themselves ("Around the World in 80 Days"). While he certainly provides lots of information on India in "The Steam House," it's not particularly interesting, but rather what you might find in the first two paragraphs of a travel guide or Wikipedia article. Except, the information is now 150 years out-of-date, and my own paucity of knowledge about India means I haven't got much to compare it with.
-Innovative-
Verne had the exciting ability to take the most modern technology and craft a story that took it several stages farther. "The Steam House" scores fairly well on this metric, as Verne basically predicted RVs, sending his protagonists on a road trip in something that could quite literally be described as a "mobile home," consisting as it does of two actual houses pulled by a steam-powered elephant. As he correctly guesses, this combines the power, reliability, and comfort of railroads with the free mobility of wagons. The steam house itself was easily the most interesting aspect of the book, and it's no wonder that it made its way into the title.
-Dramatic-
An exciting concept or setting doesn't necessarily make for an exciting story, but Verne usually knew how to keep the drama moving along, with an ultimate goal, intermediate perils or challenges along the way, and plenty of unexpected twists. "The Steam House" scores horribly by this metric. The central rivalry between Captain Monro and Nana Sahib did not keep my interest whatsoever, and even IT only flared up on occasion. The majority of the book is just these guys taking a somewhat slow, somewhat boring vacation through India. The supposed plot twists and "unexpected" revelations are telegraphed from a mile away. I was not at all invested in the narrative of this book, nor in any of its characters.
-Funny-
Although Jules Verne was not a comedian, he clearly had a good sense of humor, commenting sarcastically on the world in which he found himself. Although there was good potential for this in "The Steam House" due to the fact that the narrator is a Frenchman traveling with Britons through a British colony, I found very little humor in the book. The comical character of Mathias Van Guitt brought a little sunshine in, but in payment I had to endure lengthy descriptions of tigers being killed for the sake of killing tigers. The extended accounts of war atrocities didn't make for the lightest reading, either.
In summary, there are better books by Jules Verne, and I recommend starting with them first!
Note: I listened to "The Steam House" as a Librivox audiobook.
August 22, 2022
The 20th novel of the Voyages Extraordinaries takes place in India. We had been there in Around the World in Eighty Days, but only in passing. Verne introduces here another one of his wondrous vehicles, although not one of his best known: the mechanical elephant, a steam-powered road vehicle that traveled along the paths and roads of India pulling two large carriages with all the comforts of a 19th-century house.
First read or reread?: This is a first read for me.
What is it about?: Nana Sahib is wanted for the atrocities he committed during the Sepoy revolt in India in 1857. Ten years later, an engineer named Banks invites Colonel Munro, Captain Hood, a Frenchman named Maucler and their associates to accompany him on a tour of the northern parts of India via a unique conveyance. The conveyance's engine resembles a huge elephant, only this elephant is powered by steam. As the adventurer's head north it becomes obvious to them that Colonel Munro (whose wife was reported killed at Cawnpore) has plans to for revenge. Unknown to him, Nana Sahib has similar intentions. (Plot description taken from http://epguides.com/djk/JulesVerne/wo...)
I have to admit that my first thought after reading about this vehicle was "OK, Verne is trying too hard. I mean, I can see the balloon, the Nautilus, the hollow projectile that travels to the Moon... but, a steam-powered elephant?" There are, of course, steam-engines designed to travel on roads instead of over rails, but this elephant walks on legs instead of using wheels, although the carriages it pulls go on wheels. It seems to me kind of unpractical, although nowadays they have built a giant machine inspired by Verne's elephant and it's a thing of wonder: search for videos of "Machines de L'ile Great Elephant" to see it.
Anyway, despite my initial misgivings about the vehicle, I'm fine with it after reading the novel. This felt a lot like a group of friends (the typical Victorian group that we expect in a Verne novel), traveling with an autocaravan all across India. Which is appropriate for the novel, because this is a trip done for pleasure, not for exploration.
This is a problem for Verne, actually. He was writing adventure books, but contemporary adventures, not historical adventures (they only seem historical to us because of how long ago they were written). The problem is that, in the last decades of the 19th century, while there were still unexplored parts of the world, most of the it was already known. And, like it or not, when it comes to adventure, exploration is more thrilling than tourism. Of course, Verne could have placed all his adventures in the depths of Africa, or the poles, or desert islands, or under the ground, or the sea... but it's not just the adventures he is interested in. He also wants to visit with us as much of the world as he can, and to be our guide and teacher about it.
So, this time, it's India's turn. Obviously, India was not unexplored, except for the most inaccessible parts of the Himalayas. It was, at the time, part of the British Empire, and a lot of it was densely populated. So we come across that problem: tourism is not as thrilling.
It's not the first time Verne deals with this. Books like A Floating City, Around the World in Eighty Days or Tribulations of a Chinaman in China also have this "tourism" feeling, and Verne manages not to let them become boring. Incidentally, those were all one-volume novels, while this one is two volumes. ¿Maybe this could get a bit too long for a travelogue?
I think Verne mostly avoids this pitfall. This is not the most fast-paced of his novels. Perhaps a few chapters of the first volume dealing with the cities they visit before getting to the Himalayas, or the first chapters of the second volume describing their hunting activities may try the patience of some modern readers, but I was fine with them (take into account that I enjoy Verne's Victorian style).
It's good that the plot is complemented by the story of the rebel leader Nana Sahib, a real-life leader who rebelled against Britain during the 1857 upraising and was responsible for several massacres of British civilians, including the wives and children of British officers. Then he disappeared without a trace after being defeated. In the novel he had survived, and was still full of hate for Coronel Munro, one of Verne's characters. The hate was mutual, because Munro's wife and mother in law had been murdered by Nana Sahib in the Cawnpore massacre, while Colonel Munro had killed Nana Sahib's lover, a leader herself in the rebellion, in the midst of a battle.
I enjoyed Verne's accounts of the Sepoy Mutiny. Despite his Victorian mindset, I think Verne was not completely unsympathetic to the Indian struggle for freedom (after all, didn't he make Captain Nemo a former Indian prince, sympathetic to all struggles against foreign oppression?). Here, Verne tells about the rebellion in a rather neutral way, describing atrocities committed by both sides, although Nana Sahib who, to be fair, was particularly savage in his methods, is the villain of the story, while Coronel Munro and the others, as representatives of European civilization, are the heroes. Certainly not an example of 21st century anticolonialism, but for his time Verne was not very imperialistic, although he shared the contemporary belief in the current superiority of Western civilization. I remember him discussing that in Five Weeks in a Balloon, where one of the characters said he believed Africa would the the most advanced part of the world in the future, once Europe's and America's natural resources were exhausted.
Anyway, the revenge plot between Nana Sahib and Colonel Munro helps keep the novel interesting.
There is a fair amount of hunting here, by the way. Captain Hood, one of the travelers, is a great hunter, much like Dick Kennedy in Five Weeks in a Balloon. For Verne, hunting for food or sport is part of the adventure, and clearly in the 19th century it had none of the negative connotations that it has for many people nowadays. There are some scenes where groups of animals make a coordinated attack on the caravan. I'm not an expert, but this sounded fanciful to me.
There are also dangerous storms, forest fires... even though India was not unexplored, there was still a fair amount of wilderness.
Most of the plot twists were predictable, and there was one particular point where the villains acted in a stupid way because of plot demands, but all in all this was a pleasant read. I was amused by the fact that, despite it being written in first person from the point of view of Maucler, a French traveler who was a member of the group, the last chapters change to third person since they told of events that Maucler did not personally witness. In fact, Verne explicitly warns us about this change in perspective. It did not bother me, but I wondered why he didn't just tell the whole story in third person, like most of his novels.
Enjoyment factor: I enjoyed it. This is not top-tier Verne, and because of that I wouldn't recommend it as the place to start, but it was still an interesting adventure and journey.
Next up: Eight Hundred Leagues on the Amazon
See all my Verne reviews here: https://www.sffworld.com/forum/thread...
First read or reread?: This is a first read for me.
What is it about?: Nana Sahib is wanted for the atrocities he committed during the Sepoy revolt in India in 1857. Ten years later, an engineer named Banks invites Colonel Munro, Captain Hood, a Frenchman named Maucler and their associates to accompany him on a tour of the northern parts of India via a unique conveyance. The conveyance's engine resembles a huge elephant, only this elephant is powered by steam. As the adventurer's head north it becomes obvious to them that Colonel Munro (whose wife was reported killed at Cawnpore) has plans to for revenge. Unknown to him, Nana Sahib has similar intentions. (Plot description taken from http://epguides.com/djk/JulesVerne/wo...)
I have to admit that my first thought after reading about this vehicle was "OK, Verne is trying too hard. I mean, I can see the balloon, the Nautilus, the hollow projectile that travels to the Moon... but, a steam-powered elephant?" There are, of course, steam-engines designed to travel on roads instead of over rails, but this elephant walks on legs instead of using wheels, although the carriages it pulls go on wheels. It seems to me kind of unpractical, although nowadays they have built a giant machine inspired by Verne's elephant and it's a thing of wonder: search for videos of "Machines de L'ile Great Elephant" to see it.
Anyway, despite my initial misgivings about the vehicle, I'm fine with it after reading the novel. This felt a lot like a group of friends (the typical Victorian group that we expect in a Verne novel), traveling with an autocaravan all across India. Which is appropriate for the novel, because this is a trip done for pleasure, not for exploration.
This is a problem for Verne, actually. He was writing adventure books, but contemporary adventures, not historical adventures (they only seem historical to us because of how long ago they were written). The problem is that, in the last decades of the 19th century, while there were still unexplored parts of the world, most of the it was already known. And, like it or not, when it comes to adventure, exploration is more thrilling than tourism. Of course, Verne could have placed all his adventures in the depths of Africa, or the poles, or desert islands, or under the ground, or the sea... but it's not just the adventures he is interested in. He also wants to visit with us as much of the world as he can, and to be our guide and teacher about it.
So, this time, it's India's turn. Obviously, India was not unexplored, except for the most inaccessible parts of the Himalayas. It was, at the time, part of the British Empire, and a lot of it was densely populated. So we come across that problem: tourism is not as thrilling.
It's not the first time Verne deals with this. Books like A Floating City, Around the World in Eighty Days or Tribulations of a Chinaman in China also have this "tourism" feeling, and Verne manages not to let them become boring. Incidentally, those were all one-volume novels, while this one is two volumes. ¿Maybe this could get a bit too long for a travelogue?
I think Verne mostly avoids this pitfall. This is not the most fast-paced of his novels. Perhaps a few chapters of the first volume dealing with the cities they visit before getting to the Himalayas, or the first chapters of the second volume describing their hunting activities may try the patience of some modern readers, but I was fine with them (take into account that I enjoy Verne's Victorian style).
It's good that the plot is complemented by the story of the rebel leader Nana Sahib, a real-life leader who rebelled against Britain during the 1857 upraising and was responsible for several massacres of British civilians, including the wives and children of British officers. Then he disappeared without a trace after being defeated. In the novel he had survived, and was still full of hate for Coronel Munro, one of Verne's characters. The hate was mutual, because Munro's wife and mother in law had been murdered by Nana Sahib in the Cawnpore massacre, while Colonel Munro had killed Nana Sahib's lover, a leader herself in the rebellion, in the midst of a battle.
I enjoyed Verne's accounts of the Sepoy Mutiny. Despite his Victorian mindset, I think Verne was not completely unsympathetic to the Indian struggle for freedom (after all, didn't he make Captain Nemo a former Indian prince, sympathetic to all struggles against foreign oppression?). Here, Verne tells about the rebellion in a rather neutral way, describing atrocities committed by both sides, although Nana Sahib who, to be fair, was particularly savage in his methods, is the villain of the story, while Coronel Munro and the others, as representatives of European civilization, are the heroes. Certainly not an example of 21st century anticolonialism, but for his time Verne was not very imperialistic, although he shared the contemporary belief in the current superiority of Western civilization. I remember him discussing that in Five Weeks in a Balloon, where one of the characters said he believed Africa would the the most advanced part of the world in the future, once Europe's and America's natural resources were exhausted.
Anyway, the revenge plot between Nana Sahib and Colonel Munro helps keep the novel interesting.
There is a fair amount of hunting here, by the way. Captain Hood, one of the travelers, is a great hunter, much like Dick Kennedy in Five Weeks in a Balloon. For Verne, hunting for food or sport is part of the adventure, and clearly in the 19th century it had none of the negative connotations that it has for many people nowadays. There are some scenes where groups of animals make a coordinated attack on the caravan. I'm not an expert, but this sounded fanciful to me.
There are also dangerous storms, forest fires... even though India was not unexplored, there was still a fair amount of wilderness.
Most of the plot twists were predictable, and there was one particular point where the villains acted in a stupid way because of plot demands, but all in all this was a pleasant read. I was amused by the fact that, despite it being written in first person from the point of view of Maucler, a French traveler who was a member of the group, the last chapters change to third person since they told of events that Maucler did not personally witness. In fact, Verne explicitly warns us about this change in perspective. It did not bother me, but I wondered why he didn't just tell the whole story in third person, like most of his novels.
Enjoyment factor: I enjoyed it. This is not top-tier Verne, and because of that I wouldn't recommend it as the place to start, but it was still an interesting adventure and journey.
Next up: Eight Hundred Leagues on the Amazon
See all my Verne reviews here: https://www.sffworld.com/forum/thread...
May 12, 2021
Se oferă un premiu de 2.000 de lire sterline persoanei care-l va preda viu sau mort, pe unul dintre conducătorii răscoalei şipailor[1], a cărui prezenţă a fost semnalată în guvernământul[2] Bombay, nababul[3] Dandu-Pant, care este mai bine cunoscut populaţiei sub numele de…
Acesta este scurtul comunicat pe care locuitorii din Aurangabad îl puteau citi în seara zilei de 6 martie 1867.
Ultimul nume – un nume detestat de unii şi admirat în ascuns de alţii – lipsea din înştiinţarea care fusese de curând afişată pe zidul împrejmuitor al unui bungalow năruit, aflat pe malul râului Dudna.
Numele lipsea, întrucât colţul de jos al afişului unde era tipărit cu litere groase fusese smuls de mâna unui fachir pe care nimeni nu-l putuse zări pe malul apei, atunci pustiu. Odată cu acel nume, dispăruse şi numele guvernatorului general al guvernământului Bombay, care semna înştiinţarea alături de viceregele Indiilor.
Ce scop urmărise oare fachirul? Sfâşiind afişul, spera el oare că răzvrătitul de la 1857 poate scăpa de urmările sentinţei pronunţate împotriva persoanei sale?
Ar fi fost o adevărată nebunie din partea lui.
Într-adevăr, alte afişe, răspândite din belşug, se lăfăiau pe zidurile caselor, palatelor, moscheilor şi hotelurilor din Aurangabad. În plus, un crainic străbătea străzile oraşului citind cu glas tare hotărârea guvernatorului. Chiar şi locuitorii celor mai mărunte târguşoare din ţinut ştiau de pe acum că o adevărată avere era făgăduită aceluia care îl va preda autorităţilor pe Dandu-Pant. Numele său, zadarnic smuls de pe afiş, avea să străbată în mai puţin de douăsprezece ore întreg cuprinsul guvernământului. Dacă ştirile erau exacte, dacă nababul într-adevăr îşi căutase scăparea prin părţile acestea ale Hindustanului, fără doar şi poate că avea să cadă cât de curând în mâinile unor oameni foarte interesaţi să-l captureze.
Cărui simţământ îi dăduse, aşadar, ascultare fachirul atunci când se apucase să rupă în bucăţi un comunicat tipărit în mai multe mii de exemplare?
Fără îndoială unui simţământ de mânie, ba poate şi vreunui gând plin de dispreţ. Oricum, după ce ridicase din umeri, el s-a înfundat în cartierul cel mai populat şi mai sărăcăcios al oraşului.
Acesta este scurtul comunicat pe care locuitorii din Aurangabad îl puteau citi în seara zilei de 6 martie 1867.
Ultimul nume – un nume detestat de unii şi admirat în ascuns de alţii – lipsea din înştiinţarea care fusese de curând afişată pe zidul împrejmuitor al unui bungalow năruit, aflat pe malul râului Dudna.
Numele lipsea, întrucât colţul de jos al afişului unde era tipărit cu litere groase fusese smuls de mâna unui fachir pe care nimeni nu-l putuse zări pe malul apei, atunci pustiu. Odată cu acel nume, dispăruse şi numele guvernatorului general al guvernământului Bombay, care semna înştiinţarea alături de viceregele Indiilor.
Ce scop urmărise oare fachirul? Sfâşiind afişul, spera el oare că răzvrătitul de la 1857 poate scăpa de urmările sentinţei pronunţate împotriva persoanei sale?
Ar fi fost o adevărată nebunie din partea lui.
Într-adevăr, alte afişe, răspândite din belşug, se lăfăiau pe zidurile caselor, palatelor, moscheilor şi hotelurilor din Aurangabad. În plus, un crainic străbătea străzile oraşului citind cu glas tare hotărârea guvernatorului. Chiar şi locuitorii celor mai mărunte târguşoare din ţinut ştiau de pe acum că o adevărată avere era făgăduită aceluia care îl va preda autorităţilor pe Dandu-Pant. Numele său, zadarnic smuls de pe afiş, avea să străbată în mai puţin de douăsprezece ore întreg cuprinsul guvernământului. Dacă ştirile erau exacte, dacă nababul într-adevăr îşi căutase scăparea prin părţile acestea ale Hindustanului, fără doar şi poate că avea să cadă cât de curând în mâinile unor oameni foarte interesaţi să-l captureze.
Cărui simţământ îi dăduse, aşadar, ascultare fachirul atunci când se apucase să rupă în bucăţi un comunicat tipărit în mai multe mii de exemplare?
Fără îndoială unui simţământ de mânie, ba poate şi vreunui gând plin de dispreţ. Oricum, după ce ridicase din umeri, el s-a înfundat în cartierul cel mai populat şi mai sărăcăcios al oraşului.
December 3, 2021
Steampunk science fiction written by Jules Verne in the aftermath of 1857 British-Indian revolt, must I say more ? This book describes in significant detail the late 19th century British-India. A lot of it would be difficult to interpret for a regular western bookworm, which explains why I had not heard of this book until I chanced upon a copy in a local bookshop. 'The Steam House', also sold as 'The End of Nana Saheb' in India, is a classic Victorian adventure story set in British India. The plot is weak, but the details of places and Hindoo traditions has remarkable depth. The story unfolds across entire indian subcontinent. One from Calcutta to Moorshidad, Gaya, Patna, Sasaram, Gazipore, Benares, Allahabad, Lucknow (Oudh Kingdom), Cawnpore, Bareilly (Rohillkand), right upto the foothills of Dhaulagiri in Nepaul !!
The Nana Saheb story unfolds in the deccan around Bheels and Konds around Nagpaur, Punnah, among Satpooras and Vindhyas hills, its a fascinating tale of 19th century imagination.
This is a geography and history book first, a story book later. I loved the ideas and traces of interesting plots but fails to put it together for some compelling story telling.
Regardless, adventure stories by Jules Verne are original fictions a mind can imagine.
The Nana Saheb story unfolds in the deccan around Bheels and Konds around Nagpaur, Punnah, among Satpooras and Vindhyas hills, its a fascinating tale of 19th century imagination.
This is a geography and history book first, a story book later. I loved the ideas and traces of interesting plots but fails to put it together for some compelling story telling.
Regardless, adventure stories by Jules Verne are original fictions a mind can imagine.
September 9, 2023
Tourists embark on a journey across India 10 years after the Sepoy Mutiny. They intend to see the sights, shoot some wildlife, and generally have a bit of fun, all from the comfort of their all-terrain caravan. On the way, they meet an expedition collecting animals for zoos, and a rebel seeking revenge on a member of the tour group.
150 years later, this description sounds the height of 1st world arrogance, but but Jules Verne makes it all seem perfectly acceptable.
Having read books about the British East India Company and the general resentment in India over colonialism, I want to tell the travelers to go home, but of course it's too late for that.
This book contains one of Jules Verne's most fanciful inventions: a traction engine in the form of a large elephant. The wonderful thing is: a very rich eccentric could actually have built such a device at the time of the story.
150 years later, this description sounds the height of 1st world arrogance, but but Jules Verne makes it all seem perfectly acceptable.
Having read books about the British East India Company and the general resentment in India over colonialism, I want to tell the travelers to go home, but of course it's too late for that.
This book contains one of Jules Verne's most fanciful inventions: a traction engine in the form of a large elephant. The wonderful thing is: a very rich eccentric could actually have built such a device at the time of the story.
April 15, 2024
Een groep Engelsen, tezamen met de Franse verteller van het verhaal, reizen door het koloniale India. Dat doen zij in een soort camper: een omgebouwde stoomlocomotief in de vorm van een ijzeren olifant, met 2 'caravans' als aanhanger. Deze bizarre combinatie wordt "Het Stoomhuis genoemd. De stoomlocomotief is niet gebonden aan rails, maar rijdt gewoon over de weg. De reis door India is ronduit saai, maar Jules Verne gebruikt de reis om de geschiedenis van het 19e eeuwse India te vertellen. Uitreraard vanuit Europees perspectief: de Britse bezetters zijn de 'goeden', de Indiërs zelf zijn 'opstandelingen'.
Al met al geeft dit een mooi beeld van hoe in 19e eeuws Europa het kolonialisme werd beschouwd. Het verhaal is niet saai beschreven, maar veel gebeurt er verder niet.
Op naar het volgende deel van dit tweeluik.
Al met al geeft dit een mooi beeld van hoe in 19e eeuws Europa het kolonialisme werd beschouwd. Het verhaal is niet saai beschreven, maar veel gebeurt er verder niet.
Op naar het volgende deel van dit tweeluik.
July 26, 2017
This is not one of Verne's best books. Like the steam house itself, the story was very slow moving. In fact, the actual plot seemed to take a back seat to the detailed descriptions of the culture, history, and geography of India. To a reader who is not well acquainted with India, this definitely made the book interesting, though not exactly captivating. Also, the realistic nature of the setting (a journey across India) did not seem to be a great fit for Verne's powerful and often fanciful imagination. Several passages made it abundantly clear that he did not really understand the nature of some of the things he was writing about. Still, if you do manage to stay with the seemingly endless story, I found there was a rather gratifying conclusion.
August 18, 2024
Otro viaje extraordinario de Verne, esta vez cruzando la India a mediados del siglo XIX. Algunas temáticas chocan con la realidad o el Zeitgeist actual, como ser la ligereza al matar animales. Siempre los libros de Verne reflejan la realidad patriarcal de la época, jamás hay una mujer entre los protagonistas. De todas formas fue divertido viajar por allá y seguir la aventura.
PD: El personaje de Nana Sahib no es de fantasía, realmente existió y fue el organizador de la revuelta contra los ingleses en 1857 como cuenta la novela.
PD: El personaje de Nana Sahib no es de fantasía, realmente existió y fue el organizador de la revuelta contra los ingleses en 1857 como cuenta la novela.
April 6, 2022
This book would benefit from being shorter.
You'd think the premise itself would be exciting enough, a group of men traveling through India in a steam elephant carriage, with a personal threat overshadowing them, but nothing really happens on their way, and there are pages of boring descriptions that I started to skim, interspersed with interesting bits and an unbelievable animal attack towards the end.
You'd think the premise itself would be exciting enough, a group of men traveling through India in a steam elephant carriage, with a personal threat overshadowing them, but nothing really happens on their way, and there are pages of boring descriptions that I started to skim, interspersed with interesting bits and an unbelievable animal attack towards the end.
December 8, 2023
If this book were presented in the travel genre, it would easily earn a 5/5; within the historical context, it falls slightly short at 4/5.
The narrative, while undoubtedly adventurous for its time in 1880, lacks the same excitement and relevance in the present century. The detailed descriptions of the landscape and the hunting of animals, while possibly captivating back then, fail to engage a contemporary audience.
The narrative, while undoubtedly adventurous for its time in 1880, lacks the same excitement and relevance in the present century. The detailed descriptions of the landscape and the hunting of animals, while possibly captivating back then, fail to engage a contemporary audience.
May 4, 2017
¡Un libro increible! Me ha llevado en un viaje excepcional por la India y al pasado, donde todo era a base de maquinas de vapor. Un viaje maravilloso donde sin ver he llegado a conocer lugares inimaginales, ciudades increibles, ríos, aniamles y fenomenos naturales impresionantes. Lo he disfutado mucho y sin duda se ha convertido en uno de mis libros preferidos.
December 15, 2017
Primer historia que leo en India y Julio Verne no me ha decepcionado. Es un placer siempre volver a mi autor favorito y disfrutar de su viva imaginación. Lo único que me que no me gustó fue la cacería, pero era un deporte muy respetado de la época, así que hasta en eso Verne fue sumamente diligente, además de la historia de entre India y Europa.
October 7, 2018
This isn't the one Jules Verne novel to read if you're only going to read one, but if you've enjoyed other works by Verne you should enjoy this one too. It's an adventure story that takes place in India with plenty of colorful details and thrilling incidents. The only science fiction element is a steam powered elephant that pulls a train of houses.
May 26, 2023
INTERESTING NOVEL ......
Fun as well as exciting Jules Verne novel. For those people attempting to complete reading Verne novels, this novel is Recommended. A bit long winded, .... but , worth the read ! !
Fun as well as exciting Jules Verne novel. For those people attempting to complete reading Verne novels, this novel is Recommended. A bit long winded, .... but , worth the read ! !
August 5, 2018
Una de las mejores novelas de Julio Verne. Tiene todos los elementos que uno espera encontrar en una obra del escritor francés. Recomendable.
September 17, 2019
This story is based in India post the sepoy mutiny. Although a fiction, it gives a different perspective.
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