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Doctor Nikola #4
Ολέθριο πείραμα
Έβγαλε από την τσέπη του ένα μικρό ασημένιο κουτί, λίγο μεγαλύτερο από θήκη τράπουλας, το άνοιξε κι έριξε μια κουταλιά του τσαγιού μαύρη σκόνη στο κέντρο ενός άδειου πιάτου. Παρακολουθούσα τις κινήσεις του από πολύ κοντά, με την ελπίδα πως θ' ανακαλύψω τι ακριβώς ήταν αυτή η σκόνη. Οι προσπάθειές μου, όμως, αποδείχτηκαν άκαρπες. Ήταν μαύρη, όπως ήδη ανέφερα, και από κάποια απόσταση έμοιαζε με καρβουνόσκονη. Ωστόσο, μόλις εκτέθηκε στον ατμοσφαιρικό αέρα, το άγνωστο υλικό έγινε ρευστό, σαν υδράργυρος, και άρχισε να κυλάει εδώ κι εκεί μέσα στο πιάτο. Παρατήρησα πως άρχισε να παίρνει σταδιακά διάφορα χρώματα, φωτεινά σαν τις αποχρώσεις του ηλιακού φάσματος. Σπινθήριζαν κι έτρεμαν, ώσπου τα μάτια τυφλώνονταν σχεδόν από την ακτινοβολία τους. Κι όμως, καθήλωναν την προσοχή σου με τέτοιο τρόπο ώστε ήταν σχεδόν -αν όχι απόλυτα- αδύνατον να πάρεις το βλέμμα σου από πάνω τους ή να σκεφτείς κάτι άλλο. Μάταια προσπάθησα να καθησυχάσω τον εαυτό μου, για να μπορώ να είμαι ψύχραιμος παρατηρητής όσων διαδραματίζονταν μπροστά μου.
Οι εκδόσεις ''Ηλέκτρα'' δημιούργησαν τη σειρά ''Ιστορίες για διάβασμα'' για να προσφέρουν στους Έλληνες αναγνώστες τις σπάνιες συγκινήσεις που απόλαυσαν εκατομμύρια άνθρωποι τα τελευταία 100 χρόνια, διαβάζοντας τα αριστουργήματα της παγκόσμιας λαϊκής λογοτεχνίας. Τα κείμενα μεταφράζονται για πρώτη φορά στα ελληνικά, μετά από έρευνες σε αρχεία βιβλιοθηκών και περιοδικών, αφού πολλά από αυτά, μόλις τα τελευταία χρόνια συγκεντρώνουν πάλι την προσοχή των εκδοτών, σε παγκόσμιο επίπεδο.
Οι εκδόσεις ''Ηλέκτρα'' δημιούργησαν τη σειρά ''Ιστορίες για διάβασμα'' για να προσφέρουν στους Έλληνες αναγνώστες τις σπάνιες συγκινήσεις που απόλαυσαν εκατομμύρια άνθρωποι τα τελευταία 100 χρόνια, διαβάζοντας τα αριστουργήματα της παγκόσμιας λαϊκής λογοτεχνίας. Τα κείμενα μεταφράζονται για πρώτη φορά στα ελληνικά, μετά από έρευνες σε αρχεία βιβλιοθηκών και περιοδικών, αφού πολλά από αυτά, μόλις τα τελευταία χρόνια συγκεντρώνουν πάλι την προσοχή των εκδοτών, σε παγκόσμιο επίπεδο.
213 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1899
5 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
About the author
Guy Newell Boothby
215 books13 followersGuy Newell Boothby was born in Adelaide, South Australia, the son of Thomas Wilde Boothby, a Member of the South Australian House of Assembly. At six years of age he travelled with his mother to England and was educated at Lord Weymouth's Grammar School, Salisbury and at Christ's Hospital, London between 1874 and 1883.
When his education was over he returned to Australia where he eventually became secretary to the Mayor of Adelaide, Lewis Cohen. He was dissatisfied with his prospects in Adelaide and consequently he moved to Brisbane where he hoped his prospects would be better.
In the meantime he wrote a series of comic operas and plays, all of which were relatively unsuccessful.
He was of a roving disposition and at age 24 he travelled across Australia from north to south and later he travelled extensively in the East.
By 1894 he had married Rose Alice Bristowe and he and his wife moved to England in that year, which was notable for the publication of his first book, 'On the Wallaby, or, Through the East and Across Australia', an account of his and his brother's travels in Australia.
He was given advice and encouragement in his writing by none other than Rudyard Kipling and the year 1895 saw the publication of three novels, the most significant of which was 'A Bid for Fortune: or, Dr Nikola's Vendetta'. This introduced probably his best known character, Dr Nikola, a ruthless, unscrupulous figure, with his ubiquitous large cat, who was to feature in five of his novels over the ensuing years. The book was an instant success and brought him a certain amount of fame. Dr Nikola had first appeared in serial form in the Windosr Magazine.
Over the next 10 years he was to write another 50 books and a further five were published posthumously, the last of which was 'In the Power of the Sultan' (1908). He was so prodigious that the story circulated that he spoke his tales into a phonograph, from which they were later transcribed by secretaries.
He is perhaps remembered also for introducing one of the early gentlemen crooks of literature when he featured Simon Carne in 'A Prince of Swindlers' in 1897. Carne had originally appeared in Pearson's Magazine and as a gentleman crook he pre-dated another of his kind in A J Raffles by two years.
Boothby's novels were often set in Australia (not surprisingly) and were classed as 'fast-paced thrillers' although some felt that although exciting in plot they were 'hastily and carelessly written'. In addition they were said to have been enjoyed by those who 'care for frank sensationalism carried to its furtherest limits'. Despite these comments his books were extremely popular and made him one of the most successful novelists of his day.
Boothby, who was also a successful breeder of prize dogs, died suddenly of pneumonia at his home, Winsley Lodge, Watkin Road, Bournemouth in 1905. He left a widow and three children.
Gerry Wolstenholme
February 2012
When his education was over he returned to Australia where he eventually became secretary to the Mayor of Adelaide, Lewis Cohen. He was dissatisfied with his prospects in Adelaide and consequently he moved to Brisbane where he hoped his prospects would be better.
In the meantime he wrote a series of comic operas and plays, all of which were relatively unsuccessful.
He was of a roving disposition and at age 24 he travelled across Australia from north to south and later he travelled extensively in the East.
By 1894 he had married Rose Alice Bristowe and he and his wife moved to England in that year, which was notable for the publication of his first book, 'On the Wallaby, or, Through the East and Across Australia', an account of his and his brother's travels in Australia.
He was given advice and encouragement in his writing by none other than Rudyard Kipling and the year 1895 saw the publication of three novels, the most significant of which was 'A Bid for Fortune: or, Dr Nikola's Vendetta'. This introduced probably his best known character, Dr Nikola, a ruthless, unscrupulous figure, with his ubiquitous large cat, who was to feature in five of his novels over the ensuing years. The book was an instant success and brought him a certain amount of fame. Dr Nikola had first appeared in serial form in the Windosr Magazine.
Over the next 10 years he was to write another 50 books and a further five were published posthumously, the last of which was 'In the Power of the Sultan' (1908). He was so prodigious that the story circulated that he spoke his tales into a phonograph, from which they were later transcribed by secretaries.
He is perhaps remembered also for introducing one of the early gentlemen crooks of literature when he featured Simon Carne in 'A Prince of Swindlers' in 1897. Carne had originally appeared in Pearson's Magazine and as a gentleman crook he pre-dated another of his kind in A J Raffles by two years.
Boothby's novels were often set in Australia (not surprisingly) and were classed as 'fast-paced thrillers' although some felt that although exciting in plot they were 'hastily and carelessly written'. In addition they were said to have been enjoyed by those who 'care for frank sensationalism carried to its furtherest limits'. Despite these comments his books were extremely popular and made him one of the most successful novelists of his day.
Boothby, who was also a successful breeder of prize dogs, died suddenly of pneumonia at his home, Winsley Lodge, Watkin Road, Bournemouth in 1905. He left a widow and three children.
Gerry Wolstenholme
February 2012
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 28, 2024
Ωραία pulp ιστορία μυστηρίου που δείχνει τα χρονάκια της. Κρίμα που δε κυκλοφόρησε κάποια συλλογή με το πλήρες έργο, θα ήθελα να τη διαβάσω.
September 3, 2023
I'm aware of the offensive language and themes that grated on me, as well as of the unremarkable plot that makes the book nothing more than a run of the mill penny dreadful. However, I enjoyed the atmosphere and imagery, and the fast pace of this page turner. I'm interested in reading more adventures of Dr Nicola as an innocuous pastime.
October 30, 2014
A wonderful farrago of moustache-curling nastiness wherein we discover that even monsters have a human soul. Poor Nikola! All he ever wanted was to be loved. Despite its forumulaic evils, this story has a wonderful depth. Possibly Dr Nikola was a prototype for Ian Fleming's Blofeld. They owned the same cat.
April 15, 2020
Εξαιρετικό, δεν το περιμενα τοσο καλο. Ο περιβοητος και σκοτεινος Δρ. Νικολά προσπαθεί να επαναφέρει τη νιότη στον Δον Μορένο που πλησιάζει τα εκατό και ο κος. Ιγκλεμπυ που η καριερα του δεν έχει παρει καλή τροπή τον ακολουθει ως βοηθος γιατρος. Στην αρχη του βιβλιου η εξελιξη ειναι αργη αλλα απο καποιο σημειο και μετα αδημονουμε να μαθουμε την εξελιξη του πειραματος.
June 10, 2017
Extremely slight by the standards of this series; one gets the feeling Boothby was phoning (telegraphing?) it in somewhat; but still an entertaining enough ramble.
The casual racism of the day is still present and correct though, so, you know...
The casual racism of the day is still present and correct though, so, you know...
August 24, 2020
Horrendous human experiments (which may not be quite so fiction-based, unfortunately, in times when the 'abnormal' meant 'unaccepted'). Can Dr Nikola reverse the process of deterioration and ultimately rob death?
February 28, 2025
Sinister, ominous. Most of the time, the book did a good job of painting a picture with darkness creeping in around the edges, but unfortunately, it was like the author wasn't aware that this was the part of the book that made it good.
3.1
3.1
March 24, 2013
The book started off well enough but got boring and drawn out as the book progressed. The plot was unimaginative and the characters were stiff and very two dimensional. The romance was also very dry.
Altogether not a very good read.
Altogether not a very good read.
November 29, 2012
Spannende Fortsetzung der Nikola Reihe.
May 31, 2016
A tale of experiments in prolonging life. Its not as creepy or thrilling as i expected. I've heard good things about the Dr.Nikola character, i hope his other stories are better than this one.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews