What do you think?
Rate this book
Vynález zkázy
V tomto vědeckofantastickém románu píše Verne o francouzském vynálezci Thomasi Rochu (Thomas Roch), který nabízel svůj vynález, jenž byl silnější, než všechny zbraně té doby, různým vládám světa. Vždy byl odmítnut, jelikož za něj požadoval obrovské sumy peněz. Po této zkušenosti částečně zešílel a přemístili jej do amerického sanatoria. Odtud byl i se svým ošetřovatelem unesen bohatým vůdcem pirátů, který je uvěznil ve svém sídle – na malém ostrůvku v Atlantiku. Ošetřovatel byl ve skutečnosti inženýr Simon Hart. Měl během Rochova pobytu v sanatoriu vyzvědět tajemství jeho zbraně. Jelikož byl pološílený, uvěřil Ker Karajovi, vůdci pirátů, že všechno bohatství na ostrově je jeho a že se musí bránit cizím lodím, jež mu jej chtějí i s vynálezem ukrást. Sestrojí svůj bleskomet, podle popisu se jeho náboje pohybují vlastní energií, tudíž se podobá dnešním raketám.
252 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1896
32 people are currently reading
1099 people want to read
About the author
Jules Verne
6,305 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...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
July 3, 2024
Umpteenth Jules Verne, but in a completely different style from what I've been used to, Face the Flag is rather dark. Still, several familiar elements exist, starting with a protagonist in these romantic heroes' lineage. Simon Hart, alias Gaydon, is dedicated and ready to do anything to succeed in his mission. Perfect? He is watching over a compatriot, the French inventor Thomas Roch. His latest invention, the Fulgurateur Roch (again, Jules Verne becomes a visionary or a prophet, the novel written in 1896), was refused by Western governments. People prefer to intern him rather than see his weapon between foreign or enemy hands. So, as his sanity wanes, he is held in a nursing home in South Carolina. But that was without counting on modern pirates.
Indeed, the Count of Artigas (obviously an assumed name behind which hides a formidable enemy) kidnaps the two French quite quickly. The trip on the schooner Ebba is a bit long; I quickly read this part. The arrival on the Back-Cup Island rekindled my interest. It's a perfect landmark for modern pirates near Bermuda, with a massive cave in its hollow. It reminded me of the James Bond movies. Unfortunately, the action lags here too. They fill it with many adventures but are without consequences and have a tiny direct connection with the main plot. Eventually, help arrives (it could not be otherwise), and by submarine, nothing less. It must said that the submersible was a relatively new military technology that was still being experimented on. The twists and turns never end, leading to a glorious and unexpected finale. Facing the Flag is a pessimistic novel in which we can see the danger of weaponry. This fact makes it original, in my opinion, because I was not thrilled to read it.
Indeed, the Count of Artigas (obviously an assumed name behind which hides a formidable enemy) kidnaps the two French quite quickly. The trip on the schooner Ebba is a bit long; I quickly read this part. The arrival on the Back-Cup Island rekindled my interest. It's a perfect landmark for modern pirates near Bermuda, with a massive cave in its hollow. It reminded me of the James Bond movies. Unfortunately, the action lags here too. They fill it with many adventures but are without consequences and have a tiny direct connection with the main plot. Eventually, help arrives (it could not be otherwise), and by submarine, nothing less. It must said that the submersible was a relatively new military technology that was still being experimented on. The twists and turns never end, leading to a glorious and unexpected finale. Facing the Flag is a pessimistic novel in which we can see the danger of weaponry. This fact makes it original, in my opinion, because I was not thrilled to read it.
May 20, 2021
Der französische Chemiker Thomas Roche entwickelt eine Massenvernichtungswaffe, die den klingenden Namen "Fulgator Roch" trägt (ich habe gelernt, dass Fulgator Blitzewerfer heißt). Er versucht, die Wunderwaffe zunächst an sein Heimatland Frankreich, dann an andere Nationen zu verkaufen. Der Verkauf scheitert an den irrsinnigen Geldforderungen, die kein Land zu zahlen willens oder in der Lage ist. Daraufhin verliert der Mad Scientist seinen Verstand und wird im Sanatorium "Healthful House" in North Carolina untergebracht.
Anders als Dürrenmatts Physiker plagt ihn keinerlei Verantwortungsgefühl, nur die Sucht nach Anerkennung und Reichtum treiben ihn um und rauben ihm die Sinne.
Der Anstaltsleiter führt den prominten Insassen gerne honorigen Besuchern vor, und so kann sich ein gefürchteter Pirat, der sich als Adliger d´Artigas ausgibt, ungehindert ein Bild von den Sicherheitsvorkehrungen machen und Roch und seinen Pfleger Gaydon entführen. So dilettantisch das Unternehmen auch durchgeführt wird, es gelingt und die Piraten dürfen hoffen, sich Rochs Erfindung künftig zunutze machen zu können, um auf den Weltmeeren unanfechtbar zu plündern und zu rauben.
Der Hauptteil des sich bei aller Kürze ziehenden Romans ist die Wiedergabe des Berichts, den der Franzose Gaydon,in Wahrheit Ingenieur, in Form eines Tagebuchs während der Gefangenschaft auf der abgelegenen Pirateninsel verfasst hat.
Immer wieder habe ich den Kopf darüber geschüttelt, wie distanziert und ohne Emotionen hier einer mit naturwissenschaftlicher Genauigkeit die Beschaffenheit der Pirateninsel beschreibt, der kaum hoffen darf, mit dem Leben davon zu kommen. Standesdünkel und Patriotismus sind seine Religion, die Wissenschaft ist seine Bibel. Und weil er sich in seiner Herkunft vom gemeinen Piratenvolk abhebt, wird er auch nicht etwa eingesperrt oder schlecht behandelt, sondern ganz im Gegenteilt wird er gut verpflegt, darf sich im Inneren der Insel frei bewegen und bekommt sogar Schreibzeug, um sein Tagebuch zu führen. Wieviel Ärger hätten sich die Entführer nur ersparen können, hätten sie einen Blick auf das Geschreibsel geworfen. Ist es Gleichgültigkeit, Diskretion, Dummheit, die sie davon abhält?
Nein, es ist nur eines von vielen Ärgernissen, die DIE ENTDECKUNG zu einem unerfreulichen Buch machen. Es gibt die für Jules Verne typischen zahlreichen naturwissenschaftlichen Beobachtungen, die hier aber oft irrelevant und deplaziert wirken, weil der Erzähler sie aller Gefahr zum Trotz kaltblütig hersagt. Überhaupt vermag dieser Erzähler, wie auch alle anderen „Personen“ des Romans, keine Sympathien beim Leser zu erwecken. Es sind eben gar keine Personen, es gibt keine Psychologie, keine Komplexität, nicht einmal einen Charakter. Selbst die mörderische Piratenbande wird nicht mit einem Satz näher beschrieben, jagt nicht einen Schauder über den Rücken des Lesers. Und dass es am Ende dann eine patriotische Erweckung ist, die für die Wende sorgt, ist noch ärgerlicher und platter.
Fazit: Ein schlecht erzählter, schlecht konstruierter Roman. Lediglich das Thema der Massenvernichtungswaffe, die in falsche Hände gerät, ist allenfalls von Interesse. Ob Jules Verne am Vorabend des ersten Weltkrieges sich mit dem Themas allerdings als so zukunftssichtig erweist, wie es ihm sonst nachgesagt wird, bezweifle ich ein wenig. Immerhin, ein Funken Wissenschaftskritik findet sich:
"Hoffen wir, dass der Erfinder seine Erfindung mit ins Grab nimmt - zum Wohle und Frieden der Menschheit."
Trivia:
"Dieser Roman brachte Jules Verne einen Prozess gegen den (in der damaligen Öffentlichkeit als suspekt dargestellten und zeitweise unter Verfolgungswahn leidenden) Chemiker Eugène Turpin (1848–1927) ein, den er gewann. Der Chemiker sah sich in dem Roman verleumdet und lächerlich dargestellt. Aber Verne muss ihn in seinem Roman vergleichsweise vorlagengetreu dargestellt haben, wie sich später anhand eines Briefwechsels feststellen lässt."
(Quelle: Wikipedia)
Auch der Titel, unter dem DIE ERFINDUNG alternativ veröffentlicht wurden, spricht für sich:
"Der fliegende Tod, Hoch die Flagge des Vaterlands! oder Vor der Flagge des Vaterlands"
Anders als Dürrenmatts Physiker plagt ihn keinerlei Verantwortungsgefühl, nur die Sucht nach Anerkennung und Reichtum treiben ihn um und rauben ihm die Sinne.
Der Anstaltsleiter führt den prominten Insassen gerne honorigen Besuchern vor, und so kann sich ein gefürchteter Pirat, der sich als Adliger d´Artigas ausgibt, ungehindert ein Bild von den Sicherheitsvorkehrungen machen und Roch und seinen Pfleger Gaydon entführen. So dilettantisch das Unternehmen auch durchgeführt wird, es gelingt und die Piraten dürfen hoffen, sich Rochs Erfindung künftig zunutze machen zu können, um auf den Weltmeeren unanfechtbar zu plündern und zu rauben.
Der Hauptteil des sich bei aller Kürze ziehenden Romans ist die Wiedergabe des Berichts, den der Franzose Gaydon,in Wahrheit Ingenieur, in Form eines Tagebuchs während der Gefangenschaft auf der abgelegenen Pirateninsel verfasst hat.
Immer wieder habe ich den Kopf darüber geschüttelt, wie distanziert und ohne Emotionen hier einer mit naturwissenschaftlicher Genauigkeit die Beschaffenheit der Pirateninsel beschreibt, der kaum hoffen darf, mit dem Leben davon zu kommen. Standesdünkel und Patriotismus sind seine Religion, die Wissenschaft ist seine Bibel. Und weil er sich in seiner Herkunft vom gemeinen Piratenvolk abhebt, wird er auch nicht etwa eingesperrt oder schlecht behandelt, sondern ganz im Gegenteilt wird er gut verpflegt, darf sich im Inneren der Insel frei bewegen und bekommt sogar Schreibzeug, um sein Tagebuch zu führen. Wieviel Ärger hätten sich die Entführer nur ersparen können, hätten sie einen Blick auf das Geschreibsel geworfen. Ist es Gleichgültigkeit, Diskretion, Dummheit, die sie davon abhält?
Nein, es ist nur eines von vielen Ärgernissen, die DIE ENTDECKUNG zu einem unerfreulichen Buch machen. Es gibt die für Jules Verne typischen zahlreichen naturwissenschaftlichen Beobachtungen, die hier aber oft irrelevant und deplaziert wirken, weil der Erzähler sie aller Gefahr zum Trotz kaltblütig hersagt. Überhaupt vermag dieser Erzähler, wie auch alle anderen „Personen“ des Romans, keine Sympathien beim Leser zu erwecken. Es sind eben gar keine Personen, es gibt keine Psychologie, keine Komplexität, nicht einmal einen Charakter. Selbst die mörderische Piratenbande wird nicht mit einem Satz näher beschrieben, jagt nicht einen Schauder über den Rücken des Lesers. Und dass es am Ende dann eine patriotische Erweckung ist, die für die Wende sorgt, ist noch ärgerlicher und platter.
Fazit: Ein schlecht erzählter, schlecht konstruierter Roman. Lediglich das Thema der Massenvernichtungswaffe, die in falsche Hände gerät, ist allenfalls von Interesse. Ob Jules Verne am Vorabend des ersten Weltkrieges sich mit dem Themas allerdings als so zukunftssichtig erweist, wie es ihm sonst nachgesagt wird, bezweifle ich ein wenig. Immerhin, ein Funken Wissenschaftskritik findet sich:
"Hoffen wir, dass der Erfinder seine Erfindung mit ins Grab nimmt - zum Wohle und Frieden der Menschheit."
Trivia:
"Dieser Roman brachte Jules Verne einen Prozess gegen den (in der damaligen Öffentlichkeit als suspekt dargestellten und zeitweise unter Verfolgungswahn leidenden) Chemiker Eugène Turpin (1848–1927) ein, den er gewann. Der Chemiker sah sich in dem Roman verleumdet und lächerlich dargestellt. Aber Verne muss ihn in seinem Roman vergleichsweise vorlagengetreu dargestellt haben, wie sich später anhand eines Briefwechsels feststellen lässt."
(Quelle: Wikipedia)
Auch der Titel, unter dem DIE ERFINDUNG alternativ veröffentlicht wurden, spricht für sich:
"Der fliegende Tod, Hoch die Flagge des Vaterlands! oder Vor der Flagge des Vaterlands"
September 5, 2021
Es tut mir in der Seele weh, einem Jules Verne eine solche Bewertung zu geben aber alles andere wäre gelogen.
Die Erzählung ist langweilig. Jeder der mal die Physiker von Dürrenmatt gelesen hat, kennt in großen Zügen die Handlung dieser Geschichte.
Ich bin sehr enttäuscht von dem Werk und davon das es mir einfach nicht gefallen will. Für mich bleibt Jules Verne trotzdem einer der besten Autoren, auch wenn ich das Buch am liebsten Verbrennen würde, so langweilig fand ich es. Ich will nichts mehr damit zutub haben...
Die Erzählung ist langweilig. Jeder der mal die Physiker von Dürrenmatt gelesen hat, kennt in großen Zügen die Handlung dieser Geschichte.
Ich bin sehr enttäuscht von dem Werk und davon das es mir einfach nicht gefallen will. Für mich bleibt Jules Verne trotzdem einer der besten Autoren, auch wenn ich das Buch am liebsten Verbrennen würde, so langweilig fand ich es. Ich will nichts mehr damit zutub haben...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2011
Here is a secret about me: Facing the flag is the book that persuaded me as a teen that Jules Verne was indeed a time traveler.
When i first read it (in the cold war, before Perestroika) I was like: Duhh... a book about today... And only when my grandfather smiled at me
(he sometimes had the kind of: I know something You don't, but soon will find out for yourself smile )and asked me, if I knew when it had been written, I realized, and was gobsmacked.
It had been written in 1896!!! No one knew about submarines, weapons of mass destructions, the rockets to the moon, combustion engines, the cold war etc... it hadn't been invented...
You must keep that in mind when reading Jules Vernes!
The plot is about a brilliant scientist who invented a weapon "le fulgurateur" of mass destruction, so powerful it could/will ultimately destroy the entire planet. The two superpowers France and the USA are in aggressive competition about gaining control over the invention and eager to amass as many of it/them as possible, to repel other countries from attacking them. Then you have the increasingly frantic efforts of other nations to compete in that race. And finally the inventor's struggle over the question should everything scientifically possible really also be done/made/created?
It starts quit dark and depressing, but ends with a dawn of hope.
Leaving the decision up to us. When facing the flag, what will we do? Will we stand together?
Read the book and You will understand what I mean. If You already have, I would love to know, what You thought of it...
Its a great, great book!
When i first read it (in the cold war, before Perestroika) I was like: Duhh... a book about today... And only when my grandfather smiled at me
(he sometimes had the kind of: I know something You don't, but soon will find out for yourself smile )and asked me, if I knew when it had been written, I realized, and was gobsmacked.
It had been written in 1896!!! No one knew about submarines, weapons of mass destructions, the rockets to the moon, combustion engines, the cold war etc... it hadn't been invented...
You must keep that in mind when reading Jules Vernes!
The plot is about a brilliant scientist who invented a weapon "le fulgurateur" of mass destruction, so powerful it could/will ultimately destroy the entire planet. The two superpowers France and the USA are in aggressive competition about gaining control over the invention and eager to amass as many of it/them as possible, to repel other countries from attacking them. Then you have the increasingly frantic efforts of other nations to compete in that race. And finally the inventor's struggle over the question should everything scientifically possible really also be done/made/created?
It starts quit dark and depressing, but ends with a dawn of hope.
Leaving the decision up to us. When facing the flag, what will we do? Will we stand together?
Read the book and You will understand what I mean. If You already have, I would love to know, what You thought of it...
Its a great, great book!
March 4, 2019
Increíble. Cada libro de Julio Verne es una caricia a mis ojos y mi cerebro, la capacidad de narrar de este hombre, de describir, de inventar objetos y contar una historia... me emociona.
Al principio la lectura parece un poco lenta, pero la verdad es que es un libro lleno de sorpresas.
¿El final? Lo mejor de todo el libro. Impresionante. Me dieron ganas de gritar de la emoción cuando lo leí.
Al principio la lectura parece un poco lenta, pero la verdad es que es un libro lleno de sorpresas.
¿El final? Lo mejor de todo el libro. Impresionante. Me dieron ganas de gritar de la emoción cuando lo leí.
December 31, 2020
Her zaman demişimdir Jules Verne hayrani olduğumu..
Bu kitap oldukça güçlü bir patlayıcı bulan bir mucitin öyküsünü onun (mucitin) bakımından sorumlu ve Gaydon ismi altında gizlenmiş Simon Hart'ın dilinden (notlarından) anlatıyor. Mucit Thomas Roch ve bekçisi Gaydon bir korsan tarafından kaçırılır ve Bermuda adalarından birinde, bir mağarada tutsak tutulur. Acaba mucit kurtula bilecek midir ? Peki bekçisi Gaydon ?
Oldukça sürükleyici ve de hayran kaldığım bir Verne romanı oldu benim için. Ve de 2020 senesinin bitirdiğim son romanı. Kesinlikle tavsiye bir kitaptır. Mutlaka okuyun 😎
Bu kitap oldukça güçlü bir patlayıcı bulan bir mucitin öyküsünü onun (mucitin) bakımından sorumlu ve Gaydon ismi altında gizlenmiş Simon Hart'ın dilinden (notlarından) anlatıyor. Mucit Thomas Roch ve bekçisi Gaydon bir korsan tarafından kaçırılır ve Bermuda adalarından birinde, bir mağarada tutsak tutulur. Acaba mucit kurtula bilecek midir ? Peki bekçisi Gaydon ?
Oldukça sürükleyici ve de hayran kaldığım bir Verne romanı oldu benim için. Ve de 2020 senesinin bitirdiğim son romanı. Kesinlikle tavsiye bir kitaptır. Mutlaka okuyun 😎
March 8, 2011
Though a Jules Verne fan I must say that this definitely isn't one of the more popular tales, it also contained many elements of '20000 leagues' and a bit of 'Mysterious Island' its almost as though he just took portions of both tales conjoured up a slightly different story line, and added a name based on what he considered the most important element... patriotism...
However, in classic Verne style, that element of adventure I always relish was there, of course, and I would still recommend this to all Jules Verne fans and anyone seeking a good classic adventure...
However, in classic Verne style, that element of adventure I always relish was there, of course, and I would still recommend this to all Jules Verne fans and anyone seeking a good classic adventure...
April 9, 2019
Se lleva a cabo el secuestro del tan famoso inventor Thomas Roch junto con su guardián el Ing. Simón Hart, una noche cualquiera durante una de las múltiples crisis que el inventor francés sufría por mantener el secreto de un arma capaz de acabar con el mundo entero. Su afición por vengar a todas aquellas naciones que lo despreciaron por no “llegarle al precio”, hizo que se volviera una persona llena de resentimiento y avaricia incontrolables.
Aunque el inventor parecía haber perdido completamente la razón, el Ing. Simón no se da por vencido en evitar que se lleve a cabo el uso de dicha arma tan potente. Durante el secuestro de ambos -que fueron sacados de Carolina del Norte en contra de su voluntad para terminar en un islote de las Bermudas con forma de taza al revés- comenzaron a darse una serie de ideas en la cabeza completamente analítica del Ing. Simón, una de las cuales fue lograr mantener comunicación con el exterior para recuperar su libertad y así evitar una catástrofe en contra de la raza humana.
Definitivamente Verne deja ver una vez más su gusto por la ciencia y los navíos, por la tecnología tan avanzada para su tiempo y su tan asombrosa imaginación que no para. Centrando la esencia en “el fulgurador”, podemos ver los indicios de la idea para la creación de la bomba atómica, increíble ¿no?
Aunque tiene un inicio un poco lento, después del secuestro no puedes dejar de disfrutar esta aventura que más que aventura, una realidad disfrazada de profecía.
Aunque el inventor parecía haber perdido completamente la razón, el Ing. Simón no se da por vencido en evitar que se lleve a cabo el uso de dicha arma tan potente. Durante el secuestro de ambos -que fueron sacados de Carolina del Norte en contra de su voluntad para terminar en un islote de las Bermudas con forma de taza al revés- comenzaron a darse una serie de ideas en la cabeza completamente analítica del Ing. Simón, una de las cuales fue lograr mantener comunicación con el exterior para recuperar su libertad y así evitar una catástrofe en contra de la raza humana.
Definitivamente Verne deja ver una vez más su gusto por la ciencia y los navíos, por la tecnología tan avanzada para su tiempo y su tan asombrosa imaginación que no para. Centrando la esencia en “el fulgurador”, podemos ver los indicios de la idea para la creación de la bomba atómica, increíble ¿no?
Aunque tiene un inicio un poco lento, después del secuestro no puedes dejar de disfrutar esta aventura que más que aventura, una realidad disfrazada de profecía.
February 13, 2020
It was OK. Not one of his best. He does, however, seem to predicate the idea of cruise missiles.
May 7, 2023
A travel/adventure novel by a master writer who is Jules Verne. Once again, the author tells about the fate of the characters in the form of a diary kept by one of them.
The genius French inventor, Thomas Roch, has developed a deadly weapon that every country wants to have in its arsenal. For his invention he expects a huge sum of money, which nobody wants to pay. An inventor is kidnapped by corsairs and imprisoned on an island. After some time, he collaborates with them against people who didn’t want to buy an invention from him. In the end, Roch turns out to be a patriot.
The genius French inventor, Thomas Roch, has developed a deadly weapon that every country wants to have in its arsenal. For his invention he expects a huge sum of money, which nobody wants to pay. An inventor is kidnapped by corsairs and imprisoned on an island. After some time, he collaborates with them against people who didn’t want to buy an invention from him. In the end, Roch turns out to be a patriot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2018
Põnev ja huvitav seiklusjutt. Jules Verne'i leivanumber. Yarr harr ja pudel rummi jäi küll puudu, aga muidu mõnus ajaviide.
April 9, 2022
this was so boring,, girl what was that
(read another edition and will update with the correct one, once i am somewhere with wifi)
EDIT: this is the correct edition now. it was still boring as fuck and i'm lowkey mad i read it
(read another edition and will update with the correct one, once i am somewhere with wifi)
EDIT: this is the correct edition now. it was still boring as fuck and i'm lowkey mad i read it
June 7, 2021
Con esta obra (Face au Drapeau), Verne nos da una hermosa lección y una oportunidad más para reflexionar sobre los efectos de la guerra, por su puesto tiene todo el sello de su autor, remarcando en ella su inclinación por el tema de las armas de destrucción masiva y aunque muchos consideran no tiene el mismo detalle geográfico como en otros de sus ejemplares, considero que sería innecesario pues lo que aborda al respecto nos da un panorama bastante comprensible sobre el escenario en el que se desarrolla la historia que aunque de corte pesimista, resulta ser una trama corta con personajes intrigantes. Muy curioso el hecho de que el maestro de la ciencia ficción tomara como modelos al inventor y científico Eugene Turpin, para su personaje Tomás Roch.
Particularmente me ha sido menos complicado seguir esta historia pues la lectura fue más ágil, específicamente en esta edición de Hazel me encantaron las ilustraciones que aunque son escasas en nitidez y definición debido a la impresión se disfruta mucho el acompañar de ellas esta trama. la pasta dura le da mucha elegancia y lo colores de la misma son también agradables a la vista.
Conseguí este bello ejemplar gracias a Naresh Torres a través de facebook, ésta colección de libros cuenta con 59 ejemplares del autor Julio Verne y es fascinante tener acceso a ellos tanto por la estética de la misma como por el asequible costo.
Gracias a Sergio Naresh (lo encuentras en facebook) por enviarme este gran tomo de la colección de Julio Verne.
Particularmente me ha sido menos complicado seguir esta historia pues la lectura fue más ágil, específicamente en esta edición de Hazel me encantaron las ilustraciones que aunque son escasas en nitidez y definición debido a la impresión se disfruta mucho el acompañar de ellas esta trama. la pasta dura le da mucha elegancia y lo colores de la misma son también agradables a la vista.
Conseguí este bello ejemplar gracias a Naresh Torres a través de facebook, ésta colección de libros cuenta con 59 ejemplares del autor Julio Verne y es fascinante tener acceso a ellos tanto por la estética de la misma como por el asequible costo.
Gracias a Sergio Naresh (lo encuentras en facebook) por enviarme este gran tomo de la colección de Julio Verne.
June 17, 2012
I think it's an interesting fact that Jules Verne describes the invention of a new very destructable weapon of a scientist who became fool. But in my opinion, te ending is really to nationalistic. If I had known the english or the french title of the book earlier I might have not bought it, but the german title is "Die Erfindung des Verderbens" (like The invention of the bane ?!) which makes nobody think of a patriotic novel. Or at least not on the first look. Perhaps I'm not very fair towards Jules Verne who lived in a totally different age. But I who lives in the 21th century, just can't stand the idea that an inventor who feels humiliated by "his own country" (France) just changes his mind when he sees the french flag and destroys his invention, the place he lived in, kills a lot of people instead of demonstrating his new power towards his new ennemies.
April 7, 2023
"پایتخت کارولین یکی از چهل و چهار ایالت متحده آمریکا در آن زمان یکی از مهم ترین شهرهای رالیف به شما می رفت که در مسافت چندصد و پنجاه هزار متری نرکز ایالت واقع بود. از این رو بود که این شهر را مرکز قنونگذاری نامیده بودند. رئییس هیلدفاول هاوس، حدس نمیزد که برای چه این کارت را برای او فرستادهاند اما چون نام کنت ارتیکاس را دید فکر کرد که خواستهاند از موسسه او دیدن کنند. این شخص امید داشت که رئیس بیمارستان با پیشنهادش موافقت کند و ظاهرا قرار بود بعدازظهر همان روز به اتفاق کاپیتان اسپاد، فرمانده نیروی دریایی ابا، به آنجا بروند. مسلما بازدید از یک بیمارستان معروف که در آن موقع مورد توجه بیماران ثروتمند ایالات متحده آمریکا بود، از سوی یک بیگانه مسئله مهمی به شمار نمی رفت."
February 5, 2014
This is one of the books that rocked me to the core. I read a Bengali translation of it (title - A scientist kidnapped) and I am never going to forget the climax of the book. You have to wait till the last scene to find out why the title is "facing the flag".The last scene made a huge impression on me. If the original version is half as good as the one I read, this one's is a must-read for everyone.
September 16, 2017
The Jules Verne's books are simply not for me. Even though I can appreciate how adventurous, forward-thinking and just brilliant some of them are, Verne's way of storytelling simply doesn't entertain me. Which is a shame, really, but what can I do...
August 22, 2022
(42) Face au drapeau (Facing the Flag, 1896) (1 volume) 55K words
The 42nd Extraordinary Voyage takes us to a small island in the Antilles, although it's not a travel story, but a techno-thriller and a cautionary tale about the dangers of scientific advance, when it comes to the creation of more powerful weapons. With this novel, along with "The Begum's Millions", Verne anticipated the creation of weapons of mass destructions.
First read or reread?: A reread for me. I read it a long time ago and enjoyed it, without it being one of my favorites.
What is it about?: Thomas Roch, a French inventor, claims he has designed the Fulgurator, a weapon so powerful that "the state which acquired it would become absolute master of earth and ocean." However, because of his unreasonable demands and refusal to demonstrate the power of his invention, he is unable to sell his idea to France and, later, to any other government. Losing his grip on sanity, Roch becomes increasingly bitter, megalomaniacal and paranoid. Eventually, the United States Government imprisons him at a luxurious asylum in New Bern, North Carolina. There, his caretaker is a man called Gaydon, who is secretly a French engineer called Simon Hart, trying to prevent the secret of Roch's discovery from being lost. As the novel starts, a wealthy foreigner calling himself the "Count d'Artigas" visits the asylum and its famous inmate, with suspicious intentions.
After "Propeller Island", which had elements of interest but also some rather dull parts, Verne is back to his usual narrative good form. This is a short and fast novel (fast for a Victorian era novel, anyway). Most of it is told in first person from the point of view of the engineer Simon Hart, kidnapped along with the inventor Thomas Roch. Amid a sensation of constant danger, the story moves at a nice pace.
The novel is linked to a part of Verne's later career characterized by dark, misanthropic themes and pessimism about scientific progress. Later, we will have more examples of this, like his novel "Master of the World". However, as I have mentioned in other reviews, you can't really say "during this period, Verne's novels are pessimistic". It's a theme that appears occasionally in his work, more often in the later part of his career, but we have clear examples of it as early as "The Begum's Millions", and he also wrote traditionally optimistic tales later on.
Another point I'd like to make is that "pessimistic" does not mean by any means that this story is a downer and everything in it is depressing. Just that this gleeful belief in science and human resourcefulness that permeates a lot of his work is replaced by a more wary, cautionary attitude. I personally enjoy his "optimistic" stories more, but this was a good read.
In the novel, we find elements that Verne had explored in previous works: the use of submarines ("Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea"), ballistics ("From the Earth to the Moon", "The Begum's Millions"), patriotism (playing a larger role here than in any previous Verne novel), the enigmatic person using a figured name (Nemo, Robur, Mathias Sandorf), madness ("Mistress Branican" and some later novels with mad scientists, like "Master of the World", "The Secret of Wilhelm Storitz" and "The Barsac Mission"), volcanism ("Journey to the Center of the Earth" and several others), etc.
Despite all the recurrent Vernian themes, I feel the author kept things fresh throughout his career by occasionally trying genres and plots different from the ones usually associated with him. "Facing the Flag" certainly did not invent the mad inventor (see Frankenstein, for example), but it's one of the early examples (curiously, this novel was published the same year as "The Island of Doctor Moreau" by H. G. Wells, then at the beginning of his career). But beyond that, I think the James Bond stories owe a lot to "Facing the Flag".
As a curiosity, after the publication of this book, Verne and his publisher were sued by French chemist Eugène Turpin, inventor of the Melinite, who recognized himself in the character of Roch. To be fair, Turpin was not a madman, and had not gone around the world offering his invention to the highest bidder (only to France). Nevertheless, I'm glad the lawsuit was unsuccessful, because if writers are not allowed to be inspired by real people, without using their names, we would lose a lot of novels. Another possible inspiration for Roch was Alfred Nobel, inventor among other things of the dynamite, who later regretted having brought such destructive force into the world (Nobel actually was accused of high treason against France for selling ballistite to Italy).
Enjoyment factor: I enjoyed this. Quite short, and I'm glad Verne was back to form after a rather boring novel "Propeller Island". As I said, I prefer Verne novels with more optimistic themes. They capture my imagination better. But this one was good and entertaining. It's not exactly science fiction, but I would call it a Victorian near-future techno-thriller.
Next up: Clovis Dardentor
See all my Verne reviews here: https://www.sffworld.com/forum/thread...
The 42nd Extraordinary Voyage takes us to a small island in the Antilles, although it's not a travel story, but a techno-thriller and a cautionary tale about the dangers of scientific advance, when it comes to the creation of more powerful weapons. With this novel, along with "The Begum's Millions", Verne anticipated the creation of weapons of mass destructions.
First read or reread?: A reread for me. I read it a long time ago and enjoyed it, without it being one of my favorites.
What is it about?: Thomas Roch, a French inventor, claims he has designed the Fulgurator, a weapon so powerful that "the state which acquired it would become absolute master of earth and ocean." However, because of his unreasonable demands and refusal to demonstrate the power of his invention, he is unable to sell his idea to France and, later, to any other government. Losing his grip on sanity, Roch becomes increasingly bitter, megalomaniacal and paranoid. Eventually, the United States Government imprisons him at a luxurious asylum in New Bern, North Carolina. There, his caretaker is a man called Gaydon, who is secretly a French engineer called Simon Hart, trying to prevent the secret of Roch's discovery from being lost. As the novel starts, a wealthy foreigner calling himself the "Count d'Artigas" visits the asylum and its famous inmate, with suspicious intentions.
After "Propeller Island", which had elements of interest but also some rather dull parts, Verne is back to his usual narrative good form. This is a short and fast novel (fast for a Victorian era novel, anyway). Most of it is told in first person from the point of view of the engineer Simon Hart, kidnapped along with the inventor Thomas Roch. Amid a sensation of constant danger, the story moves at a nice pace.
The novel is linked to a part of Verne's later career characterized by dark, misanthropic themes and pessimism about scientific progress. Later, we will have more examples of this, like his novel "Master of the World". However, as I have mentioned in other reviews, you can't really say "during this period, Verne's novels are pessimistic". It's a theme that appears occasionally in his work, more often in the later part of his career, but we have clear examples of it as early as "The Begum's Millions", and he also wrote traditionally optimistic tales later on.
Another point I'd like to make is that "pessimistic" does not mean by any means that this story is a downer and everything in it is depressing. Just that this gleeful belief in science and human resourcefulness that permeates a lot of his work is replaced by a more wary, cautionary attitude. I personally enjoy his "optimistic" stories more, but this was a good read.
In the novel, we find elements that Verne had explored in previous works: the use of submarines ("Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea"), ballistics ("From the Earth to the Moon", "The Begum's Millions"), patriotism (playing a larger role here than in any previous Verne novel), the enigmatic person using a figured name (Nemo, Robur, Mathias Sandorf), madness ("Mistress Branican" and some later novels with mad scientists, like "Master of the World", "The Secret of Wilhelm Storitz" and "The Barsac Mission"), volcanism ("Journey to the Center of the Earth" and several others), etc.
Despite all the recurrent Vernian themes, I feel the author kept things fresh throughout his career by occasionally trying genres and plots different from the ones usually associated with him. "Facing the Flag" certainly did not invent the mad inventor (see Frankenstein, for example), but it's one of the early examples (curiously, this novel was published the same year as "The Island of Doctor Moreau" by H. G. Wells, then at the beginning of his career). But beyond that, I think the James Bond stories owe a lot to "Facing the Flag".
As a curiosity, after the publication of this book, Verne and his publisher were sued by French chemist Eugène Turpin, inventor of the Melinite, who recognized himself in the character of Roch. To be fair, Turpin was not a madman, and had not gone around the world offering his invention to the highest bidder (only to France). Nevertheless, I'm glad the lawsuit was unsuccessful, because if writers are not allowed to be inspired by real people, without using their names, we would lose a lot of novels. Another possible inspiration for Roch was Alfred Nobel, inventor among other things of the dynamite, who later regretted having brought such destructive force into the world (Nobel actually was accused of high treason against France for selling ballistite to Italy).
Enjoyment factor: I enjoyed this. Quite short, and I'm glad Verne was back to form after a rather boring novel "Propeller Island". As I said, I prefer Verne novels with more optimistic themes. They capture my imagination better. But this one was good and entertaining. It's not exactly science fiction, but I would call it a Victorian near-future techno-thriller.
Next up: Clovis Dardentor
See all my Verne reviews here: https://www.sffworld.com/forum/thread...
July 5, 2025
http://whatsread.pp.ua/work/3136
Досить непоганий роман Жюль Верна, на відміну від іншої його пристрасті - географії з перерахуванням всіх меридіанів і паралелей, присвячений науковому генію і розробкам, що випереджають свій час. В даному випадку автор зумів передбачити і описати прообраз реактивного снаряда (ракети) і потугу, яку можна порівняти з атомним вибухом. Щоправда, за відсутності відомостей про ядерний синтез, принцип дії залишився традиційно хімічним. Побіжно також піднімається тема наслідків такого відкриття - а саме можливості знищення якимось озлобленим психом всієї планети, хоча автор таку можливість вбачає лише, якщо винахід потрапить до рук злісних піратів чи інших розбійників, а володіння ним якоюсь країною, особливо Америкою, видається не таким небезпечним і навіть благим. Як ми вже знаємо, володіння атомною зброєю сучасними державами великого блага все ж таки не принесло, а ймовірність використання її не лише психом-одинаком, а й не менш психованою державою не менш велика, а то й незрівнянно більша. Також побіжно згадується можливе благо, якби таке відкриття згинуло відразу ж і разом із самим винахідником...
Мінусом твору я б відзначив традиційного для Верна потраплянця, з яким носяться весь твір, від імені якого і ведеться розповідь, хоча в реальності в 60% випадків його б із собою не брали, а в решті 39,9% його б позбулися одразу, щойно впевнились в його даремності і навіть ймовірній загрозі від нього. Це дещо псує і цей роман, хоча в решті розповідь має досить стрункий і логічний вигляд.
Досить непоганий роман Жюль Верна, на відміну від іншої його пристрасті - географії з перерахуванням всіх меридіанів і паралелей, присвячений науковому генію і розробкам, що випереджають свій час. В даному випадку автор зумів передбачити і описати прообраз реактивного снаряда (ракети) і потугу, яку можна порівняти з атомним вибухом. Щоправда, за відсутності відомостей про ядерний синтез, принцип дії залишився традиційно хімічним. Побіжно також піднімається тема наслідків такого відкриття - а саме можливості знищення якимось озлобленим психом всієї планети, хоча автор таку можливість вбачає лише, якщо винахід потрапить до рук злісних піратів чи інших розбійників, а володіння ним якоюсь країною, особливо Америкою, видається не таким небезпечним і навіть благим. Як ми вже знаємо, володіння атомною зброєю сучасними державами великого блага все ж таки не принесло, а ймовірність використання її не лише психом-одинаком, а й не менш психованою державою не менш велика, а то й незрівнянно більша. Також побіжно згадується можливе благо, якби таке відкриття згинуло відразу ж і разом із самим винахідником...
Мінусом твору я б відзначив традиційного для Верна потраплянця, з яким носяться весь твір, від імені якого і ведеться розповідь, хоча в реальності в 60% випадків його б із собою не брали, а в решті 39,9% його б позбулися одразу, щойно впевнились в його даремності і навіть ймовірній загрозі від нього. Це дещо псує і цей роман, хоча в решті розповідь має досить стрункий і логічний вигляд.
October 13, 2020
"Ante la Bandera" (1896) de
Julio Verne, es uno de los grandes libros del francés. La historia de un genio inventor ya viejo, sus desvaríos mentales, su descubrimiento de un arma poderosa y para el momento futurista (especie de bomba atómica o arma nuclear), las aspiraciones económicas del científico para develar el secreto de su invento a algunos países, la aventura del rapto del anciano y un cuidador asignado, y el cautiverio de estos en una gruta secreta de las Bermudas, por un hombre misterioso y un grupo de piratas que manejan una goleta impulsada por un submarino, constituyen la trama de esta aventura, que, al mejor estilo del visionario autor de otros clásicos del autor como Viaje al Centro de la Tierra, 20.000 Leguas de Viaje Submarino, Vuelta al Mundo en 80 días, De la Tierra a la Luna o El Soberbio Orinoco, sigue impresionando por su genialidad e imaginación proyectada a la literatura de forma impecable. Con un final fabuloso -por patriota y valeroso-, 2 o 3 personajes interesantes y bien definidos, un léxico técnico que ratifica el manejo fenomenal del escritor en torno a los temas del mar, la geografía y la navegación, forman parte de un relato que, como toda la obra del maestro, resulta más inteligente cuando se piensa en la época histórica de su creación y la información que dominaba y deducía posible hace más de 100 años.
Julio Verne, es uno de los grandes libros del francés. La historia de un genio inventor ya viejo, sus desvaríos mentales, su descubrimiento de un arma poderosa y para el momento futurista (especie de bomba atómica o arma nuclear), las aspiraciones económicas del científico para develar el secreto de su invento a algunos países, la aventura del rapto del anciano y un cuidador asignado, y el cautiverio de estos en una gruta secreta de las Bermudas, por un hombre misterioso y un grupo de piratas que manejan una goleta impulsada por un submarino, constituyen la trama de esta aventura, que, al mejor estilo del visionario autor de otros clásicos del autor como Viaje al Centro de la Tierra, 20.000 Leguas de Viaje Submarino, Vuelta al Mundo en 80 días, De la Tierra a la Luna o El Soberbio Orinoco, sigue impresionando por su genialidad e imaginación proyectada a la literatura de forma impecable. Con un final fabuloso -por patriota y valeroso-, 2 o 3 personajes interesantes y bien definidos, un léxico técnico que ratifica el manejo fenomenal del escritor en torno a los temas del mar, la geografía y la navegación, forman parte de un relato que, como toda la obra del maestro, resulta más inteligente cuando se piensa en la época histórica de su creación y la información que dominaba y deducía posible hace más de 100 años.
March 11, 2018
Este es uno de los libros que tenía para leer cada tanto. Si bien no es de lo mejor que ha creado Verne, lo divertido fue encontrar un rapto en el principio de la trama que me hizo quedarme hasta el final... eso y el Fulgurador del que no da demasiados detalles: .
Amplias descripciones de barcos, de submarinos, una leyenda típica casi infantil y un ingeniero. Después dos ingenieros y tres finalmente, pese a ello no es técnico para nada.
Quizá si hubiera explotado el potencial de describir un poco más el Fulgurador en vez de dar tanta vuelta... pero no. .
Bien pero pudo haber sido mejor.
Amplias descripciones de barcos, de submarinos, una leyenda típica casi infantil y un ingeniero. Después dos ingenieros y tres finalmente, pese a ello no es técnico para nada.
Quizá si hubiera explotado el potencial de describir un poco más el Fulgurador en vez de dar tanta vuelta... pero no. .
Bien pero pudo haber sido mejor.
August 27, 2023
Oh Julio Verne, que bueno que nunca me fallas. ¡Este libro es simplemente genial!.
Una historia "simple" pero fantásticamente contada, todo inicia en "la casa de la salud" en la pequeña localidad de New Berne, donde está asilado desde hace 18 meses Tomas Roch un inventor exitoso que parece haber perdido la cordura y asegura haber inventado el "Fulgurador Roch" un arma tan poderosa que podría devastar una nación entera; pero, ningún país cree en su existencia y mucho menos quieren pagar el exorbitante costo que el inventor exige por ella. Esta es la premisa, un inventor asilado, que es espiado por un ingeniero francés, un invento mortífero, todo un poco lineal hasta que, ocurre el secuestro y se acelera la marcha.
Es un gran libro, si bien la intriga no es bien llevada del todo, es entretenida. La traducción que me tocó leer refleja de manera muy buena la excelente narrativa de Verne.
La historia comienza algo sosa y piensas que es predecible, hasta el gran giro, que cambia por completo la perspectiva del camino llevaba el libro y nuestro protagonista "Simon Hart" es revelado como nuestro narrador y vivimos los demás acontecimientos de su puño y letra, en esta lucha por el dominio de un arma de destrucción masiva.
Una historia "simple" pero fantásticamente contada, todo inicia en "la casa de la salud" en la pequeña localidad de New Berne, donde está asilado desde hace 18 meses Tomas Roch un inventor exitoso que parece haber perdido la cordura y asegura haber inventado el "Fulgurador Roch" un arma tan poderosa que podría devastar una nación entera; pero, ningún país cree en su existencia y mucho menos quieren pagar el exorbitante costo que el inventor exige por ella. Esta es la premisa, un inventor asilado, que es espiado por un ingeniero francés, un invento mortífero, todo un poco lineal hasta que, ocurre el secuestro y se acelera la marcha.
Es un gran libro, si bien la intriga no es bien llevada del todo, es entretenida. La traducción que me tocó leer refleja de manera muy buena la excelente narrativa de Verne.
La historia comienza algo sosa y piensas que es predecible, hasta el gran giro, que cambia por completo la perspectiva del camino llevaba el libro y nuestro protagonista "Simon Hart" es revelado como nuestro narrador y vivimos los demás acontecimientos de su puño y letra, en esta lucha por el dominio de un arma de destrucción masiva.
September 25, 2019
Aparentemente Verne se baso en una historia real, un cientifico que habia descubierto un potente explosivo y el gobierno frances no se lo compro. Hasta parece que este personaje le incio un jucio por sentirse aludido. Y es razonable, porque la verdad es que el hombre de ciencia de esta novela no queda para nada bien parado.
En algun sentido es una novela antimilitarista, donde Verne ya muestra un tema que va a ser mas comun en la ciencia ficción venidera, y es el problema de la potencia destructora que también trae el progreso de la ciencia y la tragedia de que esto caiga en manos equivocadas. Aca es el caso de un submarino y de un potente explosivo.
La falla que le encuentro a la novela es que el protagonista, el narrador, no tiene justificacion de existir sino únicamente como narrador, al principio tiene una tarea, pero despues cunado lo secuestran junto con el cientifico ya no queda claro para que lo quieren. Es como si Verne necesitara un narrador en primera persona y lo agrego arbitrariamente , es una especia de deus ex machina, se justifique o no. Y otra cosa criticable es que el cientifico se detiene ante los colores de una bandera y no del asesinato de hombres
En algun sentido es una novela antimilitarista, donde Verne ya muestra un tema que va a ser mas comun en la ciencia ficción venidera, y es el problema de la potencia destructora que también trae el progreso de la ciencia y la tragedia de que esto caiga en manos equivocadas. Aca es el caso de un submarino y de un potente explosivo.
La falla que le encuentro a la novela es que el protagonista, el narrador, no tiene justificacion de existir sino únicamente como narrador, al principio tiene una tarea, pero despues cunado lo secuestran junto con el cientifico ya no queda claro para que lo quieren. Es como si Verne necesitara un narrador en primera persona y lo agrego arbitrariamente , es una especia de deus ex machina, se justifique o no. Y otra cosa criticable es que el cientifico se detiene ante los colores de una bandera y no del asesinato de hombres
August 23, 2020
Madre me compró este libro y nunca había leído nada de Verne así que quería echarle un ojo... supongo que mis ganas de leer contemporáneos que te presentan una historia totalmente mundana y escenarios comunes para los que vivimos en la ciudad jugó en contra. Los piratas y barcos le dieron un tinte a la historia que me disgustó, pero entiendo que es justamente eso, una cuestión meramente subjetiva.
Más allá de eso es interesante pensar el poder que cobra automáticamente una persona cuando descubre la manera de fabricar un arma destructiva de tal magnitud; trayéndolo a nuestra realidad actual pienso en que es el mismo poder que tiene cualquier persona portadora de arma (esté o no fuera de sí). La historia que Verne cuenta trata sí, del poder de la ciencia pero la verdad es que los años pasan y cada día resulta más accesible cualquier sustancia/objeto destructivo que se nos ocurra a nosotros como habitantes. Ya no podemos pensar a la ciencia como un ente ajeno a la sociedad, somos la ciencia porque somos aquellos que potenciamos a que se desarrolle..
Más allá de eso es interesante pensar el poder que cobra automáticamente una persona cuando descubre la manera de fabricar un arma destructiva de tal magnitud; trayéndolo a nuestra realidad actual pienso en que es el mismo poder que tiene cualquier persona portadora de arma (esté o no fuera de sí). La historia que Verne cuenta trata sí, del poder de la ciencia pero la verdad es que los años pasan y cada día resulta más accesible cualquier sustancia/objeto destructivo que se nos ocurra a nosotros como habitantes. Ya no podemos pensar a la ciencia como un ente ajeno a la sociedad, somos la ciencia porque somos aquellos que potenciamos a que se desarrolle..
March 26, 2013
review of
Jules Verne's For The Flag
by tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE - March 25, 2013
Continuing my spree of reading more obscure Jules Verne novels: this is the 4th - I've reviewed the others here: The Begum's Fortune ( http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17... ), The Demon of Cawnpore ( http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17... ), & Carpathian Castle ( http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17... ).
Perhaps what's most remarkable about this bk is this: "Verne had been greatly impressed by, and may indeed have derived the theme of his book from the experiences of a contemporary scientist, the chemist Eugène Turpin. This unfortunate man had invented a very powerful explosive, melinite, based, like the British lyddite, on picric acid. It had been rejected by the French Government, whom the embittered and half-ruined inventor had violently attacked in a book so virulent that the government he assailed promptly banned it. Some of his brushes with officialdom seem to have a parallel with those of Thomas Roch as described in For the Flag. / No inventor could feel flattered at being compared, even by implication, with a madman, and the unhappy Turpin was so enraged at the appearance of this book that he brought an action against Verne for defamation of character. Defended by one of his admirers, a brilliant young lawyer, Raymond Poincaré, who later became premier of France, Verne won his case." (pp 5- 6, I. O. Evans' Introduction)
Given that the bk is patriotic, I have to wonder whether Turpin didn't really just get screwed by Poincaré's fervor. An online site claims that "In Verne’s correspondance with his brother Paul, he frequently refers to “le Turpin”, meaning his character Roch, or the novel Facing the flag" ( http://jv.gilead.org.il/FAQ/ ) so it seems that Turpin was justified in suing Verne & that Verne just used his power & wealth to deny any of Turpin's accusations.
Verne describes Roch/Turpin thusly:
"This was a frenchman named Thomas Roch, aged forty. That he was mentally unbalanced could not be doubted, but so far the doctors had not declared him completely insane. His inability to cope with the most simple acts of life was only too certain, yet his reason remained clear, powerful and incontestable whenever an appeal was made to his genius - and who does not know that "great wits to madness often are allied"? But when his powers were called into action, they manifested themselves in delirium and incoherence. Then he became merely an unreasoning being, bereft of that natural instinct found even in the lower animals - that of self-preservation - and he had to be treated like a child who could not be trusted out of sight."
[..]
"Ordinary madness, when not incurable, can be cured only by moral means. medicine and therapeutics are impotent, and their inefficacy has long been recognized. Were moral means applicable to Thomas Roch? This was doubtful, even in the peaceful and salubrious surroundings of Healthful House. His symptoms - restlessness, varying moods, irritability, eccentricities of character, melancholy, apathy, repugnance to either amusement or serious occupation, were clearly defined. No doctor could be mistaken: no treatment promised either to remove or reduce them." - pp 10-11
Wdn't you be tempted to sue if you were described like that? &, yet, Roch is 'cured' by the 'villains' who simply treat him the way he wants to be treated. Verne seems to miss some of the implications of his own story. The villains in general are described thusly: "In them I can distinguish no common stock - not even, indeed, that bond which will be found among North Americans, or Europeans, or Asiatics. The colour of their skins varies - from white, to copper and black, and it is the black of the Australasian rather than that of the African. Most of them seem to belong to the East Indian races; Count d'Artigas certainly belongs to that race found in the Dutch East Indies: Serko comes from the Levant, and Spade seems of Italian origin." (p 101) Seems pretty good to me.
The intro concludes w/ the claim that Verne "seems to have had an inkling of the possibilities of future weapons, and this may help to explain the cloud of unhappiness which darkened his later years." (p 7) Then again, may be was approaching death w/ a less-than-enthusiastic attitude - like the rest of us. Regardless, this IS yet-another prophetic bk. It's easy to see Roch's invention as a guided nuclear missile (even tho that's not exactly right) & to imagine the idea developing in the bk much further than it actually did. While I reckon Verne probably thought he went pretty far w/ his destructive fantasy, I was a bit disappointed that it didn't go much further. Science fiction post Hiroshima & Nagasaki has no such limits.
In a dialog between the narrator & the main villain later in the bk, the narrator questions the villain:
""By what right, Sir-?" I demand.
""The right of the stronger," the Count replies. Then he goes aft, while the sailors carry Thomas Roch to his cabin." - p 72
What Verne doesn't question is whether the governments that he supports in his patriotism don't basically have the same idea - just backed by less honest philosophy.
W/o giving the plot away, I will say that on pp 86-87 there's a classic in/un-credible 'coincidence' that's just too strong to be believed. Then on page 165 the narrator makes a slip that he'd previously avoided & no mention of the previously feared consequences is made. This novel was written in 1896 & was a bit too similar to Verne's The Mysterious Island from 1874. As such, it was a bit of a disappointment. Whatever. I enjoyed it, it was typical Verne entertainment - wch I seem to have a well nigh 'eternal' soft spot for.
Jules Verne's For The Flag
by tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE - March 25, 2013
Continuing my spree of reading more obscure Jules Verne novels: this is the 4th - I've reviewed the others here: The Begum's Fortune ( http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17... ), The Demon of Cawnpore ( http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17... ), & Carpathian Castle ( http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17... ).
Perhaps what's most remarkable about this bk is this: "Verne had been greatly impressed by, and may indeed have derived the theme of his book from the experiences of a contemporary scientist, the chemist Eugène Turpin. This unfortunate man had invented a very powerful explosive, melinite, based, like the British lyddite, on picric acid. It had been rejected by the French Government, whom the embittered and half-ruined inventor had violently attacked in a book so virulent that the government he assailed promptly banned it. Some of his brushes with officialdom seem to have a parallel with those of Thomas Roch as described in For the Flag. / No inventor could feel flattered at being compared, even by implication, with a madman, and the unhappy Turpin was so enraged at the appearance of this book that he brought an action against Verne for defamation of character. Defended by one of his admirers, a brilliant young lawyer, Raymond Poincaré, who later became premier of France, Verne won his case." (pp 5- 6, I. O. Evans' Introduction)
Given that the bk is patriotic, I have to wonder whether Turpin didn't really just get screwed by Poincaré's fervor. An online site claims that "In Verne’s correspondance with his brother Paul, he frequently refers to “le Turpin”, meaning his character Roch, or the novel Facing the flag" ( http://jv.gilead.org.il/FAQ/ ) so it seems that Turpin was justified in suing Verne & that Verne just used his power & wealth to deny any of Turpin's accusations.
Verne describes Roch/Turpin thusly:
"This was a frenchman named Thomas Roch, aged forty. That he was mentally unbalanced could not be doubted, but so far the doctors had not declared him completely insane. His inability to cope with the most simple acts of life was only too certain, yet his reason remained clear, powerful and incontestable whenever an appeal was made to his genius - and who does not know that "great wits to madness often are allied"? But when his powers were called into action, they manifested themselves in delirium and incoherence. Then he became merely an unreasoning being, bereft of that natural instinct found even in the lower animals - that of self-preservation - and he had to be treated like a child who could not be trusted out of sight."
[..]
"Ordinary madness, when not incurable, can be cured only by moral means. medicine and therapeutics are impotent, and their inefficacy has long been recognized. Were moral means applicable to Thomas Roch? This was doubtful, even in the peaceful and salubrious surroundings of Healthful House. His symptoms - restlessness, varying moods, irritability, eccentricities of character, melancholy, apathy, repugnance to either amusement or serious occupation, were clearly defined. No doctor could be mistaken: no treatment promised either to remove or reduce them." - pp 10-11
Wdn't you be tempted to sue if you were described like that? &, yet, Roch is 'cured' by the 'villains' who simply treat him the way he wants to be treated. Verne seems to miss some of the implications of his own story. The villains in general are described thusly: "In them I can distinguish no common stock - not even, indeed, that bond which will be found among North Americans, or Europeans, or Asiatics. The colour of their skins varies - from white, to copper and black, and it is the black of the Australasian rather than that of the African. Most of them seem to belong to the East Indian races; Count d'Artigas certainly belongs to that race found in the Dutch East Indies: Serko comes from the Levant, and Spade seems of Italian origin." (p 101) Seems pretty good to me.
The intro concludes w/ the claim that Verne "seems to have had an inkling of the possibilities of future weapons, and this may help to explain the cloud of unhappiness which darkened his later years." (p 7) Then again, may be was approaching death w/ a less-than-enthusiastic attitude - like the rest of us. Regardless, this IS yet-another prophetic bk. It's easy to see Roch's invention as a guided nuclear missile (even tho that's not exactly right) & to imagine the idea developing in the bk much further than it actually did. While I reckon Verne probably thought he went pretty far w/ his destructive fantasy, I was a bit disappointed that it didn't go much further. Science fiction post Hiroshima & Nagasaki has no such limits.
In a dialog between the narrator & the main villain later in the bk, the narrator questions the villain:
""By what right, Sir-?" I demand.
""The right of the stronger," the Count replies. Then he goes aft, while the sailors carry Thomas Roch to his cabin." - p 72
What Verne doesn't question is whether the governments that he supports in his patriotism don't basically have the same idea - just backed by less honest philosophy.
W/o giving the plot away, I will say that on pp 86-87 there's a classic in/un-credible 'coincidence' that's just too strong to be believed. Then on page 165 the narrator makes a slip that he'd previously avoided & no mention of the previously feared consequences is made. This novel was written in 1896 & was a bit too similar to Verne's The Mysterious Island from 1874. As such, it was a bit of a disappointment. Whatever. I enjoyed it, it was typical Verne entertainment - wch I seem to have a well nigh 'eternal' soft spot for.
September 25, 2022
Francouzský vynálezce THOMAS ROCH sestrojil smrtící zbraň - bleskomet, ale žádný stát není ochoten zaplatit vysokou cenu za prozrazení plánu k jeho výrobě, které vědec požaduje. Částečně zešílel, a proto je poslán do amerického sanatoria, kde je pod lékařským dohledem a nepřetržitě je sledován jeho ošetřovatelem. Jednoho dne je tento vědec unesen i s jeho ošetřovatelem.. Kdo stojí za jejich únosem? Kam je odvezli? Podaří se únoscům získat recept na výrobu ničivé zbraně? To už se dočtete v tomto románu.
Musím se přiznat, že je to moje první přečtená kniha od Julesa Verna. Nevím, proč jsem se v minulosti nepustil do žádné verneovky. Nebýt klasikomilů, asi bych se k tomuto autorovi nedostal a to by byla škoda.
Kniha VYNÁLEZ ZKÁZY se mi líbila. Líbil se mi styl vyprávění, prostředí, ve kterém se děj knihy odehrával..
Kniha má pěkné ilustrace.
Musím se přiznat, že je to moje první přečtená kniha od Julesa Verna. Nevím, proč jsem se v minulosti nepustil do žádné verneovky. Nebýt klasikomilů, asi bych se k tomuto autorovi nedostal a to by byla škoda.
Kniha VYNÁLEZ ZKÁZY se mi líbila. Líbil se mi styl vyprávění, prostředí, ve kterém se děj knihy odehrával..
Kniha má pěkné ilustrace.
August 9, 2024
Jedna ze slabších Verneovek, kterou nezachrání ani těch pár zajímavých nápadů. Alespoň není moc dlouhá.
Mezi to dobré tady patří myšlenka zbraně s ohromným ničivým potenciálem a mírná dávka napětí. Oproti typickým Vernwovkám tahle kniha také není přeplněná jmény objevitelů a miliardou zeměpisných souřadnic.
To horší je vypravěč v podobě jednoho z protagonistů, který má sklon velmi často opakovat už řečené, velmi ploché postavy a absence jakékoliv ženské protagonistky. Jakoby na světě byli pouze muži. Patriotistické rozuzlení také není příliš uvěřitelné.
Jsem rád, že mám tuhle knihu za sebou, ale vracet se k ní určitě už nebudu. Z hlediska postav i děje byla dost slabá a dávám s odřenýma ušima 3/5. Nabývám přesvědčení, že Verne toho napsal hodně, ale jen máloco z toho stojí za přečtení.
Mezi to dobré tady patří myšlenka zbraně s ohromným ničivým potenciálem a mírná dávka napětí. Oproti typickým Vernwovkám tahle kniha také není přeplněná jmény objevitelů a miliardou zeměpisných souřadnic.
To horší je vypravěč v podobě jednoho z protagonistů, který má sklon velmi často opakovat už řečené, velmi ploché postavy a absence jakékoliv ženské protagonistky. Jakoby na světě byli pouze muži. Patriotistické rozuzlení také není příliš uvěřitelné.
Jsem rád, že mám tuhle knihu za sebou, ale vracet se k ní určitě už nebudu. Z hlediska postav i děje byla dost slabá a dávám s odřenýma ušima 3/5. Nabývám přesvědčení, že Verne toho napsal hodně, ale jen máloco z toho stojí za přečtení.
April 9, 2021
Raske on kirjutada seiklusraamatust midagi kus nagu ei juhtunud midagi.
Seal oli rööv, siis oli koobas, siis oli piraadid paar plahvatust ja saigi läbi. Palju pilte ka veel.
Kui mõelda et ta kirjutas selle enne 1900, siis võib vist jah ulmekaks selle tembeldada. Allveelaevad ja keemilised pommid. Aga praegu on see kõik nii igapäevane.
Ingliskeelne pealkiri on Facing the flag. Mis minuarust on palju parem pealkiri, peale raamatu lugemist paneb mõtlema, mis sa teeksid sellises olukorras, kui näed oma riigi lippu.(ei taha lõppu ära rääkida, kes lugenud see vast saab aru)
Kokkuvüttes kõige klassikalisem Verne jutt.
Seal oli rööv, siis oli koobas, siis oli piraadid paar plahvatust ja saigi läbi. Palju pilte ka veel.
Kui mõelda et ta kirjutas selle enne 1900, siis võib vist jah ulmekaks selle tembeldada. Allveelaevad ja keemilised pommid. Aga praegu on see kõik nii igapäevane.
Ingliskeelne pealkiri on Facing the flag. Mis minuarust on palju parem pealkiri, peale raamatu lugemist paneb mõtlema, mis sa teeksid sellises olukorras, kui näed oma riigi lippu.(ei taha lõppu ära rääkida, kes lugenud see vast saab aru)
Kokkuvüttes kõige klassikalisem Verne jutt.
July 23, 2017
Jules Verne is amazing once again in this story of the distant future. (He wrote his books in the 1800's) This book is about the technological advancement of war (weapons of mass destruction), a mystery and full of adventure. His prophesies are once again on mark. It does have shadows of a couple of his more famous books...20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Mysterious Island but who cares. I also got flashes of the James Bond stories with the haven in the volcano. Great read, easy read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews