0,49 €
Niedrigster Preis in 30 Tagen: 1,99 €
Niedrigster Preis in 30 Tagen: 1,99 €
Mehr erfahren.
- Herausgeber: Booksell-Verlag
- Kategorie: Abenteuer, Thriller, Horror
- Sprache: Englisch
In "The Great White Queen: A Tale of Treasure and Treason," William Le Queux weaves a gripping narrative that melds adventure with political intrigue set against the backdrop of the British Empire. The novel showcases Le Queux's flair for vivid descriptions and intricate plotting, as it follows an intrepid protagonist embroiled in a web of treachery, treasure hunts, and the complexities of colonial power. Notably, the book reflects the anxieties and aspirations of its time, particularly concerning imperial expansion and the mysteries of foreign lands, while also exploring themes of loyalty and betrayal. William Le Queux was an influential English author and journalist, deeply invested in the anxieties of early 20th-century Britain. His experiences as a war correspondent and his fascination with espionage and international relations profoundly shaped his literary career. In "The Great White Queen," Le Queux channels his observations of imperial politics and his understanding of human nature into a thrilling narrative that captures the spirit of his age, highlighting colonial undercurrents and the folly of hubris. This book is a must-read for those interested in the intersections of adventure and imperialism in literature. Le Queux's masterful storytelling combined with rich historical context offers readers an enthralling experience that resonates with contemporary themes of loyalty and treason. Dive into this treasure-laden journey crafted by a master of early 20th-century fiction. In this enriched edition, we have carefully created added value for your reading experience: - A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes. - The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists. - A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing. - A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings. - Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life. - Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance. - Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Das E-Book können Sie in Legimi-Apps oder einer beliebigen App lesen, die das folgende Format unterstützen:
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019
Ähnliche
The Great White Queen: A Tale of Treasure and Treason
Table of Contents
Introduction
A quest for dazzling wealth collides with the peril of betrayal as power, desire, and deception orbit an enigmatic sovereign whose influence can crown or destroy. William Le Queux’s The Great White Queen: A Tale of Treasure and Treason draws its energy from the classic pressures of adventure fiction—risk, secrecy, and moral tests—while framing them around the magnetic presence of a ruler whose very title signals both awe and ambiguity. The result is a story that positions treasure not only as material prize but as a measure of courage, loyalty, and the fragile bonds that hold companions and kingdoms together.
Written by the British author William Le Queux, best known for fast-paced tales of intrigue and adventure from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, this novel belongs to the Victorian adventure tradition. First published in the final years of the nineteenth century, it reflects the era’s appetite for journeys to distant frontiers, perilous quests, and conspiratorial politics. Readers encounter a blend of travel narrative and court-centered scheming, rendered with the sensational momentum that made Le Queux a popular name in his time. The book occupies a space where romance, daring exploits, and political tension converge within an expansive, exoticized canvas.
Without disclosing more than its premise, the narrative follows an outsider drawn into the orbit of a powerful queen and a perilous pursuit of hidden wealth. A chance allegiance opens doors to influence and danger alike, implicating the protagonist in intrigues that test trust, courage, and judgement. Across unfamiliar customs and volatile alliances, the stakes escalate: treasure promises freedom or ruin, while whispers of treason threaten to upend fragile order. The story invites readers to experience discovery mixed with doubt, as every apparent boon carries a shadow, and every oath demands a price in a world where loyalty is constantly weighed.
Le Queux’s style privileges momentum: scenes unfold with cinematic clarity, reversals arrive at charged intervals, and descriptions heighten both atmosphere and risk. The voice favors vivid set pieces—flight, pursuit, negotiation—and draws suspense from the uncertainty of motives around the central throne. Though the prose is of its period, the pacing anticipates modern popular fiction, sustaining urgency through cliff-edge transitions and strategic revelations. The mood oscillates between wonder at pageantry and dread of sudden violence, giving the book a dual character: spectacular and ominous, expansive and claustrophobic. Readers should expect a brisk, plot-driven experience that continually beckons them onward.
Treasure and treason operate as thematic mirrors: the lure of wealth exposes the price of allegiance, and the threat of betrayal clarifies what loyalty truly means. Power—its seductions, compromises, and vulnerabilities—sits at the heart of the book, embodied in a monarch whose authority inspires fervor and fear. The story probes how ambition reshapes ideals, how rumor and ritual confer legitimacy, and how trust is bartered when fortunes turn. It also weighs public duty against private desire, asking what individuals owe to companions, to rulers, and to conscience when stakes are absolute and choices carry consequences that echo beyond any single victory.
Encountered today, the novel serves both as high-stakes entertainment and as a window into late-Victorian imaginations of distant realms and royal spectacle. Its adventurous surface invites reflection on the period’s fascination with exploration, conquest, and the allure of mythic sovereigns. Modern readers may also consider the book’s framing of otherness and power, recognizing that some depictions reflect historical attitudes that warrant critical distance. At the same time, its core questions—about the ethics of acquisition, the fragility of political legitimacy, and the volatility of allegiance—remain resonant, offering material for discussion about authority, exploitation, and the costs of pursuing wealth at any scale.
For readers seeking the sensations of classic adventure—the jolt of danger, the riddle of motives, the pull of an uncertain map—The Great White Queen offers a propulsive journey shaped by intrigue at court and peril on the march. The pleasures here are those of escalation: schemes compound, loyalties are strained, and the promise of treasure sharpens every decision. Yet the book also invites a steadier kind of attention, rewarding those who trace how narrative spectacle intersects with moral pressure. Approached with curiosity and a historical lens, it provides both escapist momentum and enduring questions about power, trust, and the price of ambition.
Synopsis
The Great White Queen: A Tale of Treasure and Treason follows a young English narrator who is drawn into a perilous adventure after a chance meeting with a displaced royal envoy. From London’s clubs and quiet streets, he hears of a distant realm, a threatened throne, and a treasure whose fate decides a nation’s future. Compelled by duty and curiosity, he agrees to aid the rightful cause. The story sets its stakes early: proof must be gathered, allies found, and an opposing faction unmasked. A rumor of a “Great White Queen” provides both mystery and hope, guiding the mission’s purpose.
Preparations reveal the scale of the plot. Cryptic documents, coded maps, and whispered warnings suggest that treason has spread beyond the lost kingdom and into European ports and offices. The narrator and his companions assemble a discreet expedition, mindful that watchful eyes follow every move. A voyage is planned under assumed identities, and contingency plans are made for betrayal at sea. Names are kept secret, messages are burned, and routes are altered. The departure, while outwardly ordinary, signals an entry into a hidden war whose fronts shift from drawing rooms to deserts, and from diplomatic courtesies to covert pursuit.
The journey begins with a sea passage to a North African coast, then turns inland through caravan tracks patrolled by rumor and risk. The party navigates hostile terrain, uncertain alliances, and sudden ambushes, surviving by tact as much as force. Each stage brings signs of a powerful conspiracy: purchased guides, intercepted letters, and false beacons. Yet the legends they collect are equally persistent—the tale of a sovereign known as the Great White Queen, guardian of an ancient mandate, and of treasure bound to the crown’s legitimacy. Adversity hardens the group’s resolve as the path narrows toward a hidden interior.
Encounters with frontier tribes offer fragmentary truths. Traders speak of a capital concealed by natural barriers, governed by strict rites and long memory. Symbols recur on amulets and carved stones, aligning with marks on the expedition’s ciphered map. A cautious fellowship forms with local allies who respect the queen’s authority and fear the conspirators’ reach. News of a rival claimant intensifies urgency; grain stores are counted, messengers vanish, and oaths are taken at firesides. The narrator observes the delicate balance of custom and necessity, learning that success will rest as much on understanding the land’s laws as on bold action.
After trials at river crossings and mountain passes, the travelers reach the outer marches of the secluded kingdom. The first glimpse of its arranged terraces, watchtowers, and ceremonial avenues suggests a society at once disciplined and vulnerable. A formal reception introduces the court’s hierarchy and its guarded protocols. The Great White Queen appears as a figure of poise and resolve, neither a distant legend nor a mere symbol. She demands proof: tangible links between the hidden treasure, the royal prerogative, and a treasonable network that seeks to divert both. The narrator’s credibility is weighed against spies’ counterclaims and forged testimonies.
Within the capital, intrigue deepens. A high official’s influence grows in defiance of custom, priests debate omens, and loyal officers divide their forces to watch the roads. Clues suggest the treasure’s resting place lies behind ritual taboos and encoded genealogies. The narrator is tasked to test the cipher and verify a chain of custody that could legitimize the throne. He navigates archives, shrines, and subterranean chambers where mechanical traps and ceremonial wards guard the past. Every discovery provokes an equal response from the conspirators—papers vanish, a witness recants—and the question of who controls succession becomes as urgent as where the treasure lies.
A series of expeditions probe sacred precincts beyond the city’s edge. Natural hazards, forgotten passageways, and shifting loyalties complicate progress. Partial finds—a seal, a key, a fragment of a decree—connect the treasure to a covenant between ruler and people. The queen’s measured directives steady the effort while unrest rises. The rival faction, supported by external financiers and internal sympathizers, seeks to trigger a crisis before legitimacy can be demonstrated. Ambushes test the expedition’s cohesion, and a narrow escape forces the narrator to change tactics. With evidence growing but incomplete, the stakes tilt toward open confrontation and a decisive test of authority.
The conflict approaches its climax as the city girds for siege and outposts signal trouble along the approaches. Alliances clarify: some neutral parties commit, while others reveal hidden ties. The narrator undertakes a final, covert mission to prevent the treasure’s misappropriation, critical not for its material value alone but for the legal and spiritual continuity it represents. A confrontation looms in which documents, oaths, and tokens matter as much as blades. Roles harden, choices narrow, and timing becomes everything. The narrative presses toward resolution without disclosing its outcome, emphasizing the peril of delay and the necessity of decisive, lawful assertion.
By tracing treason’s path alongside the search for treasure, the book presents a story of legitimacy tested under pressure. The Great White Queen stands for continuity and just rule; the treasure, for an inheritance that binds ruler and realm. The narrator’s witness frames each step, moving from rumor to evidence, and from perilous journey to institutional reckoning. Without revealing the final turn, the tale underscores themes of loyalty, duty, and the interplay between custom and power. The result is an adventure that carries its characters across landscapes and through courtrooms, from coded maps to sworn testimony, toward a contested but clarifying judgment.
Historical Context
Set during the late Victorian age, the narrative inhabits a fictionalized African interior shaped by real late nineteenth-century geopolitics. The setting evokes caravan routes running from the Great Lakes and Zambezi regions to coastal entrepôts such as Zanzibar, Mozambique Island, and the lower Congo, where steamers, telegraph lines, and chartered companies extended European reach. Indigenous polities confront ivory and gold frontiers, gun-running, and missionary stations, while European agents negotiate treaties and concessions. The title resonates with a period when many African leaders referred to Queen Victoria as the "Great White Queen," signifying the vast, distant authority of Britain. The book’s atmosphere mirrors this frontier world of expedition, concession hunting, and volatile alliances.
Foremost is the Scramble for Africa, formalized at the Berlin Conference (1884–1885) under Otto von Bismarck. Fourteen powers drafted the General Act, codifying “effective occupation,” free navigation on the Congo and Niger, and protocols for treaty-making with African rulers. Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, and Portugal accelerated territorial claims, sending soldiers, surveyors, and corporate agents inland. The novel’s intrigue and contested treasures echo this climate of rapid flag-planting and paper sovereignties, where maps were revised as fast as caravans could move. Its rivalries, secret missions, and ambiguous commandments of empire reflect the conference’s consequences: overlapping claims, dubiously obtained concessions, and the normalization of private imperial ventures.
Chartered-company rule in southern Africa decisively shaped the era. The Rudd Concession (30 October 1888) extracted mineral rights from King Lobengula of the Ndebele for Cecil Rhodes and partners, paving the way for the British South Africa Company (charter granted 29 October 1889). The Pioneer Column crossed the Limpopo in 1890; war with the Ndebele followed in 1893. The Jameson Raid (29 December 1895–2 January 1896), led by Leander Starr Jameson against the South African Republic, collapsed in fiasco, implicating Rhodes and alarming London and Pretoria. The book’s themes of “treason” and clandestine plots parallel this world of private armies, covert correspondence, and fortunes staked on goldfields, where legal and illegal violence intertwined.
The Congo Free State, personally controlled by King Leopold II after 1885, exemplified extractive empire. With the Force Publique (from 1886), the regime imposed labor quotas for ivory and, in the 1890s, rubber, underpinned by hostage-taking and mutilation. Early British reporting in the mid-1890s already circulated rumors of atrocities along the Congo River; later investigations (e.g., Roger Casement’s 1904 report) would confirm them. The novel’s fascination with hidden wealth and perilous expeditions gains a darker counterpoint in this context: treasure was often seized through coercion, the “unknown interior” mapped by agents like H. M. Stanley for commercial control. The dangers faced by protagonists mirror the brutalized political economy of the basin.
The Mahdist War (1881–1899) reshaped perceptions of African warfare and imperial security. Muhammad Ahmad’s movement defeated Anglo-Egyptian forces, culminating in the fall of Khartoum (January 1885) and the death of General Charles Gordon. The reconquest led by Herbert Kitchener (1896–1898), using a desert railway, gunboats, and Maxim guns, won decisive victories at Atbara (April 1898) and Omdurman (2 September 1898). This technologically tilted warfare—small imperial columns prevailing through firepower, logistics, and telegraph—suffuses the novel’s martial ambience. Its depictions of mobile columns, sudden reversals, and long-distance communications reflect a strategic culture forged in Sudan and carried into other frontiers of the Scramble.
The Witwatersrand gold discoveries (from 1886 at Langlaagte) transformed the Transvaal’s politics and global finance. Johannesburg’s boom drew foreign "uitlanders" into President Paul Kruger’s republic, igniting disputes over franchise rights, taxation, and control of the mines dominated by Randlords like Alfred Beit and Barney Barnato. Diplomatic sparring with Britain sharpened, and conspiracies—culminating in the Jameson Raid—eroded trust. The atmosphere of high-stakes speculation, secret deals, and border tensions informs the book’s preoccupation with treasonous schemes and contested riches. The frontier is not only geographical but financial, where scrip, concessions, and intelligence leaks can determine fates as surely as rifles and caravans.
East African coastal politics and anti-slavery campaigns framed inland routes for ivory and captives. The 1873 Anglo-Zanzibari treaty, pressed by Sir John Kirk and Sir Bartle Frere upon Sultan Barghash, banned slave exports from Zanzibar; the Heligoland–Zanzibar Treaty (1890) consolidated British influence. Yet clandestine caravans persisted until forceful suppression and the symbolic Anglo-Zanzibar War (27 August 1896), the shortest war on record. Maritime patrols, consular courts, and missionary stations reshaped corridor towns from Bagamoyo to Mombasa. The book’s movement of treasure and information along caravan chains mirrors these real networks, while its betrayals evoke the era’s smuggling, gun-running, and the ambiguous roles of coastal elites and foreign "advisers."
As political critique, the book exposes how private adventurers and chartered interests blurred law and predation, turning “civilizing” rhetoric into cover for resource seizure. Its treasons reflect the ethical vacuity of concession hunting and the willingness of imperial sponsors to deny culpability when schemes failed, as with the Jameson Raid. By tracing treasure through violence-ridden corridors, the narrative indicts an economy built on coerced labor and lopsided treaties. It also stages the tensions between distant metropolitan authority—the "Great White Queen"—and on-the-ground actors who manipulate her name. Class privilege, racial hierarchies, and the commodification of land and labor stand as the era’s central injustices under its adventurous surface.
