Facing the Flag by Jules Verne
Author: Jules Verne | Published: 1896
Facing the Flag Synopsis
Facing the Flag, or For the Flag (French: Face au drapeau) is a novel by Jules Verne, first published in 1896. It tells the story of a French inventor, Thomas Roch, who created a powerful weapon called the "fulgurator." The fulgurator is a ray gun that can destroy anything it hits, and Roch is determined to sell it to the highest bidder.
After being unable to sell his weapon, Roch becomes bitter, hysterical, and paranoid. The US government places him inside a lavish asylum. Suddenly, Roch was kidnapped by pirates and taken to their island stronghold, Back Cup. The pirates plan to use the fulgurator to rob ships and extort money from governments. One of the pirates' right hands is Gaydon, a French engineer and explosives expert in disguise whose real name is Simon Hart. In a metal keg, Hart covertly transmits a message outlining Karraje's exploits and his upcoming acquisition of the Fulgurator. After receiving notice from Bermuda-based officials at their neighboring naval facility, the British Navy dispatches a submarine, HMS Sword, to find Hart.
Excerpt from Facing the Flag Online Book
The carte de visite received that day, June 15, 189—, by the director of the establishment of Healthful House was a very neat one, and simply bore, without escutcheon or coronet, the name:
COUNT D’ARTIGAS.
Below this name, in a corner of the card, the following address was written in lead pencil:
“On board the schooner Ebba, anchored off New-Berne, Pamlico Sound.”
About Jules Verne
Jules Verne (1828-1905) was a French writer widely regarded as one of the pioneers of science fiction literature. Born in Nantes, France, on February 8, 1828, Verne was fascinated with travel and exploration from an early age. However, his father wanted him to pursue a legal career, and Verne reluctantly studied law in Paris.
Despite his legal studies, Verne's passion for writing persisted, and he began to contribute articles and plays to various publications. In the 1850s, he met Pierre-Jules Hetzel, a publisher who recognized Verne's talent and encouraged him to write adventure stories for young readers. This partnership proved instrumental in shaping Verne's literary career. Verne's breakthrough came with the publication of his novel "Five Weeks in a Balloon" in 1863, followed by "Journey to the Center of the Earth" (1864) and "From the Earth to the Moon" (1865). Find out more about Jules Verne at sevenov.com.