Derelicts

Locke, William John, 1863-1930Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.2

Word count: 433K words
Chapters: 44

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Derelicts by William John LockeAuthor: Locke, William John, 1863-1930,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Nov 10, 2017

Editor's review

Derelicts is a novel by William John Locke, belonging to the tradition of early twentieth-century British popular fiction. Locke excelled at writing about human affairs and turns of fate in a lively, witty style, and this book likewise unfolds its narrative around changes in its characters' circumstances, carrying the humour and sentiment characteristic of its era. For general readers, its value lies in its strong readability and clear character relationships, making it a suitable entry point for understanding Edwardian British popular fiction; for readers with a literary interest, it offers a chance to observe how a bestselling author of the time handled themes such as chance, opportunity, and moral judgment. As a public-domain eBook, the edition information is minimal; readers are advised to focus on the story itself and not expect a modern scholarly introduction or detailed annotations.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy early twentieth-century British popular fiction and stories of manners and society
Literature enthusiasts who want to understand the character of Edwardian British fiction
Casual readers who prefer works with clear character relationships and lively, readable narration
Upper-intermediate readers using public-domain English novels for extensive reading or language learning

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting deep social critique or modernist experimental writing
Scholars needing detailed academic annotations and author research materials
Readers who prefer plot-driven suspense or fast-paced genre fiction
Beginners unfamiliar with early twentieth-century English expression and historical context

Reading tips

Read through the story first to grasp the character relationships, then revisit key turning points to appreciate Locke's narrative rhythm.
While reading, note how chance and opportunity drive the characters' fates; this is the thread for understanding the book's themes.
Read alongside other British popular fiction of the same period to compare different authors' humour and sentiment.
If English reading is difficult, read chapter summaries before returning to the original text to avoid being interrupted by period expression.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book suitable for English beginners?

Not very suitable for complete beginners or elementary readers. This is an early twentieth-century English novel whose sentence patterns and vocabulary carry period features; readers are advised to attempt it after reaching an upper-intermediate level, or to read with summaries and notes as support.

What are the characteristics of Locke's works?

According to public-domain general knowledge, Locke was an early twentieth-century British novelist whose works often depict human affairs and turns of fate in a lively, witty style, with a blend of humour and sentiment. This book continues that style of social narrative and is a suitable entry point for understanding his popular fiction.

Does this electronic edition have academic annotations?

This is a public-domain eBook from Project Gutenberg with minimal edition information; it typically does not include a modern scholarly introduction, detailed annotations, or author research materials. It is suitable for reading the story itself or as extensive reading material, not for scholarly study.

Do I need to understand the historical background to read this book?

Some knowledge of early twentieth-century British society and popular fiction helps but is not essential. The story itself has clear character relationships and readable narration; reading the plot first and then supplementing the historical background will make for a smoother reading experience.

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About the author

Locke, William John, 1863-1930 Author

William John Locke (1863–1930) was a British novelist, with 23 of his works held in this collection. His representative works include The Belovéd Vagabond, The Mountebank, The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol, Septimus, The Rough Road, The White Dove, The Morals of Marcus Ordeyne: a Novel, and Jaffery. Public information about his life is limited, so this entry offers only a brief account based on the works in the collection and the clues they provide. Judging from these titles and the character of the works, Locke's novels are largely character-centered, with brisk plots that often carry a romantic and humorous tone, blending vagabondage, adventure, and social observation, and creating many vividly drawn figures whose fortunes rise and fall. His works found a readership in the early twentieth century, and some were adapted for the stage and screen, leaving a mark on popular literature and general reading.