Michel Strogoff

Jules VerneProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.2

Word count: 122K words
Chapters: 13

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. Michel Strogoff by Adolphe d'Ennery and Jules Verne. Author: Verne, Jules, 1828-1905. Language: French. Class: PQ: Language and Literatures: Romance literatures: French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese. Release Date: Oct 7, 2008

Editor's review

"Michel Strogoff" is a novel by Jules Verne in collaboration with the playwright Adolphe d'Ennery, set in Tsarist Russia and telling the adventure of the courier Michel Strogoff as he crosses Siberia to deliver a secret order. The work combines geographical fiction with adventure narrative, presenting along the way the vast empire's landscapes and the hardships of travel; the plot moves briskly, and the main line of loyalty and courage is clear. As a public-domain electronic text, this edition is the French original, suitable for readers who want to encounter a non-science-fiction representative work by Verne or to experience 19th-century French narrative in the original. When reading, follow the journey on a map and note how the author handles space and time; if your French is not yet fluent, first use a Chinese translation to grasp the plot, then return to the original.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who love Verne's adventure novels and want to explore his non-science-fiction works
Learners with some French who want to read 19th-century French in the original
Readers interested in Siberian geography and the Tsarist Russian background
Fiction lovers who prefer brisk plots and travel narratives

Not a good fit for

Beginners who cannot read French at all and do not plan to use a translation
Verne readers expecting science fiction or scientific prophecy
Those who only want short pieces and lack patience for a long travel narrative

Reading tips

First skim the chapter titles and a map to establish the route framework of Michel's journey east from Moscow.
If French is difficult, read alongside a Chinese translation, focusing on the rhythm and dialogue of the original.
Take notes on the natural and cultural descriptions along the journey as a literary geography of 19th-century Siberia.
At key turning points, pause and guess the character's next move, then continue to see if you were right.

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 a science fiction novel by Verne?

No. It is an adventure and travel novel with a historical setting, written by Verne in collaboration with the playwright d'Ennery; it focuses on the courier's journey across Siberia to deliver a secret order rather than on scientific fantasy or technological prophecy, and is suitable for readers who want to see the diversity of Verne's work.

Is this edition in English or French?

According to the catalog information, this Project Gutenberg edition is in French and is a public-domain electronic text. If the original is difficult, read alongside a Chinese translation to grasp the plot first and then look at the original, which lowers the threshold.

Can I understand it without a map?

You can, but a map helps. The story unfolds around a long journey east from Moscow; marking the places passed on a simple map as you read helps you understand the progress of the journey, the sense of urgency, and the role of the geographical descriptions.

Comments

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About the author

Jules Verne Author · French · 1828–1905

Jules Verne (1828–1905) was a French author born in Nantes and died in Amiens, and is regarded as one of the founders of modern science fiction. He excelled at combining scientific knowledge, geographical exploration, and adventure narratives, drawing readers with precise detail and imaginative journeys. His representative works include Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas, Around the World in Eighty Days, and From the Earth to the Moon, with themes such as submarine voyages and global travel enjoying wide circulation. The library holds 141 of his works, reflecting the sheer volume and reach of his writing. His novels often center on exploring unknown worlds against the backdrop of nineteenth-century scientific progress, and have had a profound influence on later science fiction and adventure literature.