'Farewell, Nikola'

Boothby, Guy, 1867-1905Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 3.0

Word count: 379K words
Chapters: 38

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. 'Farewell, Nikola' by Guy Boothby. Author: Boothby, Guy, 1867-1905. Language: English. Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature. Release Date: Jun 4, 2012

Editor's review

Farewell, Nikola is one installment in Guy Boothby's series featuring Nikola, and Project Gutenberg offers the free original English text. Boothby's work is known for late nineteenth- to early twentieth-century popular adventure and suspense, with plots built around mysterious figures, conspiracies, and exotic settings, fast pacing, and dense dialogue—clearly bearing the character of popular fiction of its era. As a series closer, its value lies in showing how this kind of fiction drives narrative through character appeal; it is a usable text both for readers studying popular literature and for those who want light reading practice in the original English. Note that some ideas and expressions in the book carry the limitations of their time, and readers should keep a sense of distance while reading. It is advisable to first grasp the general character relationships from earlier books in the series, or to treat this book as a standalone adventure story; also pay attention to how the narrator builds suspense and ties up clues, which offers more insight into how such works are written than simply chasing the plot. Public-domain eBook formatting depends on the platform; after downloading, it is best to read chapter by chapter.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy late nineteenth- to early twentieth-century popular adventure fiction
Suspense fans who want light reading practice in the original English
Readers interested in the Nikola series characters and popular literature of the period
Those studying narrative techniques in popular literature who need a public-domain text

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting the depth and nuanced psychological portrayal of serious literature
Readers unable to accept the outdated ideas and expressions of an older era
Those who need a Chinese translation or detailed annotations
Readers who prefer modern pacing and tightly structured deduction

Reading tips

Read earlier books in the series first, or at least learn the basic setup of the character Nikola before starting this book.
Proceed chapter by chapter and jot down suspense clues as you go; after finishing, look back at how those clues were resolved.
When you encounter passages with clearly dated attitudes, there is no need to stop and argue; finish the book first, then judge them in their historical context as a whole.
Compare it with other popular adventure novels of the same period to see the common techniques this genre uses in character development.

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

Can I read this book directly without having read earlier books in the Nikola series?

Yes, but the series' character relationships and Nikola's setup are developed more fully in earlier books, so reading this one directly may make some echoes and character motivations feel less clear. It is advisable to first learn the series' basic setup, or to read this book as a standalone adventure story; when relationships are unclear, don't get stuck—follow the plot first.

Is this a detective novel?

It is closer to popular adventure and suspense than to tightly structured classical detective fiction. It draws readers in through a mysterious figure, conspiracy, and pacing, and puzzle design is not the focus. If you want fair-play clues and rigorous deduction, you may be disappointed; if you enjoy character appeal and an adventurous atmosphere, it is a better fit.

Are there outdated limitations in the book that I should be aware of?

As a popular work from the early twentieth century, the book may contain ideas and expressions that seem outdated or inappropriate today. It is best to understand them in their historical context—there is no need to endorse them, nor to give up the whole book because of them; if such content makes you uncomfortable, you can choose not to read it or to read only the main plot.

How can I get an electronic copy of this book?

The book is published by Project Gutenberg and can be searched by title and downloaded for free on its platform, usually in plain text and other formats. Proofreading and formatting may differ between versions, so choose a relatively recent release; after downloading, you can read chapter by chapter to keep the pace manageable.

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Boothby, Guy, 1867-1905 Author

Guy Boothby (1867-1905) was an English writer of popular fiction in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, though public information about the details of his life is limited. Sixteen of his works are held in this collection, mostly adventure, mystery and popular romance, commonly classified under inspirational growth. Representative titles include A Bid for Fortune; or, Dr. Nikola's Vendetta, Pharos, The Egyptian: A Romance, Long Live the King! and My Strangest Case, whose titles reveal his fondness for exotic settings, mysterious figures and tightly paced plots. Boothby was skilled at driving narrative through sustained suspense and created memorable characters such as Dr. Nikola; his works found a wide readership in their day and had some influence on later adventure and thriller writing.