Robur the Conqueror

Jules VerneProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.9

Word count: 496K words
Chapters: 50

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.Robur de Veroveraar by Jules VerneAuthor: Verne, Jules, 1828-1905,Language: Dutch, Class: PQ: Language and Literatures: Romance literatures: French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Release Date: Aug 21, 2006

Editor's review

Robur de Veroveraar is the Dutch translation of Jules Verne's Robur the Conqueror, a late Verne novel about a heavier-than-air flying machine that blends engineering imagination with personal conflict, debating rival approaches to aviation and the risks of technology monopolized by individual will. For Chinese readers, its particular value lies in offering a Dutch text usable for language learning, version comparison, or research on Verne's reception in Europe. It is best read not as hard science fiction but for its stance of technological optimism shadowed by unease, and for the late nineteenth-century public imagination of aviation's future. Readers already familiar with Chinese or French versions can use it as comparative material to observe how a translation handles technical terms and characters' tone.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Intermediate learners of Dutch who want to consolidate reading skills through literature
Comparative literature readers studying Verne translations and version differences
Science fiction fans interested in early aviation imagination and technology ethics
Collectors and textual scholars of Verne's multilingual editions

Not a good fit for

General Chinese readers with no Dutch who simply want the story
Readers expecting contemporary hard-SF technical detail and scientific rigor
Readers who prefer short, fast-paced works and have little patience for technical debate

Reading tips

Read the Chinese or French version first for the plot, then the Dutch version for language comparison
Mark passages on the flying machine and technical debate, and make terminology cards
After each chapter, retell the gist in Dutch to test comprehension
Compare with Verne's other aviation-themed works to study his technological imagination

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 without knowing Dutch?

You can work through it paragraph by paragraph with a dictionary or translation tools, but it will be laborious. This is a Dutch translation; if you only want the story, start with the Chinese or French version. The Dutch text suits learners with some foundation for language practice or version comparison, not as an introductory read.

How does this story relate to Verne's other works?

It belongs to Verne's later period and continues his interest in new technological possibilities, especially aviation. Its debate over heavier-than-air flying machines can be read alongside other technological fantasies of the time, showing Verne's shift from adventure narrative toward technological and social issues.

Is this translation suitable as material for translation studies?

It works as a case study but requires caution. It is a public-domain electronic text lacking the editorial notes and translator background of modern editions; research should compare it with the French original and translations in other languages, focusing on how technical terms, forms of address, and narrative tone are handled.

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.