
A scholarly investigation opens the story, as a determined professor reaches out to a retired general for any recollection of a baffling ruler who rose from obscurity to dominate a great nation. Through a series of letters, the narrative explores the paradox of a man who, despite being uneducated and superstitious, commanded unwavering loyalty and imposed a brutal, sultan‑like regime on a modern, technologically advanced society.
The book follows the professor’s frustrating quest for answers, confronting silent witnesses, evasive officials, and even a janitor who claims to have seen the leader’s “holy” aura. As he pieces together fragmented testimonies, the reader is drawn into a tense study of how charisma, fear, and irrational belief can fuse to create a terrifying political phenomenon—raising more questions than answers about the nature of power itself.
Language
en
Duration
~45 minutes (43K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Greg Weeks, Bruce Albrecht, Stephen Blundell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2007-11-24
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1896–1975
A prolific pioneer of science fiction, he helped shape the genre with fast-moving stories full of big ideas, practical ingenuity, and a sense that ordinary people could outthink extraordinary problems.
View all books