Michael Strogoff, The Courier of the Czar; The Mutineers. A Romance of Mexico.

New York: Scribner, Armstrong & Company, 1877. First US Edition . Hardcover. Good. xi, [3], 377, [11] p. 22 cm. Frontispiece and half title vignette. 88 other b&w plates. Green cloth with black and gold impressing, bevelled edges. Front cover shows Strogoff on a speeding horse. Cloth rubbed, corners and spine tail worn, spine head softened, small dark spot on rear board. Plate opposite p. 174 has blue crayon, slightly marking the picture itself. Stains to margins of pp. 316-317 also affecting surrounding pages. Other stains throughout, worse towards rear. A few signatures jutting out slightly. Wrapped in mylar, removed for photos.

Despite not being his usual science fiction, this historical tale of adventure taking place during a Siberian revolt is considered by many to be one of Verne's finest novels. While not about science, a scientific phenomenon, the Leidenfrost effect, is used as a plot device when he hero's evaporating tears save the hero him from being blinded. The story has been adapted many times for film, TV and cartoon entertainment, even adapted into a play by Verne himself and Adolphe d'Ennery.

The role of Chambers as secondary translator is interesting. During the translation by Kingston for the British edition, it was discovered that one chapter, "The Marshes of the Baraba," was almost untranslatable because of the knowledge of entomology it demanded. Chambers visited Verne himself at Amiens and had the author go over the text of this highly scientific section. He was impressed by Verne's library of insect books and the specimens he had collected from the French vice consular agent at Tomsk.

At rear is the novella "The Mutineers" followed by 6 p. of publisher's ads. Myers 40. Taves & Michaluk V015.