Jump to content

Envoy Extraordinary (novella): Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
expanded the plot summary
No edit summary
Line 28: Line 28:
The normal Roman world is shattered by the arrival of the inventor, Phanocles. He brings many inventions that are far ahead of his time, including the pressure cooker, steam engines and explosives.
The normal Roman world is shattered by the arrival of the inventor, Phanocles. He brings many inventions that are far ahead of his time, including the pressure cooker, steam engines and explosives.


However the emperor realise that these inventions will destabilize the empire. At the end of the book, the emperor send Phanocles away to be the ambassador to China. It can be concluded that this is why china, and not Rome invented these wonderful things some time later.
However', the emperor realises that these inventions will destabilize the empire. At the end of the book, the emperor sends Phanocles away to be the ambassador to China. It can be concluded that this is why China, and not Rome, invented these wonderful things some time later.


{{DEFAULTSORT:Envoy Extraordinary (Novella)}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Envoy Extraordinary (Novella)}}

Revision as of 21:50, 2 July 2015

Envoy Extraordinary
AuthorWilliam Golding
LanguageEnglish
GenreNovella
PublisherFaber & Faber
Publication date
1956
Publication placeUnited Kingdom
Media typePrint (Hardback & Paperback)
ISBNNA Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character

Envoy Extraordinary is a 1956 novella by William Golding, published along with Clonk Clonk and The Scorpion God in the collection The Scorpion God.

Envoy Extraordinary is set in Ancient Rome, in and around the Emperor's court. The aged Emperor lives with his favourite grandson, the seventeen-year-old Mamillius. The true heir, Posthumus, is governor of a distant province, but is jealous of Mamillius.

The normal Roman world is shattered by the arrival of the inventor, Phanocles. He brings many inventions that are far ahead of his time, including the pressure cooker, steam engines and explosives.

However', the emperor realises that these inventions will destabilize the empire. At the end of the book, the emperor sends Phanocles away to be the ambassador to China. It can be concluded that this is why China, and not Rome, invented these wonderful things some time later.