Master of the World (Maître du monde) was published by Pierre-Jules Hetzel in 1904, two years before Verne’s death. The novel brings back Robur, now more megomaniacal than ever. He has built the Terror — a vehicle that can drive on roads, sail on water, fly through the air, and travel underwater — and uses it to terrorize the world while declaring himself its master. Inspector John Strock of the United States Secret Service is tasked with tracking Robur down.
The novel reflected Verne’s late-career pessimism about technology. Where the early novels celebrated scientific progress as an unambiguous good, Master of the World presented technology in the hands of a madman as a threat to civilization. Robur had evolved from an eccentric genius in the first novel to a megalomaniac villain in the sequel — a trajectory that paralleled Verne’s own disillusionment.
Collecting Master of the World
First edition in French (Hetzel, Paris, 1904): Hetzel cartonnage binding.
Market values:
- Hetzel first edition, fine: $600–$1,500
- First English edition: $150–$500
Projected values (2026–2036): Moderate appreciation.
The Dark Verne
Published in 1904, a year before Verne’s death, Master of the World returns to Robur, who has built a vehicle that can travel on land, sea, underwater, and through the air. But where the earlier Robur was a heroic inventor, this one has become a megalomaniac who declares himself “Master of the World.” The novel reflects Verne’s late-career pessimism about technology: where the young Verne celebrated science as liberation, the old Verne saw its potential for tyranny.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Verne’s outlook darken over time? Yes. The early novels (Five Weeks in a Balloon, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Twenty Thousand Leagues) are optimistic about science and human capability. The later novels (Master of the World, The Eternal Adam, Paris in the Twentieth Century) are pessimistic, depicting technology as a tool of oppression and human nature as resistant to improvement.