Face au drapeau

by Jules Verne

"Face au drapeau" by Jules Verne is a science fiction novel published in 1896. A brilliant French inventor creates a devastatingly powerful explosive weapon, but his excessive demands drive governments to reject him. Descending into madness, he's institutionalized—until a mysterious count kidnaps him to a secret island base. There, the inventor must decide whether to surrender his world-changing secret, even if it means betraying his own country. The novel reflects Verne's growing anxiety about technological progress and destructive weaponry.