Facing the Flag

by Jules Verne

"Facing the Flag" by Jules Verne is a novel published in 1896. A brilliant French inventor creates the Fulgurator, a devastating super-weapon capable of destroying ships without direct impact. When governments reject his invention, he descends into madness and paranoia. A notorious pirate kidnaps him to a hidden island base, forcing him to build the weapon while a French spy works desperately to stop the catastrophe. As naval powers close in, the inventor must choose between patriotism and revenge in this tale of technological terror and national loyalty.