The Land Leviathan
Encyclopedia
The Land Leviathan is a sci-fi/alternate history novel by Michael Moorcock
, first published in 1974. Originally subtitled A New Scientific Romance, it has been seen as an early steampunk
novel, dealing with an alternative British Imperial history dominated by airships and futuristic warfare. It is a sequel to Warlord of the Air
(1971) and followed by The Steel Tsar
(1981). This proto-steampunk trilogy is also published as the compilation volume A Nomad of the Time Streams
.
's adventures "trapped forever in the shifting tides of time" is framed with the concept of the book being a long lost manuscript, as related by Moorcock's grandfather. Several years after Bastable disappeared in 1910, the elder Moorcock travels to China
in an attempt to track him down, meeting Una Persson
of the Jerry Cornelius
novels on the way who before disappearing leaves him a manuscript written by Bastable for Moorcock, relating what happened to Bastable after he unexpectedly left the elder Moorcock at the end of Warlord of the Air
, probably bound for another alternate 20th century.
Bastable's story takes in a post-apocalyptic early twentieth century between 1904 and 1908, where Western Europe
and the United States
have been devastated by accelerated technological change, which led to a prolonged global war causing their reversion to barbarism
. By contrast, South Africa
is ruled by Gandhi, apartheid never happened and is an oasis of civilisation which stayed out of the conflict being an affluent, technologically advanced nation in this alternate, anti-imperialist twentieth century. To restore civilisation and social order in the afflicted Northern Hemisphere, a 'Black Attila' leads an African army to beneficent if paternalist conquest of Europe and an apocalyptic war against the United States
featuring the "vast, moving ziggurat
of destruction" of the title.
The historical personage of our world appearing as alternate versions of themselves include:
' and 'black peril
' novel of the late 19th and early 20th century, with its unthinking racism
, love of superweapons and willingness to commit genocide
of the 'lesser races'. Here the formula is inverted, and the sympathies of the writer and reader are with Gandhi and the 'Black Attila', shown as a genuinely good man." They are contrasted with the impoverished, tribalised white supremacists of the devastated former United States
, which has reintroduced African American
slavery. Interestingly enough, Bastable accuses Hood of "genocide" though the word was not coined until 1943.
Michael Moorcock
Michael John Moorcock is an English writer, primarily of science fiction and fantasy, who has also published a number of literary novels....
, first published in 1974. Originally subtitled A New Scientific Romance, it has been seen as an early steampunk
Steampunk
Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s. Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually Victorian era Britain or "Wild West"-era United...
novel, dealing with an alternative British Imperial history dominated by airships and futuristic warfare. It is a sequel to Warlord of the Air
Warlord of the Air
The Warlord of the Air is a 1971 British alternate history science fiction novel written by Michael Moorcock. It concerns the adventures of Oswald Bastable, an Edwardian-era soldier stationed in India, and his adventures in an alternate universe wherein the First World War never happened...
(1971) and followed by The Steel Tsar
The Steel Tsar
The Steel Tsar is a sci-fi/alternate history novel by Michael Moorcock, first published in 1981 by Granada. Being a sequel to Warlord of the Air and The Land Leviathan , it is the final part of Moorcock's A Nomad of the Time Streams trilogy regarding the adventures of Cpt...
(1981). This proto-steampunk trilogy is also published as the compilation volume A Nomad of the Time Streams
A Nomad of the Time Streams
A Nomad of the Time Streams is a compilation volume of Michael Moorcock's influential early steampunk trilogy which Moorcock began in 1971 with The Warlord of the Air and was continued by its 1974 and 1981 sequels, The Land Leviathan and The Steel Tsar. The trilogy follows the adventures of...
.
Plot summary
The story of Oswald BastableOswald Bastable
Oswald Bastable is a fictional character in:* The Story of the Treasure Seekers, The Wouldbegoods, New Treasure Seekers and Oswald Bastable and Others, by E. Nesbit....
's adventures "trapped forever in the shifting tides of time" is framed with the concept of the book being a long lost manuscript, as related by Moorcock's grandfather. Several years after Bastable disappeared in 1910, the elder Moorcock travels to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in an attempt to track him down, meeting Una Persson
Una Persson
Una Persson is a recurring character in many of Michael Moorcock's 'multiverse' novels. She has also been used as a character in stories by other writers...
of the Jerry Cornelius
Jerry Cornelius
Jerry Cornelius is a fictional secret agent and adventurer created by science fiction / fantasy author Michael Moorcock. Cornelius is a hipster of ambiguous and occasionally polymorphous sexuality. Many of the same characters feature in each of several Cornelius books, though the individual books...
novels on the way who before disappearing leaves him a manuscript written by Bastable for Moorcock, relating what happened to Bastable after he unexpectedly left the elder Moorcock at the end of Warlord of the Air
Warlord of the Air
The Warlord of the Air is a 1971 British alternate history science fiction novel written by Michael Moorcock. It concerns the adventures of Oswald Bastable, an Edwardian-era soldier stationed in India, and his adventures in an alternate universe wherein the First World War never happened...
, probably bound for another alternate 20th century.
Bastable's story takes in a post-apocalyptic early twentieth century between 1904 and 1908, where Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
have been devastated by accelerated technological change, which led to a prolonged global war causing their reversion to barbarism
Barbarian
Barbarian and savage are terms used to refer to a person who is perceived to be uncivilized. The word is often used either in a general reference to a member of a nation or ethnos, typically a tribal society as seen by an urban civilization either viewed as inferior, or admired as a noble savage...
. By contrast, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
is ruled by Gandhi, apartheid never happened and is an oasis of civilisation which stayed out of the conflict being an affluent, technologically advanced nation in this alternate, anti-imperialist twentieth century. To restore civilisation and social order in the afflicted Northern Hemisphere, a 'Black Attila' leads an African army to beneficent if paternalist conquest of Europe and an apocalyptic war against the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
featuring the "vast, moving ziggurat
Ziggurat
Ziggurats were massive structures built in the ancient Mesopotamian valley and western Iranian plateau, having the form of a terraced step pyramid of successively receding stories or levels.Notable ziggurats include the Great Ziggurat of Ur near Nasiriyah, Iraq; the Ziggurat of Aqar Quf near...
of destruction" of the title.
The historical personage of our world appearing as alternate versions of themselves include:
- Mahatma GandhiMahatma GandhiMohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
is president of the wealthy, MarxistMarxismMarxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
Republic of Bantustan (which is our world's South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
); - Herbert HooverHerbert HooverHerbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
is a racist New York city gangster organizing the city's last stand against the black, African-based Ashanti Empire. White Americans have re-introduced African-American slavery as they blame the latter as scapegoats for epidemics that were actually initiated by biological warfare among the perished Western nations; - P. J. KennedyP. J. KennedyPatrick Joseph Kennedy was an American politician. He was the father of Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr., and paternal grandfather to United States President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and Senator Edward M. Kennedy.-Early life:P.J...
is an amateur explosives hack which makes him the local mob lord or tribal chief of Wilmington (it's not made clear whether this is Wilmington, New YorkWilmington, New YorkWilmington is a town in Essex County, New York, United States. The population was 1,131 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Wilmington, Delaware.The Town of Wilmington is on the county's north border and is southwest of Plattsburgh...
, Wilmington Township, Lawrence County, PennsylvaniaWilmington Township, Lawrence County, PennsylvaniaWilmington Township is a township in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,760 at the 2000 census.Wilmington was established as a township in February 1846 by combining parts of Neshannock Township in Lawrence County with parts of Lackawannock Township in Mercer County...
, or Wilmington Township, Mercer County, PennsylvaniaWilmington Township, Mercer County, PennsylvaniaWilmington Township is a township in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,105 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 13.1 square miles , of which, 13.1 square miles of it is land and...
or Wilmington, Delaware, only that it is situated between New York City and Washington, D.C.) - Frederic Courtland PenfieldFrederic Courtland Penfield-Biography:He was born in Connecticut, on April 23, 1855 to Daniel Penfield and Sophia Young. He was the United States vice consul in London in 1885.He married Katharine Albert McMurdo Welles in 1892...
, formerly a U.S. diplomat in our world as well as the one Bastable visits, is founder of a new Ku Klux KlanKu Klux KlanKu Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
. He also serves as a nominal 'president' over a de facto, skeletal 'United States', in Washington, D.C. The former capital has been surprisingly immune from bombing and missile attack (as the government had fled into subterranean shelters at the beginning of the Great War) which makes up most of his realm. In some editions, the character is renamed "Beesley", whose description resembles that of Bishop Beesley, a character from the Jerry CorneliusJerry CorneliusJerry Cornelius is a fictional secret agent and adventurer created by science fiction / fantasy author Michael Moorcock. Cornelius is a hipster of ambiguous and occasionally polymorphous sexuality. Many of the same characters feature in each of several Cornelius books, though the individual books...
novels. - Joseph ConradJoseph ConradJoseph Conrad was a Polish-born English novelist.Conrad is regarded as one of the great novelists in English, although he did not speak the language fluently until he was in his twenties...
as submarine captain Joseph Korzeniowski.
Major themes
Martin Wisse noted that the book "is quite obviously a commentary on the 'yellow perilYellow Peril
Yellow Peril was a colour metaphor for race that originated in the late nineteenth century with immigration of Chinese laborers to various Western countries, notably the United States, and later associated with the Japanese during the mid 20th century, due to Japanese military expansion.The term...
' and 'black peril
Black peril
The Black Peril refers to the fear of colonial settlers that black men are attracted to white women and are having sexual relations with them. This goes back to class and race prejudices. Examples can be seen in British colonialism of India and Africa....
' novel of the late 19th and early 20th century, with its unthinking racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, love of superweapons and willingness to commit genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
of the 'lesser races'. Here the formula is inverted, and the sympathies of the writer and reader are with Gandhi and the 'Black Attila', shown as a genuinely good man." They are contrasted with the impoverished, tribalised white supremacists of the devastated former United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, which has reintroduced African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
slavery. Interestingly enough, Bastable accuses Hood of "genocide" though the word was not coined until 1943.