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maya_moksha's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
3.0
Best to remember this read good pulp fiction from the late 19th century.
claireviolet's review
2.0
just wanted to read a historical novel about a completely avoidable tragedy on the atlantic ocean... no other reason
vmars314's review
3.0
I stumbled across mention of this book while reading another, and had to check it out. It was published in 1898, 14 years before the Titanic sank, and its own wrecked ship (the Titan) bore many similarities to the Titanic. In addition to that, this book also has its own story of survivers, conspiracy, lost love, and even a polar bear. Interesting story, even outside of the Titanic premonition.
readbygio's review
3.0
Si bien es una locura que este libro haya narrado sin saber, la catástrofe del Titanic, (y es lo que más impacta) , en realidad es una novela marítima en donde tenemos un protagonista al que todo le sale mal pobre hombre por estar enamorado de una mujer que no vale la pena y me cae super mal. Hay mucho concepto náutico y entreveros judiciales por la cobertura del seguro tras el hundimiento del gran Titán que supuestamente era imposible que se hundiera, hasta que un iceberg dejó en claro lo contrario.
lapingveno's review
3.0
r/atheism
Ship called the Titan sinks, killing many; at that point, the similarity to the Titanic disaster proves to have been somewhat exaggerated.
Point in this story's favor: this Rowland dude, armed with only a jack knife, kills a polar bear in a freaking one-on-one fight.
Ship called the Titan sinks, killing many; at that point, the similarity to the Titanic disaster proves to have been somewhat exaggerated.
Point in this story's favor: this Rowland dude, armed with only a jack knife, kills a polar bear in a freaking one-on-one fight.
ellena91's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
2.0
liberty_the_baron's review
1.0
Written 14 years before the Titanic went on her fatal maiden voyage, 'Futility, or the Wreck of the Titan' was published in 1898 as a novella. The author, Morgan Robertson was called 'a clairvoyant' for the work, though he denied it.
However, the similarities between the Titan and the Titanic go far beyond their names and fatal icebergs. The length of the Titan was 800 feet, the Titanic 882 feet. The speed at which the Titan crashed into the iceberg was 25 knots, while the Titanic’s was 22.5. The Titan held 2,500 passengers, whereas the Titanic held 2,200, yet both had a capacity of 3,000 passengers. Both ships were British owned. Both ships were hit on their starboard bow, both around midnight. Both sank in the North Atlantic precisely 400 nautical miles from Newfoundland. Both had a severe lack of lifeboats, the Titan holding 24, and Titanic carrying just 20. Both had a triple screw propeller. Robertson's work was truly prophetic.
But Robertson's novella was also prophetic in a different way, one that is almost completely unknown. It showed almost 100 years before the overacting and terrible dialogue of James Cameron's movie 'Titanic'. It was able to accomplish this by inserting it's own dialogue worthy of being printed on toilet paper, while maintaining a plot that is so ridiculous, it is almost laughable. Here is one of those torturous dialogues before mentioned:
"What ails me?" He gasped. "I feel as though I have swallowed hot coals. And my head! And my eyes! I can't see!" The pain left him in a moment and the laughter returned. "What's wrong with the starboard anchor? It's moving! It's changing! It's a-what? What on earth is it? On end, and the windlass, and the spare anchors, and the davits - all alive and moving!"
This torturous dialogue runs throughout the book. The plot is just the same. Our antihero, drunkard John Rowland is poisoned aboard the Titan, escapes the sinking ship, finds himself on the very iceberg that sank the mega steamer, brings a polar bear to a knife fight and kills it, saves a little girl in the process, only to have the mother, whom Rowland loves madly, throw the man in jail for kidnapping. I'm surprised soap operas haven't picked this plot up to run daytime specials! Sadly, Cary Grant's screams on the rope bridge in 'Gunga Din' were more believable than any of this occuring.
Being the book that prophesied the worst maritime disaster in history, I admit I had high hopes for this novella. However, the book was simply not able to deliver a coherent sentence, (let alone good writing skills, character development, or an engaging plot) and sounded much like a speech given by the 46th President.
However, the similarities between the Titan and the Titanic go far beyond their names and fatal icebergs. The length of the Titan was 800 feet, the Titanic 882 feet. The speed at which the Titan crashed into the iceberg was 25 knots, while the Titanic’s was 22.5. The Titan held 2,500 passengers, whereas the Titanic held 2,200, yet both had a capacity of 3,000 passengers. Both ships were British owned. Both ships were hit on their starboard bow, both around midnight. Both sank in the North Atlantic precisely 400 nautical miles from Newfoundland. Both had a severe lack of lifeboats, the Titan holding 24, and Titanic carrying just 20. Both had a triple screw propeller. Robertson's work was truly prophetic.
But Robertson's novella was also prophetic in a different way, one that is almost completely unknown. It showed almost 100 years before the overacting and terrible dialogue of James Cameron's movie 'Titanic'. It was able to accomplish this by inserting it's own dialogue worthy of being printed on toilet paper, while maintaining a plot that is so ridiculous, it is almost laughable. Here is one of those torturous dialogues before mentioned:
"What ails me?" He gasped. "I feel as though I have swallowed hot coals. And my head! And my eyes! I can't see!" The pain left him in a moment and the laughter returned. "What's wrong with the starboard anchor? It's moving! It's changing! It's a-what? What on earth is it? On end, and the windlass, and the spare anchors, and the davits - all alive and moving!"
This torturous dialogue runs throughout the book. The plot is just the same. Our antihero, drunkard John Rowland is poisoned aboard the Titan, escapes the sinking ship, finds himself on the very iceberg that sank the mega steamer, brings a polar bear to a knife fight and kills it, saves a little girl in the process, only to have the mother, whom Rowland loves madly, throw the man in jail for kidnapping. I'm surprised soap operas haven't picked this plot up to run daytime specials! Sadly, Cary Grant's screams on the rope bridge in 'Gunga Din' were more believable than any of this occuring.
Being the book that prophesied the worst maritime disaster in history, I admit I had high hopes for this novella. However, the book was simply not able to deliver a coherent sentence, (let alone good writing skills, character development, or an engaging plot) and sounded much like a speech given by the 46th President.