Format:
719 Seiten ;
,
19 cm.
Edition:
Vollständige deutsche Taschenbuchausgabe
ISBN:
978-3-453-40595-0
,
3-453-40595-1
Series Statement:
Heyne 40595
Content:
Plot introduction: In the year 1838, three ships are caught in a raging storm off the coast of Canton. The Anahita, owned by Bahram Moddie, a Parsi opium trader from Bombay, the Redruth, owned by Fitcher Penrose, on an expedition to collect rare species of plants from China and the Ibis (from Sea of Poppies) carrying convicts and indentured labourers. The convicts Neel Rattan, a Bengali Zamindar, and Ah Fatt, a criminal from Canton, escape from the ship along with a couple of lascars. The story traces the lives of these principal characters in Canton. Bahram Modi, a lowly son-in-law of a rich Parsi Ship builder Rustamjee Mistrie, convinces his father in law to provide him seed capital to enter into opium trade, carries out multiple successful expeditions to China and creates considerable wealth in the process for his in-laws. However, on the sudden demise of his father-in-law, he is forced by his brothers-in-law to retire from the Export division. Bahram decides to ship a large consignment of opium to China, as he is confident that he would be able to earn a sizeable profit to buy out the Export division, in spite of a ban on trading of Opium issued by the Chinese officials. Bahram also has a son (Ah Fatt) through a Chinese boat woman, Chi Mei, unknown to his family back in Bombay. Fitcher Penrose, a botanist, is on an expedition to China to collect rare plants. He is joined by Paulette Lambert aka Puggly, daughter of a French botanist, in his search for the rare Golden camellias. They are helped by Robin Chinnery, a fictional illiegitimate son of the English painter George Chinnery. Neel and Ah Fatt have escaped from Ibis and they meet Bahram Moddie, Ah Fatt's father. Neel joins Bahram as his Munshi. Does Mr. Moddie manage to sell his opium and redeem himself in spite of the Chinese government's crackdown? Does Mr. Penrose find the rare plant he is looking for? Does Neel manage to evade the long arm of the law?
Language:
German
Subjects:
English Studies
Keywords:
Fiktionale Darstellung
Author information:
Ghosh, Amitav, 1956-,
Author information:
Heller, Barbara, 1945-
Author information:
Hermstein, Rudolf, 1940-
