에드가 월러스의 강의 보삼보

Bosambo of the River by Edgar Wallace

에드가 월러스(Edgar Wallace) 지음

디즈비즈북스 2025년 09월 23일 출간

작품소개

책소개

영어로 읽는 고전 _ 에드가 월러스의 강의 보삼보
에드가 월러스의 《강의 보삼보》는 20세기 초에 쓰인 소설입니다. 이 책은 주로 형벌 정착지에서 탈출한 후 오초리족의 족장이 되는 지적이고 수완 있는 원주민 보삼보의 모험을 따라갑니다. 이야기는 권력, 야망, 그리고 아프리카에서 식민지 관계의 복잡성이라는 주제를 중심으로 전개됩니다. 소설의 도입부는 처음에 외딴 형벌 정착지에서 노동형을 선고받은 죄수였던 보삼보를 소개합니다. 그러나 그는 자신의 압제자인 콜 대위를 죽인 후 재빨리 탈출하며, 자유와 권위에 대한 욕망에 의해 동기부여됩니다. 이야기가 전개되면서 우리는 다른 사람들로부터 존경받지 못함에도 불구하고 족장 지위를 얻기를 꿈꾸는 계략가이자 "빌려먹는 자" 아라치를 만나게 되고, 이 지역의 부족 역학과 관련된 정치적 책략을 보게 됩니다. 야망, 속임수, 그리고 권력 추구로 가득한 세계에서 보삼보의 이야기가 시작되면서 개인적 야망과 식민지 음모가 얽힌 이야기의 분위기가 설정됩니다.

Classics Read in English _ Bosambo of the River by Edgar Wallace
Edgar Wallace's "Bosambo of the River" stands as an early twentieth-century exploration of African colonial dynamics through the lens of one remarkable protagonist. The narrative chronicles the remarkable journey of Bosambo, a clever and determined indigenous man whose transformation from prisoner to tribal leader forms the heart of this compelling story.
The novel opens with Bosambo's dramatic circumstances as a condemned laborer in an isolated correctional facility. His violent confrontation with the brutal Captain Cole marks a turning point that propels him toward freedom and eventual leadership of the Ochori people. Wallace uses this dramatic escape as a catalyst to examine broader questions about authority, survival, and self-determination within the colonial framework.
The story introduces additional characters like Arachi, an ambitious manipulator whose schemes for tribal leadership reveal the intricate political undercurrents within indigenous communities. Through these interconnected narratives, Wallace constructs a complex portrait of African society under colonial rule, where traditional power structures clash with imperial oversight.
The novel establishes itself as a tale where personal drive intersects with broader political machinations, creating a narrative landscape rich with conflict, strategic thinking, and the eternal human struggle for recognition and control.

목차

Contents
I. ARACHI THE BORROWER
II. THE TAX RESISTERS
III. THE RISE OF THE EMPEROR
IV. THE FALL OF THE EMPEROR
V. THE KILLING OF OLANDI
VI. THE PEDOMETER
VII. THE BROTHER OF BOSAMBO
VIII. THE CHAIR OF THE N'GOMBI
IX. THE KI-CHU
X.T HE CHILD OF SACRIFICE
XI. "THEY"
XII. THE AMBASSADORS
XIII. GUNS IN THE AKASAVA

책 속으로

Many years ago the Monrovian Government sent one Bosambo, a native of the Kroo coast and consequently a thief, to penal servitude for the term of his natural life. Bosambo, who had other views on the matter, was given an axe and a saw in the penal settlement—which was a patch of wild forest in the back country—and told to cut down and trim certain mahogany-trees in company with other unfortunate men similarly circumstanced.
To assure themselves of Bosambo's obedience, the Government of Liberia set over him a number of compatriots, armed with weapons which had rendered good service at Gettysburg, and had been presented to the President of Liberia by President Grant. They were picturesque weapons, but they were somewhat deficient in accuracy, especially when handled by the inexpert soldiers of the Monrovian coast. Bosambo, who put his axe to an ignoble use, no less than the slaying of Captain Peter Cole—who was as black as the ten of clubs, but a gentleman by the Liberian code—left the penal settlement with passionate haste. The Gettysburg relics made fairly good practice up to two hundred yards, but Bosambo was a mile away before the guards, searching the body of their dead commander for the key of the ammunition store, had secured food for their lethal weapons.

출판사 서평

서평(Book Review)
에드가 월러스의 《강의 보삼보》는 아프리카 식민지를 배경으로 한 모험소설로, 죄수에서 족장으로 성장하는 보삼보의 극적인 여정을 그린다. 월러스는 주인공의 지략과 의지력을 통해 권력 투쟁과 생존의 드라마를 흥미진진하게 전개하며, 특히 보삼보가 콜 대위를 살해하고 탈출하는 장면부터 오초리족의 지도자가 되기까지의 과정이 긴장감 넘치게 묘사된다.
작가는 아라치 같은 부차적 인물들을 통해 부족 사회 내의 정치적 역학관계를 효과적으로 보여주며, 식민지 통치 하에서의 토착민들의 복잡한 처지를 다각도로 탐구한다. 월러스 특유의 빠른 전개와 모험 소설적 재미가 돋보이는 작품이다.
그러나 20세기 초 작품 특성상 아프리카와 아프리카인에 대한 식민지주의적 관점과 고정관념이 드러나는 것은 명백한 한계다. 현대 독자들은 이러한 시대적 편견을 염두에 두고 읽어야 할 것이다. 그럼에도 이 작품은 당시 대중문학의 특징과 월러스의 서사 능력을 보여주는 흥미로운 모험소설로 평가된다.

Edgar Wallace's "Bosambo of the River" presents a gripping adventure tale that follows the remarkable transformation of its protagonist from convict to tribal chief in colonial Africa. Wallace demonstrates his storytelling prowess through Bosambo's dramatic journey, particularly in the riveting sequence where he kills Captain Cole and escapes to eventually become leader of the Ochori people.
The novel succeeds in creating a complex portrait of colonial dynamics through its exploration of tribal politics and power struggles. Characters like Arachi add depth to the narrative by illustrating the intricate maneuvering within indigenous communities under imperial rule. Wallace's characteristic rapid pacing and adventure-driven plot maintain reader engagement throughout.
However, the work inevitably reflects the colonial attitudes and racial perspectives of its era, presenting African societies through a distinctly imperial lens that modern readers will find problematic. The novel's portrayal of indigenous peoples, while attempting to show their intelligence and resourcefulness, remains filtered through early 20th-century European assumptions about African culture and capabilities.
Despite these limitations, "Bosambo of the River" remains valuable as both an entertaining period adventure and a historical artifact that illuminates the literary representation of colonialism. Wallace's ability to craft compelling narratives about power, ambition, and survival continues to resonate, even as contemporary readers must critically examine the cultural context in which these stories were conceived.

인물정보

저자(글) 에드가 월러스(Edgar Wallace)

에드가 월러스(Edgar Wallace, 1875-1932)는 영국의 대표적인 추리소설 작가로, 20세기 초 가장 다작의 작가 중 한 명이었습니다. 그는 170여 편의 소설과 수많은 단편소설, 연극 대본을 썼으며, 특히 스릴러와 범죄소설 장르에서 큰 인기를 얻었습니다. 대표작으로는 《사괴도》(The Four Just Men) 시리즈와 《킹콩》의 원작 시나리오가 있습니다. 신문기자 출신인 그는 빠른 속도로 작품을 집필하는 것으로 유명했으며, 당시 영국에서 판매되는 책 4권 중 1권이 그의 작품일 정도로 엄청난 인기를 누렸습니다.

Edgar Wallace (1875-1932) was a prolific British author who became one of the most popular thriller and detective fiction writers of the early 20th century. He wrote over 170 novels, numerous short stories, and stage plays, establishing himself as a master of crime fiction and adventure stories. His most famous works include "The Four Just Men" series and the original story for "King Kong." A former journalist, Wallace was renowned for his incredible writing speed and productivity. At the height of his popularity, it was said that one in every four books sold in Britain was written by him, making him one of the best-selling authors of his time.