The story describes events in the capital of Laurania, a fictional European state, as unrest against the dictatorial government of president Antonio Molara turns to violent revolution.

Churchill began writing the novel on his voyage from Britain to India to take part in the Malakand campaign in August 1897.

Savrola himself is described as "vehement, high and daring", and the sort of man who could "know rest only in action, contentment only in danger, and in confusion find their only peace...

She was impressed by the descriptions of fighting, but agreed with Churchill's concerns about Lucile, suggesting that the character betrayed his lack of experience of women.

However, an offer of £100 from the Morning Post for the right to serialise the book left Churchill no time for amendments, and it was published as it stood.

The reviewer considered that it was clearly inferior to The River War, which Churchill had already published, although this book was written earlier, but would otherwise have been a promising start.

Unlike some other reviews, which had been entertained by the philosophy and political comment, this considered the "desperate efforts after intellectuality" as simply dull.

In 1965 a review by Bryan Magee for Encounter observed that the book had hung on in libraries as an adventure tale for children, but regretted that it was neglected by adults.

"[4] Events take place in a fictional country called Laurania, located somewhere on the Mediterranean sea, which is similar to Italy, but with an overlay of Victorian England.

Five years previously (stated to be in 1883) the country was split by a civil war, as a result of which General Antonio Molara became president and Dictator.

Unrest has arisen because of Molara's refusal to restore parliamentary rule, and the final events of his dictatorship are described in the book.

Molara decides to ask his young and beautiful wife, Lucile, to attempt to seduce Savrola and discover anything she can about his plans.

The revolutionary allies start to break apart in the face of a threat by the Lauranian navy (which remains loyal to the president), to bombard the city unless Savrola is handed over to them.

The council of public safety decides the most expedient position would be to agree to this, but Savrola escapes attempts to arrest him and flees with Lucile.

[2]: 106  A dramatisation of the story was broadcast in 1964 as part of Saturday Night Theatre by BBC Radio,[5] while it was televised in the States in 1956 in a brief version which Churchill himself criticised as lacking the original's status as "a thorough-going rip-roaring melodrama”.