The Great White Queen: A Tale of Treasure and Treason

In Short

When young Englishman Richard Scarsmere journeys into the African interior with his schoolmate Omar, he discovers his friend is actually the exiled prince of Mo, an isolated, technologically advanced realm hidden in the clouds. To help Omar reclaim his rightful inheritance, Richard must endure capture by slave-raiders, survive horrific sacrifices, and navigate the treacherous plots of Omar’s ruthless mother, the ruling Great White Queen. Filled with lost-world wonder, desperate battles, and sudden betrayals, William Le Queux’s novel remains a classic late-Victorian adventure that vividly blends imperial romance with early science-fiction marvels.

The Story

Richard Scarsmere leaves England expecting a standard voyage to the West Coast of Africa, accompanied by his companion Omar and their guide Kouaga. Richard soon learns that Kouaga is manipulating their African carriers using the terrifying authority of local fetish-men, forcing the party into a strict conspiracy of silence regarding their ultimate destination. As they press deeper into the dense forest, they fall into the hands of the notorious slave-raider Samory, who attempts to torture Omar into revealing the secret location of his family's hidden treasure-house. Omar defiantly refuses, declaring himself the son of the Great White Queen of Mo, before being saved from execution and falling into the hands of Prempeh, the King of the Ashantis. In Kumassi, Richard and Omar witness ghastly massacres during the "yam custom" sacrifices, narrowly escaping death themselves amid the brutal, superstitious ceremonies of the Ashanti court.

Fleeing their captors, the duo traverses the perilous Way of the Thousand Steps, a narrow, elevated stone path that leads into the isolated realm of Mo. Along the trail, they fight off surviving bands of Samory’s Arab mercenaries who have crossed into the forbidden territory. Arriving in the majestic, cloud-shrouded capital, they find that Omar’s mother, the Naya, rules as a despotic tyrant. Possessing advanced scientific knowledge, machine guns, and destructive artillery brought from over the seas, the Great White Queen uses both fear and technological superiority to crush all opposition.

Guided by the wise old councillor Goliba, Omar resolves to defy his mother’s banishment order and liberate his people from her oppressive reign. Supported by Goliba’s daughter Liola and a force of loyal Dagomba warriors, Omar launches a bloody war of succession against the Naya’s janissaries. The conflict turns the grand city into a fiery slaughter-yard of burning buildings, explosive charges, and brutal street fighting. Though Liola is seemingly killed during the uprising, Omar’s forces triumph, and he ascends the Emerald Throne as the rightful sovereign.

Upon securing the city, Omar and Richard discover that the secret national treasure has been stolen, accompanied by a mysterious assassination within the palace vaults. Investigating the theft, Richard fights through bloody battles against Samory’s lingering forces before discovering that Liola is actually alive, having escaped into hidden underground vaults guarded by chained lions. With the traitorous conspirators exposed, the deposed and insane Naya flings herself into a crocodile-infested river as a final sacrifice to her god, Zomara. With Mo restored to peace under King Omar and Queen Liola, Richard returns briefly to England as an envoy to Queen Victoria, recording his extraordinary journey before returning to his permanent post in the City in the Clouds.

How It Unfolds

The voyage begins Richard Scarsmere sets sail from England with his friend Omar, quickly enduring a fierce Atlantic tempest before reaching the African coast. He suspects their guide Kouaga is using local fetish-men to keep their route secretly guarded from the carriers.

In the enemy’s grip Captured in the dense forest by the slave-raiding chieftain Samory, Omar is subjected to red-hot iron tortures to reveal his family's treasure. He defiantly curses his captor, proclaiming his lineage as the son of the Great White Queen.

The valley of slaughter After falling into the hands of King Prempeh at Kumassi, the young men witness horror as hundreds are sacrificed during the bloody Ashanti rituals. They manage to escape the carnage and press toward the hidden kingdom.

The way of the thousand steps Ascending a dangerously narrow cliffside path toward the City in the Clouds, the party clashes with fleeing Arab mercenaries. The path opens into a mist-filled valley choked with thousands of fallen invaders.

Defying the tyrant Upon reaching the magnificent capital of Mo, Omar learns that his mother, the Naya, uses advanced weaponry and dark magic to enforce her rule. Encouraged by the sage Goliba, Omar decides to stay and fight for his people.

War in the clouds Civil war erupts throughout the capital as Omar’s partisans clash with the Naya's janissaries amid artillery fire, explosions, and burning streets. The loyalists suffer heavy casualties before finally breaking the tyrant's grip.

Treasure and truth Following the victory, Omar and Richard inspect the looted royal vault and swear to track down the missing jewels. In the underground passages, Richard reunites with the surviving Liola, while the defeated Naya meets a tragic end in the sacred river.

The People

• Richard Scarsmere: The narrator, a young Englishman who originally loathed geography schoolwork. He evolves into a resourceful warrior, facing capture, tortures, and firefights to support his loyal friend. He ends up as a high official and Governor in the mysterious realm of Mo.
• Omar: Richard’s faithful companion, who is secretly the prince of Mo. Driven by a desire to liberate his people from oppression, he withstands brutal physical torture and grief over his lost love, ultimately ascending the Emerald Throne as a wise and benevolent ruler.
• The Naya (The Great White Queen): Omar's mother and the ruthless ruler of Mo. She maintains power through terrifying fetishes, personal cunning, and advanced scientific weaponry. Driven mad by her lost authority and the betrayal of her throne, she ends her own life by leaping into a crocodile-infested river.
• Liola: The beautiful blue-eyed daughter of Goliba. She works tirelessly as a secret agent for Omar's cause, surviving capture and hidden perils in underground vaults before marrying Omar to become the beloved queen of Mo.
• Goliba: A white-bearded, venerable royal councillor who opposes the Naya's cruelties. He provides shelter, counsel, and political backing to Omar, helping organize the rebellion that overthrows the tyrant.
• Kona: The fiercely loyal head-man of the Dagomba warriors. Insensible to physical pain in battle, he repeatedly saves Richard's life with his expert spear-throwing.

In Its Own Voice

"I have witnessed with my own eyes the mysteries of Mo. I have seen the Great White Queen!"

— Richard reflects on his transformation from a ordinary English youth into an explorer of an unknown land.

"Vain, O persecutor... Vain are thy tortures against the will power of the son of the Great White Queen, whose veins are filled with royal blood."

— Omar defiantly confronts the slave-raider Samory while bound to an iron frame over burning coals.

"Till this be done the curse of the god ye fear shall rest upon our land, and his presence shall nightly remind ye of your idleness. Will ye let the defiant prince overthrow your queen?"

— The high priest rouses the citizens of Mo against Omar inside the temple of the crocodile god.

What It's Really About

Beneath its exhilarating adventure plot, the novel explores the friction between ancient superstition and technological advancement. Mo represents an isolated civilization that has harnessed modern weaponry—such as Maxim guns and explosive shells—alongside ancient religious fetishes to preserve its absolute isolation. The narrative grapples with the responsibilities of absolute power, contrasting the Naya’s despotic, paranoid rule with Omar’s vision of justice and civic duty. It asks whether a nation can truly flourish when built on fear, wholesale sacrifice, and secrecy, ultimately arguing that legitimate authority requires the consent and devotion of the governed rather than the threat of annihilation.

Why Read It Today

This novel will deeply satisfy fans of late-19th-century lost-world classics, classic pulp adventures, and early science-fantasy. William Le Queux crafts a fast-paced narrative filled with vivid set pieces, ranging from harrowing sea storms and dark forest captures to high-altitude battles featuring advanced Victorian-era firepower. The reading experience is intensely visual, transporting the reader directly into grand marble colonnades, subterranean caverns, and smoke-choked urban street fights.

Readers should be prepared for the stylistic hallmarks of its era, including sensationalist language, detailed depictions of gruesome sacrifices, and imperialist attitudes toward West African cultures. The dialogue can occasionally feel melodramatic, and the sheer volume of chaotic battles and sudden plot twists requires a willing suspension of disbelief. Yet, the story's earnest momentum, paired with its imaginative blend of hidden-city intrigue and early technological warfare, makes it a captivating, memorable slice of vintage speculative fiction.