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The White Rajah
A relief from the recent. The Nylon Pirates, this takes its story from the mid-nineteenth century and the East, on a possible island, Makassang, in the Java Seas. Richard Marriott has wandered ten years as a disillusioned freebooter after his father's death in England has revealed him a pauper and a bastard and lost him the woman he had loved; now his ""private"" warship with its trained crew of fighting seamen has gone aground on a reef off Makassang. Richard is summoned to the Rajah whose threats and promise of money cause Richard to accept the offer to drive out insurgents under an old enemy, Black Harris. Successful, he is adopted by the Rajah and given his daughter, Princess Sunara, in marriage. Two more victories in other uprisings and the birth of a son keep Richard in favor but when restiessness and inactivity spur him to plan for a model kingdom he is accused of treason and ostracized. An immediate threat to his life is averted when HM warship arrives with Richard's half-brother in command and, through his support, when the Rajah is killed, Richard becomes the new Rajah with the chance of fulfilling his dreams for his little country. Eastern backgrounds, issues of the past that echo today, romance and torture, keep this popular on all counts
Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1961
13 people are currently reading
96 people want to read
About the author
Nicholas Monsarrat
93 books89 followersBorn on Rodney Street in Liverpool, Monsarrat was educated at Winchester and Trinity College, Cambridge. He intended to practise law. The law failed to inspire him, however, and he turned instead to writing, moving to London and supporting himself as a freelance writer for newspapers while writing four novels and a play in the space of five years (1934–1939). He later commented in his autobiography that the 1931 Invergordon Naval Mutiny influenced his interest in politics and social and economic issues after college.
Though a pacifist, Monsarrat served in World War II, first as a member of an ambulance brigade and then as a member of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR). His lifelong love of sailing made him a capable naval officer, and he served with distinction in a series of small warships assigned to escort convoys and protect them from enemy attack. Monsarrat ended the war as commander of a frigate, and drew on his wartime experience in his postwar sea stories. During his wartime service, Monsarrat claimed to have seen the ghost ship Flying Dutchman while sailing the Pacific, near the location where the young King George V had seen her in 1881.
Resigning his wartime commission in 1946, Monsarrat entered the diplomatic service. He was posted at first to Johannesburg, South Africa and then, in 1953, to Ottawa, Canada. He turned to writing full-time in 1959, settling first on Guernsey, in the Channel Islands, and later on the Mediterranean island of Gozo (Malta).
Monsarrat's first three novels, published in 1934–1937 and now out of print, were realistic treatments of modern social problems informed by his leftist politics. His fourth novel and first major work, This Is The Schoolroom, took a different approach. The story of a young, idealistic, aspiring writer coming to grips with the "real world" for the first time, it is at least partly autobiographical.
The Cruel Sea (1951), Monsarrat's first postwar novel, is widely regarded as his finest work, and is the only one of his novels that is still widely read. Based on his own wartime service, it followed the young naval officer Keith Lockhart through a series of postings in corvettes and frigates. It was one of the first novels to depict life aboard the vital, but unglamorous, "small ships" of World War II—ships for which the sea was as much a threat as the Germans. Monsarrat's short-story collections H.M.S. Marlborough Will Enter Harbour (1949), and The Ship That Died of Shame (1959) mined the same literary vein, and gained popularity by association with The Cruel Sea.
The similar Three Corvettes (1945 and 1953) comprising H.M. Corvette (set aboard a Flower class corvette in the North Atlantic), East Coast Corvette (as First Lieutenant of HMS Guillemot) and Corvette Command (as Commanding Officer of HMS Shearwater) is actually an anthology of three true-experience stories he published during the war years and shows appropriate care for what the Censor might say. Thus Guillemot appears under the pseudonym Dipper and Shearwater under the pseudonym Winger in the book. H.M. Frigate is similar but deals with his time in command of two frigates. His use of the name Dipper could allude to his formative years when summer holidays were spent with his family at Trearddur Bay. They were members of the famous sailing club based there, and he recounted much of this part of his life in a book My brother Denys. Denys Monserrat was killed in Egypt during the middle part of the war whilst his brother was serving with the Royal Navy. Another tale recounts his bringing his ship into Trearddur Bay during the war for old times' sake.
Monsarrat's more famous novels, notably The Tribe That Lost Its Head (1956) and its sequel Richer Than All His Tribe (1968), drew on his experience in the diplomatic service and make important reference to the colonial experience of Britain in Africa.
Though a pacifist, Monsarrat served in World War II, first as a member of an ambulance brigade and then as a member of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR). His lifelong love of sailing made him a capable naval officer, and he served with distinction in a series of small warships assigned to escort convoys and protect them from enemy attack. Monsarrat ended the war as commander of a frigate, and drew on his wartime experience in his postwar sea stories. During his wartime service, Monsarrat claimed to have seen the ghost ship Flying Dutchman while sailing the Pacific, near the location where the young King George V had seen her in 1881.
Resigning his wartime commission in 1946, Monsarrat entered the diplomatic service. He was posted at first to Johannesburg, South Africa and then, in 1953, to Ottawa, Canada. He turned to writing full-time in 1959, settling first on Guernsey, in the Channel Islands, and later on the Mediterranean island of Gozo (Malta).
Monsarrat's first three novels, published in 1934–1937 and now out of print, were realistic treatments of modern social problems informed by his leftist politics. His fourth novel and first major work, This Is The Schoolroom, took a different approach. The story of a young, idealistic, aspiring writer coming to grips with the "real world" for the first time, it is at least partly autobiographical.
The Cruel Sea (1951), Monsarrat's first postwar novel, is widely regarded as his finest work, and is the only one of his novels that is still widely read. Based on his own wartime service, it followed the young naval officer Keith Lockhart through a series of postings in corvettes and frigates. It was one of the first novels to depict life aboard the vital, but unglamorous, "small ships" of World War II—ships for which the sea was as much a threat as the Germans. Monsarrat's short-story collections H.M.S. Marlborough Will Enter Harbour (1949), and The Ship That Died of Shame (1959) mined the same literary vein, and gained popularity by association with The Cruel Sea.
The similar Three Corvettes (1945 and 1953) comprising H.M. Corvette (set aboard a Flower class corvette in the North Atlantic), East Coast Corvette (as First Lieutenant of HMS Guillemot) and Corvette Command (as Commanding Officer of HMS Shearwater) is actually an anthology of three true-experience stories he published during the war years and shows appropriate care for what the Censor might say. Thus Guillemot appears under the pseudonym Dipper and Shearwater under the pseudonym Winger in the book. H.M. Frigate is similar but deals with his time in command of two frigates. His use of the name Dipper could allude to his formative years when summer holidays were spent with his family at Trearddur Bay. They were members of the famous sailing club based there, and he recounted much of this part of his life in a book My brother Denys. Denys Monserrat was killed in Egypt during the middle part of the war whilst his brother was serving with the Royal Navy. Another tale recounts his bringing his ship into Trearddur Bay during the war for old times' sake.
Monsarrat's more famous novels, notably The Tribe That Lost Its Head (1956) and its sequel Richer Than All His Tribe (1968), drew on his experience in the diplomatic service and make important reference to the colonial experience of Britain in Africa.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 1, 2021
An epic adventure story set when the British Empire was at its height, The White Rajah goes beyond mere fictional storytelling. It often approaches the level of serious literature. An occasional passage has echoes of Conrad in it. Yet it can't escape its origins as a work written just as that empire was on its very last legs, in 1961. So, while it advances the claims of enlightenment and justice as an intent of empire, it also acknowledges its shortcomings, lack of awareness of the need for cultural self determination.
The mechanics of Monsarrat's storytelling is actually superb. His hero, Richard Marriott, discovers his bastardy upon the death of his father and the passing of the family estate in its entirety to his brother. Richard, therefore, sets out to conquer the world on his own terms. But all along the way he carries a tragic flaw. His nature is to be impulsive and susceptible to self delusions that avoid coming to terms with whatever danger faces him. Time after time, he falls prey to this weakness. He doesn't realize his brother's intent to evict him from his ancestral home, and he continually underestimates his enemies once he becomes the adopted son of a a rajah on an island in the Java Sea. In fact, you're never sure that Richard will quite make it through to the end. That's a strength of the the novel, not a weakness.
There is also the employment of symmetry which provides a strong sense of conclusion, here. Not only in the reuniting of the two brothers at novel's end but in Richard's own two sons, one of which, like himself, is a bastard child and the other the heir to a royal lineage. Richard brings a modern sensibility to this situation, allowing both sons equal opportunities and judging them on their natural merits, not their bloodline.
Finally, a note. This novel is based upon the real life events of James Brooke, the first white rajah of Sarawak. In a moment of self reflexivity, Monsarrat even brings Brooke into mention in this story. The White Rajah, however, should not be confused with another recent novel of the same name by Tom Williams. Williams' book is a lesser work but still of value, and readers of Monsarrat's novel might even do well to read Williams' novel first, as it follows the history much more closely than does Monsarrat, whose own tale can best be described more as "inspired" by Brooke than as a true work of historical fiction.
The mechanics of Monsarrat's storytelling is actually superb. His hero, Richard Marriott, discovers his bastardy upon the death of his father and the passing of the family estate in its entirety to his brother. Richard, therefore, sets out to conquer the world on his own terms. But all along the way he carries a tragic flaw. His nature is to be impulsive and susceptible to self delusions that avoid coming to terms with whatever danger faces him. Time after time, he falls prey to this weakness. He doesn't realize his brother's intent to evict him from his ancestral home, and he continually underestimates his enemies once he becomes the adopted son of a a rajah on an island in the Java Sea. In fact, you're never sure that Richard will quite make it through to the end. That's a strength of the the novel, not a weakness.
There is also the employment of symmetry which provides a strong sense of conclusion, here. Not only in the reuniting of the two brothers at novel's end but in Richard's own two sons, one of which, like himself, is a bastard child and the other the heir to a royal lineage. Richard brings a modern sensibility to this situation, allowing both sons equal opportunities and judging them on their natural merits, not their bloodline.
Finally, a note. This novel is based upon the real life events of James Brooke, the first white rajah of Sarawak. In a moment of self reflexivity, Monsarrat even brings Brooke into mention in this story. The White Rajah, however, should not be confused with another recent novel of the same name by Tom Williams. Williams' book is a lesser work but still of value, and readers of Monsarrat's novel might even do well to read Williams' novel first, as it follows the history much more closely than does Monsarrat, whose own tale can best be described more as "inspired" by Brooke than as a true work of historical fiction.
September 27, 2012
I've started reading my father's books, which have been boxed up in my spare room since he moved into a rest home. My copy is a hardback, published by Cassell in 1961. Compared to modern books it has no eye appeal, but I found it an absorbing story and would be happy to read more by this author.
March 11, 2026
This was a fun book for the most part. Given it was written in the 1960s and set in the 1860s, there is a level of racism and sexism that permeates but not out of hatred by the author. This is a classic adventure story where a white dude travels and becomes a savior to non-white natives, but there is also some real messaging about their right for home rule and anti-colonnialism.
My major complaint is that the author seems to have trouble writing for all his characters. We often just do not hear of quite a few of them for a while when they should be around. His son and his bff/manservant are the two clear examples.
My major complaint is that the author seems to have trouble writing for all his characters. We often just do not hear of quite a few of them for a while when they should be around. His son and his bff/manservant are the two clear examples.
May 28, 2020
will probably try it again. gave up on it.. frankly, I do not get along well with remembering Indian names - they do not stick in my memory so I have a tendancy to begin to feel "lost" !! This affects my general appreciation of the novel - I will be sure to go back to it as I must get over this as there are some many good Indian writers out there and subjects...
August 7, 2022
Fantastic potboiler presents a bizarre take on the Brooke rule of Borneo.
March 5, 2023
A classic - storytelling at its finest
December 24, 2011
Just arrived from USA through BM.
This is the story of Richard Marriott, a disinherited son of a British aristocrat who find his true destiny at the island of Makassang, an imaginary island in the Java Sea.
This book sounds as a mixture of "Far Pavilions" by M.M Kaye and "The Sea-Hawk" by Rafael Sabatini without the literary accomplishment of these last authors.
This is the story of Richard Marriott, a disinherited son of a British aristocrat who find his true destiny at the island of Makassang, an imaginary island in the Java Sea.
This book sounds as a mixture of "Far Pavilions" by M.M Kaye and "The Sea-Hawk" by Rafael Sabatini without the literary accomplishment of these last authors.
June 10, 2013
Good book and insights into the clash of Western and Eastern cultures. Set in Malaysia during British and Dutch colonialism. I thought it was about James Brooke, but it's a fictional character on a fictional island, close by Saraowak.
August 29, 2013
Based on the character of James Brooke of Sarawak, an entertaining, fictionalised account of an interesting time of European interference in the Far East
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews