The Price of Power Being Chapters from the Secret History of the Imperial Court of Russia

"The Price of Power" by William Le Queux is a historical novel written in the early 20th century. Set against the backdrop of the Russian Empire during a time of political unrest and revolution, the story unfolds through the eyes of Colin Trewinnard, a British diplomat who becomes enmeshed in the secrets of the Imperial Court. The narrative delves into themes of conspiracy, loyalty, and the volatile nature of power, as Trewinnard navigates his complex relationships with influential figures, including Emperor Alexander and the spirited Grand Duchess Natalia. At the start of the book, Colin Trewinnard receives a summons for an audience with the Emperor, signaling a turning point in his diplomatic career. He encounters Captain Stoyanovitch, who informs him about the growing threats of anarchism that plague the Emperor's reign and reveals a series of plots against His Majesty. As political tensions heighten, rumors swirl around the Grand Duchess Natalia, who is both admired and scrutinized at court. The atmosphere shifts dramatically with the shocking assassination attempt on her father, which reveals the dangerous undercurrents of their world, placing Trewinnard at the center of a conspiracy that could change the fate of Russia forever. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

William Tufnell Le Queux was an Anglo-French journalist and writer. He was also a diplomat, a traveller, a flying buff who officiated at the first British air meeting at Doncaster in 1909, and a wireless pioneer who broadcast music from his own station long before radio was generally available; his claims regarding his own abilities and exploits, however, were usually exaggerated. His best-known works are the anti-French and anti-Russian invasion fantasy The Great War in England in 1897 (1894) and the anti-German invasion fantasy The Invasion of 1910 (1906), the latter becoming a bestseller.