L'Homme truqué (The Doctored Man)

Lore & Background

Maurice Renard, a leading figure of the scientific-marvel literary genre, wrote L'Homme truqué in the aftermath of the First World War. The story is framed by a prologue and epilogue in which constables discover the corpse of Doctor Bare, along with his manuscript recounting the tale. The narrative centers on Jean Lebris, a soldier presumed dead who returns home blind after being wounded in the trench war. He reveals to Doctor Bare that German doctors replaced his eyes with electroscopes, allowing him to see electrical phenomena, including the nervous systems of people through walls.

Reader's Guide

L'Homme truqué is significant as a pessimistic post-war work that bears witness to the trauma suffered by the French population after the First World War. It exemplifies Maurice Renard's scientific-marvel genre, which uses science as a disruptive element to provoke thought about progress, superhuman abilities, and invisible worlds. The novel's tragic ending and focus on a disabled soldier's difficult rehabilitation highlight the era's mistrust of technology following the devastation of war. In 2013, writer Serge Lehman and cartoonist Gess adapted the novel into a comic book, transposing the character into a superheroic context, demonstrating its enduring influence. The work remains a classic of French scientific imagination, regularly republished in France and abroad.

Did You Know?

• Maurice Renard was inspired by the invention of radiography and by stories by J.-H. Rosny aîné and H. G. Wells.
• The main character, Jean Lebris, can see the nervous system of people through walls using electroscopic eyes.
• In 2013, Serge Lehman and Gess created a homonymous comic book adaptation set in a superheroic context.