Set in the 19th century colonial tides, the novel follows the frenzy surrounding the expeditions of the River Nile and explorations of its mystery. It introduces the two noble Englishmen, the well-educated soldier Richard Burton and the ambitious aristocrat John Hanning Speke. The two decide to work together in their explorations of the African soil.
This companionship is soon broken up because Burton falls ill, and Speke is forced to explore on his own. This proves to be a good decision because he discovers a lake which he names Lake Victoria. After their return to England, the two companions are soon at each other's throats. Namely, Speke wants to rightfully claim the glory for his discovery, but the well-spoken and charismatic Burton denies his claims. The noble public sides with Burton, and Speke ends up committing suicide.
But, there is another important and erased part of this story of glory. The two colonialist noblemen were not alone in their quests. There was a colonialism-driven erasure of the man who made the explorations, glory and survival of the two Englishman possible. Sidi Mubarak Bombay is the name of that man.
The novel explores the European colonialist exploration, claiming and exploitation of Africa, blatant racism and the exaggerated self-importance of the colonial Europeans. The latter is shown through the characters of Burton and Speke. While Burton is more open-minded and eager to learn about different cultures, the effect of that time is still notable in his character, and he sees himself just as much above the people he meets in Africa as Speke.
