Jules Verne Books

Wow, when I first started to read this book I had no idea what it was about at all. I am glad I read it though. It is a tale of a poor young lad going out to sea for adventure, only to have the most nightmarish and strange tragedies befall him in rapid succession.

It starts out innocent enough, but soon the vivid descriptions of the wild situations that take place draw you into the book. Even though some of the events happening would make any normal man wish for death. However Poe does a good job balancing the dramatic storytelling without overdoing it.

Poe only wrote one novel, The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket. The novel is a series of amazing adventures that happen to the young Pym. Pym hides in a casket-like box in a ship, along with a rotten ham and several bottles of liquor and a cask of wine. While trapped under the deck, Pym finds that his dog has also joined him in his misadventure. The book takes you through Pym's experiences of being trapped under deck without food or water. He also experiences a mutiny where a faction of the crew take over the ship and kill many of the other crew members before putting the captain and a few honest sailors into a small boat with now paddles or compass. Pym, his friend the Captain's son, and a super strong sailor who participated in the mutiny stick together for survival sake, especially around the African blood thirsty cook who beheads other sailors. The sailor who mentors Pym is half black and half white, which Poe calls a 'hybrid'. They undergo a range of adventures with a death ship full of corpses, and storms so violent that the ship is reduced to ruins. They are reduced to cannibalism and draw straws to determine who will be dinner. They find and eat a dead polar bear. They pass many icebergs until the water becomes warm and tropical as they get near Antarctica. They find a tropical island full of black men who become very treacherous to our heroes. They escape the island and get caught in a giant whirlpool that is going into the center of the earth, where they see a gigantic white glowing figure. Then Poe pulls a fast one on us and tells us that the final 3 chapters of Pym's narrative have been lost and unfortunately young Pym has recently died.

What do we make of this crazy tale? This novel influenced Borges, Melville, and Jules Verne. Yet it is an odd novel, with an abrupt and truncated ending. In some ways it is a series of short stories strung together, each short story meant to give impressions of horror and adventure. Yet, I could not get over a distinct impression that Poe had written himself into a corner with no escape (after all what can possibly come after going into the center of the earth on a whirlpool at the south pole and seeing God or a giant angel?) and thus he wraps up the story in a very untidy manner.

At times, Poe's descriptions of horror are extremely beautiful and masterly. The ghost ship description is especially well done. At other times he develops a careful plot of intrigue and betrayal. The sections about the tribe of black men is very well constructed. At other times he is very abrupt and shocking, such as the immediate stabbing death of the poor man who was sacrificed so that the others could eat him and survive.

This brings up the topic as to whether a good novel must tie up all lose ends for the reader in a tidy plot resolution package? If this is what you seek in a novel, Arthur Gordon Pym is not the book for you. However if you are willing to go on an awkward journey with a skilled but uneven writer,then you will enjoy this unique novel.

Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket is one of the most relevant and significant novels of Poe. His passionate literary style, told in first person, tells us about the hidden incursion of Arthur in a boat that will make a tour through the east coasts of South America.

The prodigious imagination and febrile mood, make of it an issue of invaluable and beating actuality.

The white color will impregnate the work as another invisible actor. And its final is still one of the most sublime and admired ever written.

Suspense and horror pervade Poe's full-length story of entombment, mutiny, shipwreck, cannibalism, and more--a veritable catalog of all the human fears and foibles that Poe depicts in his more widely read tales of mystery and imagination.

The novel opens with a prefatory episode, in which Pym describes a truly harrowing night at sea when he and his best friend Augustus, after having far too much to drink, went sailing during a storm. Instead of curing Pym of his wanderlust, the experience and Augustus's anecdotes about sea life fill his head with abnormally romantic visions of "shipwreck and famine; of captivity among barbarian hordes; of a lifetime dragged out in sorrow and tears, upon some grey and desolate rock, in an ocean unapproachable and unknown." It's an accurate summary of what ensues, and although it may sound a lot like Defoe, Poe livens things up with his own special brand of horror.

After this preview, the rest of the novel feels like two main stories patched together around a central character. In the first adventure, Pym stows away on the ship owned by Augustus's father and emerges to discover that there has been a mutiny. The second half imagines a sort of "lost horizon" in the midst of Antarctica; instead of ice, there are temperate islands populated by devilishly affectionate natives.

It's rip-roaring fun, and it slows down only in between, when Pym travels through the Galapagos Islands on the way to the South Pole. These chapters, paraphrased and plagiarized rather shamelessly from contemporary travel accounts, abound in longitudinal measurements (a map will come in handy) and summaries of previous real-life explorations of the South Seas. The interlude as a whole is remarkably similar to Poe's unfinished (and languid) novel, "The Journal of Julius Rodman," published two years later, which also purports to be an account of unexplored territory--in this case, the Rocky Mountains. The fact that Poe had never been to either location doesn't help his fiction.

But don't let these skimmable chapters put you off. Readers who enjoy such classics as "Robinson Crusoe" or "Treasure Island" will find "Arthur Gordon Pym" a thrilling contribution to the adventure genre. It is also one of his more accessible works for young readers, often resembling a yarn of the high seas, without the ponderous metaphysics that bog down some of Poe's shorter pieces of fiction. And fans of science fiction, fantasy, and horror will be interested in the novel's obvious influence on later writers such as Jules Verne (who even wrote a largely forgotten sequel, "The Sphinx of the Ice Fields") and, of course, H. P. Lovecraft (most notably his story "At the Mountains of Madness").

Claiming that this is the true narrative of a sea voyage by Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket, Edgar Allen Poe records the strange, unbelievable events aboard the ship Grampus in 1827 and on a voyage of discovery to the Antarctic six months later. Published in 1838, Poe's fictionalized narrative, supposedly penned by Pym, a young man from Nantucket, describes Pym's experiences beginning in July, 1827. Stowed away in the hold of the ship and aided by his friend Augustus Barnard, whose father is captain of the Grampus, Pym endures more than a week alone and in almost total darkness before he discovers that a mutiny has occurred onboard.

Macabre details of ghastly deaths and unrelieved bloodlust, the massacre of the crew, and the casting adrift of the captain presage even more gory events. A countermutiny, equally bloody, leaves only four men alive on the Grampus. A gale, a gruesome death ship which passes them, circling sharks, and additional deaths leave only two men alive when the brig capsizes.

The second half of the account details the trip of discovery taken by Pym and the other survivor, along with an English crew from a passing ship, south to the "Antarctic Sea," a voyage in which they go "more than eight degrees farther south than any previous navigators." On this journey they encounter a monstrous "Arctic bear," more than 15 feet long, a cat-like animal with red teeth and claws, warm water with Galapagos tortoises, a series of islands inhabited by canoe-paddling natives, the Aurora Borealis, hot and milky water, white ashy showers, and a huge human figure in white, not the sights reported by later Antarctic explorers.

Poe's only novel, in the romantic tradition of sea adventures, presages the publication of Melville's Typee, which is a true story. In this case, Poe plays with the reader's sense of reality, claiming that his fictional narrative is true and that the fictional Pym had "refused" to publish it because he thought no one would believe his tale. Ironies abound, matched only by the romantic embellishments and imaginative "discoveries" in Antarctica that make this fast-paced narrative as full of tense drama as any soap opera. The abrupt "conclusion" remains ironically inconclusive. Breathless excitement and near death experiences, combined with mystical visions and inexplicable events, make this exciting narrative fun to read. Mary Whipple

About the title - A "verst" is a unit of measure. If you read Michael Strogoff you will quickly become well versed in "versts" since Jules Verne uses the word on nearly every page of the novel!

Besides the minor annoyance with the use of the word "Verst", Michael Strogoff is a fine adventure novel/epic. While it should not be confused with Verne's typical works of science fiction it is an adventure epic.

Other reviewers have complained about Verne's character development, but Verne acknowledged throughout his career that he purposely skimped on character detail. If you want detailed characters read Henry James... the styles of the authors could not be any more different!

The writing style is a little sloppier than typical Verne (it appears to have been rushed and poorly edited) but it is passabe. However, Verne is rarely read for the simple appreciation of his wordmanship... and he will never be compared to his friend, Alexander Dumas.

Michael Strogoff is one Verne's better plots, while it is not the page turner of a "Mysterious Island" it is much better than some of his other lesser known works (Measuring the Meridian and "800 Leagues down the Amazon" come to mind).

Final verdict - it may take a little patience to get into "Michael Strogoff" but I have no hestitation in giving it a hearty recommendation.

"This is the story of the indomitable Michaal Strogoff, Courier to the Tsar, and his intrepid journey from Moscow to Irkutsk, 'a rebellious country, invaded by Tartars', in an attempt to warn the Grand Duke of the traitor Ivan Ogareff's intent to destroy him and Mother Russia."

Too much, you say? Too flowery? Well, the above statement describes this, one of my favorite works of fiction, quite concisely. It is the story of Strogoff, Nadia, the intrepid pair Blount and Jolivet and, most of all, the panorama of Siberia. Verne makes it easy to visualize the greatest obstacle in Michael's path, the wide wilderness that is Siberia.

This is a wonderful printing of (in my humble opinion) Jules Verne's best novel. The N.C. Wyeth illustrations add greatly to the visualization of the work, 'though I wish more illustrations had been available/included.

It upsets me that this novel is not more widely read.

Great adventure across the Siberian plains. Lots of twists and turns that keep the reader honest. Vivid desciptions of life during Czarist Russia and the great divide between East and West.

Jules Verne wrote this book in 1876 and a 130 years later it is still being read and treasured. The reason why this adventure tale has such long legs is that Verne crafts his story around a great narrative devise. Michael Strogoff is charged by the Czar to a carry a secret dispatch to the capital of Siberia. Between Strogoff and the completion of his mission is an invading Tatar army. Strogoff must test his courage and his many formidable skills to pass through their lines. This is a classic adventure story that has stood the test of time. NC Wyeth's beautiful illustrations make this edition even better.

First, let me say that I read A LOT. I am an academic, and also an absolute lover of historical adventure fiction. I realize that reviews are nothing but subjective, but I just finished 'Michael Strogoff' and here are my thoughts:

1.) Verne is an awful writer. Yes, I realize he is one of the fathers of science fiction, but I remember reading 'Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea' when I was a wee boy, and remarking to myself how Verne would get bogged down in all sorts of scientific description and detail that I didn't find all that exciting. Well, 'Michael Strogoff' is a piece of historical fiction, and Verne takes his dry scientific writing approach to geography. You'll never forget the word 'verst,' that's for sure, as he uses the word on almost every page, with so-and-so versts between this village and that village and...Zzzzzzzzz.

2. 400 pages and no character development. In addition to 'verst,' be fully prepared for Verne to refer to Michael Strogoff by his full name almost every time. Michael Strogoff does this, Michael Strogoff does that. Other characters, from the Czar, to Nadia, to the annoying British and French journalists in the book, are in awe of Michael as 'such a Man.' I suppose; after all, Strogoff is nothing more than an action hero. But ALL of the characters in this novel are one-dimensional, and that's sheer agony. Or check this insight about a character named Nicholas, that Michael and Nadia encounter along the way: "His moody state may be accounted for when it is recollected that he was a man belonging to those northern races whose superstitious ancestors have been the founders of the Hyperborean mythology." Why yes, obviously. Brilliant.

3. I'll admit that the plot of the book is great, and the situations in the novel exciting. But I kept thinking of how this would be a much better novel if written by someone else. At least Kenneth Roberts could capture the epic sweep of the American Revolution and maintain character development as his characters would march from state to state. And I find it odd that although Verne is so scientifically minded, nearly all of the events in this book fit together by chance. Remember, the Russia of this novel is HUGE. And yet, you can always count on the main characters -- Michael, Nadia, the journalists -- to bump into each other in the middle of nowheresville, and to act all surprised at their meeting (again and again and again).

4.) Here's the kicker: I actually liked 'Michael Strogoff' enough to finish the book, but I had to give myself over to its stilted style. It's an adventure novel that TELLS you a lot about the adventure that's happening, but doesn't really let you EXPERIENCE the adventure deeply. I doubt that I'll ever read another novel by Jules Verne again, but for some inexplicable reason I was glad to have given this book a go. But I wouldn't recommend 'Michael Strogoff' to anyone, except those people that love the feel of the quality editions of Scribner Illustrated Classics and who know how great they look on a bookshelf.

I really enjoyed this series when it came out years ago and happened upon the book recently. In it Palin details his adventures, and, often misadventures when traveling around the world for the BBC series.It's interesting (and a little strange) to see Palin's serious side. I was also surprised to discover how great Palin's writing is in the travel genre. He writes with erudition and wit. This is the perfect gift for a friend who likes to travel the world. They will certainly identify with the pitfalls and discoveries.

I have been a follower of Michael Palin's adventures (Pole To Pole, Full Circle & Sahara). I have all of these on video and I have read them also. But this book is special as it is his first and hardest to get on video or DVD. When you read this you get the feeling that you are there with him. The way he explains every event and place he visits. If you are in to reading this a must read along with his other adventure books. Also, if you enjoy watching his adventures put you name in for the re-release of this on DVD as it is available in the UK but you can't watch it in Canada as it is a different DVD region. So give you email address an get it in to Canada. You won't be disappointed.

Full of Michael Palin's signature wit and odd perspective on life, be prepared for a more in depth and exciting view of his journey.

Garunteed to make you chuckle every now and then and well known to bring about sudden and obnoxious laughter! You have been warned!

Probably the best of Palin's travelogues, or maybe I enjoyed it most because it introduced me to his offbeat travel series? I rate it the best because Palin comes in contact with the most cultures in this one. Proof that Palin's comedy does indeed work all over the world. I would pick this one up before Full circle, Hemingway Adventure, Full Circle, Pole to Pole, and Sahara in that order. But you can not go wrong with any of the books, or videos for that matter.

"Around the World in 80 Days" is the book based on the TV travelogue that Michael Palin made for the BBC in 1988. This travelogue was such a success that it started a whole series of TV programs over the following years: "Pole to Pole", "Full Circle", "Hemingway Adventure", "Sahara" and "Himalaya".

The trip was intended to follow the route traveled by Phileas Fogg in Jules Verne's novel from 1872. The self-imposed rule was that airplane travel was not allowed so only trains, buses, ships and cars could be used. This was problematic for Michael Palin because in 1872 there were many passenger ship lines, while in 1988 there were almost none because of air travel. As a result he had to obtain passage on various cargo and container ships that normally don't accept passengers.

All of Michael Palin's travel books (and DVDs) share the same qualities. Mr. Palin's wit and charm and exuberance are evident, and he has a knack of meeting interesting people and getting involved in amusing situations wherever he goes.

This trip is, however, unlike the others in that there is a pre-defined route involving a lot of sea travel, and a "race against the clock" element because the trip must be completed in 80 days. The time limit provides a bit of excitement, especially when Michael Palin passes through Singapore 10 days behind the fictitious Phileas Fogg.

The large amount of sea travel is a negative aspect because it's limited how many interesting things can be done aboard a container ship, for example. In fact, a significant number of the 80 days are spent on board ships, and it gets rather boring.

Still, there are many interesting experiences reported and photographed from the various cities passed through, as well as the countryside. The cultural differences are amazing and Michael Palin reports on it all in a way that makes you feel like you're there with him.

The pictures are beautiful, even though they were not all taken by Basil Pao, who became Michael Palin's regular stills photographer on all of his later trips.

My only criticism is that I would have liked there to be some maps in the book so I could follow the trip more exactly.

The audio version of this book is read by Michael Palin himself, which is a plus. But beware: There are both abridged and unabridged versions of the audio book.

In summary, a great start for what became a great series of travel books and TV programs.

Rennie Petersen

If ever there was a title that lived up to its name, it's this book's title. Jules Verne, who I am now convinced is a consummate storyteller, weaves a tale that is so fascinating and readable that I constantly found myself musing over its contents even when I wasn't reading. My only other acquaintance with Jules Verne's writings was with "Around the World in Eighty Days," which surprised me by how entertaining it was. I went into "The Mysterious Island" a little more prepared, but Mr. Verne still managed to throw me off guard. This is a great read for two reasons. First, it is an incredibly fascinating account of survival. Not just in the same vein as "Robinson Crusoe," and "The Swiss Family Robinson" (which Verne deftly acknowledges in the story itself), though in many ways it is very similar to those accounts, but it takes a whole new approach, which raises the castaway situation from, not just survival, but civilization making. I suppose, if you are not much interested in how tools are made, how things are manufactured, the rudiments of civilization itself, the book might seem to drag for you and might even seem to be taken from the pages of a textbook. I, for one, even though I am the farthest thing from a scientist, delighted in this instructional storytelling. Everything seemed possible, the ingenuity of man's mind was glorified, obstacles of nature were surmounted with the cleverest tricks. If ever I were to be a castaway, this book would be a must have. Even though the narrative did take an instructional tone at times, and I did slow down my reading, I never did dislike it. I always came back to the book with enthusiasm. And, I must add, Verne did an incredible job of making some of the most, seemingly mundane things spellbinding. One scene, where the castaways are attempting to light a fire with the one match that they have was absolutely gripping, my palms were nearly sweating. I will never light a match frivolously again (I know that's a lie, but it sure felt that way when I was reading). That was one reason that I loved the book. If that were the only aspect of the story, I would have walked away loving it. But Verne doesn't stop there. He also approaches a completely different angle of storytelling, and this is where the "mystery" in the title comes into play. Boy, is he subtle. Man, does Verne play his cards just right when he introduces the mystery of the island. Some strange things occur, but they aren't completely out of the ordinary; they are possibly explained; they are quickly forgotten. But then something else happens, he drops some other subtle hints here and there. He lays it on so smoothly, that it isn't until half way through the novel that you realize that there is something else entirely going on here. Some strange, inexplicable presence. Something that, surprisingly, you realize is integral to the plot (even though you knew from the title that would be the case, Verne lures you into forgetting it). Once the mystery finally starts to take center stage, Verne coyly drops other hints and clues, but never unveils the whole thing, leaving you guessing. At a couple of points, he nearly drove me over the edge. I had to know, and I didn't like being played with. But quickly enough, Verne makes amends and you move on until you catch the next hint. My guesses for the strange events were all over the spectrum, ranging from deity, to fables, to time traveling, among other wild speculations. But with each successive hint, I had to reassess. As the mystery becomes more bold and the events more blatant, there were times where I was almost bursting at the seams to know what was behind it all. If you are reading this and thinking that this is a rather large setup, leading to what must surely be a huge let down, then you are thinking exactly what I thought. I kept on thinking that there was nothing Verne could do to legitimize these events in a consistent way that fits with everything. So this begs the question, does Verne pull it off? Does the mystery fit the brilliant set up? My answer: Yes and no. When the mystery was finally revealed (and yes, it is revealed ... I wondered for a while whether it would even be resolved at all), it made sense, and it fit, and I believed it within Verne's realm of storytelling. But I did feel like it was a little bit of a cheat. Not a big one, mind you, but a little bit of a cut corner. I don't want to give anything away, because I didn't get such an advantage, nor would I have wanted one, but the mystery relies on something that I don't know is completely fair. Yet, in the end, I figured that Verne still did a tremendous job. As I looked back on the setup, and the experience, I realized that I really enjoyed every step of the way ... even if not knowing nearly drove me crazy at some points. Thinking about this, and looking at my very long review which such masterful storytelling has elicited, I have suddenly come to the conclusion that "The Mysterious Island" deserves my highest recommendation for that reason alone. The journey was worth the destination, and even if the journey did manage to slightly outshine the destination, it was a pretty satisfying place to end anyway.

excellent book, but you obviously don't need me to tell you this. just look at how long its been in production.

Note: Your "helpful" votes are appreciated. Thanks

To escape the Civil War, some men steal a hot-air balloon, and caught in a huge storm, they finally land, of course, near a "mysterious island." I saw the movie fifty years ago as a child, and later read the novel. The images have stayed with me all these years.

What a debt we owe to Jules Verne for taking us so many fantastic places!

As for the ecology of the island, I think some readers are taking the story too seriously. Just lay back and have a great adventure. It's easy to pass over the things that we wouldn't do today. If they had turned the island into a nature preserve, there wouldn't be the same wondrous story.

Ten stars if I could give that many!

And if you like lost-on-an-island adventures, be sure to read Richard Laymon's "Island." Highly recommended! Unput-downable!
Island

I really love fantasy and adventure novels, maybe because I am a geek, maybe because I am immature, but I really do. This book however left me with a bitter taste on my lips. I enjoy Verne's fantasy and his easy and fluid writing syle but I cannot stand the general tone of this one novel.. which is about a few guys that , while involved in the american civil war, have the very bad idea of flying in a balloon during a storm and end up stranded in your classic desert island. As soon as they land on this island they start laying waste on it killing whatever animal crosses their path, even if just to make candles and make their house a little more comfy. Not happy with that they even manage to fabric explosives to bomb the island here and there. Before you know, they have changed a luxurious, splendid , wild tropical island in a boring american ranch. A clear example and metaphor of the well known human attitude for consuming , exploiting and polluting nature. Nowhere in the book Verne takes the chance to make his characters reflect on the absurdity of war even if the peaceful life they were leading in the island would make the ideal contrast for it. I won't say anything about Ned, one of the characters, an ex slave freed by his master who seems to be there just to blindly follow his master like a dog. I think it 's self-commenting.
Overall, still a good adventure book, but also an (unwanted) saddening portrait of human nature.

This is my favorite book by Jules Verne and I've always been disappointed that it is so underappreciated.

After escaping a confederate prison camp in a hot air balloon, five men are stranded on a remote island. The characters prove to be innovative and determined souls and set about creating a life for themselves using their knowledge of chemistry and other sciences.

The title of the book stems from a series of mysterious incidents that seem to be the work of a benevolent force helping the survivors.

Their ingenuity makes for fascinating reading and once again validates Jules Verne as one of the most intuitive authors of all time.

My family listened to this book on a trip from Phoenix to Las Vegas and it made the trip go by quickly. Jim Dale does an excellent job with characterizations. I first listened to him in the Harry Potter series and he was the main reason I picked up this book and I was not disappointed.

This is the first time I have "read" this book, having only seen the movies with Jackie Chan and David Niven. The older movie follows the story better than the newer one. The book is, as usual, much better. I'm still not sure why there is always a balloon in the movies and even on the cover of this book, since there is not one in the book.

Phileas Fogg is a ridiculously unflappable character, and his manservant, Passepartout, is almost the opposite. The main story involves Fogg making a bet with his friends at the reform club that he can go around the world in 80 days. Several complications ensue, yet Fogg shows no emotion through almost the entire book. There is romance (kind of), mistaken identity, and many other fun things in the plot. It's not deep by any sense of the word, but just plain fun. It was amusing to see how Verne viewed the world. The characterization of Mormon's was funny (I'm a Mormon), and the wild west was very wild.

I highly recommend this book for a road trip with the family. The book is just under 8 hours in length.

I found this audio book very boring. It did not hold my interest at all. I bought this book because of the person that was the reader. I have all of the Harry Potter books and Jim Dale is an excellent reader. But this book just was not my cup of tea.

Okay. I am a little slow. I didn't realize until around Chapter 5 that Jim Dale was portraying all the characters. This is a fantastic production that includes sound effects with the reading. Because of Jim Dale's skill, our family actually felt like we were part of the story, rather than just listening to it. It is a great adventure story that includes beautiful descriptions of each stop along the way. Jules Verne helps the reader learn more about each culture and you actually feel like you are back in 1872. I think the only reason a person would not like this audio production is because they don't like the story itself. Otherwise it is fun for the whole family.

I had never read this book before and to listen to Jim Dale narrate was exceptional. This narration brings out another side to Jim Dale's abilities to draw the listener into the story. Totally different than his narration of Harry Potter. Excellent!!! Three thumbs up.

This is a wonderful classic story masterfully read by Jim Dale. If you start listening to it and think it is slow moving and boring, I would encourage you to be patient. Once the story gets going, and believe me it does, you will find yourself wrapped up in it as if you yourself had a part in Phileas Fogg's bet. If you don't give this story a chance you are really missing out. My children (ages 10,9, and 7) loved it and really got into the story. No, it's not Harry Potter, it's much better.

As I have not read the book yet, I cannot rate the content. I am reviewing this book solely on the quality at this point.

If you are looking for a heavily illustrated book, it is not. There are maybe less than ten illustrations on quick count. However, the illustrations provided are quite nice. The binding appears to be a strong cardboard with a cloth-like finish. The book itself is composed of strong, thick, smooth pages and has a thin ribbon bookmarker glued in. The margins are moderately sized. Also provided are footnotes with clarifications to certain references and definitions. All in all, this is a very good buy for your money and would make a fabulous gift for children and adults.

Jules Verne's timeless classic, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, is beautifully presented in this hard-bound edition with stunning artwork by Scott McKowen. Verne is a clever writer who weaves together interesting and unique characters and plotlines. In 20,000 Leagues, we find the story of Pierre Aronnax, a French scientist, and his undersea journey with the formidable Captain Nemo. Off to search for a treacherous sea creature with his colleagues, his servant-boy and a Canadian whale-hunter, Aronnax stumbles upon a surprise: the sea creature is none other than Nemo and his submarine vessel. After boarding the submarine, Aronnax is in for the ride of his life as Nemo takes them on encounters with ice bergs, underwater volcanoes, and buried treasure.

What made this story most interesting to me was Verne's obvious intelligence and creativity throughout the story. Written in 1869, submarines had yet to be invented, and much of the knowledge of undersea creatures and terrain had yet to be discovered. Yet, Verne is surprisingly accurate is many of his descriptions and ideas.

The book is rather on the long side and can get dull at times. Verne can get swept up in his detailed descriptions of the various creatures of the ocean, even if they are just your typical fish. But Verne's sense of humor and love of adventure keep the plot moving at a fairly decent pace throughout this work. Another down point of this particular edition is that the illustrator's talent is largely unused. Other than the cover art, there were only about 5 illustrations throughout the entire book. Overall, the book was well worth reading and this edition is destined to be a family keepsake.

A classic is a classic, but additional features in this edition make it a great choice. Nice illustrations, too!

I thought that the book had one of the best plot lines I've ever seen, reguardless of the fact that there is only slight building up to the climax. The only thing that I didn't think was that good about the book was that about every other page, Jules Verne would go into a paragraph description of the animals. For example, he would say something like: I just saw a tuna. But not the normal tuna, it was yellow-bellied, had dorsal fins that went at a downward angle, etc." Otherwise, I thought it was a great read and well worth the money. I will be purchasing more of Jules Verne's books very soon. I highly suggest for you to read this book. Another thing, if you enjoyed watching the 1954 "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea Film," I highly suggest the book because the movie only gives a small picture of what actually occurred during their submarine venture and the book tells you everything, and the occurrences are just amazing.

The premise this novel is simple, if rather outlandish. Two distantly related scientists, Dr. Sarrasin of France and Professor Schultze of Germany, each inherit half of an enormous fortune. Each decides to use his share to construct a city in the wilderness of territorial Oregon. Dr. Sarrasin, whose primary interest is hygiene, founds France-Ville, a city of cleanliness and healthy living. Herr Schultze, an engineer, creates Stahlstadt, a combination coalmine, steel foundry, and weapons plant of colossal proportions. In order to demonstrate the power of his products to the world, and out of contempt for what he calls "the Latin races," Herr Schultze decides to destroy France-Ville by bombardment. Here, Verne's technical details anticipate inventions to come. Schultze creates MRV-style scatter-bombs, reminiscent of World War Two era firebombs or Regan era nuclear warheads, designed to shower fire over a wide area, as well as poison gas projectiles filled with deadly concentrations of carbon dioxide. France-Ville, it seems, is in serious trouble.
The hero of our story is Marcel Bruckman, an engineering student who is both roommate and tutor to Octave Sarrasin, the doctor's only son. Marcel is an Alsatian, not the dog of course, but a native of the conquered region. The novel begins in 1871, and Marcel has just lost his home to the enemy. Curiously, the novel, composed in 1879, hardly mentions the war directly. Marcel and Octave's military service is passed over a single paragraph, and their attitude toward the war's outcome is left to the reader's imagination. While Octave, newly rich, lives the high life in Paris, Marcel finishes school and then disappears, off to infiltrate Stahlstadt under an assumed name.
What follows is strangely reminiscent of a James Bond novel. Stahlstadt--both a fortress against intruders and a bureaucratic prison for its workers--is described in suffocating detail. Herr Schultze lives in a tower at the center of innumerable concentric rings of steel. He even has his own tropical jungle under a greenhouse dome, its heat maintained by geothermal energy, a stage set worthy of Dr. No or Goldfinger. In true super-villain form, he even allows Marcel to live once he is discovered as a spy, giving the young Alsatian time to plan a daring escape.
Of course, France-Ville is spared. There is, in fact, no climactic combat at all. Instead, Verne contrives an unusual and thoroughly surprising ending, which I will not spoil here. All in all, The Begum's Millions is a strange document. It encourages a post-war hatred of all things German while supposedly decrying racism and nationalism. The Chinese receive some odd treatment at the hands of the "enlightened" French. They are allowed to help build France-Ville, and at reasonable wages too, but only if they agree to return to China afterward, thus "solving" that very western problem of surplus cheap labor. Analogies could easily be made to the old bracero system or the new immigration policies the W administration is trying to implement. Despite the happy and relatively non-violent ending, this is one of Verne's more pessimistic novels. Money and scientific insight are depicted as dangerous when put into the wrong hands. The "wrong hands" here are defined by a man whose nation has suffered a bitter defeat. In spite of this, Verne has created an exciting adventure story, one which I believe most people can enjoy.

Until this new lovely edition, Verne's highly moralistic story of two rival scientists was only available in the flawed and dated translations dating back to its original 1879 publication. Here, the story emerges afresh under the capable hands of Stanford Luce, and is supported by the 80+ illustrations from the original French publication, as well as comprehensive annotations, bibliography, and biographical essay on Verne. These are excellent supplements to the core text, which do a great deal to tease out its themes and provide context. However, readers should be warned that the introduction and notes are both full of "spoilers" that give away key plot points and one may wish to return to them only after first reading the story. One element from the introduction well worth noting is that the story was not originally Verne's. Rather, the original manuscript was written around 1872 by the rather colorful Corsican writer Paschal Grousset. He submitted the work, then titled, "The Langevol Inheritance" to Verne's publisher, who bought it as a rough property for Verne to develop.

In any event, like so many of Verne's own stories, the tale concerns men with grand ideas about scientific progress and how it ought to be applied toward humanity. The hero is Dr. Sarrasin, a happily middle-aged Frenchman with a strong interest in what would today be called public health. The villain is Dr. Schultze, a German engineering professor of an altogether egoistical and bellicose nature. Written in the aftermath of France's humiliating defeat in the 1870-71 Franco-Prussian War, the story will be of great interest to anyone interested in studying the nationalism as expressed in literature. Verne indulges in the most chauvinistic stereotypes, presenting the German as racist, aggressive, overbearing, etc. and the Frenchman as humanistic, enlightened, rational, peace loving, etc. A supporting English character manages to convey the avarice, cunning, and scheming nature of the British, while the U.S. is generally portrayed as a chaotic place with little interest in outside events.

The two doctors are discovered to be 50/50 heirs to a vast Indian fortune, and are thus provided with the means to put their ideas to the practical test. The story hops forward five years and across the Atlantic to the Oregon coast, where apparently both men have bought large swathes of territory from the United States, and have built experimental utopian city-states. First, we are introduced to the dark "City of Steel", where Dr. Schultze rules as dictator over what is essentially a vast factory for making war materials, especially giant cannons. This fortresslike city is shrouded in mystery, bereft of women, and a place where everyone is essentially a robot programmed by Dr. Schultze. Indeed, its vision of industrialization as the debasement of humanity has much in common with the film "Metropolis" and other dystopian literary visions such as Yevgeny Ivanovich's "We".

Meanwhile, Dr. Sarrasin's democratic "France-Ville" is a strictly gridded, strictly organized monument to rationalist, idealist communal principals. Like a lot of utopian designs, some elements of it are explained in minute detail (here the urban planning and public health measures), while others are left rather more hazy (such as how its economy would actually work). The implication is that this is how mainland France would be if only mean ole' Germany would leave it alone. And of course, here, Dr. Schultze has a grand scheme to destroy France-Ville as the opening demonstration of superiority of the Germanic race over the dregs of Europe. Events proceed in the same vein of Verne's other scientific adventures, and the true superiority of the French temperament is seen to win out. Ultimately, the book is mainly interesting for its portrayal of nationalism, utopianism, and perhaps more to for its prescience regarding the chemical warfare of WWI, and even the decline of the German state into National Socialism and rule by a megalomaniac.

When two European scientists unexpectedly inherit an Indian rajah's fortune, each builds an experimental city of his dreams in the wilds of the American Northwest. And so begins The Begum's Millions, a masterpiece of scientific and political speculation. This Wesleyan edition features notes, appendices, and a critical introduction as well as all the illustrations from the original French edition. Here's what the Washington post Bookworld had to say: "To read Jules Verne is one of the great treats of childhood. To read Jules Verne later in life is to discover a writer just as satisfying but even richer, one who is not only a natural storyteller but also a mythmaker, a social critic and an innovative artist. ...Give The Begum's Millions or one of (his) other novels a try.... There's a lot more to Jules Verne than what you find in those old, albeit quite wonderful, Disney movies."

This 1879 moralistic Verne novel contrasts the ideal French city France-Ville with the malevolent German City of Steel. The founders of the respective cities were able to build them with their receipt of millions of dollars from an Indian rajah. The dark view of the German character Herr Schultze and his militarisic, imperialistic City of Steel is attributed to the French view of Germany after France's defeat in the Franco-Prussian War in 1871. But "The Begum's Millions" is not simply a nationalistic, chauvinistic French work of the time, but also a novelistic treatment in the genre of "Brave New World" and "1984" of central political and cultural subjects and controversies of the modern era. Industrialization, urban life, the benefits of improved health brought by science, political leadership, and the scourge of more destructive weapons are starkly portrayed. The French city manages to overcome the dire threat from the German city, absorbing the positive aspects of the latter into it for one combined community which is a "model city and factory." Nonetheless one can now see Verne's novel as a prophecy of the history of 20th-century Europe with the German city the victor. This edition part of Wesleyan's ongoing Early Classics of Science Fiction series is more than a economic, smart translation. With bibliographic matter of 20 pages on Verne's publications and another 11 pages on secondary sources, it is a notable resource on this pioneering author in the field of science fiction and fantasy.

This is a classic hero saves the day story, except it was written long before Hollywood was ever in existence. It was a good, short, and action packed novel sure to please anyone who reads it. No, this isn't Pirates of the Caribbean, these pirates are the real deal and they don't give anyone a chance. Arrghh, a real treasure of a book matey!

One of the greatest adventure books of all time, whose basic plot has been copied by many other books and movies (including the Die Hard films). In the 1850s, the Argentine navy erects a lighthouse at Isla de los Estados, in the southern tip of South America, near the Magellan Strait that connects the Atlantic and the Pacific and in the turbulent waters that had witnessed many shipwrecks throughout the centuries. Left behind in the lighthouse to guard it are three sailors, without knowing that in the island lie pirates with a plot to takeover the lighthouse in order to intentionally shipwreck the ships passing by and take over their treasures. A sailor escapes alive the seizure of the lighthouse by the pirates and a game of cat and mouse begins (if you seen Die Hard, you can imagine the plot, with the guard trying to hit back at the pirates). A great adventure book that you can read fast and easily.

Don't read this book execting all of the "good guys" to survive. It's too realistic for that, but it was great. It had a pleasing ending and the "bad guys" got their dues. If you like modern-day stories, don't read this. If you like classic adventures, you'll like it. Also, it made me feel what the main character was feeling.

Beware: I will give away some of the plot

The modern action novel has its English antecedents in the books of Robert Louis Stevenson, and, it turns out, its French antecedents in those of Jules Verne. This short and exciting novel could be described as Die Hard with pirates. On an Island on the southernmost tip of South America a lighthouse is built and three men are left behind to tend it. The island is also inhabited by pirates, who capture a damaged schooner, bring it into the port with the lighthouse, and immediately kill two of the lighthouse keepers. The third escapes and must survive on his wits and attempt to stop the pirates from leaving the island until a group of soldiers come to relieve him. Pretty gripping stuff.

I highly recommend this for those interested in seeing the roots of the modern action novel (who would have thought that the literary path to Alistair MacLean and Robert Ludlum would have passed through Jules Verne), as well as anyone interested in lighthouses (the descriptions of the island and the function of the lighthouse are great) and, of course, Jules Verne. It is also great to compare this to Robert Louis Stevenson's seafaring novels, especially Treasure Island, Ebb-Tide and The Wrecker.

The writing in this translation is a bit simple. I suspect that this is due to the translator, who was not an artist but a mechanic. Based on a brief comparison with a French text of the novel, however, the translation seems accurate, and it is definitely readable.

This is a tale of defying convention and attempting the impossible. To travel across unforgiving Africa at a time when so many had tried and ended up dead for their efforts presents quite a challenge. To do so in an untested but ingenious new invention only adds to the romance. As you follow Dr. Ferguson, Mr. Kennedy, and faithful Joe on their daring adventure you get quite a tour of a continent that for centuries had defied European exploration. While most of the voyage is spent in rather peaceful observation and light-hearted conversation, there are a number of times that incredible danger threatens and the heroes must rely on Providence alone to see them through.

As Verne's first book, published in French in 1863, FIVE WEEKS IN A BALLOON is obviously a product of its time, with frequent phrasings and descriptions of African natives that would likely be pretty insulting to civil rights activists. Also, I'm sure many animal activists would be appalled at the rather brutal and uncaring attitude towards all manner of creatures. It just goes to show you how far we've come in the last 150 years.

Jules Verne's scientific aptitude is on display in this book, with relatively complex and believable descriptions of the mechanisms required for long-distance hydrogen balloon flight. Fancies such as these have led many to consider Verne to be the originator of science fiction. He was also obviously quite a history buff, with complete descriptions of previous African explorations found throughout this book.

A light and fun read, and a great example of Verne's style.

This book is very exiting because ti makes you fell like you are really inside the book i would recomended for kids from 9 years old to adult

Originally published in 1863, "Five Weeks in a Balloon" was Jules Verne's First novel. In its pages, one can see some of the elements that were eventually to come together to form such great stories as "Around The World In Eighty Days", and "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea". In this story, Dr. Ferguson creates a hydrogen balloon for the purpose of exploring the unknown regions of Africa. He decides to take along Dick Kennedy, a Scotsman with whom he became friends when they served in the same regiment and who tries to dissuade him from making the journey, and Joe, who is his faithful servant. As one might expect, parts of this story are dated, and some of the language regarding the natives undoubtedly would offend many people if one were not to take into account when it was written. Still, it is an enjoyable book to read, and rates somewhere between 3 and 4 stars in my opinion.

The [other] publishing firm's bare-bones version of the book. There is no foreword or introduction discussing the life of Jules Verne, or the context of the times in which it was published. It simply contains the story, and nothing else. It has a good solid binding, and the print is easy to read. For some reason, they elected to put an extra line between each of the paragraphs, but this makes it even easier to read. All the extra white space also makes it a much quicker read then one would expect.

Un Clásico de Julio Vernes. Una novela que se tiene que leer

It's 8 years now since I first read the book. Since then i've reread it once more. What can i say about the book? it's enthralling, daring, imaginative in its vocabulary and many things more. I'm keen of adventure books but when you add exotic landscapes to accurate data you make a masterpiece. You may think the book does not deserve its 5 stars but just read the story and tell me 'du ecrivain français'.Bye

I've been listening to audio books to practice my Spanish for a while now, and I've always found Fonolibro's CDs to have great voice acting and narration. My only complaint with this one is that it was rather short (only 2 CDs, from a 250 page book), and a lot of good episodes from the book were cut. Still, if you want a simple way to practice your Spanish and listen to a classic story in the process, this is a great place to start.