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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
I'd like to think that my previous review was based on a condensed or bad translation. It was over a decade ago. Coming back to it, I find Nemo a much more fascinating and complex character who feels incredibly modern. The themes of ecology and isolation blend much better than before, and there are just so many incredible, somber moments. Verne is somewhat distracted by "the biology, geology and mechanics," but it's got a much better balance than I gave it credit for, and I think even Conseil and Ned Land are great characters. Though The Adventures of Captain Hatteras is closer than I might have expected., 20,00 Leagues is likely peak Verne.
Previous 3 Star Review:
Jules Verne invented the genre of hard science fiction and this is a textbook example. The characters aren't very deep, with the possible exception of Nemo merely because of the mystery surrounding him. Much more detail is given to the biology, geology and mechanics surrounding them. He creates a very rich world, with much exciting to see. However; without any real characters to care about I found myself just drifting through the story. Verne creates some very effective peril, but once again I found myself not terrible concerned for my caricature protagonists.
Jules Verne Ranked
1. Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Seas (1869–70) [VE #6] 5 Stars
2. The Adventures of Captain Hatteras (1866) [VE #2] 4 Stars
3. Around the World in 80 Days (1872) [VE #11] 4 Stars
4. From the Earth to the Moon (1865) [VE #4] 3.5 Stars
5. The Mysterious Island (1873) [VE #10] 3.5 Stars
6. The Fur Country (1873) [VE #10] 3 Stars
7. Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864, revised 1867) [VE #3] 3 Stars
8. In Search of the Castaways (1867–68) [VE #5] 2.5 Stars
9. Five Weeks in a Balloon (1863) [VE #1] 2.5 Stars
10.A Floating City (1871) [VE #8] 2 Stars
11. Round the Moon (1870) [VE #7] 2 Stars
12. Three Englishmen and Three Russians in South Africa (1872) [VE #9] 1 Star
Previous 3 Star Review:
Jules Verne invented the genre of hard science fiction and this is a textbook example. The characters aren't very deep, with the possible exception of Nemo merely because of the mystery surrounding him. Much more detail is given to the biology, geology and mechanics surrounding them. He creates a very rich world, with much exciting to see. However; without any real characters to care about I found myself just drifting through the story. Verne creates some very effective peril, but once again I found myself not terrible concerned for my caricature protagonists.
Jules Verne Ranked
1. Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Seas (1869–70) [VE #6] 5 Stars
2. The Adventures of Captain Hatteras (1866) [VE #2] 4 Stars
3. Around the World in 80 Days (1872) [VE #11] 4 Stars
4. From the Earth to the Moon (1865) [VE #4] 3.5 Stars
5. The Mysterious Island (1873) [VE #10] 3.5 Stars
6. The Fur Country (1873) [VE #10] 3 Stars
7. Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864, revised 1867) [VE #3] 3 Stars
8. In Search of the Castaways (1867–68) [VE #5] 2.5 Stars
9. Five Weeks in a Balloon (1863) [VE #1] 2.5 Stars
10.A Floating City (1871) [VE #8] 2 Stars
11. Round the Moon (1870) [VE #7] 2 Stars
12. Three Englishmen and Three Russians in South Africa (1872) [VE #9] 1 Star
I didn't actually finish this but I came close. I just did not have the patience anymore. While some of this book is quite interesting, it gets lost in the sheer amount of detail about marine life that I couldn't follow. I wanted to tough it out, if only to find out more about Captain Nemo but I don't have the energy for that.
I'll be honest, I'm just a bit disappointed. I think this suffered from being so abridged, and then it had the rushed ending. But it had its really good parts, and the characters come through quite well.
There's a lot in this that I think inspired a lot of later works. I jokingly mentioned Stephen Maturin in a status update, but when Arronax kept telling his companions to look at their situation from an nautical explorer's point of view, how great an opportunity it was to see life and amazing habitats they'd never have come across otherwise, it made me wonder if I'd actually found Stephen's "ancestor".
I would say, actually, that this is a good example of character relationships written well. In the sense of writing narrative, so many people of the same gender in a scene can get awkward and repetitive. People find it hard to write and it can affect reading ability. Unless it being abridged has changed so much of it, this flowed quite well when even Dickens fell short of the mark.
I'd say it's worth a read, but definitely go for a fuller version and prepared to be left a little bit wanting by the ending.
There's a lot in this that I think inspired a lot of later works. I jokingly mentioned Stephen Maturin in a status update, but when Arronax kept telling his companions to look at their situation from an nautical explorer's point of view, how great an opportunity it was to see life and amazing habitats they'd never have come across otherwise, it made me wonder if I'd actually found Stephen's "ancestor".
I would say, actually, that this is a good example of character relationships written well. In the sense of writing narrative, so many people of the same gender in a scene can get awkward and repetitive. People find it hard to write and it can affect reading ability. Unless it being abridged has changed so much of it, this flowed quite well when even Dickens fell short of the mark.
I'd say it's worth a read, but definitely go for a fuller version and prepared to be left a little bit wanting by the ending.
This was so fun! I haven't read a lot of sci-fi from the days of yore. Mostly Burroughs, I would say. I didn't have many expectations about this book. I do have a board game called Nemo's War which is inspired by this book, but that didn't really tell me much I didn't already know from just absorbing popular culture.
Having been in the Navy and served on submarines for 10 years, and grown up in New England with whaling and the sea as a backdrop, and having just finished reading Middle Passage by Charles Johnson I was primed for a seafaring yarn, and this delivered quite remarkably well.
My favorite part of the book was the delightful turn of phrase. I know it was translated from French, and the version I read was translated by Lewis Page Mercier. I don't know how much license he took or whether the original was so clever and at times non-sensical, a majority of which centered around Ned.
"...friend Ned is busy making a kangaroo-pie which will be a marvel."
"All these pigeons are only side-dishes and trifles; and until I have killed an animal with cutlets I shall not be content."
"Friend Conseil, I like you much, but not enough to eat you unnecessarily."
"Ned Land did not speak, but he opened his jaws wide enough to frighten a shark."
"Ho! ho!" said Ned Land, moving his jaws significantly.
Ned and his jaws are apparently very impressive. I made assumptions that the translator was probably a "very proper British chap" and indeed, he was a Reverend from London educated at Oxford University. I recently read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass and many passages were reminiscent of Carroll's intended approach to literary silliness.
I devoured many exciting passages, and loved that Captain Nemo remained an enigma throughout. While I have heard that some people were turned off by it, I never minded all of the listing of scientific names of fishes and seaweeds and other discoveries. I could imagine Professor Aronnax carried away by the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see such wonders, and was amazed at his knowledge of so much geography, being able to identify islands by the mountains and other features. I am amazed at the thought that this book was published around 1870 considering how much Monsieur Verne got right or nearly right. I'm also amazed at the idea that this was written at a time when there was no Internet, no Google, and even maps and reference books were potentially inaccurate and hard to get. Verne truly was a scholar. I mean, really,
As a former submariner I scoffed at some of the things he got wrong, but for the most part was very willing to grant a large amount of leeway considering the date of the book. Inaccuracy regarding the speeds and depths of submarines, for example, are part of what make it science fiction. For me the most egregious wrongs were that when you are on a ship or submarine of any kind you would need to "stow for sea" and couldn't just
Despite those issues, I loved it. I couldn't give it five stars, mostly because of the sense of European colonialism that informed various interactions. That quote perfectly encapsulates both the highs and lows of the book, but as someone who wrote many years before several of my favorite early 20th century science fiction and fantasy authors, I look forward to further exploration of his work and more from that era.
Having been in the Navy and served on submarines for 10 years, and grown up in New England with whaling and the sea as a backdrop, and having just finished reading Middle Passage by Charles Johnson I was primed for a seafaring yarn, and this delivered quite remarkably well.
My favorite part of the book was the delightful turn of phrase. I know it was translated from French, and the version I read was translated by Lewis Page Mercier. I don't know how much license he took or whether the original was so clever and at times non-sensical, a majority of which centered around Ned.
"...friend Ned is busy making a kangaroo-pie which will be a marvel."
"All these pigeons are only side-dishes and trifles; and until I have killed an animal with cutlets I shall not be content."
"Friend Conseil, I like you much, but not enough to eat you unnecessarily."
"Ned Land did not speak, but he opened his jaws wide enough to frighten a shark."
"Ho! ho!" said Ned Land, moving his jaws significantly.
Ned and his jaws are apparently very impressive. I made assumptions that the translator was probably a "very proper British chap" and indeed, he was a Reverend from London educated at Oxford University. I recently read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass and many passages were reminiscent of Carroll's intended approach to literary silliness.
I devoured many exciting passages, and loved that Captain Nemo remained an enigma throughout. While I have heard that some people were turned off by it, I never minded all of the listing of scientific names of fishes and seaweeds and other discoveries. I could imagine Professor Aronnax carried away by the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see such wonders, and was amazed at his knowledge of so much geography, being able to identify islands by the mountains and other features. I am amazed at the thought that this book was published around 1870 considering how much Monsieur Verne got right or nearly right. I'm also amazed at the idea that this was written at a time when there was no Internet, no Google, and even maps and reference books were potentially inaccurate and hard to get. Verne truly was a scholar. I mean, really,
Spoiler
how much did we know about Antarctica in 1870?As a former submariner I scoffed at some of the things he got wrong, but for the most part was very willing to grant a large amount of leeway considering the date of the book. Inaccuracy regarding the speeds and depths of submarines, for example, are part of what make it science fiction. For me the most egregious wrongs were that when you are on a ship or submarine of any kind you would need to "stow for sea" and couldn't just
Spoiler
have a museum of priceless spoils on display like you were in a living room, and you can't play demolition derby with your submarine. There were many scenes of using it to batter ships and ice that had me cringing.Despite those issues, I loved it. I couldn't give it five stars, mostly because of the sense of European colonialism that informed various interactions.
Spoiler
"I could easily have knocked down this native, who was within a short length; but I thought that it was better to wait for real hostile demonstrations. Between Europeans and savages, it is proper for the Europeans to parry sharply, not to attack."
Great story that takes place in our underwater world. I was intrigued by the characters, especially the unlikely trio that end up on the Nautilus. I also enjoyed the ending, which leaves room for your speculations.
glad I read it just to say I did but there is over writing then there is this bullshit so much unnecessary rambling about nothing. hoping Moby dick will be better.
adventurous
fast-paced