Customer Reviews (1)

Paving the Way for Generations of Explorers!
This light biography provides an introduction to the life and career of France's most famous 19th century novelist (judging by international acclaim), while seeking to demonstrate that Verne truly invented the future--a modest goal!Fans of H.G. Wells will argue the point about who created the genre of true science fiction, but Verne coined the term "Imaginary voyages" and conceived a new kind of hero: the scientist or the adventurer who used scientific information and devices to explore: the earth, below the earth, the seas, the air, the moon! He even
created a futuristic utopia, though by the end of his career his novels reflected a darker side, as he cautioned against the dangers of unbridled mechanization and amoral progress. It grieved him that Man should prove Man's own worst enemy.

This book reads quickly, giving plot details about Verne's major works and unmistakaable influence upon the imagination and goals of adventurous youth the world over: France, England, America, Germany, Switzerland, and Scandinavia. A century ahead of his time, Verne combined literary talent with real scientific knowldege of his day, drawing upon the exhaustive facts and diagrams from his many notebooks compiled over the years. This short biogrpahy is an excellent springboard for comparative literature in the Sci Fi realm or as true inspiration for inventions, discoveries and expeditions to study the earth.
Although written by a German (with vague ideas of American geography), this short book lists the accomplishments of the men who followed Verne's literary legacy by exploring the planet in life. A delightful taste of the genius who inspired generations to dare more, to plan rationally and to dream of glory! ... Read more

Book Description
Tor Classics are affordably-priced editions designed to attract the young reader. Original dynamic cover art enthusiastically represents the excitement of each story. Appropriate "reader friendly" type sizes have been chosen for each title-offering clear, accurate, and readable text. All editions are complete and unabridged, and feature Introductions and Afterwords.This edition of Journey to the Center of the Earth includes a Foreword, Biographical Note, and Afterword by Andre Norton.It was a secret message by an ancient alchemist, found on a crumbling scrap of parchment. And if Saknussemm was right, then every theory about the molten core of the earth is wrong. Prof. Otto Lidenbrock has to learn the truth. So Lidenbrock, his nephew Axel, and the Icelandic hunter Hans climb down the cone of an arctic volcano and into....A realm of awesome mystery, weird beauty--and deadly peril. Where vast caverns and endless mazes lead to an underground ocean, living fire, and prehistoric monsters. But where any wrong turn, any misstep, can leave the explorers forever trapped in the eternal darkness of a planet-sized tomb....Buried alive at the heart of the world......Download Description
The manuscript volume and the smaller document are written in different hands, he said, "the cryptograph is of much later date than the book; there is an undoubted proof of the correctness of my surmise. An irrefragable proof I took it to be. The first letter is a double M, which was only added to the Icelandic language in the twelfth century. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (123)

Brilliant read if you can leave your knowledge behind
It had been many years since I had read a Jules Verne novel, and to be honest, I couldn't recall his skill as a writer at all.When I dug this book off of my bookshelf I admit, I was simply bored and looking for something mindless to read while the children fought over gluing cotton balls to construction paper.

I admit that it took my mind a while to re-acclimate to the writing style of the time, not that it was difficult to read, it was just far too easy to skim.So, bringing my mind to a screeching halt, I sat down and began to truly read this wonderful novel.Let me begin with saying that the science in the novel is extremely outdated but at the time of it's writing, was plausible.If you can get your mind past the huge hurtle of your current scientific knowledge, you can appreciate this book for what it is: a brilliant science fiction/adventure novel.The conventions of the time include misunderstandings of the makeup of the earth, and the propensity to marry one's own cousins.

The book is written in the form of a diary at times, and a retelling at times, of events that had passed previously.The voice of the book is the character Harry, nephew and assistant to Professor Von Hardwigg.The novel begins with the professor's discovery of a secret parchment which when decoded gives the location that a previous explorer used to enter the bowels of the earth.The immediately set out to follow in the footsteps of this great explorer of centuries before.Joining them is Hans, the apparent superman of Iceland.He never complains, rarely talks, and saves the lives of those around him on a regular basis.I cannot help but to believe that this is Verne's ideal man, his "Adonis" if you will.The Professor, though he loves Harry, is a closet ADHD case hidden behind a brilliant and stubborn mind.There is great adoration for his nephew, on those occasions when he stops moving or talking long enough to notice him.Harry, who is telling the story, is easily written off as a coward; however he is so much more than that if you take into account the beliefs of the time.He is following his uncle on a dangerous journey into the unknown to a place he does not even believe exists.(Harry's beliefs are far closer to the reality that we understand, however in this novel they are all completely incorrect)

Upon entering the depths of the earth many hardships and terrors await the three, ranging from dehydration, starvation, dinosaurs, many falls, getting separated, raging storms on underground seas and volcanic eruptions.I won't go into great detail suffice to say that the movie, though highly entertaining, does no justice to this story.Spray painted iguanas with horns are far from what is described in this book.If you have spare time on you hands, this is an excellent read and I would highly recommend it to anyone.There is a reason that this is considered "Literature."

4 of 5 stars.

Verne fails to reach his potential in this one
This book starts off strong with the Verne's classic style and wit.The initial pages are entertaining, fast-paced and set the premise for a potentially wonderful novel.However, the story quickly slows down as preparations for the trip take entirely too long.In the version I read, the actual journey doesn't begin until page 90.Then, once the journey begins, it is rather uneventful.Verne also puts in too much geological information for the average reader to appreciate.It becomes quite tedious reading about the content of various mineral deposits, composition of the substrata of the earth, etc.While some such material is interesting, Verne goes over the top.This novel fails to display the extent of Verne's talents.For a better taste of his writings, I would recommend "Around the World in 80 Days" or, if you can digest a much longer work, "The Mysterious Island."

A fine Jules Verne read.
Journey To the Center of the Earth was always one of my favorite movies and after all these years, I finally read the book.The book is not like the movie at all.Honestly, I liked the movie better however that is not to say I was in any way disappointed with the book.It moved along quickly and drew me in such that I couldn't put it down and so read it in one sitting.A geologist, his eager young nephew and an Icelandic guide make their way to the earth's core following the footsteps of a previous mysterious explorer into the dark subterranean world of weird plants, animals, rocks and unforeseen dangers. There was no woman with them as in the movie but a female companion might have spiced it up a bit.The Icelander didn't have a pet duck along as in the movie but he was an indispensible partner in the venture.All in all, it was adventurous and fun and worth my time.I enjoyed it very much. Sure glad I finally read the book!
Betsy

Another Wonderful Adventure by Jules Verne
Note: Some immature Mormon has been slamming my reviews because I wrote some negative reviews of books attempting to defend the Book of Mormon.

So your "helpful" votes are greatly appreciated. A short review is not necessarily a bad review if it leads you to a great novel. I've just noted the general theme. Thanks

A group of adventures with an old map travel to Iceland and find a cave.They enter the cave and follow a path to the center of the earth, where they find an inner world of strange creatures. Just suspend your belief, and sit back an enjoy this wonderful tale. I experience it first as a movie way back in 1960. Later, I read the novel. Don't miss it.

The concept of a hollow earth was not new in Jules Verne's day (mid-1800s). Its most prominent advocate was Capt. John Cleave Symmes, who advanced the theory in about 1818. Symmes was so convincing that in the 1820s he got twenty-five members of the United States Congress to vote to fund an expedition to the North Pole, where they would enter the center of the earth through a 4,000-mile-wide cavity in the earth.

It was then believed that the Lost Tribes of Israel lived on the North Pole behind a wall of ice. This theory found its way into the revelations of Joseph Smith, who in the Book of Mormon and later, said that the Lost Tribes would break down the ice and return from the "north countries."

Also, check out "At the Earth's Core," by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

Land of Terror (Bison Frontiers of Imagination)

Maybe it was the translation...
The version of the Jules Verne classic I read was the very old English translation that transmogrifies the protagonist into Harry Lawson, I guess to appeal to English readers.

The idea is good, and the science very convincingly conveyed...but I was underwhelmed with the action, or lack thereof. Pages upon pages are devoted to the prosaic trek to the Icelandic volcano which serves as the ingress to the abyss, and, once inside, pages upon pages are devoted to the mundane exploration of rocky tunnels. ("Look at that magnificent feldspar, Uncle!")

The protagonist gets lost (and found), the water supply runs out, and sundry other non-exciting events occur. I wanted more ichthyosaur vs. plesiosaur-type happenings...which alas, were barely represented.

The treatment of Saknussemm defies credibility, and the fact that the main characters survived being erupted out of Mt. Etna beggars belief. I'll grant a lot of latitude when the premise is such an interesting and promising one. But don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining.

I wanted to enjoy the book more, but couldn't. Maybe it was the translation...I'd like to think so. ... Read more

Book Description
From "Around the World in 80 Days" to "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea", millions of readers around the world have enjoyed the works of Jules Verne, the father of science fiction and one of the most important literary figures of all time. Particularly enjoyable is the autobiographical section that meticulously compiles all references Verne made in his sole autobiographical piece, "Memories of Childhood and Youth," with those made to a variety of journalists. There is also an in-depth, annotated listing of all English language versions of Verne's novels, an analysis of recurring themes in his work, and a detailed discussion of the filmed versions of his books. The authors trace each variation in Verne's published work, including "Paris in the Twentieth Century". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

What noted readers might have said...
What noted readers might have said:"Such a book as this has great relativity"--Einstein"This book is creating a cultural revolution"--Mao"This book contains information that even I did not know about myself" --Verne"Alas, the authors of this book know Verne well" --Shakespeare"Finally, a book on Verne for everyone to share" --Marx (Karl)"How this book got in my pajamas I don't know"--Marx(Groucho) ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (2)

An exotic biography...
The Spanish J. J. Benitez is an ambiguous writer. He certainly did an interesting work showing us what would be "Verne's point of view" of his own life.
On the other hand, the book is full of mysterious and esoteric thinkings from the author that are (at least) hard to believe. Benitez describes "amazing findings" but proves no one. Maybe Mr. Benitez should not take himself as the only one that knows the "hidden true" of every subject and so he could give us more persuasive stories...

The Most Unknown Famous Author
A must read; at least the introduction! No doubt about it Jules Verne was not a common writer but an author who had a knowledge that goes beyond common people. His exact and amazing "prophecies" were not a result of goodluck, but a deep study and knowledge of secret sciences such as numerology.Benitez takes us by hand trough the magnificent discovery he did on JulesVerne life and death and still leaves us uncertain on how he discoveredJules Vernes' "confessions". His confessions, as Verne called them, are acomplete and exact narration of his life, his personal attitude towardslife, and his inner thoughts on himself. Written in 1st person throughoutthe hole book Jules Verne is actually telling us the story of his life andhow people always had a misconception about him because even he was anextremely famous person, besides the father-son relation he had with hispublisher he had nothing else. A very interesting book that shows us hownobody can go against his own destiny but accept it and live with it thebest as possible. ... Read more

Book Description

Most readers know Capain Nemo only as the enigmatic protagonist of Jules Verne's classic novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. But what if Nemo was a real man, whose actual life was more fantastic and adventurous than all the fictions it inspired?

Here is the epic tale of Andre Nemo, the man behind the myth. The free-spirited and inventive son of a French shipbuilder, Nemo goes to sea as a cabin boy, faces marauding pirates and bloodthirsty sharks, is marooned for years on a mysterious island, battles prehistoric monsters long believed extinct, journeys to the center of the Earth, balloons across Africa, escapes from Arab slavers, discovers the fabled city of Timbuktu, endures a plague of locusts, survives the Charge of the Light Brigade, tends to the wounded with Florence Nightingale, is pressed into service by the ruthless Robert the Conqueror, and, ultimately, wages war on War itself as the captain of his greatest creation:the legendary underwater vessel known as the Nautilus.

Captain Nemo is also the story of Nemo's childhood friend, Jules Verne, who would bestow immortality upon the captain's exploits, and of the remarkable woman they both loved to the very end.Download Description
"Most readers know Capain Nemo only as the enigmatic protagonist of Jules Verne's classic novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. But what if Nemo was a real man, whose actual life was more fantastic and adventurous than all the fictions it inspired? Here is the epic tale of Andre Nemo, the man behind the myth. The free-spirited and inventive son of a French shipbuilder, Nemo goes to sea as a cabin boy, faces marauding pirates and bloodthirsty sharks, is marooned for years on a mysterious island, battles prehistoric monsters long believed extinct, journeys to the center of the Earth, balloons across Africa, escapes from Arab slavers, discovers the fabled city of Timbuktu, endures a plague of locusts, survives the Charge of the Light Brigade, tends to the wounded with Florence Nightingale, is pressed into service by the ruthless Robert the Conqueror, and, ultimately, wages war on War itself as the captain of his greatest creation: the legendary underwater vessel known as the Nautilus. Captain Nemo is also the story of Nemo's childhood friend, Jules Verne, who would bestow immortality upon the captain's exploits, and of the remarkable woman they both loved to the very end." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Captures the Essence of Verne
Okay- of all the books I have reviewed on Amazon this one seems to have generated one of the widest spectrum of reactions that I have seen yet. I believe the explanation for this really has to do with the readers expectations. If you read this book with the expectation of encountering a scientifically and historically accurate novel, then yes you would be likely to discount this as a piece of drivel.If, however, you were looking for a swashbuckling adventure story that captures the style and essence of Jules Verne than, like myself, you probably had a ball with this book.

Based upon the concept that Captain Nemo was a real person and the inspiration for many of Jules Verne's novels, this story is nothing more than a swashbuckling, rollicking adventure tale with a strong heroine included that isvery reminiscent of the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs. The closest comparison I can think of for these novels is the Wold Newton Universe created by Philip Jose Farmer. Like those books this story incorporates as much as possible from the time period and world of Jules Verne. Elements of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Mysterious Island, From the Earth to the Moon, and Around the World in 80 Days (among others)are interwoven into the plot line of this book.By adding real-life characters such as Alexander Dumas and elements of the Crimean War Kevin Anderson gives this book a fine sense of the time period in which the novel takes place.

In conclusion if you are looking for an in-depth, scientifically accurate portrayal of Jules Verne or Captain Nemo than you probably should not read this book. If you are looking for a tremendous adventure story in the tradition of and featuring many of the scenarios portrayed in Jules Verne's novels than I think you will enjoy Nemo as much as I did.

CaptainNemo
I would like to clear some of the blame being put on this book and its author. First of all this is a very emotional book. It doesn't have to be scientific to be a good book, a lot of books aren't. Besides, this book was only written based on Captain Nemo. It doesn't have to be a complete replica of him. That would be really boring and no writer is skilled enough to do that. The book itself is action packed, from truculant pirates to moonstruck lovers. The book fits very well with a Disney Film, as some of the other people have said. Yes, and that's one of the aspects that make this a great book. If one does not know much about the real Captain Nemo then this is an extremely entertaining book for a person to read. The action is very fast-paced. Some people may not like it. But it definitely has its entertainment values in it. You may not be able to put it down once you start reading this outstanding book.

Where is the Science
Verne is noted as an author who based his works on the most accurate scientific information of his day. That is why his material is classic "science" fiction. Right from the start Mr. Andersen demonstrates that his understanding to science is woefully lacking. He has his protagonist, a young Andre Nemo, breathing underwater through a long tube. Anyone with any exposure to the history of diving knows that the pressure of the water prevents a person from sucking air through a tube if the tube is longer that a few feet.It is disappointing when the author doesn't even do the most basic home work on his subject. If you liked Verne's attention to scientific detail, steer clear of Andersen!

Captain Nemo(The Fantastic History of a Dark Genius)
The novel was amusing enough to complete but nothing great. It struck me as a sort of Disney version of Verne's characters and would probably make a fairly decent film for them.I haven't read the Jules Verne novels in years so I can't compare K.J. Anderson's story line to the Verne novels accurately.What this novel did do was spark an interest in me to go back to the original stories and reread them. For that alone I think the novel was worth reading.

Not bad
This book is nice and imaginative. I imagine I would appreciate it more if I was more familiar with Jules Verne. ... Read more