Rating: 
Summary: I enjoyed it
Review: Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is a masterpiece that should not be missed by anyone. In this book, the reader is taken on an unbelievable journey aboard the Nautilus, an ingeniously built submarine, venturing the mysterious waters of the world. Jules Verne chooses to describe marine life in incredible detail (or maybe even overboard in detail) in this fictional novel. One may wonder how much research Verne did on the ocean in order to write this story. I believe readers who find life under the sea interesting will best enjoy this book, but the rest may still be fascinated. Not only is this novel a great learning experience of the sea, it is also packed with surprises, which includes a visit to the legendary, sunken Atlantis. Verne even decides to include a bit of mystery in the story. During the sea-voyage, the submarine undergoes a mysterious collision that the captain refuses to tell. I found myself dreading to speed through the pages to complete the book, hoping the author would reveal the solution to this mystery towards the end. Even though I was greatly fascinated by this novel, I still admit that I was disappointed in some ways after completing it. After finishing the book, I had discovered that the title of this book might have been a little misleading. Instead of descending a total of twenty thousand leagues under the sea, the Nautilus actually travels a total of twenty thousand leagues submerged in the sea. One may even find the ending of the story a little too spontaneous and shortly written. As a conclusion, I must say that, even though I did encounter some disappointments, I enjoyed reading the book and I do not regret reading it.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting but Repetative
Review: While reading this book I was extremely fascinated and into it in the beginning. But as the book goes on, the main character continues to classify underwater creatures over and over and over. The only thing that kept me reading until the end was the mystery of Captain Nemo (which i have to say, was never really revealed, and a bit disapointing ending). So all together, and VERY detailed and interesting book, but too slow and boring overall.
Rating: 
Summary: Plotless
Review: First of all, I was disappointed when I realized that we're going 20,000 HORIZONTAL leagues while under the sea (not to a depth of 20,000 leagues). But my main disappointment with this book is the lack of development or progression. It's just a travelogue. You could scramble the order of most of the chapters, and it would still read the same. And how dare Verne take us to Atlantis and spend less than two pages there? None of the characters is any different by the end of the book, and we never really find out what it is that makes Captain Nemo the way he is.That said, the nineteenth century science fiction is wonderful. Verne's visions of technology and even geography are fascinating. Will modern science fiction be so accurate in 100 years?
Rating:
Summary: More like 20,000 pages
Review: Jules Verne's novel is a great piece of literature, but I didn't find myself saying that until the very end. The first 60 pages are very enthralling. Verne, you got me there, because that's what got me hooked on 20,000 Leagues. Then from page 60 to about 340, the book drags like no other. I got so bored of this book at times I wanted to cry, throw it down, and never pick it up again. I could not see any apparent climax and the supposedly egregious villian seemed like a really nice guy. The narrator also frequently goes into some pretty lengthy fish classifications and history lessons, which are all very dull, I might add. Yet to my astonishment, Jules Verne pulled the story together in the last 30 pages and made the long journey seem... well... worth my time. I debated whether or not to give this book four stars because everything came together so well in the end and left me in awe. But then I remembered all that slush I had to wade through to get there and decided: 20,000 Leagues is a good book, but if you can find an abridged version, please read that one instead.
Rating:
Summary: Around the world with Nemo tours
Review: Professor Arronax, his side-kick Conseil and the Canadian harpoonist Ned Land end up on Captain Nemo's submarine, following their abortive attempt to destroy the said vessel (which they think originally is a rather aggressive whale). I suppose that the major problem with sci-fi is that it looks so dated. No less this novel. You have to smile at those of Verne's predictions and flights of fancy which now appear very wide of the mark. Yet I suppose that the modern reader can (by definition) afford to wallow in hindsight. May be because of the numerous film and TV adaptations of "20,000 Leagues", I found the novel very familiar, and truth be told, in parts pretty dull. For a lot of the time Verne fails to lift it above what reads like a travelogue, albeit a submerged one. There are adventures along the way to keep the reader's attention, of course (the obligatory fights with sea monsters and so on - although I can't remember a diver's foot being caught in a giant clam). It's an easy book to read, and must have made a great impression in its time, but I'm afraid in the modern age, it's ultimately disposable.
Rating: 
Summary: An adventure under the sea that you won't forget!
Review: After the mysterious attack at the Pacific Ocean, Professor Aronnax was invited upon the Abraham Lincoln to try and discover what had caused the attack on the Scotia. During a fight, Professor Aronnax, his faithful servant Conseil, and Ned Land, a Canadian harpoon who was also on board the Abraham Lincoln was all thrown overboard. After a while floating in the sea, M. Aronnax and Conseil found a submarine. M. Aronnax had no energy left in him to climb on and neither did Conseil. Just then, someone grabbed M. Aronnax and helped him onto the submarine, and then Conseil. After recovering, M. Aronnax saw that the one who saved him was none other than Ned Land.
They did not go undiscovered for long since Ned decided to bang on the steel cover. After a few minutes, a few men appeared and then dragged them down to a small room. Soon another man appeared. M. Aronnax decided to start explaining why they were there, first in French, then in English, German and even in schoolboy Latin. A few days later they saw the man again. This time he spoke in French and made them a deal. Though they were prisoners disguised under the title of guest on board the Nautilus, they had the time of their lives visiting each of the secrets the seas and oceans had to offer, or at least the Professor. After a battle with nature, the Professor and his companions floated onto the shore tom their old lives in humanity, though none of them ever forgot that miraculous trip in the Nautilus. And neither would you!
Rating:
Summary: A great adventure beneath the waves.
Review: This is a story about three friends aboard the Nautilus, a cantankerous submarine-like vessel that is commandeered by Captain Nemo, an elusive figure with a mind of steel and a impenetrable purpose in life. Captain Nemo has long ago turned his back on the world, building this vessel with the intent of making it his home, staffing it with the most loyal of crews, and arming it as though it were a fortress. And a fortress it is. Captain Nemo and his crew live beneath the sea in this fascinating underwater vehicle as solid as stone. They never touch land, and are prepared to spend the rest of their days living underwater. The world has learned of this vessel, but rumors of its nature abound. Most think it is a sea monster of sorts, and the great ship the Abraham Lincoln sets out on a voyage to find and destroy the Nautilus. On board are Professor Aronnax, underwater expert, his loyal subject Conseil, and a Canadian whale harpooner named Ned Land. These unfortunate characters are tossed into the sea while heavily engaged in a confrontation with the mighty Nautilus. Hours later, they are picked up by the Nautilus, having been clinging to it's topside for safety. They are held prisoner within, but never have prisoners of war had such luxury and freedom. What follows is Monsieur Aronnax' account of the adventures that abound as he travels around the world underwater, seeing sights never before seen, engaging in activities he once only dreamed of, and enjoying times never meant to be had by man. When his companion, Ned Land, becomes restless and wishes to escape the Nautilus, the story heats up. Throughout, Captain Nemo is a mystery you will wish revealed. The story has many dull parts too, and many unfamiliar words and expressions that may bore you. Nevertheless, it is a fascinating and marvelous classic - if you have not yet read this, you should.
Rating:
Summary: Dated, but a great read
Review: Sure the language has changed since it was written, and it was translated from French. But the ideas hold up great, the plot is cool, and the characters are entertaining. A great read, entertaining to see what J.V. predicted correctly and what was totally off. The introduction was pretty cr*ppy. It tried to make J.V. seem like a futurist without peer. One example - he predicted the escape velocity of a rocket. I believe an Italian dude figured that out in the 1600's. Want to read a good classic? This is it. Need to discover a tried and true sci-fi original? Ditto.
Rating:
Summary: A brilliant novel of epic proportions
Review: This brilliantly crafted novel of epic proportions, tell of the adventures of Professor Pierre Aronnax, his servant Conseil, and Ned Land, a Canadian harpooner, as they are held captive aboard a submarine by a mysterious man who goes under the name Captain Nemo. Although they are in a sense prisoners, they are allowed to use all the facilities aboard the submarine. This submarine, powered by nuclear energy and christened the Nautilus, is one of Verne's many brilliant predictions of modern life made throughout many of his works. This like may others was correct. Through out the book, the reader gains a vast knowledge of marine life, and the lives of people in distant lands. The book begins when Professor Pierre Aronnax, the narrator of the story, boards an American frigate commissioned to investigate a rash of attacks on international shipping by what is thought to be an amphibious monster. The supposed sea creature, which is actually the submarine Nautilus, sinks Aronnax's vessel and imprisons him along with his devoted servant Conseil and Ned Land, a temperamental harpooner. When they are returned to their senses, the find themselves inside a dark, gloomy, desolate, endless, predicament. They are locked in a cell. However they soon meet Captain Nemo who agrees to let them move about the ship freely on one condition. They must remain aboard the Nautilus. So begins a great adventure of a truly fantastic voyage from the pearl-laden waters of Ceylon to the icy dangers of the South Pole, as Captain Nemo, one of the greatest villains ever created, takes his revenge on all society. The detail that Verne pours into this book is amazing. This is one of the few books that are capable of making the readers feel that they are actually there. His descriptions of how the Nautilus operates, how Nemo's crew harvests food and his account of hunting on Hawaii are excellent, and the plot never falters. The characters are wonderfully scripted; each one having their own unique personality, and they are weaved flawlessly into the awe filled spectacle. This is the book that predicted that there would be submarines, and that submarines would eventually go to the South Pole. It predicted the development of the SCUBA suit; it even predicted nuclear powered ships. The technology used in this book makes it easy to understand even today. This book is widely recognized as a classic- in my view, correctly.
Rating:
Summary: Nothing bad about the book, but I can't recommend it...
Review: My problem with the book is that it is boring or at least it goes into too much detail here and there. I'm referring to the endless descriptions of water, molluscs, sea creatures, vegatation, and so on. Now if you're one of the few sea-faring persons - one who loves the sea and loves sailing or boating or whatever, then you will enjoy the book. I did enjoy all the action scenes and any scenes that had dialogue or interaction between Nemo and the Professor. There was just so much detail that I practically skimmed through those pages. I feel bad that I did not have interest in these subjects, but it was just too much and after some point, not very interesting.
|
