Rating
Blurb
When a huge and glowing sea monster attacks and wrecks several ships, French professor Arronax joins a US mission to hunt for the mysterious beast. The professor soon finds himself aboard the submarine 'Nautilus' and a "guest" of Captain Nemo who is intent on exploring the ocean depths.
The French title of this novel is Vingt mille lieues sous les mers. This is accurately translated as Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the SEAS - rather than the SEA, as with many English editions. Verne's novel features a tour of the major oceans, and the term Leagues in its title is used as a measure not of depth but distance. (true story)
My thought
20,000 Leagues incorporates more science and technical explanation than any other science book I've yet read, and I can only imagine how riveted 1870's audiences were by his explanations of the Nautilius' electric engine, and his descriptions of what the waters of Earth contain and might contain.
Leagues isn't quite as readable as Around the World in 80 Days, and I don't quite know why. The abundance of scientific and technical descriptions contributes, but the translator approached the book knowing it was known for troublesome translations and so I must assume he would have earnest on making the book readable. Writing style was different to modern books and is a great example of how writing has changed over time.
Summary
Great read, it brings the underwater world into vivid pictures in your minds eye
If you love action adventure, you will love this. Scifi is slightly more complex due to its age. I recommend it.
