Jules Verne

Golden Books Staff

Puzzles and Mazes

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Retells the adventures of a French professor and his two companions as they sail above and below the world's oceans as prisoners on the fabulous electric submarine of the deranged Captain Nemo.

Patrick Book

At least it was a damn sight better than "The Mysterious Island."

Presents Jules Verne's classic novel in which a French professor and his two companions sail above and below the world's oceans as prisoners on the fabulous electric submarine of the deranged Captain Nemo, and includes historical context, explanatory notes, excerpts of criticism, discussion questions, and other study tools.

Laura Mauler

** spoiler alert **
           A really good sea adventure book. It especially drew me in with the scuba diving parts, to which I can now happily relate! This particular version has a chronology of historical events, giving readers some context for the scientific/technological aspects of the book. For example, to us a fully electric submarine is a fact, but this was written twenty years before the first modern submarine - putting it firmly in the realm of fantasy for its time.

What I didn't like about this book was the over-detailed descriptions of sea animals and plants. Whole pages were devoted to simply listing off the types of creatures seen by the narrator, and sometimes it was upwards of five pages before the writing returned to the plot. Another complaint is that the narrator conveniently lost consciousness during tricky plot twists, so that "unavoidable" disasters were actually avoided but with no description of exactly how.

Verdict? Still a good read.

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I read this aloud to my class this semester, and it absolutely is a timeless classic.

Victoria 

My very first book. It is a wholesome adventure around a very particular friendship with a fantastic mission. It's packed with wonders and references of the sea life. If you like science, adventures and friendship, this is a must for you.

Henry Ramírez

Bri Billaney

To the person who recommended I read through Jules Verne's catalogue: Thank you! I owe you so much! You almost single-handedly caused the resurgence of my love of books. 

This was epic, and I loved it. I still love it. I think about it all the time. I know it's a more childish book, but it - along with Journey to the Centre of the Earth - have the prized position on my bookshelf. The world that Verne created in this book was incredible and it made me feel like I was right there in the story. That sensation is something that I have failed to feel as strongly since.

I quite like Captain Nemo and I wouldn’t be mad to live on the Nautilus. 👀 

Brianna

Professor Aronnax sets out in search of a dangerous sea monster, only to learn that the monster is really Captain Nemo's powerful submarine.

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

Nick Gracilla

I wish I had read this when I was younger. It is a true adventure story, bolstered by the top imaginable technology of the turn of the century, with a deep a love of science and classification. The key mechanical and Victorian foundations to steampunk are here, as is a gripping psychological terror story of isolation — both physical and emotional — power, and achievement.

Jasmine Stanway

I enjoyed this book, but there were MANY parts that dragged on. At one point I just began skipping over all the massive lists of sea creatures and random stories that had nothing to do with the main plot. I loved all the adventures and big events, but a lot of the science and nautical terminology was beyond me. I think I’d like it if I re read it because I’d know which parts to skip over. I did like this very much, but it’s not a new favourite

Stef

20000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA BY JULES VERNE WITH BEAUTIFUL CLASSIC COVER. PERFECTLY FOR EVERYONE WHO LOVES CLASSIC ADVENTURES SCIENCE FICTION BOOKS OR AS A GIFT FOR YOU LOVED ONE. GET YOURS TODAY! Specifications: Cover Finish: GLOSSY Dimensions: 5,25" x 8" (13,34 x 20,32 cm) Interior: White Paper Pages: 345

By Jules Verne

20000 Leagues Under the Sea

Isabela Ospina

I see where the author was coming from. I understand Jules Verne, it was an adventure book, it is what people had back then to fill their desire and lack of genres like sci-fi or fantasy. That's why I partially value this story.

However, the neverending paragraphs describing altitude, fishes, places, and so on, are really not needed unless you're truly, really interested in marine biology.


Capucine Fachot

Fabuleux, ce roman nous tient en haleine jusqu'à la dernière page. Empreint de mystérieux, de soif de découverte et d'aventures sans cesse renouvelées et si variées, Jules Verne dresse des personnages captivants dans un environnement naturel mais si inconnu, il s'amuse du lecteur en ne délivrant que trop peu d'information concernant l'équipage gardant un suspens quasi insoutenable, mais nous fait parcourir 20,000 lieues sous les mers à bord d'un sous marin sous le commandement du plus étrange et étonnant Capitaine. Je ne demande qu'à le relire, et à rejoindre à nouveau le Professeur Aronnax dans ses observations, Conseil dans ses ichtyologies et Ned Land avec ses bougonnements et excès de colère. Je rêvais de la bibliothèque dans La Belle et la Bête, maintenant je rêve du fumoir/bibliothèque du Capitaine Nemo avec les panneaux ouverts bien évidemment pour observer sans fin les fonds marins.

jam 🍯

4.5/5

Note: My copy is a 1954 Collins Classics leather-bound edition and does not have an ISBN.

A classic (or should I say "the" classic) steampunk adventure story, 20,000 Leagues has inspired countless other steampunk stories since it was first published in 1870. And for good reason — while the descriptions of impossible-yet-probable technology and marine sights compelling, it is the characters and their adventures that compel the reader to stay.

20,000 Leagues is an adventure story, which means that the journey of our narrator is more important than clashing with the antagonist of the story, our infamous Captain Nemo. These adventures range from simple fun (Ned Land's hunting trip around Malaysia) to heart-racing (the journey away from the South Pole), and because they hold center stage in the book, most of the character relationships and interplay comes down to a matter of subtext, which is extremely fun to read into. Between this subtext and the gentlemanly writing style, a reader might find a lot of homoerotic tension running through the story, if they were motivated to do so.

On that note, I will say that the writing style might not be for everyone though I happened to enjoy it immensely. It is definitely indicative of the time period it was written in, and I could see some people being put off by the long descriptions or roundabout phrases. As for me, I found Verne's use of personification (especially with regard to the Nautilus itself), absolutely gorgeous, and his insight into his characters' brooding beautiful.

Verne was a lover of science and the sea, and it shows in the long descriptions of various marine life and their classifications. I skimmed those sections. It didn't bother me or detract from my enjoyment to do so, and I highly recommend anyone without a vested interest in taxonomy to do the same.

One last note. A lot of these older books don't age well because, well, they're racist. 20,000 Leagues skirts around the issue well enough because all of the characters are on a submarine that has sworn off contact with the rest of civilization. While there is some mention of indigenous people as "savages," Captain Nemo is quick to shut it down because he has "met with some [savages] everywhere." We love an equal opportunity misanthrope.

Plunge down, down, to the bottom of the sea with this breathtaking illustrated version of Verne's classic tale. Jules Verne's early sci-fi novel is a timeless masterpiece that predicted the invention of the submarine. This stunningly illustrated retelling introduces young readers to the enigmatic Captain Nemo and takes them along on a fantastic voyage on-board the Nautilus. Artist Francesca Rossi vividly captures the ocean's depths and the amazing creatures that live there, bringing children right into the heart of the adventure.

Sophie Collins

Daryl Houston

I read this with my kids. It was ok for me, but they got bored about halfway through with a lot of the details, so we switched to an abridged kid version that they found much more palatable. My kids generally have a high tolerance for this sort of book. As far as I got through it, I felt mostly kind of meh about it.

This is Jules Verne's classic tale of undersea adventure, based on the 1873 translation by Lewis Mercier. Since that's been the standard English translation for over a hundred years, it's probably the one you remember reading way back when, and the edition you'll be familiar with. Re-reading this as an adult, and an adult who's spent twenty-plus years since then reading science fiction, I did have to remind myself more than once how amazing the then-future technologies Verne describes, like electric rifles, undersea diving suits, electric motors, etc., would have been to his contemporary readers; the book was first published in 1869, a mere five years after the Confederate submarine Hunley became the first submarine to sink an enemy warship (and sank itself in the process). At times I found myself mentally substituting 'outer space' for 'under sea, ' just to help me analogize the situation. Despite that, the plot and action were as riveting now as they were when I first read it. Professor Arronax, his valet Conseil, and harpooner Ned Land are coaxed into assisting the United States in a search for a sea monster said to be terrorizing shipping lanes--but the monster is not flesh and blood. The three soon find themselves in the hands of the mysterious Captain Nemo, who has created a machine that glides beneath the surface of the ocean: a submarine named Nautilus. LEAGUES is a fascinating novel to read--fascinating as much for itself as for what it tells us about the world of the 1870s and what was believed to be possible. The vision that Verne had would indeed come to pass: there would be submarines, and they would strong enough to brave the polar seas. It is an impressive accomplishment--and a tremendously fun read.

The Original Classic Edition

Dani

Al principio me costó mucho aceptar el nivel de descripción y la cantidad de listados, pero luego le encontré todo el sentido de ser. Nuevamente feliz de haber decidido darme el tiempo para estos clásicos.

Pia Sophia

Just okay. Not enough of the adventure I hoped there would be, way too much of explicitly detailed descriptions of X sea animal on X date.

Monica

This was a fantastic read! It is true that it has, in my opinion, too much talk about different types of marine creatures and events - with date and all! - which by and by were a bit boring for me. It might be interesting for someone familiar with those things, but for me it was completely unnecessary. However, adventure is as constant! I really dreamt about being inside the Nautilus with Captain Nemo and professor Aronnax. Also, together with the danger of the adventure, there were several comments which made me laugh.

All in all, I think this is a very good novel, one of those classics that is worth reading. To anyone who is reluctant I say: go for it!

Catalina Texido

Faqih Eky

Rebecca Lysaght

Après le naufrage de navires attaqués par une créature mystérieuse, la marine américaine envoie le célèbre professeur Aronnax pour retrouver le monstre et le tuer. Après plusieurs mois de recherches infructueuses, le professeur tombe à l'eau. Il est recueilli par le capitaine Nemo à bord de son sous-marin le Nautilus.

Vingt mille lieues sous les mers

anne caroline

Jules Verne's timeless underwater adventure story in a stunning Hardcover Classics edition with the original illustrations In this thrilling adventure tale by the father of science fiction, three men embark on an epic journey under the sea with the mysterious Captain Nemo aboard his submarine, the Nautilus. Over the course of their fantastical voyage, they encounter the lost city of Atlantis, the South Pole, and the corals of the Red Sea. Along the way, they must battle countless adversaries both human and monstrous. This triumphant work of the imagination shows the limitless possibilities of science and the dark depths of the human mind. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Puzzles and Mazes

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