Reviews

3 Stars Five Weeks in a Balloon is the first in Verne's "Extraordinary Voyages" series. And if I'm not mistaken, the first of his books to be published. It very much sets the example of how the rest of that series would go. Although it is evident that he was still finding his style, and I did not enjoy this book as much as some of his later works. But I like to read author's debuts and see how their style and techniques change over time. This is a classic adventure story wherein three men attempt to explore Africa (which was at the time still largely unknown) via a hot air balloon. Verne took some liberties with the science and obviously had to make up some details about things that were unknown, but overall he writes a convincing story. And it is certainly stuffed full of daring escapades and hapless misadventures. It is an interesting combination of science, exploration, and at times very poetic scenic descriptions. But it should definitely be noted that this book is not up to twenty-first century criteria of political correctness and should definitely be taken with a grain of salt. RATING FACTORS: Ease of Reading: 3 Stars Writing Style: 3 Stars Characters: 3 Stars Plot Structure and Development: 3 Stars Level of Captivation: 3 Stars Originality: 4 Stars











