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First published in 1865, “From the Earth to the Moon” is Jules Verne’s fantastical tale of an ambitious plan to fly to the moon. Set at the end of the American Civil War, Verne’s novel is a forward-looking and modern tale of space adventure. With the war over and no other pressing tasks to occupy them, the members of the Baltimore Gun Club, at the urging of their President, Impey Barbicane, decide to build a gun large enough to propel a projectile from the Earth to the Moon. Barbicane is certain that, based on his calculations, the group can build a cannon powerful enough to launch a projectile all the way to the moon. Wagers begin to be placed on this incredible plan, great sums of money are raised, and the mission is soon expanded to the idea of sending three people in the projectile with the hope of landing them on the moon. Verne’s tale of grand dreams and enterprising scientists ends on a cliffhanger as the intrepid explorers blast off to the moon and an uncertain fate in this enduring classic of science fiction. This edition includes a biographical afterword.

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First published in 1874, «The Mysterious Island» is French author Jules Verne’s exciting adventure which begins amidst the siege on Richmond, Virginia, during the American Civil War. Five northern prisoners plan an unconventional escape by hijacking a hot air balloon. What is in store for them is more than they bargained for. Cyrus Harding, an engineer in the union army; his servant Nebuchadnezzar, a former slave; sailor Bonadventure Pencroft; his protege Herbert Brown; and the journalist Gideon Spilett; after flying for several days through stormy weather, crash-land their balloon on a deserted island. The men name it Island Lincoln in honor of their President, Abraham Lincoln. Reminiscent of such classic island stories of adventure as «Robinson Crusoe» and «Swiss Family Robinson» the novel follows the exploits of the men as they struggle for survival in a foreign land. A number of inexplicable occurrences, while the men are there, suggests that there is some secret mystery to the island, one that they will soon discover. This follows the translation of W. H. G. Kingston, includes an introduction by Anthony Boucher, and a biographical afterword.

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First published in 1864, “Journey to the Center of the Earth” is Jules Verne’s classic tale of adventure, one of the earliest examples of science fiction. When German professor Otto Liedenbrock finds a coded message in an original runic manuscript of Snorri Sturluson’s Icelandic saga, “Heimskringla,” he discovers what he believes to be a secret passage to the center of the Earth. Professor Liedenbrock, who has long hypothesized that there are volcanic tubes which descend deep into the Earth, embarks immediately for Iceland on a journey of scientific discovery to prove his belief. Along with his reluctant nephew, Alex, and Icelandic guide Hans Bjelke, whom they have hired, the three descend into the bowels of a volcanic crater. A dangerous journey awaits them as they attempt to travel to the center of the Earth. Following a subterranean river to a vast ocean, which they traverse on a raft, they ultimately discover a world filled with prehistoric plants and animals. “Journey to the Center of the Earth” has captivated readers for generations, and remains to this day as one the most fantastical tales ever told. This edition follows the translation of Frederic Amadeus Malleson.

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First published in 1873, “Around the World in Eighty Days” is a classic tale of adventure by French author Jules Verne, which tells the story of eccentric English inventor Phileas Fogg and his newly employed French valet Passepartout as they set out to circumnavigate the globe in eighty days. When Fogg gets into an argument at the Reform Club over an article in “The Daily Telegraph,” which posits that the building of a new railway section in India may now make it possible to circle the earth in eighty days, he hastily accepts a wager with his fellow club members to attempt the feat. In a mad dash he hurries off at once, with Passepartout, in a voyage around the world. Encountering many obstacles and misadventures along the way the two must make numerous accommodations when things do not go as planned. Matters are further complicated by the pursuit of a Scotland Yard detective named Fix, who mistakenly believes Fogg to be a bank robber on the run. “Around the World in Eighty Days,” is a classic work of genuine creativity and sheer delight that continues to amuse audiences until this day. This edition follows the translation of George Makepeace Towle.

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Originally serialized between March 1869 and June 1870, Jules Verne’s “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” is one of the greatest underwater sea adventures of all time. It is the story of Professor Pierre Aronnax who sets off aboard an American frigate to investigate a series of attacks, which has been reported to be made by an amphibious monster. The monster in question is actually the submarine vessel the ‘Nautilus,’ which is commanded by the eccentric Captain Nemo. When the Nautilus destroys the Professor’s ship, he is taken prisoner by Captain Nemo along with his trusted servant Conseil and the frigate’s harpooner Ned Land. What follows for the three is a tale of great adventure and scientific wonder. An early pioneer of science fiction, Jules Verne’s work is noted for its prediction of scientific advancements. In the case of “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” Verne accurately forecasted the development of submarine vessels. It is at once a harbinger of technology to come and captivating tale of adventure which has delighted readers ever since its original publication. This edition is translated by F. P. Walter, is illustrated by Milo Winter, and includes a biographical afterword.

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The «man who invented the future,» French novelist Jules Verne fanned mankind's desire to explore earth's hidden territories. His prophetic 1870 adventure novel, featuring a fabulous underwater craft commanded by the brilliant and mysterious Captain Nemo, predated the deep-water submarine.Weaving amazing scientific achievements with simple, everyday occurrences, this memorable tale brims with detailed descriptions of a futuristic vessel and bizarre scenes of life on the ocean's bottom. On-board travelers view Red Sea coral, wrecks of a historic naval battle, Antarctic ice shelves, and the fictional Atlantis. In addition, they confront a giant squid and belligerent cannibals, among other rousing adventures.The crowning achievement of Verne's literary career, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea not only influenced H. G. Wells and future generations of writers, but also inspired numerous films.

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"The reason Verne is still read by millions today is simply that he was one of the best storytellers who ever lived." — Arthur C. ClarkeAn adventurous geology professor chances upon a manuscript in which a 16th-century explorer claims to have found a route to the earth's core. Professor Lidenbrock can't resist the opportunity to investigate, and with his nephew Axel, he sets off across Iceland in the company of Hans Bjelke, a native guide. The expedition descends into an extinct volcano toward a sunless sea, where they encounter a subterranean world of luminous rocks, antediluvian forests, and fantastic marine life — a living past that holds the secrets to the origins of human existence.Originally published in 1864, Jules Verne's classic remains critically acclaimed for its style and imaginative visions. Verne wrote many fantasy stories that later proved remarkably prescient, and his distinctive combination of realism and romanticism exercised a lasting influence on writers as diverse as Mark Twain, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Jean-Paul Sartre. In addition to the excitement of an action novel, Journey to the Center of the Earth has the added appeal of a psychological quest, in which the sojourn itself is as significant as the ultimate destination.

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Taking up a challenge from his whist partners, a mysterious English gentleman named Phileas Fogg wagers half his fortune and abandons his quiet domestic routine to undertake a daring feat: to circle the globe in a mere 80 days, an achievement unheard of in the Victorian world.Fogg and Passepartout, his devoted manservant, avail themselves of virtually every known means of transportation in their wild race against time. All the while, a devious detective dogs their every step and introduces fresh obstacles. The resourceful Fogg faces each new trial with unshakable aplomb, through a constantly shifting background of exotic locales — from the jungles of India, a Chinese opium den, and a Japanese circus to a full-throttle train ride under attack by Sioux and a bloodless mutiny aboard a tramp steamer.The most popular of Jules Verne's fantastic adventure stories, Around the World in Eighty Days first appeared as a newspaper serial in 1872, much to the delight of a world already agog with recent advances in technology. Its enduring blend of comic misadventures and thrilling suspense continues to enchant generations of readers.

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One of the greatest underwater sea adventures of all time, «Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea» is the story of Professor Pierre Aronnax who sets off aboard an American frigate to investigate a series of attacks, which has been reported to be made by an amphibious monster. The monster in question is actually the submarine vessel the Nautilus, which is commanded by the eccentric Captain Nemo. When the Nautilus destroys the Professor's ship, he is taken prisoner by Captain Nemo along with his trusted servant Conseil and the frigate's harpooner Ned Land. What follows for the three is a tale of great adventure and scientific wonder that will delight readers both young and old.

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"Around the World in Eighty Days" is one of the greatest adventure novels of all time by one of the greatest of all adventure novel writers, Jules Verne. It is the story of the eccentric English inventor Phileas Fogg who sets out to make it around the world in eighty days in order to win a bet. With his trusted French valet, Passepartout, Fogg hurries off in a mad dash around the world, encountering numerous obstacles and adventures along the way. Jules Verne's classic work, «Around the World in Eighty Days,» still holds up today as a work a genuine creativity and sheer delight.

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