Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea was written by Jules Verne, one of the oldest and most famous sci-fi authors, in 1869. The story follows renowned French scientist M. Aronnax, his companion Conseil, and Ned Land, a skilled harpooner. They are invited onto the Abraham Lincoln ship to embark on a scientific expedition to find, kill, and study an elusive beast destroying ships across the world. For 6 months, the voyage is unsuccessful when on the brink of giving up, they stumble upon the beast. The ship chases and tries to destroy the monster for several days until the creature retaliates and attacks the ship. M. Aronnax and his companions are thrown overboard in the clash and seek refuge on a large metal mass peaking through the water. Strange people emerge from the structure and take them inside. Inside the three men do not understand the strange people’s language until the captain speaks to them in English and French. M. Aronnax is astounded to discover they are inside a great submersible called the Nautilus. They have been taken prisoner on the ship, and are forbidden to leave. The vessel’s commander, Captain Nemo, treats them well where the men have access to all the ship's amenities, are provided with excellent food, and are invited to go on short expeditions with Captain Nemo. M. Aronnax is astounded by the underwater world Captain Nemo introduces to him, and his scientific curiosity and wonder are fueled. This book is truly a classic that still holds up after being published over 150 years ago. It is a true staple of Science Fiction and a fun read. My only minor issue is that some parts are unnecessarily wordy, but I understand that that may be due to the time of the book’s writing. It also has been published and edited many times, meaning editors may have shortened, lengthened, or slightly altered the text. The book can be somewhat repetitive, but for the most part, it holds onto your attention. It is cool to read the perspectives in the book as imagining the technology of the book when it was written in 1869 is interesting. Overall, this is a very good read, and I would recommend it to other readers.
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