Journey to the Center of the Earth (A Graphic Novel Audio): Illustrated Classics

Written by Jules Verne

Narrated by Saddleback Educational Publishing

Take a journey into the future of science and imagination, as seen through the eyes of Jules Verne. The adventures of Henry, Hans, and Professor Von Hardwigg take the reader from the surface of a planet they know to a world alien to them located deep inside the earth. Verne shows man's ability to survive even in the most adverse conditions and proves that survival is man's most basic instinct. He brings out the adventurer in all of us.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Saddleback Educational Publishing
• Release date: Jan 1, 2006
• ISBN: 9781612474472

Jules Verne

Jules Gabriel Verne was born in the seaport of Nantes, France, in 1828 and was destined to follow his father into the legal profession. In Paris to train for the bar, he took more readily to literary life, befriending Alexander Dumas and Victor Hugo, and living by theatre managing and libretto-writing. His first science-based novel, Five Weeks in a Balloon, was issued by the influential publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel in 1862, and made him famous. Verne and Hetzel collaborated to write dozens more such adventures, including 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea in 1869 and Around the World in 80 Days in 1872. In later life Verne entered local politics at Amiens, where had had a home. He also kept a house in Paris, in the street now named Boulevard Jules Verne, and a beloved yacht, the Saint Michel, named after his son. He died in 1905.

Reviews for Journey to the Center of the Earth (A Graphic Novel Audio)

[prop2gether · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book! I seriously cannot believe that I avoided Verne for decades because I found Wells somewhat plodding. Of course, I've seen the movies made of both authors' works, but it was the most recent (2008) version which piqued my interest. By following the story by telling a narrative which encompassed it, I was having so much fun that I decided to read--and what a trip! It's on my favorites list now.

[elliepotten · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Everyone knows the basic premise of Journey to the Centre of the Earth - but like so many novels that have made their way into the public consciousness (Frankenstein, anyone?) it's still well worth reading the original, because they're never quite what you think! Like a game of Chinese Whispers, things get so distorted and simplified along the way that nothing beats going back to the source...As most of you will already know, the novel pretty much does what it says on the tin; it begins with Professor Lidenbrock, a geologist, scientist and all-round intellectual (the book calls him a savant)*, finding an ancient piece of parchment, inscribed in code, left in a book by the Icelandic explorer Arne Saknussemm. When he finally deciphers the code, he is astonished to find that the parchment contains the precise location of the starting point of a journey to the centre of the earth. His interest piqued, the eccentric professor immediately sets out for Iceland, dragging his long-suffering nephew with him. There he hires a guide, ascends Mount Sneffels, and determinedly follows Saknessumm's footsteps down into the bowels of the earth...I made that sound like the start of the story, right? Indeed, the blurb of my Penguin Popular Classics edition states that "Their journey... begins on the summit of a volcano..." Well, yes, but what it DOESN'T mention is that 100 pages into the 250-page book, they are only just reaching the crater that marks the real start of their adventure. This is not a novel that plunges you head-first into action and excitement; it takes a LONG time to get going, and nearly half the book is taken up by the description of the trip to - and across - Iceland. I couldn't help but think that if this was a modern novel, it would probably have been returned to the author with 'PACING!!!' scrawled across it in red ink...Fortunately the pace soon picks up once the descent begins, and from that point onwards, the novel becomes a rip-roaring tale, crammed with drama and peril, excitement and discovery, all narrated by young Axel and sprinkled with scientific intrigue. It must be said that Verne doesn't always wear his science lightly - at times his novel reads more like a scientific-minded vintage travelogue - but then another dramatic event will occur, or another wonder will be uncovered, and the reader is captivated all over again. Not that the scientific elements are dull, particularly - in fact, Axel can become quite poetic about his pet subject, and some of the historical details are fascinating - but there is a liberal sprinkling of Latin names and geological jargon that requires a little care and concentration to grasp.I think it was probably the three main characters themselves that made the novel for me (that, and the incredible prehistoric cavern with its glowing light and subterranean sea). While Axel is probably the weakest of the characters - he reminded me rather unfortunately of Fanny Price, constantly keeling over or going into a blind panic even as his middle-aged uncle strode calmly on - he has a gently wry sense of humour and describes his companions very astutely. He paints a wonderful picture of his uncle as the archetypal eccentric genius: determined, short-tempered, single-minded and completely ignorant of his own flaws. Their hulking guide Hans, in contrast, is always calm, extremely skilled and capable, strong and unshakeable; he is their rock and their saviour on many occasions, like some kind of Nordic Superman. It made me smile when Axel described his eyes as 'dreamy blue' - the hero-worship, the sheer awe with which he reveres him definitely borders on a man-crush at times!Would I recommend reading this book? Well, yes, of course - it is a classic adventure story, and as I said before, it has worked its way into the public consciousness to such an extent that it really deserves to be enjoyed in its own right. It is not a fast-paced thriller, but it is one of the most famous fictional journeys in literature; it occasionally wears its scientific background heavily, but read in the right spirit is crammed with interesting nuggets of information; its narrating character is not the most witty or memorable of men, but he describes his surroundings beautifully. I'm not sure yet whether it's going to be a keeper for me, but I AM glad to have honoured my childhood love for Verne's imagination and read the original at last!

[fillechaude · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I guess I've been spoiled by modern fast-paced writing. While I did enjoy this book, and it had some great parts, I found a lot of it to be time-killing "filler" type material. Was it really necessary to take 90 pages to actually descend into the earth? Not in my humble opinion.The afterword by Nimoy was interesting, though.

[strandbooks_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This one is difficult for me to review and rate since I'm not much of a sci-fi fan. I can appreciate that this probably started the genre, and that Jules Verne is a great storyteller. However, my eyes kept glazing over when they'd get to the scientific parts. My favorite part was how he created a Jurassic Park-like setting in the middle of the earth. I'll probably give Around the World in 80 Days a try because it seems pretty different than this one.

[amaraduende · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Oh, I really liked Leagues... I'll have to read this one! I have a Verne collection here at home... time to dive in!

[clurb · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A nice little adventure story full of peril and suspense but I was sorely disappointed with the ending.

[baswood · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

“Science fiction is a genre of fiction with imaginative but more or less plausible content such as settings in the future, futuristic science and technology, space travel, parallel universes, aliens, and paranormal abilities. Exploring the consequences of scientific innovations is one purpose of science fiction, making it a "literature of ideas" Science fiction has been used by authors and film/television program makers as a device to discuss philosophical ideas such as identity, desire, morality and social structure etc.”This definition of Science fiction copied from Wiki does not really apply to Jules Verne’s [A Journey to the Centre of the Earth]: the action does not take place in the future, there are no aliens, space travel, or paranormal abilities. The book does not attempt to explore the consequences of scientific innovation and there is little evidence of a “literature of ideas” however the book feels like science fiction, because there is a healthy dollop of geology and physics from the mid 19th century that is stretched to breaking point and beyond by Verne’s imagination and there could also be a case made for a sort of parallel universe in that our three heroes discover another world below the earth’s crust.Abe books’s list of the 50 essential science fiction novels starts with Jules Verne’s classic story: claiming that it pretty much started the whole thing. I think of it more as an adventure story, which uses a scientific background to add some credibility to the fantastic story line, but it is an adventure story first and foremost..Verne presents us with three very different characters. They are the irascible, brilliant but driven scientist Professor Liedenbrock, Axel, his nephew; enthusiastic, intelligent, frightened and accident prone and Hans, the taciturn Icelander; servant to Liendenbrock who quietly gets on and does everything to ensure the survival of his two companions. They embark on an old fashioned treasure hunt, but without any treasure just Liedenbrock’s desire to travel to the centre of the earth. The story is told from Axel’s point of view and his early portrait of Liedenbrock is both amusing and witty. Axel is a student of geology and his keen interest in the landscape as they travel to an extinct volcano in Iceland gives Verne license to write some excellent prose on both the Icelandic people and their environment and although the adventure proper does not start until the party reach the volcano there are no dull patches in the early part of the book. Once they descend into the crater; Verne ramps up the excitement and there are some extraordinary events to describe; Axel’s sense of doom when he becomes separated from the party, the violent electrical storm on the inland sea and of course the amazing volcanic eruption near the end of the story.A story that was familiar to me from having read it a long time ago and from the film versions that I had seen did not disappoint when I re-read the novel today. I felt thoroughly entertained. An adventure story that has stood the test of time, but it’s not really science fictionThe version I read was the one published in 1877, which is free in the public domain and the translation by the reverend Frederick Amadeus Malleson reads well enough not to need a more modern translation. Not great literature, but a well told fantasy story that I would rate at 3.5 stars

[mccin68 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

1863 German professor Otto Lidenbrock uncovers ancient icelandic writings that suggest a passage to the center of the earth. professor takes his nephew and danish guide Hans on a trip to a world only one other person has seen. The story is inventive but boring in sections weighted down with science. I would have loved to seen more of the world he encounter as it ended a bit abruptly. I read it because it is a classic and i'm sure utterly suspenseful for it's time.

[andreablythe · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Based on the discovery of a mysterious parchment detailing the entrance to the center of the earth, a passionate scientist drags his nephew to Iceland. There, with the help of their trusty Icelandic guide, they gain entry to travel deep into the earth,, where they have many great adventures including dangerous tunnels, an underground ocean, prehistoric creatures, and other natural hazards.I have seen so many versions of Journey to the Center of the Earth from the good to the very, very bad. This book is so much better than all of them. Much of the book is just traveling through dark tunnels before they make their more outrageous discoveries (the movies seem to insist on adding more complications).I had been worried that it was going to be dry like some books of the older style of prose, but i was pleasantly surprised. The narrative is entertaining throughout, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat, and often quite funny. I loved Professor Liedenbrock, whose wild passions often lead to humorous situations, as well as his more timid nephew Axel, who was not nearly as excited by the trip. I even enjoyed Hans, the silent and stoic guide.This is a fun, entertaining adventure novel. I loved it, and am quite excited to read the rest of Verne's works.

[saltmanz · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I was surprised how easily this read, for a story that's pushing 150 years old. Some of the grammar had the touch of the archaic, but on the whole it felt surprisingly modern. It did get off to a fairly plodding start, but once the journey proper (up and into the volcano) was underway, it moved along nicely.I did find the ending, though exciting enough in its own right, to be a bit of a letdown. Although I admit that "Journey TOWARD the Center of the Earth" wouldn't have been nearly as catchy a title.

[igjoe · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a classic for a reason. A bit technical, but so exciting and enjoyable. If you have adventure in you, you will love this book. A well written escape from the everyday.

[jgolomb_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

"Et quacumque viam dederit fortuna sequamur""And whatever route fortune gives, we shall follow"This IS your great-great-great-grandfather's adventure story, so reader beware. There's a lot of walking, a lot of exposition, and quite frankly, not a lot of action. But keep in mind...this is an original. Our modern day sensibilities expect high action out of our adventure stories…monsters, critters, thrill-a-minute. But in a much different time when society was in a much different state, "Journey to the Center of the Earth" set the table for the adventure/scifi stories of the future. The story revolves around German Professor and "Savant" Otto Lidenbrock, though is narrated by his nephew, Axel. The two come across a manuscript that references an Icelandic explorer's expedition to the center of the earth. Upon deciphering the document, Lidenbrock exclaims: "Let no one take it into his head before us to try and discover the center of the earth." And off they go.While much of the middle third of the book reads like a travelogue of northern Europe and anthropological tour of Iceland, the driving force of the story is the eccentric genius of Professor Lidenbrock. The professor is characterized by a certain "madness", as described by Axel. This obsessiveness is a driving characteristic that one can see across the literary spectrum of those who break new ground. In fact, one can see it across the spectrum of real life explorers as well. For without a little "crazy", who might have the strength and fortitude to forge ahead almost heedless of circumstances. Without the single-minded obsession and force of will, how would humans be driven to the hearts of darkness that lie at the root of all discovery?Like modern science fiction, Verne delves into the 19th century equivalent of cutting edge science with much speculation on portable artificial light, and various natural sciences related to deep earth biology and geology. Whereas Michael Crichton turned the real science of the possibilities of cloning extinct dinosaurs, Verne speculates on evolution, and deep earth temperatures.I couldn't help but compare the early chapters of Jules Verne's "Journey to the Center of the Earth" to H.G. Wells' "The Time Machine" or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Lost World". They share a certain vibe in their respective late 19th/early 20th century writing style and tone. They're reminiscent, but different…"Journey" has much more of a sense of humor, and is particularly light-hearted during the early stage-setting scenes in Germany.I liked it. I didn't love it, but I'm glad I read it.

[mrbronson_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book so much. It is one of my best books I have read for a very long time. I really liked this book because it had lots of dramatic action in the middle of the story. I think alot of peolple should read this book, not only is it a good book but has alot of detail in the story. The best part in the story was when they were on this floating big log thing and they had big waves hitting them, with river monsters.Sophie

[jjmcgaffey · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's...interesting. I hadn't realized how much the story was a treatise on evolution (as understood at the time). Now I need to read more Verne to see if he's done the same (presumably in other fields) in his other books. It's a little hard to read - the viewpoint character is ridiculously variable - wild mood-swings from "We're all going to fail and die! Now!" to "Let's go! We are great adventurers!". Got a bit hard to take. Verne did some neat elision to get past the most unbelievable part - finding the interior cavern; since the VP character (I really can't call him the hero) is unconscious after tremendous strain, that whole event never gets told. And like that. I spent much more time noticing the writing and the agenda of the author than I did enjoying the story. That may be a mood thing, but right now I feel like there's not a lot of story (and _very_ little characterization - lots of cardboard 'traits', though) to this book.

[hope_chance95 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Unabridged version, so original manuscript and totally exciting to read... I enjoyed reading this novel. I think young reader must read this great book.

[srboone · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Well-written, but talky and often boring account of a scientific journey through an active volcano to reach the earth's core. A book I started in high school ,but couldn't finish. I finally read it a couple of years ago and was hugely disappointed. Still, there some exciting parts and descriptions filled with wonder.

[cecrow · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Unimpressive writing, dull pacing and stick-thin characters (Hans is an android, I swear it) make this a tough read. Written to introduce children to science, it mostly lends amusement for the things it got wrong and the other far-fetched things it proposes that might lurk beneath the Earth's surface. It's frustrating to read about the most basic rules of cave exploration being ignored, and a professor obsessed with science who can't be bothered to give more than cavalier attention to any startling thing he discovers. Didn't make a whole lot of sense to me, but at least the ending had some excitement to it.

[defrog_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not quite what I was expecting – I’m more familiar with the souped up Disney version, though I can’t say I was surprised to find out there’s no singing, no ducks and no chix in the original. It’s all right – I’ve never read Verne before, and he keeps the story moving, even though the science gets a little tedious. Also, it’s a little hard to believe you could actually walk all that way. And the ending requires some serious disbelief suspension. Still, I can see why it’s still in print.

[15felfelis · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

This book is about a guy named Axel, his uncle, and how they go on a journey. Axel's uncle is a professor that teaches about mineralogy. One day he comes home with a piece of paper. It tells about a journey to the center of the earth. When Axel hears about this he thinks his uncle is crazy but his uncle drags him along. Many things end up happening on the journey but to find out if they make it READ the book!I didn't like this book because it was to scientific and confusing to me.

[fothpaul · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A good book eventually. I found the first few chapters rather slow, but after the group had entered the Earth things got alot more exciting. The character of Axel was extremely well written, his constant mood swings kept me entertained. The trio who journeyed into the earth are extremely different form one another and the interplay between them is enjoyable. Worth sticking with as it is a good read.

[tomwrites_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In my opinion, far and away the best book Verne ever wrote and one of the best sci-fi books ever written. I own several copies, including Heritage Press and Folio Society. If I read French, I'd try to own a first edition.

[cargocontainer · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I read the entire book wondering whether the issue was the translation or the writing. I ended up pretty sure it was the writing. Frankly, the book took about half its length to even get into a single cave. Beyond that, as I found with Five Weeks in a Balloon, the characters are fairly insane. There's little human about their minds, and they seem little more than engines to drive the excessively implausible plot. And this from a guy who likes to read science fiction. I'm giving it these stars not for quality so much as imagination. The concept was interesting. The execution lacking.

[john257hopper · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a re-read. It is a very good adventure, one of his best, maintaining a real sense of threat and suffocating claustrophobia under the ground. There are some internal inconsistencies in dates and timings which would probably not get past a modern editor. Good stuff.

[millata_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A quick read but entertaining enough.

[lisamaria_c · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Verne is considered the father of science fiction and this novel was written back in 1864. Given that, I was rather pleasantly surprised with how engaging I found the story. Sure, the science is dated, but it made me want to know more about geology and the first person narrator, Axel, is witty and his uncle the professor an amusing eccentric. During this quest to make it to the center of a hollow Earth we encounter mushroom forests, an underground sea, marine dinosaurs, a hominid and mastodons. It's a pleasant enough read, even if rather superficial in literary depth and with a ridiculous ending, even given the science of its time. Worth reading if you're interested in the origins of the genre.

[scottslaughter · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Though exciting in spots it is essentially a primer on 19th century theistic evolution.

[jwhenderson_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another classic travel adventure tale from the pen of Jules Verne. This is the third in a series he called "Voyages Extraordinaires". When Axel deciphers an old parchment that describes a secret passage through a volcano to the centre of the earth, nothing will stop him and his eccentric uncle from embarking on a perilous, terrifying journey through the subterranean world. Verne's novels are each a marvel of action, adventure, ideas, and the fantastic. In this case the emphasis is on the fantastic, but if you suspend your disbelief and join Verne on his journey you find enjoyable tales. This is not my favorite -- see Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea for that, but it is as they say, a rollicking good story.

[alaudacorax · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Some time ago it occurred to me how odd it was that I’d never in my life read any Jules Verne when he was responsible for such iconic works as this, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and Around the World in Eighty Days. So I decided to read some, making a start with this.Bearing that in mind, I was rather surprised to find the book a disappointment to me. I’m not saying it was at all difficult to read: I got through it effortlessly (I had the 2008, OUP translation), but I found it quite unsatisfying. Two of the main characters, Hans and the professor, are just caricatures, almost to the point of unbelievability. As for the third, the narrator, I don’t think Verne ever made up his mind what he was; his personality seems to change to suit various parts of the story. The plot involves little of development of the characters or the interactions between them.The plot is simple, little more than the descripton of their journey; and, indeed, the plot lines that are set up in the opening chapters are never resolved. On the journey itself we get a few glimpses of fantastical wonders but they are never developed upon.Perhaps, when the work was first published, Verne’s imagination was startlingly original enough to overcome these things – but time has taken that away. Perhaps the work is simply not suitable for grown-ups and I’m looking for too much in it. Either way I’m not in any hurry to read any more of his novels.

[kayla3marie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was nothing like what I had expected. I picked it up because I was in the mood for something fast-paced and action-packed, and I figured this was the perfect book (going off of the movie). It wasn't at all. This book was all science. There were no dinosaurs (though there were prehistoric giant sea-monsters at one point) and *major spoiler* they never made it to the center of the earth. They didn't even get one third of the way there before a volcanic eruption spurted them to the surface again after weeks of traveling. I gave this book 4 stars. Why in the world would I do that? Because I like the way Jules Verne writes. He kept me interested in the story even when there was no adrenaline-rush happening. I admit, if this book had been 400 pages rather than 200 I probably would have given it 1 or 2 stars. Verne can't keep me interested with science facts alone forever!

[tomfriesejr · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Interesting, and a classic of sci-fi, this is my favorite of Verne's books. That being said, it is fairly disjointed and anticlimactic. The title is accurate in that the story focuses on the journey itself, rather than the experience in the center of the Earth.