Journey to the Centre of the Earth
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Journey to the Centre of the Earth

3.67 of 5 stars 3.67  ·  rating details  ·  20,903 ratings  ·  988 reviews
The intrepid Professor Lindenbrock embarks upon the strangest expedition of the nineteenth century: a journey down an extinct Icelandic volcano to the Earth’s very core. In his quest to penetrate the planet’s primordial secrets, the geologist—together with his quaking nephew Axel and their devoted guide, Hans—discovers an astonishing subterranean menagerie of prehistoric p...more
Mass Market Paperback, 240 pages
Published April 25th 2006 by Bantam (first published January 1st 19)
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Stephen
Gawd dim it, bollocks, ShazBot and shit snacks...I am so, SO bummed that I didn’t experience Jules Verne’s novels for the first time as a young man, rather than as an aging manolescent. Reading them now, as a 41 year old, I still find myself carried away in the rollickingness of his well crafted adventures, but part of me knows deep down in my nethers that there’s a warm, gooey nostalgia that will always be missing. This giant load of empty in my core, if filled, would likely have elevated this ...more
Shovelmonkey1
Shovelmonkey1 rated it 5 of 5 stars  ·  review of another edition
Recommends it for: old skool sci-fi fans
Recommended to Shovelmonkey1 by: 1001 books list
I've tried to make The Journey to the Centre of the earth myself people, and let me tell you, it is fraught with danger! It should be a warning to you that I'm writing this from the bed of a Burns unit by typing with two chargrilled finger stumps, because the centre of the earth is not some wonderfully hollow, sparkly geode, oh no! In reality its a burning hot ball of lava, so hot that it makes the centre of a Pop Tart feel like a skinny dipping spree at the North Pole. You have been warned. Geo...more
Chris
What sounds more adventurous than taking a journey to the center of the earth? Not much can compare. Although this novel is fiction, there is so much detail in the description of the journey and the characters that you are willing to go along with all the impossible trips they make under our lands and oceans and really hope that the characters succeed. Axel, the narrator, is not very excited about taking this trip and believe me, you’ll figure that out right away from the way he narrates. His u...more
Werner
Werner rated it 4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for: Fans of 19th century fiction (esp. science fiction), and of adventure fiction
This book suffered, at the hands of the older English translators, many of the same indignities and mutilations that I mentioned in my review of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (for instance, in the version I read, the Professor's name was Hardwegg, not Lidenbrock!), and this no doubt produces a reading experience much inferior to the one Verne actually intended; but even reading it in one of these impaired translations, it came across to me as one of Verne's better books, and one of those...more
Qt
Great book--a fun tale of Professor Lidenbrock's determined attempt to reach the center of the earth, as narrated by his nephew in often-amusing language. Plenty of traces of geology, anthropology, and archaeology, but without getting bogged down. It was a surprisingly easy and fun read, and descriptive too. Good adventure story!

P.S. My version was published in 1954 and translated by Willis T. Bradley.
Francis
I'm not going to go into a description of the plot because the title says it all. I will only give my overall opinion.

In picking this book up from the library I had fantastic preconceived images burned into my mind of what I might expect to read (prehestoric animals, humanoids, battles, escapes, etc.). I was more than a little disappointed to find it lacking most of those mentioned. I have read books like "Snowcrash" that blow my preconceived notions away with more than ...more
Chris
Chris rated it 2 of 5 stars
Recommends it for: calm someone down.
Recommended to Chris by: previous book by author
When I go on a Great Adventure, I like to bring a book with me which also chronicles a great adventure. This is for two reasons; first, to urge me on in my own adventure and push the boundaries of what is expected on said adventure, and second, to give me something entertaining to read about a great adventure should mine turn out less than spectacular. After reading From The Earth To The Moon by Verne and finding it totally awesome, I figured another Verne story couldn’t go astray to satisfy t...more
g
You have three characters in this novel: Professor Lidenbrock, his nephew Axel, and their trusty Icelandic guide, Hans. Hans is like Andre the Giant's character in The Princess Bride--strong, capable, there for the heavy lifting, but doesn't really drive the plot. Admiring his single-minded devotion and cool head, we can put him aside. Professor Lidenbrock is the unhinged scientist willing, at the drop of a hat, to believe some coded marginalia about the attainability of the center (or "cen...more
Ruth
First off, this edition has some issues with the names. The cover names the characters from the original French version while the text itself changes them (which they did when they translated it into English for some reason). So not only was that confusing, but the narrator is sometimes called Henry and sometimes Harry. So if you're going to read this or buy it, get a better edition.

The story was drier than I expected. I grew up watching the Pat Boone, James Mason movie of the book ...more
David Shaw
Before reading this book, I had taken a glance at some of the reviews posted by others. To my surprise, there had been a lot more negative reception than I had expected, even though at some time or another, any novel will find its detractors.

One of the criticisms I came across was that of this novel "being too descriptive, and long-winded", and comments of that nature.

Now, after having just finished the book, I feel at liberty to respond to these statements as b...more
Kristen
It had been many years since I had read a Jules Verne novel, and to be honest, I couldn't recall his skill as a writer at all. When I dug this book off of my bookshelf I admit, I was simply bored and looking for something mindless to read while the children fought over gluing cotton balls to construction paper.

I admit that it took my mind a while to re-acclimate to the writing style of the time, not that it was difficult to read, it was just far too easy to skim. So, bringing my min...more
Darshan Elena
Verne's discussion of scientific discoveries and knowledge in the 1860s was fascinating. In addition, the novel's professor was brilliant - and I say that as a former professor. His quirks, his speaking patterns, his anxieties. Spot on perfect. A wonderful book made all the more wonderful by its impeccable historical details.
Svitlana
Svitlana rated it 5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for: Everyone
Recommended to Svitlana by: My friend
This book was amazing! I enjoyed the way the author interpreted science and how many mysteries could be hidden behind a single puzzle. At first I thought it was crazy for professor to reach the center of the earth. But the struggle the professor and his nephew experienced actually brought them closer together in terms of understanding. I believe it is awesome to accomplish something so big!!!!!!!!!!! All those traps and the way professor outsmarted them made me really wonder what it is that the ...more
Shauni
Shauni added it
It was AWESOME I want to go to the center of the Earth now!!
Dhe
la mia non sarà un'opinione con tanto di trama, anche perchè penso che sia un libro di quelli che tutti, chi più chi meno, sappiano di cosa si sta parlando. la mia opinione sarà solo il mio punto di vista, soprattutto considerando che questo è per ora l'ultimo dei libri di verne che ho intenzione di leggere, gli altri che mi ispiravano aspetteranno, non perchè non mi piaccia l'autore ma perchè, purtroppo, l'ho conosciuto con un'opera che mi ha a tal punto impressionata positivamente che qualunqu...more
Bryan
An Enjoyable and Charming Read that has Earned its Place Among the Classics: When Professor von Hardwigg discovers an ancient parchment suggesting a journey to the center of the Earth is possible, he wastes no time dragooning his dubious nephew and ward, Harry, into an expedition, first to Iceland, and then into the Earth. Harry, a young man, sees no good that can come of this expedition, but dutifully agrees.

So begins one of the most beloved classics of science fiction ever published, Jules V...more
Dusty Folds
Seriously, what is this book? Is it a sci fi novel, is it a travel manual, is it a textbook? The only redeeming quality it had was that the narrative was written in such a way to make the reading rather quick.

With that being said, though, I was more than a little disappointed. I thought I would be reading a fantastical story about a mystical journey and what I got was a lesson on geology, geography, history, science, and more. Verne's narrator is not sympathetic at all. His pe...more
Charisma
It was a nice experience to finally read the book. (I've seen numerous movies on the subject and they've all been fun to watch, but I don't remember myself ever reading the book.) I liked reading about the journey and all the unexpected things that happened to the main characters. I absolutely loved the character of professor Lidenbrock and was constantly frustrated with his nephew Axel. What I didn't expect was a very short story. The name of the book suggests a full-blown longer-than-a-lifetim...more
Kat Scoggin
It's fantasy so of course the reader must suspend disbelief to enjoy. However, the attempt to scientifically explain many things but failing to do so with large, obvious points like how does plant life subsist without sun (and therefore without photosynthesis), weakens the ability to suspend disbelief.

Some passages "caught me up" in the excitement of the characters' discoveries, but mostly I found the characters themselves irritating and several passages dull and tedious. ...more
S. Bell
Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude. For serious. I AM SO GLAD I READ THIS!!!! It was absolutely incredible from start to finish, such a wonderfully unexpected joy to read - I only grabbed it off readitswapit in order to swap out one of my books, and I figured this was a classic that it couldn't hurt to have sitting on my shelf. Took it with me to Stuttgart so I could read it and leave it... and then was quite sad to have to leave it :P

I just loved the fun and wit of the writing and noted down SO ...more
سارہ سادیا  =D
As irascible scholar Professor Lidenbrock pores over a rare Icelandic tome, he discovers a scrap of parchment with cryptic writing tucked away between the ancient pages. And when his nephew, Axel, finally breaks the writing's secret code, he learns of a hidden underground passageway that may lead deep into the center of the earth.

Despite Axel's misgivings, he and the obsessed Lidenbrock travel to Iceland and, with a guide named Hans, set out on a perilous expedition in the course of ...more
Tony
Tony rated it 4 of 5 stars
Shelves: science-fiction
JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH. (1864; this ed. 2001). Jules Verne. ****.
This edition was published by the Folio Society in 2001, with the translation by William Butcher, an introduction by Michael Crichton, and illustrations by Grahame Baker. I last read this in 1960 in a Heritage Club edition, and thought it was about time to re-read this famous thriller by Verne. We all know the story, about an ancient manuscript being found by Professor Otto Lidenbrock that contained a coded ...more
Kate
Jules Verne’s “Journey to the Center of the Earth” is one of my favorite science fiction masterpieces. Written in first person point of view, the story reads like an eye witness account, almost in journal form, with dates provided at the beginning of some chapters. An interesting aspect of Verne’s writing is the intricate scientific descriptions throughout the story. His detail is precise and often lengthy, but matches the tone of the narrator. While some may find his attention to detail overwhe...more
Greg F
The 150 year old tale, Journey to the Center of the Earth, written by world renowned author Jules Verne, is a literary classic which survived the test of nearly one and a half centuries. The book was a landmark for both Jules Verne and for the genre of science fiction. The story itself is an ingenious mixture of science and fiction. It revolves around a young man, apprentice to his uncle, a witty scientist, discovering a passage to the center of the globe. It flaunts Verne’s knowledge of scienti...more
Manny
Why does Jules Verne often remind me of Monty Python? I mean, it's not funny or anything. Perhaps I was struck by the fact that Robur-le-conquérant doesn't just feature a flying machine called the Albatross, but also gives you a precise figure for the speed of a swallow. Anyway, with further apologies:

Dead Parrot

Me: I wish to register a complaint about this novel, which I purchased not 45 years ago in this very boutique.

John Cleese: Oh yeah? What's wrong wiv it?

...more
San Gregorio
Sinopsis de la novela.
Asombros y aventuras capa por capa

La historia comienza en Hamburgo, en la casa de Otto Lindenbrock, un verdadero sabio profesor de mineralogía en el Johannaeum, en donde junto a su sobrino encuentran un pergamino escrito por Arne Saknussemm, un sabio islandés del siglo XVI, que se desliza del libro. El pergamino contenía un mensaje casi incomprensible pero su sobrino logra deducirlo: se trata de un mensaje con las instrucciones para llegar al centro de la tie...more
Ugh
Ugh rated it 2 of 5 stars
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Stephanie
This review originally appeared at www.readinasinglesitting.com

Having recently ventured around the world with Mr Verne, I decided that a journey into its depths with the same author might be in order. After all, Around the World in 80 Days, while flawed in many ways, was an immense amount of fun, and it’s hard not to feel fondly towards it despite its shortcomings. So it was in an adventurous frame of mind (cue image of hard hat, goggles, and spelunking gear) that I began Journey to th...more
Andy_s (Soulja Boy)
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Ppussppiittaa
Sebuah Perjalanan ke Pusat Bumi


Suatu hari pada 1863 di Amerika, Trevor Anderson bermimpi bahwa saudaranya, Maxwell Anderson dikejar oleh tirrect dan jatuh ke lubang magma. Lalu, ia bangun dan pergi untuk bekerja sebagai usuall, adalah seorang instruktur tingkat universitas dan pergi ke laboratorium warisan oleh Max. Pada malam hari, Trevor pulang ke rumah. Sesaat kemudian, Elizabeth, kakaknya dalam hukum dan Sean, keponakannya datang. Elizabeth datang di rumah Trevor untuk memperc...more
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Lost in Translation? 2 21 Dec 27, 2011 09:27pm  
*****SPOILER ALERT*****Question About Ending 16 107 Dec 01, 2011 03:31pm  
Book Marauders: Journey to the Centre of the Earth 1 5 Oct 07, 2011 03:59am  
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Jules Gabriel Verne (February 8, 1828 – March 24, 1905) was a French author who pioneered the science-fiction genre. He is best known for his novels Journey to the Center of the Earth (written in 1864), Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (written in 1870), and Around the World in Eighty Days (written in 1873). Verne wrote about space, air, and underwater travel before navigable aircraft and pra...more
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Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea Around the World in Eighty Days The Mysterious Island  From the Earth to the Moon Five Weeks in a Balloon

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