Book Review: "Journey to the Center of the Earth" by Jules Verne

While most of modern science fiction is associated with the latest in Hollywood spectacles (*cough*Star Wars*cough*), it's easy to forget about the roots of science fiction as a whole, which goes back as far as the late 19th Century. One of the most prolific writers in this genre was a Frenchman named Jules Verne, and his books 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Journey to the Center of the Earth are the epitome of his storytelling expertise. This review will focus on the latter book as I have yet to read the former (though it is on my backlog of books).

The book is split into many chapters, so it makes for an easy read without dragging on and on until you reach a part you're sure you can place a bookmark on. While archaic, the style is simple and easy to follow without delving into big vocabulary and monologues. The characters, as few as they may be, are quirky and memorable, in particular Professor Otto Lidenbrock. The pace is just as intense and exciting from start to finish, and the conclusion of the book is just as satisfying. Granted, it stayed on the safe side in terms of mortality as the book was catered to most if not all age groups. However, the most provocative aspect of the book is the imagery it portrays. Without spoiling too much, all I can say is that you can expect both familiar and alien landscapes, flora and fauna from the depths of the Earth itself, and an air of anachronism as things of both the past and the present surface into the story.

All in all, Journey to the Center of the Earth is a masterpiece of early science fiction.

Writing: 5/5
Style: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

Salaam

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