Other editions of book The Mysterious Island

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 protégé 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 edition is printed on premium acid-free paper and follows the translation of W. H. G. Kingston.

The Mysterious Island is Jules Verne’s unofficial 1874 sequel to both Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and In Search of the Castaways. It is officially #12 in Verne's 54-novel series The Extraordinary Voyages. The story tells the adventures of five Americans on an uncharted island in the South Pacific. The story begins in the American Civil War, during the siege of Richmond, Virginia, the capital of the Confederate States of America. As famine and death ravage the city, five northern prisoners of war decide to escape by the unusual means of hijacking a balloon.The escapees are Cyrus Smith, a railroad engineer in the Union army; his manservant Ne; the sailor Bonadventure Pencroff; his protégé Harbert Brown, a young boy whom Pencroff raises as his own after the death of his father; and the journalist Gedéon Spilett. The company is completed by Cyrus' dog Top.After flying in stormy weather for several days, the group crash-lands on a cliff-bound, volcanic, unknown island, described as being located somewhere east of New Zealand. The island has a secret: it is Captain Nemo's hideout and home port of The Nautilus...

"In The Mysterious Island a group of men escape imprisonment during the American Civil War by stealing a balloon. Blown across the world, they are air-wrecked on a remote desert island. In a manner reminiscent of Robinson Crusoe, the men apply their scientific knowledge and technical skill to exploit the island's bountiful resources, eventually constructing a sophisticated society in miniature. The book is also an intriguing mystery story, for the island has a secret."

Based on the true story of Alexander Selkirk, who survived alone for almost five years on an uninhabited island off the coast of Chile. Verne's novel tells the story of five men and a dog who land in a balloon on a faraway, fantastic island of bewildering goings-on and their struggle to survive as they uncover the island’s secret.Quotes from the book:“It is a great misfortune to be alone, my friends; and it must be believed that solitude can quickly destroy reason.”“Before all masters, necessity is the one most listened to, and who teaches the best.”“It seems wisest to assume the worst from the beginning...and let anything better come as a surprise.”Readers' reviews:“For what is seen as an adventure book, it's mind blowingly in-depth, overly interesting and so well written, it has taught me many lessons in writing. I never new Jules Verne was so good.” (Rob Kennedy, goodreads.com)“I first read this book as a young boy and loved it! The adventure, the science, the making something out of practically nothing, the surviving the elements - as a young boy with a real desire for adventure and an interest in science I was hooked. I thought that Jules Verne was the greatest dude to have ever drawn breath.” (Andy, goodreads.com)“The Mysterious Island is the ultimate Jules Verne's masterpiece.” (Sylvana, goodreads.com)

The Mysterious Island follows the adventures of a group of castaways who use their survivalist savvy to build a functional community on an uncharted island. A hot-air balloon carrying five passengers and a dog escapes from Richmond, Va., during the American Civil War. It is blown off course and deposited near an obscure island. One of the castaways nearly dies after a skirmish with pirates; he is saved by the unexplained appearance of medicine after the pirates are unexpectedly routed. The group later discovers that their secret helper is the reclusive Captain Nemo (first introduced in Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea), who dies and is buried at sea in his submarine. The castaways are eventually saved by a passing ship.