The Mysterious Island

The Mysterious Island is a novel by Jules Verne, published in 1874. The novel is a crossover sequel to Verne's famous Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and In Search of the Castaways, though its themes are vastly different from those books. An early draft of the novel, initially rejected by Verne's publisher, was titled Shipwrecked Family: Marooned With Uncle Robinson, seen as indicating the influence of the novels Robinson Crusoe and The Swiss Family Robinson.The plot focuses on the adventures of five Americans prisoners of war that escape by hijacking a balloon. After flying in a great storm for several days, the group crash-lands on a cliff-bound, volcanic, uncharted island in the South Pacific. The five are able to sustain themselves on the island relaying not only on their skills but also on a mysterious form of an unseen deus ex machina that help them in different ways. Yet, they have to endure many dangers.