Journey To The Centre Of The Earth by Jules Verne

"Though pretty much impossible, Verne still makes it fun to travel with Henry, Professor Hardwigg and the unflappable Hans to the center of the Earth. It's a fun read but can at times be bogged down with geological jargon. I'm glad I read it but I'm also glad to be done."

3 Stars

Pros: Definitely an interesting idea and one that Verne made pretty believable/The implacable character of Hans was a quiet and reassuring presence through all the insanity.

Cons: The countless references to strata, minerals, other types of geological and scientific facts were rather tiresome/I thought it went on for longer than it had to.

Full Review:

Henry is living and studying under his Uncle, the Professor Hardwigg. His uncle makes a discovery, Nordic runes written by A. Saknussemm that when translated, tell of a road that leads to the center of the Earth. There is a dormant volcano in Iceland, Mount Sneffels that if they descend into the crater, they'll be on the same route as Saknussemm. Henry and his Uncle depart for Iceland at once. to scale Sneffels and see if Saknussemm's words are true.

Henry is an emotional, passionate, anxious contrast to his Uncle's unflappable confidence that all will be well. The professor doesn't seem to be in the least bit concerned about rations, equipment, all he wants to do is see what Saknussemm saw. And they do see some incredible things. Things that make no sense scientifically but that's alright, it doesn't have to. Verne is great at drawing the reader in and letting them see the world around them through Henry's eyes.

Since this is a classic of Science Fiction, I've always meant to read it and I'm glad I did. Though it wasn't the most amazingly inspiring thing I've ever read, it did have its fun parts and it definitely makes you wonder. What would it be like if Saknussemm was right? What if there was a way to journey to the center of the earth and what would we find there?

A good read but at the end of it all, I'm glad to be finished.

Comments

Fantastic Voyage by Isaac Asimov

"When a scientist, Benes, who has integral and world changing information attempts to defect and join our Side, he's injured. A blood clot forms in his brain and the only way to save his life is to miniaturize the crew of the Proteus and inject them into Benes' body, so they can break up the blood clot from the inside. Of course, one thing after another goes wrong and every chapter is a new catastrophe but it was definitely a fantastic voyage. 2 Stars Pros: Grant is one dry character but he's a welcome bit of amusement in an otherwise serious and scientific novel. Cons: Grant is also SUCH a man that he spends most of the mission staring at saving the one woman board, Cora./Definitely ripe with anatomical lessons and what part of the body they were in. Since I've never been great at anatomy, a lot of it was lost on me and became burdensome near the end. Full Review: As in all things, there is a good side and a bad side. This book is very vague as...

Animal Farm by George Orwell

"A blithe and scathing commentary on equality, power, corruption and how everyone is created equal, but...some are more equal than others. Orwell hit the nail right on the head with this novel and it's no wonder it's a staple for most high school curriculums. " 3 Stars. Pros: Benjamin the Donkey is the smartest animal on the farm and it would have done all the others a world of good if they had listened to him in the first place. Cons: The fact that societies like this actually do exist is nauseating and terrible. It's not a con, per se, it's just a gut wrenching fact. Full Review: When the overworked and mistreated Animals on Manor Farm decide to rise up and overthrow their cruel master, they're successful. They rebel and now find themselves with an entire Farm to run. They rename it Animal Farm and are intent on creating a paradise, where work and play are equal, where productivity is key but relaxation is a must and all the lives of all the animal...

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.

"Arnold Spirit, Jr, or "Junior" as he's known on the Rez, does something no Spokane Indian has ever done. He enrolls in Reardon High School and begins the long and often painful process off navigating not only high school and adolescence but also being an outsider. Alexie handles it all with grace, humor and honesty. This was a great read. I would recommend it to anyone." 5 Stars Pros: Alexie handles the ups and downs of not only adolescence, but tragedy and loss in a stark, honest but gut wrenchingly relatable way. Cons: Some of Junior's all-consuming guilt, though understandable was a little repetitive but it's all part of being a teenager. Full Review: It all starts when Arnold Spirit Jr, or Junior, throws a textbook across the classroom. When he opened the book he saw his mother's name, her maiden name and it enrages him. He's furious that the reservation is so poor that they're learning from thirty-year old textbooks. He doesn't...

All the Books.

Search This Blog