20,000
Leagues Under the Sea is a prime
contender for the title of the most influential science fiction novel of all
time. Jules Verne is regarded as one of the fathers of the sci-fi genre, and of
all his novels, this is his most important. This book not only contains
high-tech devices, exhilarating adventures, and in-depth scientific data (all
archetypes of the genre), but it has also immersed itself in our modern world. At
the time of the book’s release, submarines were primitive, imperfect vessels.
Did Verne’s Nautilus inspire the
modern-day submarine? The submarine in this novel is so detailed and so
complex, it might as well.
The
novel starts with the scientific community going nuts over the many shipwrecks
occasioned by a “sea monster.” Our protagonists, the French scientist Arronax,
his servant Conseil, and the Canadian harpooner Ned Land go on board the Abraham Lincoln in search of this
monster. After a long and desperate search, they stumble upon the monster. In
their chase, they fall on the water and climb on top of the monster. It turns
out that it’s not actually a monster, but a submarine unlike anything they’ve
ever seen before. They board the submarine, the Nautilus, and are welcomed by its commander, Captain Nemo, who
forces them to stay on the ship for the rest of their lives.
There are two key elements that explain why this novel
has withstood the test of time and still continues to enthrall 21st
century readers. First of all, the science. As stated previously, the Nautilus isn’t just some vessel that
just “works” because the author says so. Jules Verne makes this vessel actually
work! He explains us in exquisite detail how it operates and all the little
parts that come together to make it work. It’s all so technical and so
brilliant that it convinces you that pretty much the only obstacle that kept
Verne from actually making his own Nautilus
was the money. Jules Verne wasn’t just a great storyteller; he was a true
scientist.
Additionally,
the Nautilus isn’t the only aspect
that mesmerizes readers in this book. Throughout all the travels of our heroes,
we meet many species of sea-life as well as the great places of the ocean. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea isn’t just
a textbook in engineering; it’s also a textbook in biology and geography. Now
granted, for many readers, these descriptions may be hard to read. I’ve never
been too much of a science person myself, so at times I did have some
difficulty reading this book. However, that’s not to say that these
descriptions are a detriment to the book’s quality. On the contrary, they’re a
testament of the genius of Jules Verne.
The second aspect that has cemented 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea as a great
sci-fi novel is the incredible sense of adventure. In almost every chapter,
we’re introduced to a brand new adventure. And on top of being educational,
they can be exciting, imaginative, and at times clever. The way the ship’s crew
manages to find a way around these problems is handled in a very intelligent
manner. This is an adventure that will enthrall both readers who want to have a
good time and readers who desire something thought-provocative.
However,
despite these positives, the novel’s biggest flaw is perhaps the ending. Without
giving too much away, throughout the novel we’re constantly teased with regards
to how our protagonists’ situation will be resolved. And when it does finally
pop up in the end, it’s very disappointing. It’s resolved in such a simple,
easy manner. In fact, we don’t even see much of it. Arronax, the narrator, is
unconscious through most of it and simply tells us about the resolution, not
how they arrived at it. It felt like such a cop out ending, and it’s quite
frustrating considering how cleverly Verne had resolved our heroes’
predicaments throughout the rest of the book.
Of all the characters in the book, the best is easily
Captain Nemo. He’s unlike any anti-villain I’ve ever read about. On one side,
we are supposed to hate him, since he plans to host our protagonists as
prisoners for the rest of their lives. But on the flip side, when we see him
interact with the protagonists, especially Arronax, he treats them in such a
nice manner, showing them all the splendors contained within the sea. Besides,
he conquers almost every obstacle in their journey with such ease, it seems
like the perils of the sea are just an after-thought to him. The book clearly
states that Captain Nemo hates humanity and has sheltered himself from it in
his ship. And while we do see him commit various crimes against humans, we also
learn that he has collected gold from the sea, and sent it to the earth as
charity. He does have a soft spot after all. And by the end of the book, after
committing a crime against a human vessel, he sobs over the picture of a woman
and two children, and we’re never told why. What happened? Why does he hate
humanity so much? Or does he really hate it? And who were the people in the
painting? He’s such a brilliant, complex, conflicted, mysterious character, and
by the end of the book we never get to truly understand him. It’s all left a
mystery. Now granted, Jules Verne wrote two sequels to this book, In Search of the Castaways and The Mysterious Island. I haven’t read
those books yet, but perhaps they feature Capatin Nemo and answer the many
questions established by this character. But even so, having a villain wrapped
around in such vagueness is so, so intriguing, that I hope these books don’t
reveal these issues. Sometimes, less is more.
In conclusion, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is an outstanding novel. Any reader
who wished to read an entertaining and intelligent sci-fi novel should grab a
copy right now. However, keep in mind that many copies out there are heavily
edited to make this book more fit for children. So, readers ought to be very
careful and research when choosing a copy. I can’t really provide any listing
or guide of appropriate versions, but my copy is an unabridged translation
contained within a Jules Verne collection from the Barnes & Noble Leatherbound Classics series. It’s a beautiful,
high-quality edition, and I highly recommend it.
Rating: 4.5
out of 5 Stars
