by Jules Verne
First published 1873
Professor Pierre Aronnax joins an expedition to hunt a mysterious sea monster terrorizing ships across the globe. When their vessel attacks the creature, Aronnax discovers it is actually the Nautilus, an advanced submarine commanded by the enigmatic Captain Nemo. Taken prisoner along with his servant Conseil and harpooner Ned Land, Aronnax becomes both guest and captive aboard this technological marvel. Nemo guides them through underwater forests, coral kingdoms, and the ruins of Atlantis, revealing wonders no surface dweller has ever witnessed. Yet beneath Nemo's hospitality lies a darker purpose as he wages his own war against the nations above. Aronnax finds himself torn between his scientific fascination with these discoveries and his growing unease about his captor's true motives.
Genres: science-fiction, 20th-century, adventure, 19th-century
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: captive, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Atlantis, Nautilus
Period: 19th-Century
304 pages · Paperback · Penguin Classics