This book weaves in all the reasons why the residents of Scotland love to live here; landscape, beautiful scenery, an air of mystery and the great history of the land. Thompson conveys Verne's deep fascination with Scotland and takes the reader on a journey with Verne from his beloved Heart of Midlothian' to exploring in the Highlands. This book also explains how Verne's love for Scotland flooded into his literature. Jules Verne, pioneer in the science fiction genre, wrote world- famous books including Journey to the Centre of the Earth and Around the World in 80 Days. His literary legacy is still celebrated today, his books have scarcely been out of print and have spawned a host of films and TV adaptations. BACK COVER I still see, as in a vision, beautiful picturesque Edinburgh, with its Heart of Midlothian, and many entrancing memories; the Highlands, world-forgotten Iona, and the wild Hebrides. JULES VERNE, 1895Jules Verne's first visit to Scotland lasted a mere five days, but that was enough to instil within him a lifelong passion for the small country; a passion which had a profound impact on his literary work and fuelled his creative imagination. Two journeys, 20 years apart, and five novels set partly or wholly in Scotland, show how the influence of the country rippled all the way through his life. Jules Verne's Scotland guides the reader through Verne's journeys, first in 1859 and again in 1879, where he witnessed the majesty of Edinburgh and the industrial buzz of Glasgow together with the unspoilt beauty of the Highlands and Islands. As well as providing insights into Verne's travels in Scotland, Ian Thompson provides analysis of novels such as The Underground City and The Green Ray that immortalise Scotland in their pages. Thompson evokes the history of the land, the rugged scenery and the enduring spirit of Scotland, which remained in Verne's memory all his life and was evoked with passion in his storytelling.

A Romantic Narrative of the Loss of Captain Grant of The Brig Britannia and of the Adventures of his Children and Friends in his Discovery and Rescue. In Search of the Castaways (French: Les Enfants du capitaine Grant, lit. 'The Children of Captain Grant') is a novel by the French writer Jules Verne, published in 1867–68. The book tells the story of the quest for Captain Grant of the Britannia. After finding a bottle the captain had cast into the ocean after the Britannia is shipwrecked, Lord and Lady Glenarvan of Scotland contact Mary and Robert, the young daughter and son of Captain Grant, through an announcement in a newspaper. The government refuses to launch a rescue expedition, but Lord and Lady Glenarvan, moved by the children's condition, decide to do it by themselves.

Meet the father of science fiction, Jule Verne. Born in France in 1829, Jules Verne always dreamed of adventure. At age 11, he snuck onboard a ship headed for the Indies only to be discovered by his father and have his dreams dashed. After his father made him swear to only travel "in his imagination," Verne kept his promise for the rest of his life. He began writing adventure stories as a young man and became a popular writer throughout France. Known for mixing scientific discovery and literature in his books like Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and Around the World in 80 Days, Verne is often called "The Father of Science Fiction."

This volume is a fresh examination of the works of Jules Verne, the pioneering and enduringly popular science fiction writer. Essays study Verne's various novels--including Around the World in Eighty Days, The Mysterious Island and The Adventures of Captain Hatteras. Included essays offer analyses of literary responses to Verne's work, assessments of film adaptations of his novels and discussions of steampunk, the Verne-inspired science fiction subgenre that has influenced writers like Philip Jose Farmer, Caleb Carr and Adam Roberts.

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER PERFECT FOR FANS OF OUTLANDER The true story of one of Scotland’s most notorious and romantic heroes.

Four iconic novels of adventure, science, and fantasy from a master storyteller far ahead of his time. In Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, a monster wreaks havoc in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The US government sends a French marine biologist, his servant, and a Canadian harpoonist to take care of the problem. But instead of a mythic beast, the team finds the submarine Nautilus and its fearsome helmsman, Captain Nemo. Around the World in Eighty Days follows Phileas Fogg and his eccentric manservant, Passepartout, on an epic quest to circumnavigate the globe. Pursued by a Scotland Yard detective, derailed by a herd of bison, and attacked by Sioux Indians, the travelers use every mode of transportation possible to race from one exotic exploit to the next. From the sands of Egypt to the icy waters of the Pacific, Fogg and Passepartout never lose sight of their goal—even when they stop to rescue a beautiful damsel in distress. Journey to the Center of the Earth is a cornerstone of science fiction and one of the greatest stories ever told. A dirty slip of parchment paper falls from the pages of an ancient manuscript. Deciphered by the indefatigable Otto Liedenbrock, professor of geology, and his reluctant nephew, Axel, the parchment’s coded message asserts that a volcano in Iceland contains a passageway to the center of the earth. Two days later, the adventurers embark on a journey so fantastic it will alter the very meaning of history. In The Mysterious Island, a hot air balloon hijacked by captured Union army soldiers is blown far, far away from its point of departure in Richmond, Virginia. When the craft crash-lands on an island in the South Pacific, the prisoners must contend with wild animals, pirates, and an active volcano—in a fight for their very survival. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.

The dry season set in at the beginning of the second week of October. This is the first spring month in the Southern zone. The winter in this nineteenth degree of latitude between the Equator and the tropic of Capricorn had not been very severe. The inhabitants of New Switzerland would soon be able to resume their wonted labours. After eleven years spent upon this land it was none too soon to attempt to ascertain whether it was a part of one of the continents laved by the Indian Ocean or whether it must be included by geographers among the islands of those seas. Since the rescue by Fritz of the young English girl upon Burning Rock, M. Zermatt and his wife, his four sons and Jenny Montrose had been happy on the whole. Of course they had at times fears of the future and of the great improbability of deliverance reaching them from outside, and they had, too, memories of home and a longing to get into touch again with mankind. To-day, then, at a very early hour, M. Zermatt passed through the orchard of Rock Castle and walked along the bank of Jackal River. Fritz and Jack were there before him, equipped with their fishing tackle. As for Ernest, always bad at getting up, yearning for five minutes longer between the sheets, he had not yet left his bed. Mme. Zermatt and Jenny were busy within doors. "Papa," said Jack, "it is going to be a fine day." "I think it is, my boy," M. Zermatt replied. "And I hope that it will be followed by many more as fine, since we are at the beginning of spring." "What are you going to do to-day?" Frank asked. "We are going fishing," Fritz answered, showing his net and lines. "In the bay?" M. Zermatt enquired. "No," Fritz answered; "if we go up Jackal River as far as the dam, we shall catch more fish than we shall require for breakfast." "And then?" said Jack, addressing his father. "Then, my boy," M. Zermatt replied, "we shall not be at a loss for a job. In the afternoon, for example, I am thinking of going to Falconhurst to see if our summer dwelling requires any repairs. Besides, we shall take advantage of the first fine days to visit our other farms, Wood Grange, Sugar-cane Grove, the hermitage at Eberfurt and the villa at Prospect Hill. And then there will be the animals to attend to and the plantations to get into order."

The Underground CityJules Verne