Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 910
EAN: 9781428048621
ISBN: 1428048626
Label: IndyPublish
Languages: Array
Manufacturer: IndyPublish
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 280
Publication Date: 2006-12-12
Publisher: IndyPublish
Studio: IndyPublish

Through the eyes of young Gilbert, a peasant boy who Robin takes under his wing, readers will meet the world's most famous outlaw as he does battle with the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham and his evil friends.

Customer Rating:
Summary: Fantasy adventure
Comment: When I was a kid, I used to read lot of Jules Verne. In those days I couldn't read neither English, nor French so I was destined to use translations which were few and of varying quality. Nevertheless, I think I'll always remember captain Nemo and his mysterious ship, his exile on the island and his death. Stories of Jules Verne always stirred my fantasy, and I guess that he should be blamed, together with Poe and Tolkien, for me entering the world of SF&F and staying there for a long time.
Today, I'm much more cynical, writer of literary criticism in my own language, somewhat versed in few branches of Theory, result of which is, however paradoxical that may sound, growing inability to read and enjoy books from my childhood memory. Only thing that I'm capable of is sort of a nostalgic remembrance, which overlooks the style of ages, straightforward ideology, and overpopmpousnes of Verne's work. And this is a bad thing, 'cause my intellect shows me the drawbacks of this book, but my memory says otherwise. Balancing those two, I'll give in to the memory and say that "Journey to the center of the Earth" is a fantastic novel of mysterious nature and adventuring in the dark. It is a part of Fantastic voyages series, written by Jules Verne, series that tried to explain geographical and topological characteristics of various places on Earth by using latest scientific discoveries and presenting them in form of a novel. To reader of today, Verne's style may be troublesome, and many a young reader because of it will probably put book aside not feeling drawn enough into it's story, and being attacked by the language of mid 19th century sure won't help in those feelings. Today, when modern fiction has covered almost every aspect of adventure, having in it's pages every imaginable mystery solved, written in contemporary language, it is hard to imagine someone willingly taking Verne's work and reading it (unless he also feels nostalgic or has a school paper to hand in). And you couldn't blame them for that. Strength of Verne's work comes from mystery and unknown, mainly of scientific nature (psychological readings of captain Nemo I should put aside for now), mysteries which are far better explained in contemporary prose, with greater ability in novel writing and various other things.
Verne's time has passed and today we may only look upon him as a pioneer of SF adventure, or as a fond memory from our childhood. Sure, we could apply modern Theory on the text and see with what we'll come out, but in a long run it won't help. One can't fool the reader so easily.
"Journey to the center of the Earth" will remain fond memory but nothing more than that.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable
Comment: Over the decades, I have read "Journey ..." a few times. Despite the years since it was written, it holds up quite well as a fantasy / Adventure! It is an enjoyable book and I think today's teenagers would like it.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: No Hollywood Spam
Comment: A true classic of adventure with real name places for authenticity. Only one place on earth, Iceland, can be the beginning point for such a fanastic venture. Even the early versions on screen added Hollywood schlock to ruin this fantastic story. Read this book, have an atlas handy, and escape. For more fun, become familiar wih the "Hollow Earth Theory".

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Customer Rating:
Summary: ending was a dissapointment
Comment: I'm a dissapointed ten year old rating this book. Up until the end it
Was probably one of the best books I've ever read. It was full of adventure and excitement, but then I got to the end. The book did not live up to it's name. It would be more appropriately called "Journey Almost to the Centre of the Earth. I recommend this book only to people who like major dissapointments.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Journey to the Center review
Comment: I bought this book for my 9 year old son and he really liked it.

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