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A Floating City
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120 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1871
102 people are currently reading
2734 people want to read
About the author
Jules Verne
6,854books11.6kfollowersNovels of French writer Jules Gabriel Verne, considered the founder of modern science fiction, include
Journey to the Center of the Earth
(1864) and
Around the World in Eighty Days
(1873).
This author who pioneered the genre. People best know him for Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1870).
Verne wrote about space, air, and underwater travel before people invented navigable aircraft and practical submarines and devised any means of spacecraft. He ranks behind Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie as the second most translated author of all time. People made his prominent films. People often refer to Verne alongside Herbert George Wells as the "father of science fiction."
This author who pioneered the genre. People best know him for Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1870).
Verne wrote about space, air, and underwater travel before people invented navigable aircraft and practical submarines and devised any means of spacecraft. He ranks behind Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie as the second most translated author of all time. People made his prominent films. People often refer to Verne alongside Herbert George Wells as the "father of science fiction."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
May 19, 2025
Jules Verne, yes the father of Science Fiction climbed aboard the Great Eastern a giant of a ship 700 feet long twice as big as any other vessel in existence, launched in the 1850's her builder a very skilled some say genius, Isambard Brunel was talented of course, however not realizing only a few ports then could handle the colossus .The reason for the watercraft the lucrative transatlantic voyages between America and England as millions yearned to see the world, it held 4,000 passengers which the ship never did for the simple reason...a bad reputation endured from the beginning, accidents eventually killed 33 people in her thirty years of unsuccessful travels on the troubled seas. The only real success was the laying of the transatlantic telegraph cable in 1866, since the big fellow could store unbelievably 3,000 miles of them in her wells. Soon though creepy stories of weird noises coming from her double hull, two workers having disappeared and who knows their destiny. Jules Verne little disguised is our teller of tales he in fact went on the Great Eastern in 1867 from Liverpool to New York. Fascinated by the immense, impressive steamship, every wheel that turned, funnel which splurged black smoke rising to darken the clear skies,
every wave smashing her sides, or over the bow soaking anyone silly enough to dare, if they could keep their balance walking around the vessel in fierce storms few of the 1,300 eclectic passengers did, the ocean is the master. After a quite unpleasant voyage at last , solid land. Wasting little time, up the scenic Hudson River to Niagara to see the Falls with a friend Dr. Dean Pitferge, a know -it- all but amusing. Did I mention a duel on the Great Eastern between a disappointed suitor Fabian and the evil groom which the bride Ellen didn't want a notorious gambler Harry Drake, forced to marry by her unfeeling father believing the gambler had money...a gambler with money...not for long, back to the Falls . Still the most thrilling events is the unnamed writer (Verne) with always loyal Dr.Dean seeing the Niagara River waters pouring or descending take your choice, from high above cascading down , a thick mist forming which will transform the moist atmosphere first, its winter and the frigid stream's ice floes threaten disaster in early April, nevertheless
drenching the wet onlookers , however nature compensates as beautiful rainbows appear and the brilliant vivid colors lift the spirits , when the sight changes quickly ...If this isn't heaven it is close enough for them. A rather obscure novel by the magnificent author, who needed to share his own experiences with the public we can understand, people like to share...sometimes.
every wave smashing her sides, or over the bow soaking anyone silly enough to dare, if they could keep their balance walking around the vessel in fierce storms few of the 1,300 eclectic passengers did, the ocean is the master. After a quite unpleasant voyage at last , solid land. Wasting little time, up the scenic Hudson River to Niagara to see the Falls with a friend Dr. Dean Pitferge, a know -it- all but amusing. Did I mention a duel on the Great Eastern between a disappointed suitor Fabian and the evil groom which the bride Ellen didn't want a notorious gambler Harry Drake, forced to marry by her unfeeling father believing the gambler had money...a gambler with money...not for long, back to the Falls . Still the most thrilling events is the unnamed writer (Verne) with always loyal Dr.Dean seeing the Niagara River waters pouring or descending take your choice, from high above cascading down , a thick mist forming which will transform the moist atmosphere first, its winter and the frigid stream's ice floes threaten disaster in early April, nevertheless
drenching the wet onlookers , however nature compensates as beautiful rainbows appear and the brilliant vivid colors lift the spirits , when the sight changes quickly ...If this isn't heaven it is close enough for them. A rather obscure novel by the magnificent author, who needed to share his own experiences with the public we can understand, people like to share...sometimes.
December 8, 2023
A Floating City
One of the most extraordinary voyages among the least known, a floating city, is a short but fascinating novel. Jules Verne, through his narrator, takes us on board the Great Eastern for a trip from Liverpool to New York. Onboard, we find a concentrate on the society of the time. We live all the possible intrigues in this behind-the-scenes, sometimes a little disturbing, so many legends about it abound drownings, disappearances, and workers walled in machinery. .. But, more than a simple hymn to progress, this novel is a photograph of the society of the end of the XIXth Century, and the intrigues in the sides of this "floating city" are full of interest.
The Blockade Runners
It's been a long time since I read Jules Verne, so these little novels allowed me to fix that. That said, it may not be the most appropriate format: the characters are not the most vital point of this author, and they do not have the time to develop on a path. As short as that who leads this English vessel to break the blockade of the American Civil War to bring back cotton. It's pretty cool, but it lacks pages to train the reader like Verne knows how to do in other works. For lovers of maritime conflicts, therefore, rather.
One of the most extraordinary voyages among the least known, a floating city, is a short but fascinating novel. Jules Verne, through his narrator, takes us on board the Great Eastern for a trip from Liverpool to New York. Onboard, we find a concentrate on the society of the time. We live all the possible intrigues in this behind-the-scenes, sometimes a little disturbing, so many legends about it abound drownings, disappearances, and workers walled in machinery. .. But, more than a simple hymn to progress, this novel is a photograph of the society of the end of the XIXth Century, and the intrigues in the sides of this "floating city" are full of interest.
The Blockade Runners
It's been a long time since I read Jules Verne, so these little novels allowed me to fix that. That said, it may not be the most appropriate format: the characters are not the most vital point of this author, and they do not have the time to develop on a path. As short as that who leads this English vessel to break the blockade of the American Civil War to bring back cotton. It's pretty cool, but it lacks pages to train the reader like Verne knows how to do in other works. For lovers of maritime conflicts, therefore, rather.
August 21, 2020
Both stories are easy to read. Classic Vern with a fondness about detail especially in technical matters.
Και οι δύο ιστορίες διαβάζονται ευχάριστα. Κλασικός Βερν με σημασία στη λεπτομέρεια ειδικά όταν πρόκειται για τεχνικά ζητήματα.
Και οι δύο ιστορίες διαβάζονται ευχάριστα. Κλασικός Βερν με σημασία στη λεπτομέρεια ειδικά όταν πρόκειται για τεχνικά ζητήματα.
November 23, 2023
Julio Verne escreve bem, mas isso não chega. “Uma cidade flutuante � é um livro maçador, basicamente descritivo de uma viagem, com uma história de amor desinteressante e colada com cuspo. Vale as descrições marítimas e da viagem às cataratas do Niagara, que bem podiam ser de um livro de viagens.
September 7, 2016
(review in English below)
3,5*
Já não lia Júlio Verne há muitos anos e gostei do reencontro, desencadeado pelo facto de o meu filho estar a ler A Volta ao Mundo em 80 Dias para a escola. Provavelmente terei lido este livro na altura em que o comprei (1983), mas não me lembro.
Não me lembrava que Verne podia ser tão poético e tão humorístico, ao mesmo tempo que relata histórias dramáticas e descreve pormenorizadamente como é (ou era, no século XIX) um navio transatlântico. Estas descrições foram o que menos gostei, mas podiam ter ficado mais interessantes com umas notas de rodapé que explicassem o que significam os inúmeros termos técnicos usados pelo autor para as diferentes partes do navio.
Estou a pensar que devia reler os outros livros de Verne... Um por ano parece-me aceitável...
3.5 stars
I hadn't read Jules Verne for many years and I enjoyed the reunion, caused by the fact that my son is reading Around the World in 80 Days for school. I probably read this book when I bought it (in 1983) but I can't recall.
I didn't remember Verne could be so poetic and humorous, while telling dramatic stories and describing in detail how a transatlantic ship is (or was, back in the XIX century). These descriptions were my least favourite parts, but they could be made far more interesting if some footnotes were added, to explain the meaning of the technical jargon used by the author for the different parts of the ship.
I'm thinking that I should re-read the other books by Verne... Maybe one each year - that sounds reasonable...
3,5*
Já não lia Júlio Verne há muitos anos e gostei do reencontro, desencadeado pelo facto de o meu filho estar a ler A Volta ao Mundo em 80 Dias para a escola. Provavelmente terei lido este livro na altura em que o comprei (1983), mas não me lembro.
Não me lembrava que Verne podia ser tão poético e tão humorístico, ao mesmo tempo que relata histórias dramáticas e descreve pormenorizadamente como é (ou era, no século XIX) um navio transatlântico. Estas descrições foram o que menos gostei, mas podiam ter ficado mais interessantes com umas notas de rodapé que explicassem o que significam os inúmeros termos técnicos usados pelo autor para as diferentes partes do navio.
Estou a pensar que devia reler os outros livros de Verne... Um por ano parece-me aceitável...
3.5 stars
I hadn't read Jules Verne for many years and I enjoyed the reunion, caused by the fact that my son is reading Around the World in 80 Days for school. I probably read this book when I bought it (in 1983) but I can't recall.
I didn't remember Verne could be so poetic and humorous, while telling dramatic stories and describing in detail how a transatlantic ship is (or was, back in the XIX century). These descriptions were my least favourite parts, but they could be made far more interesting if some footnotes were added, to explain the meaning of the technical jargon used by the author for the different parts of the ship.
I'm thinking that I should re-read the other books by Verne... Maybe one each year - that sounds reasonable...
September 2, 2020
A cidade flutuante que dá o título ao livro é o navio Great Eastern. O narrador vai fazer a travessia do Atlântico, de Liverpool a Nova Iorque e dá-nos bastantes pormenores sobre as medidas do navio, as velas, timoneiros, capitães de navio, hélices, as milhas que vai navegando, a distribuição dos camarotes, a vida social do navio, etc... O Great Eastern é um navio enorme que comporta uma autêntica cidade lá dentro e o autor descreve-nos tudo, desde a sua chegada ao porto para embarcar até à chegada à América. No final, como ainda iria ficar uns dias por Nova Iorque faz alguns passeios pela cidade e uma visita às imponentes cataratas de Niagara.
Havia uma história secundária que foi abordada muito pela rama, mas que teve um final feliz graças a um raio que caiu no local certo à hora certa :))
Este é o quarto livro que leio do tio Júlio e não me conquistou como os anteriores, que por abordarem temas que na altura foram visto como visionários, como os submarinos e balões de ar quente eram mais interessantes. Aqui é muito vocabulário náutico e termos marítimos, o que até seria bom para me cultivar um pouco mais, mas só sei que bombordo é esquerda e estibordo é a direita :))
Havia uma história secundária que foi abordada muito pela rama, mas que teve um final feliz graças a um raio que caiu no local certo à hora certa :))
Este é o quarto livro que leio do tio Júlio e não me conquistou como os anteriores, que por abordarem temas que na altura foram visto como visionários, como os submarinos e balões de ar quente eram mais interessantes. Aqui é muito vocabulário náutico e termos marítimos, o que até seria bom para me cultivar um pouco mais, mas só sei que bombordo é esquerda e estibordo é a direita :))
June 21, 2020
Πολυτεχνικό το βαρέθηκα. Ίσως βέβαια έφταιγε και μετάφραση αν και δε νομίζω.
February 5, 2019
Me gusto mucha la historia, aunque en mi opinión personal creo que no eran necesaria tanta información sobre el barco. Sin embargo, como estamos hablando de Julio Verne sabemos que las descripciones siempre serán así. Es un buen libro, no es el mejor del autor, pero eso no le quita que uno disfrute la trama.
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May 26, 2019صنم قندهاری برایم هدیه تولد ده سالگی آورد این کتاب را! و اولین کتابی بود که هیچ وقت نتوانستم بخوانم
September 21, 2024
1858. The Great Eastern ship was launched, such a large ship, such a technological marvel. Every once in a while, I felt the immenseness Jules Verne tried to convey.
Like many other oceanliner story, there are friends and newlyweds, and romantic troubles.
A pleasant listen while riding buses or waiting for appointments.
Like many other oceanliner story, there are friends and newlyweds, and romantic troubles.
A pleasant listen while riding buses or waiting for appointments.
October 7, 2020
Jules Verne, devasa bir gemide Amerika yolculuğunu anlatıyor. "Denizler Altında 20,000 fersah" ile aynı yıl, 1870'te yayınlanan roman ona göre epey mütevazi.
Kırk yıl kadar sonra batacak olan Titanic'i andıran bir gemi bu; yavaş ilerlemesi ve kaptanın inat edip fırtınadan kaçınmaması dışında yolculuğa dair bir gerilim yok.
Ne var, trajik bir aşk hikayesi var, o da romanı kurtarmaya çok yetmiyor.
Romandan akılda kalmaya değer tek şey Doktor Pitterge karakteri, sanırım.
Kırk yıl kadar sonra batacak olan Titanic'i andıran bir gemi bu; yavaş ilerlemesi ve kaptanın inat edip fırtınadan kaçınmaması dışında yolculuğa dair bir gerilim yok.
Ne var, trajik bir aşk hikayesi var, o da romanı kurtarmaya çok yetmiyor.
Romandan akılda kalmaya değer tek şey Doktor Pitterge karakteri, sanırım.
October 15, 2018
کتاب بچگی😄
February 17, 2021
A presente edição também inclui '' Violadores do Bloqueio'', cuja Narrativa é de 3*/3,5. Quanto a' Uma cidade Flutuante ', achei uma prosa pesada de digerir - pesadíssima!
January 7, 2024
Hooola!
"Primer" libro del año (lo tenía pendiente de acabar de hace un tiempo ya...).
No me voy a alargar mucho porque me ha parecido un tostón jajajajaja
Se narra el viaje a bordo de un crucero de finales del siglo 19, de Inglaterra a Nueva York.
La historia en sí, es como un diario y recoge los eventos principales que se desarrollan en dicho viaje (con algunos detalles/situaciones sin pies ni cabeza).
Como tal, no es una narración que enganche demasiado... Se me ha hecho bastante difícil acabarlo.
Lo único que destaco, en positivo, es el vocabulario mecánico que utiliza Verne a la hora de describir los barcos y sus componentes; además de la profunda descripción del mar que proporciona ocasionalmente.
En fin, no lo recomiendooo.
Sé que no es una de sus obras más conocidas, así que le daré otra oportunidad, en un futuro, con el del viaje submarino u otro.
Hasta la próxima! ✌️
"Primer" libro del año (lo tenía pendiente de acabar de hace un tiempo ya...).
No me voy a alargar mucho porque me ha parecido un tostón jajajajaja
Se narra el viaje a bordo de un crucero de finales del siglo 19, de Inglaterra a Nueva York.
La historia en sí, es como un diario y recoge los eventos principales que se desarrollan en dicho viaje (con algunos detalles/situaciones sin pies ni cabeza).
Como tal, no es una narración que enganche demasiado... Se me ha hecho bastante difícil acabarlo.
Lo único que destaco, en positivo, es el vocabulario mecánico que utiliza Verne a la hora de describir los barcos y sus componentes; además de la profunda descripción del mar que proporciona ocasionalmente.
En fin, no lo recomiendooo.
Sé que no es una de sus obras más conocidas, así que le daré otra oportunidad, en un futuro, con el del viaje submarino u otro.
Hasta la próxima! ✌️
May 7, 2022
"Yüzen Şehir" kitabı Jules Verne'den okumuş olduğum 18. kitap oldu. Kitabı okumadan önce ismi ilgi uyandırıyordu zihnimde. Fakat pek sevemediğim ve kısa olmasına rağmen sıkıcı bulduğum bir kitap ile karşılaştım. Konu olarak İngiltere'den Amerika'ya giden Great-Eastern adlı bir gemimiz var. Bu gemi mühendislik harikası 200 metreden daha uzun ve binlerce kişi kapasiteli devasa bir gemi. Great-Eastern'de yolculuk sürerken yer yer olaylar meydana gelse de genel itibariyle tempo düşüktü. Zaten Jules Verne'nin meşhur yayıncısı Hetzel de Verne'ye Yüzen Şehir en iyi eserlerin arasında değil demiş. Yine de benim gibi Verne hayranı iseniz bir şans verin...
October 12, 2015
Jules Verne'in böyle pek bir şey anlatmayan enteresan romanları var, zaten o kadar çok romanı var ki bazılarının bir şeyler anlatmıyor oluşu biraz da normal (gibi). Bunda da -aslında biraz daha zorlasa Titanic faciasının öncülü olabilecek- bir gemi anlatısına giriyor, elbette bol bol betimleme, teknik detay vesaire var, ama olay yok. Bir şey yok. Ama son sayfasında güzel bir söze yer var:
Ah! Yolculuklar gerçekten de harikadır, hatta doktorun söylediği gibi "geri dönülebilse bile!"
Ah! Yolculuklar gerçekten de harikadır, hatta doktorun söylediği gibi "geri dönülebilse bile!"
April 2, 2025
Los personajes son muy graciosos.
July 11, 2021
In this book we embark on the Great Eastern, this huge ship, to cross the Atlantic. Of course, the author, impressed by her presence, goes to great lengths to describe her to us, with all the mechanical details, without being able to hide his enthusiasm for this great miracle of technology that inaugurated a new era in long-distance travel. As expected, he then goes into detail about the rest of the data of such a trip, from the natural phenomena to the way the passengers spend their time. Beyond that, however, the author probably did not have many ideas, he could not create a fascinating adventure in such a journey and some storms are not enough for such a thing. So he puts in some other things, a love story, a little tourism, his usual satire on Americans, things that add some interest but are certainly not enough for something particularly exciting. But it is certainly a book that has its value for historic and for other reasons and could not be missing from its travels.
Σε αυτό το βιβλίο επιβιβαζόμαστε στον Μέγα Ανατολικό, αυτό το τεράστιο καράβι, για να διασχίσουμε τον Ατλαντικό. Φυσικά ο συγγραφέας εντυπωσιασμένος από την παρουσία του μπαίνει σε μεγάλο κόπο να μας το περιγράψει, με όλες τις μηχανολογικές λεπτομέρειες, χωρίς να μπορεί να κρύψει τον ενθουσιασμό του για αυτό το μεγάλο θαύμα της τεχνολογίας που εγκαινίασε μία νέα εποχή στα μακρινά ταξίδια. Αναμενόμενα στη συνέχεια μπαίνει σε λεπτομέρειες για τα υπόλοιπα δεδομένα ενός τέτοιου ταξιδιού, από τα φυσικά φαινόμενα μέχρι το τρόπο που οι επιβάτες περνούν την ώρα τους. Από εκεί και πέρα, όμως, μάλλον ο συγγραφέας δεν είχε πολλές ιδέες, δεν μπορούσε να δημιουργήσει μία συναρπαστική περιπέτεια μέσα σε ένα τέτοιο ταξίδι και μερικές καταιγίδες δεν είναι αρκετές για κάτι τέτοιο. Έτσι βάζει κάποια άλλα πράγματα, μία ερωτική ιστορία, λίγο τουρισμό, την συνηθισμένη του σάτιρα για τους Αμερικανούς, πράγματα που προσθέτουν κάποιο ενδιαφέρον αλλά σίγουρα δεν αρκούν για κάτι ιδιαίτερα συναρπαστικό. Σίγουρα, όμως, είναι ένα βιβλίο που έχει την αξία του για ιστορικούς και για άλλους λόγους και δεν θα μπορούσε να λείπει από τα ταξίδια του.
Σε αυτό το βιβλίο επιβιβαζόμαστε στον Μέγα Ανατολικό, αυτό το τεράστιο καράβι, για να διασχίσουμε τον Ατλαντικό. Φυσικά ο συγγραφέας εντυπωσιασμένος από την παρουσία του μπαίνει σε μεγάλο κόπο να μας το περιγράψει, με όλες τις μηχανολογικές λεπτομέρειες, χωρίς να μπορεί να κρύψει τον ενθουσιασμό του για αυτό το μεγάλο θαύμα της τεχνολογίας που εγκαινίασε μία νέα εποχή στα μακρινά ταξίδια. Αναμενόμενα στη συνέχεια μπαίνει σε λεπτομέρειες για τα υπόλοιπα δεδομένα ενός τέτοιου ταξιδιού, από τα φυσικά φαινόμενα μέχρι το τρόπο που οι επιβάτες περνούν την ώρα τους. Από εκεί και πέρα, όμως, μάλλον ο συγγραφέας δεν είχε πολλές ιδέες, δεν μπορούσε να δημιουργήσει μία συναρπαστική περιπέτεια μέσα σε ένα τέτοιο ταξίδι και μερικές καταιγίδες δεν είναι αρκετές για κάτι τέτοιο. Έτσι βάζει κάποια άλλα πράγματα, μία ερωτική ιστορία, λίγο τουρισμό, την συνηθισμένη του σάτιρα για τους Αμερικανούς, πράγματα που προσθέτουν κάποιο ενδιαφέρον αλλά σίγουρα δεν αρκούν για κάτι ιδιαίτερα συναρπαστικό. Σίγουρα, όμως, είναι ένα βιβλίο που έχει την αξία του για ιστορικούς και για άλλους λόγους και δεν θα μπορούσε να λείπει από τα ταξίδια του.
July 1, 2016
Me gustó bastante más de lo que esperaba. Al principio me sorprendí porque no era lo que tenía en mente, tampoco sabía mucho del libro como latas hacerme una buena idea sobre qué iba.
Típico de Verne tiene mucha descripción técnica de cómo funciona el Great Eastern, barco al que se le describe como una ciudad flotante. Sin embargo, no se hace pesado o aburrido, me encontré sonriendo más de una vez por las ocurrencias de los distintos personajes y los comentarios del mismo narrador. Luego, se nos presenta la trama del pobre Fabián que será la que nos pondrá su toque de emoción a la historia, siempre complementada por las descripciones de lo que ocurre y rodea al Great Eastern.
Lo disfruté mucho, no es el que más me ha gustado de Verne, pero sí es bastante entretenido.
Típico de Verne tiene mucha descripción técnica de cómo funciona el Great Eastern, barco al que se le describe como una ciudad flotante. Sin embargo, no se hace pesado o aburrido, me encontré sonriendo más de una vez por las ocurrencias de los distintos personajes y los comentarios del mismo narrador. Luego, se nos presenta la trama del pobre Fabián que será la que nos pondrá su toque de emoción a la historia, siempre complementada por las descripciones de lo que ocurre y rodea al Great Eastern.
Lo disfruté mucho, no es el que más me ha gustado de Verne, pero sí es bastante entretenido.
August 9, 2023
I imagine that books like these must have been the late 19th century equivalent of well-directed, well-acted action movies in our times. They might be entertaining, you might even be excited at times, but you won’t remain with a lasting sense of value.
Just like an action movie, this lacks depth on all fronts. The villain is hardly fleshed out. There is little to no psychological insight into any of the characters (of which you could, on the other hand, argue that it is more true to life; although I don’t deny there’s people with deep understanding of human nature, most of the time we won’t know more than we directly experience). The pace is a bit off (it was a slow start, and the point before the last 20 pages or so seemed like a proper finale). It’s unnecessarily descriptive, adding little to narrative or setting, with many aspects repeated to boredom (the ship’s position on the charts, the size of the ships, etc.) And, of course, it has a happy ending.
But, I did like the fact that it was adventurous. It’s nice to have read something from the ‘adventure novel� genre now. I don’t think I’ve ever done that before, at least not consciously so. However, this does remind me of my childhood years, reading my uncle’s old series of Arendsoog (Eagle’s Eye) books; a series about Native Americans and cowboys. That might be comparable, although not strictly of the ‘adventure novel� kind; after all, it hardly considered travel.
Nice read, but not an author I’m likely to return to. Reminds me of George Simenon, the Belgian detective story writer, in a way. Both have the acumen to write a compelling story (Simenon grasped me more, as his work is more concerned with the human condition), but they just don’t leave much of a lasting impact. However, they are both nice reads if you don’t feel up to proper literary work, but don’t want to degrade to complete stupidity either.
It is, also, an interesting view into those times.
Somewhere between 3,5 and 4 stars, mainly for historical significance.
Edit: Reading only a bit about Verne’s historical significance in his ŷ author profile does shine a new light of interest on his work; as a father of science fiction, writing about many kinds of travel that were not yet possible in his time. I do have to admit that I was struck by this work being written decades before the Titanic embarked on its ill-fated journey.
Edit 2: Reflecting on what I wrote down here makes me realise that this is the very first time I’m concerned with these structural aspects of a text (pacing, repetition, setting, etcetera). That actually says a lot about the books I read, and perhaps quite a bit about myself, too. I’ve simply hardly read books where I was concerned with this most basic of aspects of a properly written text. I had a first premonition of it during my read of Brave New World, which I did not consider especially literarily appealing, although it was � by and large � structurally sound, but appreciated mainly for its idea expressed. But it might also be that I simply have a very strong tendency towards the deeply introspective texts, and much less so to the more environmentally, story and narrative focussed texts.
Just like an action movie, this lacks depth on all fronts. The villain is hardly fleshed out. There is little to no psychological insight into any of the characters (of which you could, on the other hand, argue that it is more true to life; although I don’t deny there’s people with deep understanding of human nature, most of the time we won’t know more than we directly experience). The pace is a bit off (it was a slow start, and the point before the last 20 pages or so seemed like a proper finale). It’s unnecessarily descriptive, adding little to narrative or setting, with many aspects repeated to boredom (the ship’s position on the charts, the size of the ships, etc.) And, of course, it has a happy ending.
But, I did like the fact that it was adventurous. It’s nice to have read something from the ‘adventure novel� genre now. I don’t think I’ve ever done that before, at least not consciously so. However, this does remind me of my childhood years, reading my uncle’s old series of Arendsoog (Eagle’s Eye) books; a series about Native Americans and cowboys. That might be comparable, although not strictly of the ‘adventure novel� kind; after all, it hardly considered travel.
Nice read, but not an author I’m likely to return to. Reminds me of George Simenon, the Belgian detective story writer, in a way. Both have the acumen to write a compelling story (Simenon grasped me more, as his work is more concerned with the human condition), but they just don’t leave much of a lasting impact. However, they are both nice reads if you don’t feel up to proper literary work, but don’t want to degrade to complete stupidity either.
It is, also, an interesting view into those times.
Somewhere between 3,5 and 4 stars, mainly for historical significance.
Edit: Reading only a bit about Verne’s historical significance in his ŷ author profile does shine a new light of interest on his work; as a father of science fiction, writing about many kinds of travel that were not yet possible in his time. I do have to admit that I was struck by this work being written decades before the Titanic embarked on its ill-fated journey.
Edit 2: Reflecting on what I wrote down here makes me realise that this is the very first time I’m concerned with these structural aspects of a text (pacing, repetition, setting, etcetera). That actually says a lot about the books I read, and perhaps quite a bit about myself, too. I’ve simply hardly read books where I was concerned with this most basic of aspects of a properly written text. I had a first premonition of it during my read of Brave New World, which I did not consider especially literarily appealing, although it was � by and large � structurally sound, but appreciated mainly for its idea expressed. But it might also be that I simply have a very strong tendency towards the deeply introspective texts, and much less so to the more environmentally, story and narrative focussed texts.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2022
A finales de marzo de 1867 se está aparejando en Liverpool el "Great-Eastern", el mayor barco de pasajeros que jamás haya navegado. Se está preparando para llegar a Nueva York y, como dice el narrador cuyo nombre no conocemos, no es "sólo una máquina náutica, sino un microscopio, pues lleva un mundo consigo, nada tiene de extraño que en él se encuentren, como en otro teatro más vasto, todos los instintos, todas las pasiones, todo el ridículo de los hombres". Con el narrador como testigo asistiremos a una travesía problemática y tortuosa, tanto en lo marítimo como en lo humano, en la que Verne nos muestra un catálogo variado de personajes y situaciones a bordo del gigantesco buque.
Como acabo de escribir la reseña de "Un árbol caído", me he acordado de la palabras de su autor acerca de esa novela, cuando indicaba que se había tratado de "un experimento mental, a la manera de los que hacía Einstein. Colocar a ciertos personajes en un escenario y una situación específica, y ver que pasaba". De manera irreverente y divertida Reig decía que en aquellas urbanizaciones en las que estableció su novela "se debía follar mucho, con muchos adulterios". En la novela de esta reseña -que me estoy yendo por las ramas-, digamos que Verne parecer mostrar una intención parecida. El resultado es un libro entretenido, corto y directo, con mucho menos aparato científico que los que me he leído hasta ahora. Incluso hay una trama romántica, algo novedoso en Verne, que deriva en situaciones bastante tensas para el narrador y sus compañeros. Una novela asequible que, conociendo las predecesoras, pareciera que Verne se sacó de la manga para que Herschel publicara algo ese año. Aunque no deja de tener interés, Verne sigue siendo un genio, incluso cuando escribe para salir del paso.
Leído en el e-book.
Como acabo de escribir la reseña de "Un árbol caído", me he acordado de la palabras de su autor acerca de esa novela, cuando indicaba que se había tratado de "un experimento mental, a la manera de los que hacía Einstein. Colocar a ciertos personajes en un escenario y una situación específica, y ver que pasaba". De manera irreverente y divertida Reig decía que en aquellas urbanizaciones en las que estableció su novela "se debía follar mucho, con muchos adulterios". En la novela de esta reseña -que me estoy yendo por las ramas-, digamos que Verne parecer mostrar una intención parecida. El resultado es un libro entretenido, corto y directo, con mucho menos aparato científico que los que me he leído hasta ahora. Incluso hay una trama romántica, algo novedoso en Verne, que deriva en situaciones bastante tensas para el narrador y sus compañeros. Una novela asequible que, conociendo las predecesoras, pareciera que Verne se sacó de la manga para que Herschel publicara algo ese año. Aunque no deja de tener interés, Verne sigue siendo un genio, incluso cuando escribe para salir del paso.
Leído en el e-book.
January 21, 2018
Aprovechando el tirón de su viaje en el Great Eastern, Verne narra una de las pocas historias en las que existe una trama romántica. Además, de las tres que recuerdo en este momento, en las tres la mujer está loca o pasa períodos de locura, lo que no dice mucho del autor en cuanto a su conocimiento femenino.
¿Cuáles son? Brannican, la de La Casa de Vapor y la de El Rayo Verde (y no me diréis que la chica no estaba un poco zumbada de más :-P).
¿Cuáles son? Brannican, la de La Casa de Vapor y la de El Rayo Verde (y no me diréis que la chica no estaba un poco zumbada de más :-P).
January 2, 2023
I enjoyed this short stream boat cruising story which ended in tragedy, Jules certainly likes his shipwrecks
January 10, 2025
Entretenido
March 9, 2022
Γραμμένο σαν ημερολόγιο καταστρώματος ενός υπερατλαντικού ταξιδιού το βιβλίο είναι μια αποτυχημένη απόπειρα του Βερν να συνθέσει ένα ηθογραφικό χρονικό. Τελικά η σημαντικότερο συμβολή του στην παγκόσμια λογοτεχνία είναι η έμπνευση που χάρισε στον Ανδρέα Εμπειρίκο!
April 28, 2024
Plusieurs histoires entremêlées se passant sur un bateau vapeur transatlantique (steamship) ralliant l'Angleterre aux Etats Unis, bien écrites mais un peu convenues (histoire d'amour, rivalités, tempêtes, oiseaux de mauvaise augure, etc ..)
Pas le meilleur Verne, mais se laisse lire.
Anecdote intéressante, certains patronymes sont masqués en n'affichant que la première lettre, alors que d'autres sont affichés en entier, pas sûr de la raison...
Pas le meilleur Verne, mais se laisse lire.
Anecdote intéressante, certains patronymes sont masqués en n'affichant que la première lettre, alors que d'autres sont affichés en entier, pas sûr de la raison...
April 24, 2025
Πολύ πριν ο Εμπειρίκος εμπνευστεί το Μεγάλο Ανατολικό, ο Βερν φαντασιώνεται μια μέτρια ιστορία γεμάτη τεχνολογικές λεπτομέρειες, που σίγουρα εντυπωσίαζαν (τουλάχιστον τον ίδιο τον Βερν) στην εποχή τους (αλλά σήμερα κανέναν), σε ένα αντιστοίχου μεγέθους καράβι, τον... Μεγάλο Ανατολικό, που μάλλον δε συγκίνησε κανέναν ιδιαίτερα, άλλωστε και στην ελληνική έκδοση του Δαρέμα την είχαν τσόντα πίσω από τον πολύ πιο ενδιαφέροντα και λογοτεχνικό ορόσημο Γύρο του Κόσμου σε 80 ημέρες.
Λίγο αμήχανος ο συγγραφέας δεν είναι σε θέση να παράξει μια ενδιαφέρουσα ιστορία πάνω σε ένα πλοίο αυτού του μεγέθους, και επειδή η εποχή του (ή η ιδιοσυγκρασία του και το κοινό στο οποίο απευθύνεται, δηλαδή εμφατικά όχι μεθυσμένοι αστοί πλοιοκτήτες που είχαν κάνει τα ίδια και χειρότερα) δεν του επιτρέπει τις ελευθεριακές ακρότητες του Εμπειρίκου (περιορίζεται σε απλά ρομάτζα) καταλήγει να παραδώσει μια νούλα, σαφώς κατώτερη από το μέσο όρο των βιβλίων του. "Εκδικούμενος" τον Βερν, ο Εμπειρίκος του έδωσε (ΘΕΜΟΥΣΧΩΡΑΜΕ) πέος μικρής διαμέτρου και σχήματος "βανάνας" ή κάτι τέτοιο στο δικό του μυθιστόρημα.
Λίγο αμήχανος ο συγγραφέας δεν είναι σε θέση να παράξει μια ενδιαφέρουσα ιστορία πάνω σε ένα πλοίο αυτού του μεγέθους, και επειδή η εποχή του (ή η ιδιοσυγκρασία του και το κοινό στο οποίο απευθύνεται, δηλαδή εμφατικά όχι μεθυσμένοι αστοί πλοιοκτήτες που είχαν κάνει τα ίδια και χειρότερα) δεν του επιτρέπει τις ελευθεριακές ακρότητες του Εμπειρίκου (περιορίζεται σε απλά ρομάτζα) καταλήγει να παραδώσει μια νούλα, σαφώς κατώτερη από το μέσο όρο των βιβλίων του. "Εκδικούμενος" τον Βερν, ο Εμπειρίκος του έδωσε (ΘΕΜΟΥΣΧΩΡΑΜΕ) πέος μικρής διαμέτρου και σχήματος "βανάνας" ή κάτι τέτοιο στο δικό του μυθιστόρημα.
March 4, 2014
This adventure book by Jules Verne has a fantastic premise. A man decides to set sail aboard the Great Eastern, having been invited by its captain, which at the time was the biggest ship ever sailed (even bigger than Titanic...it could fit streets and buildings on its main deck!). Then he is introduced to the villain of the story and his friend.
However, the plot starts to plummet afterwards. The protagonist finds himself more of an observer of the events of the story rather than a participant after the exposition that graced the first part of the book. As a result, there is a lack of urgency and action that made 20000 Leagues Under the Sea and Voyage to the Center of the Earth some of the most reknown adventure books of all time.
I read this book three times...and I have to admit, mostly for the description of life aboard a cruise ship (I had nostalgia having returned from the Allure of the Seas before reading this) and the ship itself.
However, the plot starts to plummet afterwards. The protagonist finds himself more of an observer of the events of the story rather than a participant after the exposition that graced the first part of the book. As a result, there is a lack of urgency and action that made 20000 Leagues Under the Sea and Voyage to the Center of the Earth some of the most reknown adventure books of all time.
I read this book three times...and I have to admit, mostly for the description of life aboard a cruise ship (I had nostalgia having returned from the Allure of the Seas before reading this) and the ship itself.
October 26, 2017
Los 3 libros que había leído de Verne, Alrededor de la Luna, El Castillo de los Cárpatos y Veinte Mil Leguas de Viaje Submarino, los encontre maravillosamente escritos con una narrativa que te atrapa pero no solo eso si no que te cuenta todo de una manera hermosa y fantástica, te es super fácil viajar en el tiempo y sentirte uno de los protagonistas o un espectador, pero en una ciudad flotante solo logré esto en una parte de la novela y fue por un muy, muy, breve período, por lo cual me deja un mal sabor de boca, esperaba mucho, pero muchooooo más mi edición trae otro cuento (yo siento que es más un cuento que novela) que se llama "Los forzadores del bloqueo" y es una historia tal vez trillada pero por la manera de ser contada vale la pena leer y si es Verne en todo su esplendor desde el tercer parrafo ya me sentia dentro del barco, me gusto más que la obra principal.
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