Off on a Comet..............Jules Verne
Posted to What Are You Reading?
by Gil on 2003-04-23 22:52:00
Suddenly a piece of the earth rips away and flings into space, leaving its sole inhabitants headed toward an unknown destination.
This book reads more like a scientific tract than an exciting adventure yarn. What was potentially intriguing has been overshadowed by the scientific knowledge that has accumulated since this novel was published.
Verne must have been at his lowest ebb when he wrote this book. The dialogue lacks zeal. The characters lack the deliberate ethnic stereotyping that give his other books comic relief and sparkle.
This book is the marvellous concept of a brilliant man who fell very short of his highest potential. But as with every writer, one book must be the worst. I'm convinced that, in Verne's case, I have stumbled upon it.
