I think I need to avoid Verne in future as I only just made it through 20,000 leagues. I listen to plenty of fiction from this era but this one just defeated me. I consider the completing of it a conquest but now I want more conquests. Any additional comments? Do not let the length of this audio book discourage you from jumping in. The character of Captain Nemo is one I wish Verne could have devote more stories to. Clearly, the most exciting moment for me was when Captain Nemo makes himself known to the castaways. Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you? In general, the book made me long for quality classic literature. He was clearly well-prepared to narrate and it shows in his clear voice.

What does David McCallion bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book? The narrator brilliantly added unique characterizations to each of the castaways and never lost his ability to keep the story going. The story introduced me to Verne's 1870s world view, his politics, his religious convictions, and his fluid writing style. What did you like best about this story? Anything Vernian excites me. If it weren't for this excellent audio book, I might never have read this incredible book. This audio book with it's 19 hours and 8 minutes of narration was listened to on and off over the span of two weeks, including a seven hour road trip and a ten hour working in my basement weekend. The fact that the author interweaves exhausting details of the flora and fauna of the island into nearly every page has made it impossible for me to not lose focus the many times I've attempted to tackle it.

Would you consider the audio edition of The Mysterious Island to be better than the print version? Verne is my favorite author, but The Mysterious Island has eluded me for forty years. A legendary book becomes an epic audiobook!

The mysterious island novel