Nerds That Geek Book Review: 'Journey to the Center of the Earth'

Written by Scott Edwards

Young Harry is staying with his uncle for the summer.  His uncle, Professor Lidenbrock is anything but a normal man, his house is a living museum with nothing but first editions of books that Harry is afraid to touch. Living outside of normal means, the professor is well off and more than happy to use all of his money to fund his next adventure. Upon examining an ancient Icelandic novel together, the two find a 3x5 note card with some Old Icelandic scribblings on it and what they decipher off of it leads to a journey that they will never forget.

‘Descend into the crater of Yokul of Sneffels, which the shade of Scartaris caresses before the kalends of July, audacious traveler, and you will reach the center of the earth.  I did it.’ The note was signed off by an Arne Saknussemm, an ancient alchemist. The two then pack up their bags and start their voyage out to Iceland to see if anything from the card could be true. Upon their arrival, the city throws a party of such for the two explorers, but instead of enjoying the local festivities, Uncle Lidenbrock wants to further his investigations by checking out the local library and find additional works by Arne Saknussemm. Not being able to find anything in the library that he needs, Lidenbrock talks to the mayor of the city and finds out that after Saknussemm was tried for heresy in 1572, all of his books were burned. Disappointed at this, Lidenbrock is not deterred, since the adventure is still going to get underway in the morning.  

Set up with a couple of guides, the nephew and uncle start the long trek out of town and up to the volcanic range that the note card has directed them toward. Finally finding Mount Sneffels, the group comes to a standstill. Although it is an extinct volcano, a few of the guides believe the area to be cursed and scurry back to their home unwilling to continue on their journey. One guide remains, Hans, who is a man of simple means and is more than willing to continue as long as his payment of six dollars a week is met every Saturday. The dwindled group of three continue on their adventure, advancing up the mountain and entering the dormant crater.  

Journey to the Center of the Earth takes you on an all out adventure. You also get to explore the human condition as fears of starvation and dehydration are on the minds of the group. Professor Lidenbrock is more than willing to put his life on the line for discovery, but his nephew Harry is just dying to turn around and go back home. Hans is indifferent, as he is only on this trip for the money, and as long as he gets paid, he will do whatever is needed to keep the group alive and moving.

This is such an intriguing story, being written back in 1864 I would challenge any writer to do what Verne has done with this epic, only using his imagination to write what kind of wild world would exist within our own, you really feel as if you are along for the ride. When the group finds a stopping point, an enclosed environment that houses extinct species of plants and a large sea, you begin to understand what kind of utopia people are willing to believe in. While most of this story is written to cover the descent to the center of the earth, it is a tale that leaves you fulfilled when they arrive at their destination and when it comes to their subsequent escape. This was a high school read for me, and while I didn’t like to read anything that was assigned, this one caught my attention and never let it go. Give it another look, it just may surprise you.

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