Cussedness

Facing The Flag by Jules Verne

The latest novel in my now slightly obsessive quest to read as much Jules Verne as possible, Facing The Flag is a typical Voyage Extraordinaire.  We encounter high-tech weaponry and transport, nefarious pirates bent on mayhem and destruction, and a hyper-intelligent eccentric inventor, all seen through the eyes of a slightly dopey French narrator. It even has an island submarine base hidden within the empty magma chamber of an extinct volcano, the third such example I have encountered in the Voyages so far.  The story is well paced and culminates in a satisfying conclusion: classic Verne, and thoroughly enjoyable.

The usual uncertainly regarding the translation applies.  I am starting to wonder if I shouldn’t just try to brush up my French to a competent level for reading, in order to be able to explore Verne properly, rather than worrying about whether or not the version I happen to be reading at the time is any good or not.  I’ll have to leave it until things have calmed down a little bit first though, small babies create an atmosphere singularly non-conducive to any sort of mental exertion.  I actually finished this book two weeks ago and have only just found the time to write it up.

4 comments • 2008-08-09 12:49 • Categories: Books, Reviews • Tags: Jules Verne, Novels, Voyages Extraordinaire