Customer Reviews

From the Earth to the Moon, and Round the Moon

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

While the novels themselves are wonderful, this publication of the two novels is horrible. I have never read a book that was put together more sloppy than this. The cover is an ugly yellow / white and since all the text is white, the last part of the title on the spine can't even be read. I can't even count how many spelling and punctuation errors I've found. Names are sometimes spelled with lower case letters and occasionally there will be a period in the middle of a sentence. It also lacks the ability to print any special characters; the British Pound symbol is simply a capital L. In place of the degree symbol they use @ (Which gets very annoying after the twentieth time. There are literally dozens of latitude and longitude measurements and every single one uses @ symbol) In one chapter explaining the algebra behind the passenger's voyage it actually says "<lower case delta>." The errors and character replacements in this were so annoying that it made it nearly impossible to read. The publisher, BiblioBazaar, should be ashamed to have released something so pathetic.

On a side note, the novels themselves are highly recommended.

With the end of the American Civil War, the Baltimore Gun Club (dedicated to artillery pieces) sinks into depression as its expertise is no longer needed. However, salvation comes when the president of the Club, Impey Barbacane, challenges the Club to use its artillery expertise to launch a manned vehicle to the Moon. It's the kind of challenge that no American can resist, and soon the world is treated to the very first attempt to leave the Earth.

This book is actually a combination of two books in one - From the earth to the moon, first published in 1865, and All around the moon, first published in 1870. Considering just how long ago Jules Verne wrote these books, it is amazing how many of his ideas found their echo in the real space program of 100 years later. Verne places his three(!) intrepid explorers in a "cylindro-conical" projectile that was quite close in size to the Apollo Command Module, the launch structure was built in Florida, and more. Indeed, for their time, these books must have been viewed more as works of science than fiction - the author went to great lengths to explain the science behind his proposed flight system.

Now, admittedly, the science behind Verne's cannon-fire launch system is HEAVILY flawed, and it never could have worked. But, considering the scientific knowledge of the day, the wonder is that the books are so logical and realistic. And even more, the stories are often humorous and always entertaining. If you want to read a really entertaining work of paleo-science-fiction, then get this book, you will not be disappointed!

From The Earth to the Moon and Round the Moon by Jules Verne. Published by MobileReference (mobi).

I absolutely loved the ebook! I found the From The Earth to the Moon & Round the Moon adventurous but also educational.