The War of the Worlds - HG Wells

The War of the Worlds is a turn-of-the-century (the LAST century) science fiction novel about an invasion of Earth by Mars because Mars had grown 'too cold' for the Martians. Considering the time it was written, the science is incredible, and could easily be modernized. Wells touched on Darwinian survival of the fittest (Martians seeing humans as mere animals), evolution (they lost their complex body parts because of their reliance on machines), and modern medicine (our bacteria were the final straw that take down the advanced alien species). I thought the novel was insightful, although it was mostly a vehicle for scientific postulation and supposition. Definitely worth reading.

Swiss Family Robinson - Johann David Wyss

As anyone who reads this blog is already aware of, I'm not one for morality tales. I was hoping this would be an adventure flick unlike Robinson Crusoe, but apparently the author used Crusoe as a model. This tale of stranded travelers focuses on the strengths of ingenuity and self-reliance, while highlighting the nature of prayer in good family values. It's more a teaching manual for youths than a travel or adventure story, and the core goodness and lack of selfishness in all the characters doesn't really resonate with today's reader, who is more used to strife and conflict. Hard-work and accepting your fate are strongly emphasized, and it bothered me quite a bit that they didn't ever try to leave. The role of the mother as a helpless cook and support in particular rubs me the wrong way.

Journey to the Center of the Earth - Jules Verne

One of the interesting things about Jules Verne is that he makes is protagonists inherently unlikable. Perhaps it is to make them more human and able to be related with compared with the non-narrating characters. Either way, Harry's whiny self-concern doesn't really come off as sympathetic. However, you have to respect him (and questions Hans) for going along with the uncle's insanity - passionately driven by so very little evidence. The uncle is by far the most interesting character, although his motivation remains murky to me. Their adventures are indeed exciting (and dangerous) and make you want to be an explorer. And I really enjoy the way that their human 'ingenuity' comes to play in their fate (whether positively or negatively).