The Mysterious Island [Paperback]

A stolen hot air balloon lands an unlikely crew on a mysterious island far from everything they know in this action-packed Jules Verne classic—now with an arresting new look!

Five prisoners of war steal a hot air balloon and escape capture in Virginia during the American Civil War. They fly for several thousand miles before a storm forces them to crash land on an unknown island in the Pacific. There, the marooned men must work together to pool all their knowledge and skill if they wish to survive.

But the island has its secrets, and the castaways discover it’s not as deserted as they thought. A mysterious figure has been watching them. Does it bring salvation or even more danger?Jules Verne (1828–1905) was a prolific French author whose writing about various innovations and technological advancements laid much of the foundation of modern science fiction. Verne’s love of travel and adventure, including his time spent sailing the seas, inspired several of his short stories and novels.Chapter I

Chapter I

Are we rising again?”

“No. On the contrary.”

“Are we descending?”

“Worse than that, Captain! We are falling!”

“For heaven’s sake, heave out the ballast!”

“There! The last sack is empty!”

“Does the balloon rise?”

“No!”

“I hear a noise like the dashing of waves. The sea is below the car! It cannot be more than five hundred feet from us!”

“Overboard with every weight!… Everything!”

Such were the lCd