Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas

When ships from several nations report sightings of a mysterious sea creature—and an ocean liner is damaged—the United States government mounts an expedition to hunt it down. Professor Pierre Aronnax, a French marine biologist and the story’s narrator, joins the mission with Conseil, his devoted assistant, and Ned Land, a master harpoonist determined to destroy the menace. After a long, fruitless search, the expedition finally catches up with its quarry. A collision during the ensuing battle sends Aronnax, Conseil, and Ned overboard, where they discover that the supposed monster is actually a remarkable metal submarine.

Captured and taken inside, they meet its enigmatic commander, Captain Nemo, and learn that the vessel is the Nautilus. Their forced association carries them across thousands of leagues and through many seas, bringing encounters with underwater wonders, dangerous surprises, and exotic places. As Aronnax marvels at the ocean depths, Ned seeks a way back to the surface, while Nemo’s secrecy and concealed desire for revenge cast an ever-deepening shadow over their extraordinary voyage.