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Off On A Comet (2000)

by Jules Verne(Favorite Author)

3.67 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

1606800825 (ISBN13: 9781606800829)

languge

English

genre

Science Fiction

series

Extraordinary Voyages

review 1: This is one of Verne's minor novels. A comet brushes the Earth and carries off part of the Mediterranean Sea, along with a chunk of Algeria and a scattering of islands, as well as a French officer and his servant and various other assorted characters. It is readable and often entertaining, though the science is not particularly plausible and the ending doesn't entirely hold up. The real problem though is the anti-semitism demonstrated towards the one Jewish character. It's a common problem in novels from this period, but in 'Off on a Comet' it's more than usually distracting.
review 2: The science of this fiction appears to be frankly unbelievable even by mid-19th century standards. We are asked to believe that a comet with a large metallic core hit the earth h... moreard enough to carry of a significant part of the Mediterranean--from British Gibraltar to French Algeria, and a bit of Sicily -- yet did it so gently that all the inhabitants of the area comfortably survived, and what is more (since it was a dark and foggy night) the rest of the earth hardly noticed, and doubted the report of the voyagers when they returned after traveling out to Saturn and back, and transferring to earth by a hot-air balloon. However, the story is agreeable enough since it does not seem too seriously intended. As usual Verne's humor involves heavy ethnic stereotypes --the French officer is gallant, his Russian ally almost equally so, their servants are faithful, the Italian peasants are merry and the little Italian girl incredibly sweet.On the other hand, the British officers are stuffy and insular -- they are also left behind on the meteor at the end, and presumably perish horribly, though this is not described. The most controversial aspect is the depiction of a German-Jewish merchant,who is shown as greedy and mildly dishonest. The presentation would be considered unacceptably offensive by modern standards, and I believe he is cut from some modern reprints. The best I can say for him is that compared to some of the anti-Semitism of the day he could be worse --he is not trying to conquer the world or defile gentile maidens, and in the end he makes a Scrooge-like transformation to amiability. He also serves to remind readers that at that time Jews in France (and to some extent Britain) were distrusted as being pro-German, as later in the Dreyfus affair or Chesterton's Flying Inn. less

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