From the Earth to the Moon

Title: From the Earth to the Moon

Author: Jules Verne

Published in: 1865

Date read: 27th April 2016

Score: 3/5

Genre: Classic, Science fiction

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"From the Earth to the Moon" by Jules Verne is an imaginative and prescient science fiction novel that details the audacious efforts of an American post-Civil War gun club to build a massive cannon and launch a projectile carrying three men to the Moon.

The story begins in Baltimore, Maryland, where the Gun Club, a society of artillery enthusiasts, finds themselves bored and aimless after the American Civil War ends. Their ambitious president, Impey Barbicane, proposes a grand and seemingly impossible project: to construct a cannon powerful enough to fire a projectile to the Moon. This idea galvanises the entire club, and soon the project gains international attention and financial backing.

The club members, especially the enthusiastic J.T. Maston, a former brigadier-general, meticulously plan every aspect of the venture. They choose a location in Florida for the colossal cannon, which they name the Columbiad. Their calculations involve immense engineering challenges, from the size and material of the cannon to the trajectory and the properties of the projectile.

However, a rival, Captain Nicholl, a brilliant but cynical armor manufacturer who has a long-standing feud with Barbicane over the relative merits of cannons versus armour, emerges to challenge the project. Nicholl makes a series of wagers against the success of the moon-shot, raising doubts and adding an element of personal rivalry to the scientific endeavour.

The most dramatic turn occurs when a daring and eccentric French adventurer, Michel Ardan, arrives. Ardan proposes not just that the projectile reach the Moon, but that it be a habitable capsule, and that he himself, along with Barbicane and Nicholl, should be the passengers inside. Despite the immense risks, Barbicane and Nicholl reluctantly agree to join him.

The construction of the Columbiad and the preparations for the lunar voyage are described in meticulous detail, showcasing Verne's fascination with engineering and scientific principles (albeit with some scientific liberties for the sake of the story). The world watches with bated breath as the day of the launch approaches.

The novel culminates in the spectacular launch of the projectile, witnessed by millions. While the initial goal is seemingly achieved, the story concludes with the fate of the three astronauts left ambiguous as their capsule, due to an uncorrected trajectory, begins to orbit the Moon rather than landing on it. The ending leaves the reader in suspense, setting the stage for the sequel, "Around the Moon." "From the Earth to the Moon" is a celebration of human ingenuity, scientific ambition, and the spirit of adventure.

Comments:
Great story, however, I do say that some stories are timeless, I just didn't enjoy this one as much as others from this time. Great to see early science fiction though.

Books that we've read by Jules Verne (1):
From the Earth to the Moon (1865)