The Project Gutenberg EBook of Off on a Comet, by Jules Verne

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Title: Off on a Comet

Author: Jules Verne

Editor: Charles F. Horne

Posting Date: August 15, 2008 [EBook #1353]
Release Date: June, 1998

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OFF ON A COMET ***

Produced by Judy Boss

OFF ON A COMET or HECTOR SERVADAC

WORKS of JULES VERNE

Edited By Charles F. Horne, Ph.D.

Professor of English, College of the City of New York; Author of "The
Technique of the Novel," etc.

[colophon omitted]

F. Tyler Daniels Company, Inc.

New York :::: London

Copyright, 1911 By Vincent Parke And Company

INTRODUCTION TO VOLUME NINE

_Among so many effective and artistic tales, it is difficult to give a
preference to one over all the rest. Yet, certainly, even amid Verne's
remarkable works, his "Off on a Comet" must be given high rank. Perhaps
this story will be remembered when even "Round the World in Eighty Days"
and "Michael Strogoff" have been obliterated by centuries of time. At
least, of the many books since written upon the same theme as Verne's,
no one has yet succeeded in equaling or even approaching it.

In one way "Off on a Comet" shows a marked contrast to Verne's earlier
books. Not only does it invade a region more remote than even the
"Trip to the Moon," but the author here abandons his usual scrupulously
scientific attitude. In order that he may escort us through the depths
of immeasurable space, show us what astronomy really knows of conditions
there and upon the other planets, Verne asks us to accept a situation
frankly impossible. The earth and a comet are brought twice into
collision without mankind in general, or even our astronomers, becoming
conscious of the fact. Moreover several people from widely scattered
places are carried off by the comet and returned uninjured. Yet further,
the comet snatches for the convenience of its travelers, both air and
water. Little, useful tracts of earth are picked up and, as it were,
turned over and clapped down right side up again upon the comet's
surface. Even ships pass uninjured through this remarkable somersault.
These events