Twenty Trillion Leagues Under the Sea
A reimagining of Jules Verne's classic adventure
Adam Roberts author Mahendra Singh illustrator
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Orion Publishing Co
Published:12th May '16
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This imaginative sequel explores the depths of the ocean and the human psyche, as the Plongeur descends into madness and mystery.
In Twenty Trillion Leagues Under the Sea, Adam Roberts and illustrator Mahendra Singh embark on a thrilling journey that pays homage to Jules Verne's legendary work while carving out a unique narrative of its own. Set in 1958, the story unfolds aboard France's first nuclear submarine, Plongeur, as it prepares for its inaugural sea trials. Aboard are a seasoned captain and a small, eclectic crew of sailors, engineers, and scientists, all eager to explore the depths of the ocean. However, their excitement quickly turns to terror as the submarine dives deeper than anyone could have anticipated.
As the Plongeur descends into the abyss, it becomes uncontrollable, plunging to depths that threaten to crush its hull. The crew faces an escalating sense of dread as they confront the possibility of imminent death. Yet, instead of finding the expected ocean floor, they encounter an uncharted realm that challenges their sanity and beliefs. The pressure mounts, both physically and psychologically, leading to madness, betrayal, and even murder among the crew members. This descent into chaos raises questions about the nature of reality and whether the Plongeur has transcended the boundaries of their known world.
With 33 stunning pen and ink illustrations by Mahendra Singh, Twenty Trillion Leagues Under the Sea is not just a sequel but a reimagining of a classic, blending adventure with existential exploration. Roberts and Singh's collaboration invites readers to dive into a narrative that is as visually captivating as it is thought-provoking.
"Wears a big grin...packed with sly jokes, puns and farcical moments. Blending the best of modern and older styles his prose is never less than an a delight. There's no one else writing material quite like this." 4.5 star review -- Guy Hadley * SFX *
A sinuously clever homage to the godfather of the scientific romance, enhanced by Mahendra Singh's lovely engraving-style illustrations. -- James Lovegrove * FINANCIAL TIMES *
He wryly riffs upon Verne's original prose, before slipping into his own accomplished contemporary style packed with humour, adventure and menace-providing the best of both underwater worlds. -- Brody Rossiter * Filminwords *
The very detailed and intense drawings help bring the prose to life...the words are a splendid, exciting voyage into the blue deep -- Mark Watkins * Blast 1386 *
The science is meticulous, and the fiction articulate. Twenty Trillion Leagues Under the Sea may have in the manner of smarts than heart, but I for one very much enjoyed the voyage -- Niall Alexander * Tor.com *
trippy, thought provoking science fiction with classic heritage...a whale of a tale indeed -- Paul Holmes * The Eloquent Page *
One of the few things you can be certain of when booking up a book by Adam Roberts is that it will be clever, quirky and a little strange. Twenty Trillion Leagues Under the Sea doesn't disappoint in any of the regards. * Starburst Magazine *
an eye-popping and mind-blowing exploitative technique, and our author outdoes himself -- Paul De Fliippo * Locus *
Twenty Trillion League Under the Sea combines the authors serious novels with his parodies. The result is something that is not quite different and British in style but utterly compelling from beginning to end * SF Book *
ISBN: 9781473215313
Dimensions: 130mm x 199mm x 22mm
Weight: 236g
320 pages