I was sceptical about the works of Jules Verne, so I thought it best to start with an audiobook as this book is quite different from my usual reads. The audiobook version is certainly good but I am not sure if I would read this story in particular.
Here's what I liked:
* The narrator's voice modulation style
* The melodies and filler sounds
* You could feel the emotions, excitement in the audio version too.

Now here is also something that did not work for me:
* The slow pacing of the story
* The overall structure and writing style

Hence, I feel the audiobook is still better for the title if its for someone exploring this under sea adventure story as a beginner.

Such a great audiobook! I liked this one so much. highly recommend. :) :) :) :) :)

Just what I needed to read.

While Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is, at times, a very dry and boring novel, I felt that the audiobook made the story itself more enjoyable. I really liked Aria Mia Liberty’s narration; she had wonderful inflection and pace changes that made the story a pleasure to listen to. I also found the voices she used for the various characters to be spot-on compared to their personalities. Overall it is a great audio version of a classic novel.

5 stars!
This book is such a classic in my eyes for so many reason but the main one being the sense of adventure in Jules Verne stories! As a person who LOVES books with alot of detail especially if it is based on real facts etc, this book was bound to be a new favourite for me. I loved Journey To The Centre of The Earth so it's no surprise that I would enjoy this! The narrator also did a really good job delivering this piece of literature to us.

I have always wondered what this book is about and now I kind of know. I did love the narrator’s voice because it kept me entertained the entire time. I didn’t exactly understand everything that was going on, but it says a lot for me to finish it. It’s definitely a longer book that could have been condensed, but I enjoyed it for the most part.

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea written by Jules Verne and narrated by Aria Mia Loberti is a fresh and vibrant telling of this classic tale that I have read over and over for decades (and yes, I absolutely loved this narrator). The story is an absolut classic so I shall not go into the synopsis and shall instead celebrate the audiobook performance

Jules Verne was and always will be the father of science fiction and 20000 Leagues Under the Sea has seen many incarnation in print, film, animation and with some huge boots to fill, making this audiobook was no mean task and Loberti is absolutely fantastic. This new version is wonderful, simply enchanting. Read with a sparkling wonder and fantastic grasp of the nuances of the narrative, this audiobook is a must-listen to continue Vernes legacy

Absolutely Brilliant!

Thank you to Netgalley, Blackstone Publishing, the late Jules Verne and the awesome Aria Mia Loberti for this wonderful ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

This one just isnt for me! I was looking forward to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. It's a classic! But after an hour+ of listening I just had to stop.

The descriptions just go on forever and ever and it's not anything you care about. Theres not much of a plot and it's just a tough one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for allowing me to listen in order for my honest review. The narrator was doing a great job. But it's just not enjoyable!

A classic! It's cool to see how science fiction was in its early stages. It's a bit slow at times, but overall a good read and very interesting. The narration was really well done, Aria Mia Loberti did a great job bringing this to life. I liked her voice and her accent, it suited this very well.

Editor's note: Review published in CNHI's Ga, Ala, Miss papers. Offered to national editors.

Booked for the month: Noir, fantasy and historical retellings fill the air with new fiction from Gordon Greisman and Christy Healy, and audio retakes of Jules Verne and Donald Miller

By Tom Mayer
CNHI News Service

From 20,000 feet above to 20,000 leagues below — and a couple more with feet firmly on planet Earth — a quartet of new books and audio renderings recently published will both enliven drive-times and offer one more reason to put another log on the fire. All four this month are from Blackstone, a publishing house that continues to offer an interesting and intriguing mix of media.

The audio files

In the category of what’s old is what’s new: “Masters of the Air” and “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” aren’t exactly new books, but they both get a new treatment as audio books with fresh narrators.

Donald Miller’s “Masters of the Air” isn’t just for the World War II buff. It offers the history of the American Eighth Air Force, but with the addition of Joe Barrett’s narration — Barrett is a veteran raconteur with more than 200 audio titles and a host of Audie Award finals in his arsenal — the story of the young (and they were all young) men who flew the bombers responsible for crippling Nazi Germany takes you into the cockpit beside them.

And the 20,000 feet reference is no exaggeration: the air at that height is thin and freezing and before the Eighth, no body of bombers had successfully straddled that particular stratosphere.

Miller, a WWII expert and professor at Lafayette College, weaves interviews, oral histories and international archives into a compelling narrative about an elite group of warriors who essentially fought a war within a war, and spices it with stories of life in wartime England and German prison camps.

World War II is known as the world’s first and only bomber war, and “Masters of the Air” also gets a fitting visual complement. A series based on the book, under the same name, launched on Apple TV+ Jan. 26.
Not that Jules Verne’s “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” has suffered from any lack of multi-media attention, but Blackstone’s audio version captures the 19th century period piece in ways that infuse real magic into the exotic undersea tale of Captain Nemo and the Nautilus.

You might know the story, and you might know the voice — narrator Aria Mia Loberti starred in Netflix’s limited series adaptation of “All the Light We Cannot See” — but the combination is unique and fitting, especially enmeshed with the Mia Loberti's advanced degree in ancient rhetoric from Royal Holloway, University of London. You’ve not heard this story told in such a perfect lilt, and if the publisher is wise, they will elicit Mia Loberti for Verne’s other two works featuring Nemo: “The Mysterious Island” and a lesser-known collaborative play, “Journey Through the Impossible,” written a dozen years after the 1870 launch of “20,000 Leagues.”

The bibliophiles

In the category of what’s new is what’s new, 2024 has already been a good year for literature, and in continuing the fantastical theme is “Unbound” by Christy Healy.

A tale of betrayal and unrequited romance, Healy brings Celtic myths into this gender-bent reimagining of “Beauty and the Beast.”

Rozlyn O Conchuir is destined for love, waiting in the imprisonment of her tower for the defeat of the beast of Connacht through the arrival of the man who will not only win her heart, but vanquish the curse that plagues both her and her kingly father’s people.

After the suitor arrives, though, her hopes and dreams are savagely unmasked and trust is irreparably broken. Or is it? There may be more here than Rozlyn imagined — if she can learn that some misfortunes are better left shackled than unbound.

And an aside: Blackstone completes the magical story with a fine print production. The textured cover artwork and book design are by Larissa Ezell, and that design includes interior illustrations, maps and something I don’t mention often in reviews: a unique typeface that draws the reader wonderfully into the world of make-believe.
Even as we’re drawn into a world with more grit and grime. Gordon Greisman’s “The Devil’s Daughter” is not only taut and fine noir, it’s a story that showcases something you don’t much witness — a novelist having pure fun with the craft.

Greisman’s PI story is solid and gets a screenwriter’s touch —the author earned an Emmy Award nomination for his NBC mini-series “The Drug Wars; In the Belly of the Beast” — but tempering period characters with private investigator Jack Coffey’s search for the daughter of an uptown financier is a delicious recipe for a story.
Infusing well-known mobsters, jazzmen and actors (Thelonious Monk is a bud, as is Bud, aka a young Marlon Brando), athletes and authors (How many detective stories have you read that feature Albert Camus?) attach some verbal paradox that ironically makes the story more real.

Add Greisman’s prose (“My favorite time in the city is just before dawn. The town isn’t really asleep, it’s just resting its eyes.”) and unexpected throwaways (“Richie Costello can’t stop staring at V, which is not only embarrassing but pretty inappropriate, considering he’s a priest.”) and you get a writer not only enjoying the work, but mastering it.
Some books you read in a day and this is that kind of book. It’ll no doubt be the best book you’ve read so far this year, and although we have some big hitters showing up in the next few months, it’s already a contender — with 11 months to go — for the best book you’ll read all year.

A caveat: Greisman’s story is raw and real, and some readers might get tripped by triggers. The material is handled well, but if stories about abuse and violence are on your “avoid” list, take a pass. The case of the missing Lucy Garrett — “who just might be the devil incarnate” — is as hardboiled as it gets, but Greisman takes no issue with breaking open a few rotten eggs to let their sulfuric fumes permeate the pages.

By the end, you’ll get why the story is shaped like this, and maybe it’s Coffey himself who describes it best: “I’m not all right. In my line of work sometimes I see the absolute worst in people. It’s supposed to make me hard and cynical, but that’s just a Hollywood fantasy. I’d have to be dead inside not to let something like this get to me.”

No question: “The Devil’s Daughter” will get to you.

I went into this book with very few expectations. Despite this being such an iconic book, I rarely see it reviewed and recommended compared to other classics. Clearly, I need to change that because I thought this book was fantastic and would love to see it recommended to new generations of science fiction readers. 

In terms of hard science fiction, there was a lot of technical jargon and scientific facts included in this novel. There were so many interesting topics explored, particularly surrounding marine biology and nautical technology. The detailed descriptions might be overwhelming or exhausting to some readers, but I personally loved the information overload. 

As for the story itself, I loved the mystery and the adventure as it unfolded. I knew very little about the plot beforehand, which helped to create a sense of suspense while reading. The novel was relatively long but I found myself flying through the pages because I always wanted to know what would happen next.

I would definitely recommend this classic science fiction adventure story to modern readers. It was very accessible and, even more important, a lot of fun to read!

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is a classic, an early example of science fiction. When reports of a monster jeopardizing global traffic by terrorizing the sea begin to appear, three men take to the water to try to find it. What they actually find, however, isn't a monster at all. It's a submarine under the direction of Captain Nemo, which takes them all over the world.

The story itself needs no review so I'll focus on the production itself. I was unaware prior to reading this that it was narrated by the actress from the mini-series version of All the Light We Cannot See. She was exceptional in that and she is exceptional as the narrator in this audiobook. She really made the characters come alive and some of the drier aspects of the writing itself felt enlivened through her reading. The pacing was great as well. I look forward to recommending this version to customers who are looking to get more into classics. Like our literature professors used to say about Shakespeare, I find hearing classics as opposed to reading them on the page, to be a great way to get into the groove of the older style of writing and this would be an excellent choice for someone unfamiliar with Verne's work.

Jules Verne books are classics and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is one that I have always wanted to read, but never thought I could get through the whole book. Finding this audiobook version was just what I needed. Aria Mia Loberti does a wonderful job narrating and I was pulled in immediately.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing me with an ARC of "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" in exchange for my honest, unbiased opinion.

You cannot go wrong with a classic. It amazes me how creative and inventive authors can be from such a long time ago. Book could be boring to others, but it's worth it.

A FASCINATING ADVENTURE WITH THE VOICE OF ARIA MIA LOBERTI (from "All the Light We Cannot See" mini series)

What a genius move for Blackstone Publishing Audiobooks to make! I was first drawn to this classic because I had not ever read it and wanted to. Then, remembering its' connection with "All the Light We Cannot See" and seeing that it was read by the voice of Aria Mia Loberti just made it three times better.

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea was first published in English in 1870. The writing style is that of scientific journal entries based off of the adventures of Professor Pierre Aronnax. In this underwater pioneering, Professor Aronnax, his servant Conseil, and Canadian Marine Hunter, Ned Land, embark on the "Abraham Lincoln" to hunt for an unknown species of whale. Upon finding what they believe to be this whale, they attack it and this "whale" fights back, causing the Professor, Conseil, and Ned Land to be thrown overboard. They soon realize this "whale" is actually made of metal and is the world's first submarine called The Nautilus. Captain Nemo, of this submerged vessel, saves the 3 stranded men and takes them captive because their ship attacked his. In turn, they all travel 20,000 leagues under the sea and around the world. Their exploration was documented throughout the adventure and included, according to Professor Arronax:

"....since my disappearance from the Abraham Lincoln - the submarine hunt, the Torres Straits, the savages of Papua, the running ashore, the coral cemetery, the passage of Suez, the island of Santorin, the Cretan diver, Vigo Bay, Atlantis, the iceberg, the South Pole, the imprisonment in the ice, the fight among the poulps, the storm in the Gulf Stream, the Avenger, an the horrible sene of the vessel sunk with all her crew. "

I find the language of writing to be so interesting in older works of literature. What we might deem "boring" today, was best seller at one time. I always feel well educated and time-traveled after enjoying a classic such as this. This particular nature ride was highly descriptive and scientific, allowing the imagination to run free under the sea. I found myself googling definitions and using Apple Maps often to supplement this adventure. The point-of-view in this classic is that of a Scientist. Professor Arronax is not concerned with depth of personalities or complex emotions in those on board the Nautilus. He is strictly business. It is somewhat comical to me that Arronax is caught up in the wonder of the adventure over being held captive for almost a year. I found myself wondering why more attention was not spent on this obvious fact. But that would mean adding more depth and dimension to characters that simply should be left alone as is. Jules Verne was clearly set on this voyage being all about the adventures. I was there for it. Hence, a difference in our writing today. I would love to see a modern film adaptation of this classic. I believe, if done right, it would be monumental. I was thankful that Aria Mia Loberti gave new life to this story in such a creative way.

Thank you so much Blackstone Publishing Audiobooks and Netgalley for this audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

I don't think I ever read this classic, or at least I don't remember it, but the audio version was a great way to bring it to life for me. The narrator, Aria Mia Loberti, was great at keeping my attention as the story is extremely long and sometimes drawn out.
I did enjoy the story and really glad I got the chance to listen to this classic. Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for allowing me to review this ARC.

It was a pleasure to listen to Jules Verne's classic Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea in this new audiobook by Blackstone Publishing. Aria Mia Loberti's narration was excellent. Viewers of the Netflix adaptation of All the Light We Cannot See got a sneak peak at this, as the actress playing the main blind character was Aria Mia Loberti, and she read from this very book in part of the film, I'll admit I was drawn to the audiobook because after reading/listening to hundreds of audiobooks over the years, I had never listened to one narrated by someone who was blind and narrating from braille. She was amazing, and one would never know. What a talented narrator and actor.

The book itself, is a classic. It's a nineteenth century read and isn't necesarily the easiest, but Loberti brought the book to life, making it a truly enjoyable experience.

This is a review of the audio book version (ISBN-13: 979-8212910682) read by Aria Mia Loberti (from the movie "All
The Light We Cannot See").

The narrator was excellent. Her voice was pleasing and enthusiastic. The different characters were easily
distinguishable. The book contains a lot of complicated names of sea creatures, plants and locations, and the
author pronounces all of them expertly.

This is an abridged version, and still it is VERY long. The progression of the plot is slowed down by all the
descriptions.

However, if you want to listen to this classic, I highly recommend this recording.

In a 1959 episode of The Twilight Zone, a bookworm (Burgess Meredith) survives a nuclear apocalypse and glories in the fact that he finally has uninterrupted time to read.

A cruel twist ending helped the episode make an impression, but it also dramatized a particular brand of fantasy: the idea that one might retain the means of intellectual exploration while having all social obligations stripped away by forces beyond one’s control. A new audiobook production of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (Blackstone Publishing) highlights the way in which Jules Verne dramatized this fantasy a century earlier.

In Aria Mia Loberti’s performance, Captain Nemo is not a mysterious genius over whom one might obsess. He comes across as almost comically stuffy, even a little constipated. The harpooner Ned Land is tamped down as well, in contrast to the two characters whose shared sense of awe emerges as the novel’s animating quality: narrator Pierre Arronax and his faithful servant Conseil.

Loberti, a newcomer who was cast as lead of the Netflix series All the Light We Cannot See (2023), is one of few women ever enlisted to narrate a professional recording of Verne’s novel, originally published in serial installments from 1869-70. Passages from Twenty Thousand Leagues figure in All the Light, based on a 2014 novel by Anthony Doerr.

The actor has said she “tried not to think about portrayals of masculinity” while voicing the story’s all-male cast of characters. That’s just as well. Though gendered expectations form a backdrop for all the characters’ pursuits, sexually they’re neuter. Verne evinces zero interest in the implications of extended submarine sequester for his lead characters and their deliberately ambiguous number of supporting mariners, beyond the matter of how they procure food and air.

(The characters’ de facto genderlessness is itself a marker of gender: imagine a publisher’s reaction, in Verne’s era, to a story about women characters that completely ignores any motivations they might have beyond exploration, vindication, and satiation.)

What the reader is left with, aside from the author’s inventive series of episodes threatening the characters’ continued existence, is a strong sense of curiosity rewarded. It’s that quality Loberti most powerfully evokes, inviting us to gaze out the saloon windows along with Captain Nemo’s passengers as The Nautilus voyages through undersea forests, erupting volcanos, and habitats teeming with fish of all descriptions.

A good number of the book’s 150,000 words are absorbed with details of the ship’s navigation and Arronax’s catalog of the marine life The Nautilus encounters. Despite a judicious abridgment, there’s still a fair amount of this material in the new audiobook, and Loberti’s great gift to the listener is to sweep us up into the wonder of it all. She doesn’t take a single detail for granted, convincing us that as Arronax avers, he is in no hurry to end his forced voyage.

It’s this aspect of the book that invites the Twilight Zone comparison. The listener is invited to consider the perfect joy of the French scientist (the audiobook follows the well-established American practice of using a British accent to convey any and all sorts of Western European background), supplied with a vast library and set out upon a voyage of undersea exploration with no choice but to go along. With Nemo playing the bad guy, Arronax gets a completely guilt-free pass to adventure.

Hopefully Loberti, who is legally blind and says she has long enjoyed audiobooks as a consumer, will be enlisted for future productions. For all the panache the narrator puts into Verne’s descriptions of natural phenomena, she particularly charms with small moments of character humor. For example, she reads Arronax’s excuse for fearing sharks with a droll and deliberate enjoyment that makes it hard for the listener not to smile.

"Now, if you were invited to hunt the bear in the mountains of Switzerland, what would you say?

“'Very well! to-morrow we will go and hunt the bear.' If you were asked to hunt the lion in the plains of Atlas, or the tiger in the Indian jungles, what would you say?

“'Ha! ha! it seems we are going to hunt the tiger or the lion!' But when you are invited to hunt the shark in its natural element, you would perhaps reflect before accepting the invitation."

No need to reflect before accepting the invitation to retrace the voyage of The Nautilus with Loberti as your guide. Verne’s vastly influential story is as resonant as ever in its romantic portrayal of an escape from the world of land-dwellers who can’t be bothered to stop and smell the seaweed.

I loved listening to Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea (from @blackstonepublishing and beautifully narrated by @ariamialoberti). I've read and loved this book maaaany many years ago as a tween and always wanted to come back to it. It reads differently now as an adult, and a tiny bit dated in parts, but I will always love Jules Verne Books!

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
Format: ALC from Blackstone Publishing

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for the ALC of a new production of this classic book. Originally published in 1870, this classic book was groundbreaking in the subgenre of science fiction. I had no idea what this books was about when I picked it up and it went in some crazy directions!

I was more interested in the narration performance for Twenty Thousand Leagues. The audiobook came to my attention when I saw that Aria Mia Loberti was doing the vocal production. Loberti is the actress from Netflix’s new miniseries All the Light We Cannot See, based on the book by the same name.

Loberti brought these characters to life with great voices and accents for the characters. This was an abridged version of the original work, and topped out at about 11-12 hours long. Though the performance was good, the story still felt long to me. I would still recommend this audiobook to anyone interested in this title specifically, or classic science fiction.