First published in 1874, &quot;The Mysterious Island&quot; is an adventure novel by Jules Verne and included in his popular science-fiction series <i>Voyages extraordinaires</i> (1863&ndash;1910) as a sequel to his &quot;20,000 Leagues Under the Sea&quot; (1870). &quot;The Mysterious Island&quot; follows the adventures of a group of castaways who use their survivalist savvy to build a functional community on an uncharted island.<br />Contemporary readers would have found the greatest similarities between Verne&#39;s &quot;Mysterious Island&quot; and DeFoe&#39;s &quot;Robinson Crusoe&quot; (1719), the quintessential castaway story. But today, &quot;The Mysterious Island&quot; will resonate with anyone familiar with the television show <i>Lost</i>.<br /><br />A hot-air balloon carrying five passengers and a dog escapes from Richmond, Virginia, during the American Civil War. It is blown off course and deposited near an obscure island. One of the castaways nearly dies after a skirmish with pirates; he is saved by the unexplained appearance of someone after the pirates are unexpectedly routed. The secret helper proves to be none other than the reclusive Captain Nemo (first introduced &quot;20,000 Leagues Under the Sea&quot;)...