The Mysterious Island


Read by Mark F. Smith

(4.8 stars; 3033 reviews)

A story of castaways, similar to Robinson Crusoe and The Swiss Family Robinson, this book details the escape from Civil War-era Richmond, Virginia, of five Northern men who dared to go aloft in a balloon in the midst of a hurricane. Deposited on a lonely island in the Pacific, they make do with Yankee ingenuity where Chance has left them nothing. Only later do they find they have a hidden benefactor: Captain Nemo, of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, who resides, alone, secretly on the island. In time, the tiny colony becomes so prosperous that it is able to rescue another castaway from an island a hundred miles away. But all their work will come to naught - their island's volcano is about to awake! (Summary by Mark) (21 hr 58 min)

Chapters

1-01 The Storm of 1865. Voices in the Air. 15:45 Read by Mark F. Smith
1-02 An Incident in the War of Secession 21:58 Read by Mark F. Smith
1-03 Five O'Clock in the Evening 17:37 Read by Mark F. Smith
1-04 Lithodomes. The River's Mouth. The Chimneys. 20:21 Read by Mark F. Smith
1-05 Arranging the Chimneys. How to Procure Fire. 18:06 Read by Mark F. Smith
1-06 The Inventory of the Castaways. Expedition to the Forest. 19:01 Read by Mark F. Smith
1-07 Neb Has Not Yet Returned. A Threatening Night. 19:39 Read by Mark F. Smith
1-08 Is Cyrus Harding Living? Neb's Recital. 19:24 Read by Mark F. Smith
1-09 Cyrus is Here. Pencroft's Attempts. 21:47 Read by Mark F. Smith
1-10 The Engineer's Invention. Volcanic Soil. 21:16 Read by Mark F. Smith
1-11 At the Summit of the Cone 24:01 Read by Mark F. Smith
1-12 Regulating the Watches. Pencroft is Satisfied. 21:27 Read by Mark F. Smith
1-13 What is Found Upon Top 24:21 Read by Mark F. Smith
1-14 Measuring the Cliff. Latitude of the Island. 20:42 Read by Mark F. Smith
1-15 It Is Decided to Winter on the Island 18:46 Read by Mark F. Smith
1-16 The Question of a Dwelling is Again Discussed. 18:58 Read by Mark F. Smith
1-17 Visit to the Lake. The Indicating Current. 21:55 Read by Mark F. Smith
1-18 Pencroft Now Doubts Nothing 18:54 Read by Mark F. Smith
1-19 Cyrus Harding's Project. The Rope Ladder. 19:58 Read by Mark F. Smith
1-20 The Rainy Season. The Question of Clothes. 17:43 Read by Mark F. Smith
1-21 Some Degrees Below Zero. 20:43 Read by Mark F. Smith
1-22 Traps. Foxes. Peccaries. 26:54 Read by Mark F. Smith
2-01 Conversation on the Subject of the Bullet 20:05 Read by Mark F. Smith
2-02 First Trial of the Canoe. A Wreck on the Coast. 20:17 Read by Mark F. Smith
2-03 The Start. The Rising Tide. 21:55 Read by Mark F. Smith
2-04 Journey to the Coast. Troops of Monkeys. 18:23 Read by Mark F. Smith
2-05 Proposal to Return By the Southern Shore 21:52 Read by Mark F. Smith
2-06 Pencroft's Halloos. A Night in the Chimneys. 20:12 Read by Mark F. Smith
2-07 Plans. A Bridge Over the Mercy. 20:59 Read by Mark F. Smith
2-08 Linen. Shoes of Seal-Leather. 20:56 Read by Mark F. Smith
2-09 Bad Weather. The Hydraulic Lift. 19:18 Read by Mark F. Smith
2-10 Boat-Building. Second Crop of Corn. 19:20 Read by Mark F. Smith
2-11 Winter. Felling Wood. The Mill. 24:13 Read by Mark F. Smith
2-12 The Rigging of the Vessel 27:40 Read by Mark F. Smith
2-13 Departure Decided Upon. Conjectures. 20:34 Read by Mark F. Smith
2-14 The Inventory. Night. A Few Letters. 23:06 Read by Mark F. Smith
2-15 The Return. Discussion. 18:40 Read by Mark F. Smith
2-16 A Mystery to be Cleared Up. 25:33 Read by Mark F. Smith
2-17 Still Alone. The Stranger's Request. 25:15 Read by Mark F. Smith
2-18 Conversation. Cyrus Harding and Gideon Spilett. 22:50 Read by Mark F. Smith
2-19 Recollections of Their Native Land 20:30 Read by Mark F. Smith
2-20 A Night at Sea. Shark Gulf. Confidences. 23:40 Read by Mark F. Smith
3-01 Lost or Saved? Ayrton Summoned. 24:25 Read by Mark F. Smith
3-02 Discussions. Presentiments. 22:04 Read by Mark F. Smith
3-03 The Mist Rises. The Engineer's Preparations. 26:01 Read by Mark F. Smith
3-04 The Colonists on the Beach. 24:17 Read by Mark F. Smith
3-05 The Engineer's Declaration. 19:50 Read by Mark F. Smith
3-06 Expeditions Planned. Ayrton at the Corral. 21:13 Read by Mark F. Smith
3-07 The Reporter and Pencroft in the Corral 18:15 Read by Mark F. Smith
3-08 The Convicts in the Neighborhood of the Corral 10:13 Read by Mark F. Smith
3-09 No news of Neb. A Proposal. 20:20 Read by Mark F. Smith
3-10 Herbert Carried to Granite House 17:23 Read by Mark F. Smith
3-11 Inexplicable Mystery. Herbert's Convalescence. 20:56 Read by Mark F. Smith
3-12 Exploration on the Serpentine Peninsula. 20:45 Read by Mark F. Smith
3-13 Ayrton's Story. A Subterranean Volcano. 24:37 Read by Mark F. Smith
3-14 Three Years Have Passed. The New Vessel. 22:25 Read by Mark F. Smith
3-15 The Awakening of the Volcano. The Fine Season. 27:17 Read by Mark F. Smith
3-16 Captain Nemo. His First Words. 22:28 Read by Mark F. Smith
3-17 Last Moments of Captain Nemo 19:34 Read by Mark F. Smith
3-18 Reflections of the Colonists 31:01 Read by Mark F. Smith
3-19 Cyrus Harding's Account of His Exploration 27:50 Read by Mark F. Smith
3-20 An Isolated Rock in the Pacific 12:35 Read by Mark F. Smith

Reviews

Murder Mystery Theatre, "The Butler Did It," with Mark Smith


(5 stars)

this most excellent experience of listening to this reading by Mark Smith could only have been improved by NOT reading his description of the book, which totally revealed the mystery of the island and also gave away the ending. Spoilers, man.

excellent reader, engaging story


(5 stars)

I listened to this over a span of a few months while in the tractor. it was extremely engaging and I couldn't wait until my next excuse to listen. the reader was excellent throughout and the quality of the audio was crisp and clear

anything Mark Smith reads is great! fantastic narration and voice acting!


(5 stars)

Enjoyable book. Went to sleep to it for the summer. First thing I have read by Jules Verne.

I couldn’t love this story more!


(5 stars)

One the BEST stories I’ve ever read(heard). The way it connects to Jules Verne’s timeless classic, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and ties up some of its biggest loose ends was a true delight. On top of that, this book is full of heart and full of adventure. It may well be as great as any other “stranded on an island story”, if not greater. Also the reader of this edition, Mark Smith, narrates it perfectly as though he is enjoying it and really feels the character’s emotions, which makes it even better. I love this book!


(5 stars)

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(3.5 stars)

Inconsistent and inaccurate in key elements such as not having necessary tools to cut things and then cutting things but still having nothing to cut with. It just doesn't have the same realism and plausibility that some of his other stories do. Couldn't finish it. Not for me.

Fantastic!


(5 stars)

I have so enjoyed this book.The narrator, Mark, has brought the book alive, and I am so grateful for his endeavours. Many thanks, but I shall not know what to do to improve on this experience.

Is it the story or the translation?


(4 stars)

I enjoyed the story and the narration. I thought there was a different reason for the resolution in the last chapter, but I was wrong. :) One thing I DON'T like is the deliberate use of such big words, when simpler words would do. Is it the author or the translator? But it gets tedious when the text uses: congener (rather than relative) torrefaction (rather than roasting) succedaneum (rather than substitute) Yes, it bothered me so much I started noting some of the words. I know Verne can get tedious with his naming of species of animals (got that from 20,000 Leagues), which he also does in this book, along with explaining how the genius engineer, who knows how to do EVERYTHING, contrives to smelt iron, and make felt, and the different chemical processes to make nitroglycerine, etc. But at least give us a bit of relief from the pedantry by using "normal" words for some of the descriptions, please! OK, enough on that. Glad to get it off my chest. The reader is excellent, although the files did have quite a bit of background noise/hum in them. The story is worth the listen.