20,000 Leagues Under the Sea • Jules Verne, William O'Connor

Since I came across the beautiful books illustrated by Robert Ingpen about two years ago, I’ve kept the Knesebeck Verlag firmly on my radar. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz completely enchanted me, and since then I’ve picked up several more books from the series. I couldn’t resist the classic The Wonderful Adventures of Nils either and was equally delighted back then. Somehow, though, I lost track of Knesebeck’s publishing program for a while. During a virtual book stroll, I stumbled upon this new edition of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. At first, I hesitated, since you can’t really see much of the book on the publisher’s website. But based on my previous experiences with their other editions, I was quickly convinced. In this post, I’d like to leaf through the book for you and give you a better impression of it. The photos in this review already reveal that this book is another true gem.

I read Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea several years ago. The story has stayed with me, even though it didn’t completely blow me away at the time. Professor Pierre Aronnax, his servant Conseil, and the harpooner Ned Land find themselves aboard an impressive submarine. Together with its captain, Nemo, they travel around the world, covering a total of 20,000 leagues and experiencing a series of adventures — a sort of sightseeing tour of the world’s oceans, complete with everything you could wish for: sunken cities, polar seas, sea monsters, shipwrecks, and of course, the stunning flora and fauna of the deep sea. It’s a true classic adventure, with Jules Verne’s Nautilus richly and vividly imagined. He explains in detail how the vessel works, how Nemo lives entirely off the sea, and how he wants for nothing. You learn quite a bit about the ocean and its creatures and can easily follow the path of the Nautilus on the map.

The story and its maritime theme appeal to me deeply. You truly feel as though you’re exploring the world’s oceans, and the Nautilus — with its construction, equipment, and overall atmosphere — feels like a small cave, a safe treehouse, a refuge where nothing bad can happen to you. From this safe haven, it’s a pleasure to experience the breathtaking underwater world alongside the professor and uncover a few of its mysteries. You also learn about the Gulf Stream, the Sargasso Sea — a gigantic “sea within the sea” where all sorts of things collect — pearl diving, the South Pole, and many other places that might seem familiar but are often new again. For instance, Verne describes a creature called a dugong, which I initially thought he had invented, but it actually exists.

The mysterious heart of the story is Captain Nemo, who has turned his back on humanity but hasn’t completely severed ties with it. His fate — and the man Verne brings to life here — form a large part of the story’s fascination. Ned Land, the harpooner, is also a well-crafted and believable character.

It’s often noted online that Jules Verne modeled Professor Aronnax after himself, which I find quite plausible. He serves as the first-person narrator, presenting his notes from the adventure to the reader. The book reads smoothly and has an enjoyable rhythm, though Verne tends to get lost in long descriptions of fish and the sea. On one hand, I found that delightful — it paints such a vivid, authentic picture of the ocean that you can almost imagine sitting beside the professor, gazing through the great window at the wonders of the deep: the clear water, colorful fish, striking underwater mountain ranges, volcanoes, whales, icebergs — Verne includes it all. A travel agency offering such a journey would be fully booked for the next thousand years, and I’d definitely be on board! At the same time, these long passages slow the story considerably; the tension drops, and it begins to resemble a travelogue. For me, that’s a minor drawback — I think Verne could have infused it with a bit more suspense.

The book certainly invites readers to explore more online — about both the story itself and the real places and creatures it describes. Interestingly, the idea of a submarine wasn’t revolutionary at the time; by 1870, it was already known. What fascinated readers was the advanced design of the Nautilus and, of course, Captain Nemo — an intriguing character who in some ways resembles Dumas’s Edmond Dantès. Another interesting detail is that the title doesn’t refer to depth, but to distance: the 20,000 leagues represent the length of the Nautilus’s journey beneath the sea, roughly 80,000 kilometers. The book’s deepest point reaches 16 kilometers, which is still quite a lot — the Nautilus certainly strains and trembles at those depths.

I was truly impressed by the design of this edition. I hadn’t heard of the illustrator William O’Connor before, but the cover alone suggested something very special. His website showcases illustrations that are completely my style. I love these fantasy artworks — the kind you also find on deviantart.com — and as a nerd who loves role-playing games, fantasy novels, and RPGs, this book immediately felt like home.

All the drawings have a touch of steampunk — an artistic style that combines elements of the Victorian era with modern technology. Jules Verne’s novels, along with those of H. G. Wells, form the literary foundation of this genre, and that atmosphere is captured perfectly here. When I first held the book in my hands, I immediately had a “wow” moment. It simply looks stunning, with its consistent blue tone dominating almost every image, creating beautiful contrast. Many illustrations fill a whole page, some even a full double spread. The portraits of the professor, Captain Nemo, and Ned Land appear early on, and O’Connor has done a superb job — the artwork fits the story perfectly and elevates it further. The mood, the characters, and the scenes all come to life and matched my own imagination beautifully.

Between the text, there are numerous sketches drawn in pencil or charcoal. They’re not as refined or detailed as the larger illustrations, but they capture specific moments and add even more steampunk character to the book. At the same time, they’re not so numerous as to limit the reader’s imagination. I found the balance between text and imagery perfect — enough to inspire my imagination without overpowering it. Some sketches are even informative, like diagrams of the Nautilus’s structure, diving equipment, or maps of its various routes.

Conclusion: This beautiful edition of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea breathes new life into an old classic. Accompanied by William O’Connor’s stunning and expressive illustrations, the reader embarks on a fantastic journey aboard the cozy and awe-inspiring Nautilus, traveling through all the world’s oceans. Verne leaves nothing out — from the deep sea to sunken cities, the polar regions, and countless other fascinating marine locales. His descriptions of the ocean’s flora, fauna, and geology are rich and immersive, though sometimes too detailed, which slightly slows the pace. Captain Nemo, however, is a captivating character who keeps the reader’s interest alive. It’s a beautiful book that, like the other Knesebeck editions, will earn a permanent place on my shelf — and one I can wholeheartedly recommend.

Book Information: Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea • Jules Verne • Knesebeck Verlag • 274 pages • ISBN 9783957280459