The Mysterious Island

by Jules Verne

"The Mysterious Island" by Jules Verne is a novel serialized from 1874 to 1875. Five Union prisoners escape the American Civil War by balloon, crash-landing on an uncharted volcanic island in the Pacific. Led by engineer Cyrus Smith, they transform from castaways into resourceful colonists, building tools, shelter, and even a ship. Yet mysterious events plague the island—unexplained rescues, sudden supplies, and invisible protection. When pirates threaten their survival and secrets emerge from the island's depths, the settlers discover they are not as alone as they believed.