Ask Lemmy

Um no hs is not. His big three titles are just as famous as Well’s titles.

• 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea
• Journey to the Center of the Earth
• Around the world in 80s days

are just as well known as H. G. Wells big three titles:

• War of the Worlds
• The Time Machine
• The Invisible Man

Jules Verne is very well known, the podcaster is full of crap.

I suspect the podcaster is a dip and doesn’t really know what he’s talking about. I have good reason to believe, based on what you’ve said, that he’s speaking from personal knowledge and mistaking that for everybody’s general knowledge. I suspect he’s some millennial or Gen Zer who is more familiar with contemporary works and lacking an education in classical literature. For that reason, his knowledge of contemporary works appears to be overshadowing his knowledge of classical literature, and he arrogantly believes everyone else has his same knowledge base.

He is incorrect.

But it’s nice to know that at least you still have the capacity for critical thinking and to question your sources. Hold onto that. It is one of the most valuable life skills a person can have.

The premise doesn't feel true for me. I'm in the US - Verne and Wells both seem well known generally. But that's highly anecdotal of course.

I can see why Verne would be considered overlooked. While it's true that some of his works, in particular 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Around the World in 80 Days, and The Journey to the Centre of the Earth (and to a lesser extent From Earth to the Moon) are well known, others went unnoticed. His Robur the Conqueror series is fun, and so is Off on a Comet, to name a few of his lesser known sci-fi works. I particularly liked his competence porn works, such as Mysterious Island, and some of his romances. The Green Ray had an impact on me, and I'm still trying to find it.

Wells wasn't nearly as prolific as Verne, so it may appear that both are equally well covered in the anglophone world, but the truth is that just a small fraction of Verne's works received recognition.

They're about evenly known in my experience. As an example, Verne is in League of Extraordinary Gentlemen but Wells is not, whereas Wells got a remake of a remake. I like em both. Classic scifi and steampunk nerds certainly know them both

Wells is probably fresher in the general public's mind because of the War of the Worlds remake

No, he isn't.

Jules Verne's work has inspired a lot of contemporary films, shows, and books, with many stories drawing from his adventurous spirit, exploration themes, and early sci-fi concepts. Here's a list of some that are heavily influenced by Verne's ideas:

Films & TV Shows

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)

This film is filled with characters from 19th-century literature, including Captain Nemo, who is a key character from Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. The film integrates many Vernean themes of adventure and science fiction.

Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008)

A modern adaptation of Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth. The film's plot mirrors the classic story of exploration beneath the Earth's surface, but with updated visuals and a more contemporary setting.

The City of Lost Children (1995)

Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro, this visually striking film combines elements of Verne's steampunk aesthetic and adventurous exploration of strange, fantastical worlds.

Around the World in 80 Days (2004)

This TV series, based on Verne's novel, is a more modern take on Phileas Fogg's race around the globe, updated with new settings, technology, and cultural references.

The Adventures of Tintin (2011)

Although primarily based on the comic series by Hergé, Tintin often feels very much influenced by Verne's works, with many stories involving global exploration, mysterious islands, and incredible machinery, reminiscent of Verne's influence on early 20th-century adventure stories.

Steampunk-themed media

Numerous films and shows, like Wild Wild West (1999) or The Steam Engines of Oz (2018), are inspired by Verne’s mix of adventure and speculative technology. These works often include fantastical machines and daring exploits that echo his imaginative creations.

Books

"The Aeronaut's Windlass" by Jim Butcher (2015)

Butcher's first book in The Cinder Spires series features a world where airships and steam-powered technology are central, heavily drawing on Verne's steampunk themes.

"The Mechanical" by Ian Tregillis (2015)

This novel is set in an alternate history where clockwork automatons are used as labor, heavily inspired by Verne’s mechanical creations and ideas about the interaction between man and machine.

"The Map of Time" by Félix J. Palma (2008)

A Spanish novel that blends Verne's The Time Machine and The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells, creating a steampunk-inspired narrative with time travel and the fantastical elements found in Verne's works.

"The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern (2011)

While not directly based on Verne's works, Morgenstern’s magical, mechanical circus has strong echoes of Verne's adventurous, fantastical settings, combining technology and mystery in a way that mirrors Verne's exploration of imagination.

"The Water Knife" by Paolo Bacigalupi (2015)

While primarily a dystopian novel about water scarcity, Bacigalupi’s world of innovation and exploration for survival could easily be a future derivative of the kind of challenges faced by Verne's characters.

"Leviathan" by Scott Westerfeld (2009)

A young adult steampunk series that incorporates many elements of Verne's world: mechanical creatures, airships, and a re-imagined history where technology has advanced in fantastical ways.

Video Games

Bioshock Infinite (2013)

Drawing inspiration from Verne's ideas about technology, the game’s floating city of Columbia is filled with elaborate steampunk aesthetics and fantastical machines.

Assassin's Creed Syndicate (2015)

The game incorporates a 19th-century setting with steam-powered technology, reminiscent of Verne’s vision of a technologically advanced society, featuring everything from trains to automatons.

Subnautica (2018)

Though the game is set underwater, its exploration themes, and focus on advanced technology, like submarines and bioengineering, echo the spirit of Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Whenever any of these concepts appear in movies, books, TV, their inspiration is from Verne.

British and living in the UK - my experience is quite the opposite actually, never read HG Wells but have read 20,000 Leagues, Around the World, and Journey to the Centre of the Earth multiple times, though I come from quite a francophone family so that might have had an influence.

Obviously I'm aware of Wells and his works, but I'd say Verne is just as culturally familiar here as Wells is

Count me in the column of people who think Verne is equally well-known to Wells. Heck, I'm part way through Off on a Comet at the moment.

Tbh I'd probably say I know an equal amount about both of them, it's just barely anything in both cases. I know Jules Verne wrote around the world in 80 days, and H.G. Wells wrote War Of The Worlds but I don't really know much beyond that for either of them.

Roughly equal, if you know of one you probably know the other since their literature is the same broad genre. But both of their literature set are getting old and uh not in vogue.

The Time Machine is often a topic of discussion in the West. 🤨

I think his influence is there in a lot of works even if he's not called directly by name as often as some of his contemporaries. My experience with his books were mostly in translations for learning foreign languages.

I know both but like neithers books

That's probably fair. I think 20,000 Leagues is pretty well known in the US, probably because of the Disney movie, but otherwise he's largely ignored.

I'd bet Wells is a bit more known because of his early time travel fiction since its a fairly common plot device now.

I really should read more Verne.