Islands of Mystery, book Discussion for the month of October

Sunday last was the occasion (late and long looked for) of October's Book of the Month discussion, at the library. October's title was "Islands of Mystery".

This book comprises two works, the novel The Secret of the Island, by Jules Verne and the blog adventure Journey to 20,000 Leagues Beneath the Mysterious Island, by The Journeyers of Caledon.

The Secret of the Island is the third novel of The Mysterious Island trilogy, Verne's sequel to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Castaways on an island in the South Pacific at the time of the American Civil War establish a colony, and undergo a thrilling, and closely described, series of privations and adventures. But a mysterious hand seems to be intervening in their fate....

In the collaborative adventure Journey to 20,000 Leagues Beneath the Mysterious Island, The Journeyers of Caledon chronicle a remarkable tale as it unfolds. A Mysterious Island arises off the coast of Caledon, a volcano the locals nickname "Phillip". As the volcanic activity and earthquakes threaten Caledon, an expedition is assembled by the Royal Society of Natural Sciences. The expedition consists of an unlikely mixture of scientists, adventurers, curious nobles, a stowaway neko, a winsome witch, and a dastardly noble set on taking the treasure of the island for his own. On their Heroic Mission, the journeyers encounter all manner of curious beings, giant killer bunnies, amorous penguins, insane tribesman wearing jetpacks made of battered discarded industrial parts and bamboo.... and each other!

Thus much we may take as read.

We were fortunate in having, amongst our discussants, Baron B_, whose fertile brain both initiated the Journeyers' adventure, and guided their explorations. His Lordship was kind enough to gratify the curiosity of the group, by answering a perfect barrage of questions about the inner workings of the project. The discussion treated largely of the manner in which divers voices may be orchestrated, in the telling of a tale, and of how the playing of roles may, or may not, yield a coherently shaped narrative.

There were also, as the afternoon wore along, a number of observations made concerning penguins, the which prompted your humble narrator to create a Caledon Library Edition of Mr. Anatole France's droll and sarirical novel, Penguin Island, a favorite of the grandmother of YHN's Physical Avatar, Boswell. The said edition is respectfully dedicated to Her Grace of L_ A_.

The question, which has occupied your humble narrator, is whether the said volume constitutes a book?

It has, for one of its parts, the text of the Verne's novel, the which is unchanging and behaves itself obligingly like the chapter of a book. But its other parts are the Aetheric Journals (more colloquially, the Blogs) of the divers Journeyers. These do not oblige by standing still. May a book have parts (chapters, constituent volumes, &c) the which shift and vary and accumulate? Or is it then some sort of periodical? Or some less well defined manner of integrating resource? But, wait….when the Journey is concluded, and the pointers to the sundry Journeyers' sundry blogs will no longer have aught to do with the adventure itself, but rather with its dramatis personae, then what?

Perhaps such a volume is some manner of compendium, and we are wise to leave it at that.

For those who wish to slake their curiosity on these matters, here is the contents of the volume in question...

The Mysterious Island, by Jules Verne http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/v/verne/jules/v52mi/

Journey to 20,000 Leagues Beneath the Mysterious Island, by The Journeyers of Caledon http://darklingmuse.wordpress.com/journey-to-20000-leagues-below-the- mysterious-island-all-chapter-links/

Journeyer Zealot Benmergui, Lord Bardhaven

Journeyer Lady Darkling Elytis Marchioness Speirling

Journeyer Dr. Oolon Sputnik

Journeyer Gabrielle Riel, Her Grace of Carntaigh

Journeyer Eva Bellambi, Her Grace of Loch Avie

Journeyer Lady Amber Palowakski

Journeyers Miss Fuschia Begonia and Professor Alfonso Avalance

Journeyer Miss Kiralette Kelley

Journeyer Mr. Gnarlihotep Abel

Journeyer Terry Lightfoot

And, for the reading pleasure of all
The Secret of the Island, by Jules Verne
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/21489
http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/v/verne/jules/v52mi/chapter43.html


Gentlebeings, your servant

JJ Drinkwater