In Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth, Professor Otto Lidenbrock discovers secret directions to the earth's core in runic code in an ancient manuscript. Enlisting his reluctant homebody nephew, Axel, to accompany him, the intrepid professor departs immediately for Iceland, the site of the mysterious crater that leads to a vast subterranean passage to the center of the earth. Filled with otherworldy adventures and creatures, this tale remains a classic of early science-fiction. First published in 1864, it has been adapted many times for TV and film.