Jules Verne is most famous for his futuristic novels which, in retrospect, contain some amazingly accurate scientific forecasts. In this novel, his chief concern is the use of horrendous military weapons by a totalitarian power bent on destroying innocent human beings. Like most of his novels, this one has a factual basis. The Franco-Prussian war had ended not too long before the writing of the novel with terrible results for France, especially the loss of Alsace -Lorraine. As a French patriot, Verne feared the military expansionism of Germany, and it may not have been a coincidence that one of the illustrations showing the Teutonic Professor Schultze looks very much like a picture of Bismarck without the mustache. What would become of civilization if such a ruthless militaristic power should also abuse science and technology to create military satellites, long range bombardment, gas shells, and incendiary bombs...