Žil Vern je pisao klasične avanturističke romane s naučnim elementima, u kojima je stvarao naučnofantastične priče. Posle uspeha romana Pet nedelja u balonu (1862) nastavio je da piše fantastične avanturističke knjige. 20.000 milja pod morem objavljivan je u nastavcima 1869. i 1870. Iznenađujući su njegovi opisi tolikih morskih stvorenja i predela, kao i izumi koji tad još nisu postojali ili koje je unapredio svojom maštom, kao što su električna podmornica i ronilačka odela. Jules Verne wrote classic adventure novels of a scientific nature, in which he creates stories of science fiction. Following on from the success of Five Weeks in a Balloon (1862), he carried on producing fantastic adventure books. 20.000 Leagues Under the Sea was published in installments in 1869 and 1870. His descriptions of so many marine creatures and landscapes are surprising, as are the inventions which as yet did not exist, or which he improves on with his imagination, such as electric submarines and diving suits.