The Adventures of a Special Correspondent by Jules Verne

THE ADVENTURES OF A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT (originally titled CLAUDIUS BOMBARNAC) is a fascinating late 19th century adventure set on the newly-built Grand Transasiatic Railway between Turkestan and Peking, China.  Along the way, special correspondent Claudius Bombarnac encounters sundry rogues, spies, agents provocateurs, and banditti as he makes and reports his incredible journey.

Jules Gabriel Verne (1828-1905) was a French author who, along with British writer H. G. Wells, is considered to be one of the founders of the science fiction genre.  Verne wrote about space, air, and underwater  travel before navigable aircraft and practical submarines were invented, and before any means of space travel had been devised. He is the second most translated author of all time, only behind Agatha Christie.  A number of his books have been made in films several times.