This novel covers many themes: 1. Adventure —the journey of Axel, Otto and Hans toward the center of the Earth and back. 2. Cryptology —the successful deciphering of the cryptic runes that will lead them into this journey. 3. Speleology —the study or exploration of caves. 4. Paleontology —the discovery of prehistoric animals, thought to be extinct. 5. Mineralogy —Professor Lidenbrock's work 6. Madness —the episode of Axel's loneliness. 7. Love —Axel goes on this Journey because of his love for Gräuben. So, this adventure is not just an imaginary trip toward the Earth's core; it is also a journey in paleontology that takes the reader through the various epochs of our planet's formation. A fantastic and fun adventure —really! To analyze its scientific accuracy is to totally obfuscate the issue, and spoil the fun of reading it. Enjoy!