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I, Nemo
What if the Nautilus and its famous captain wasn’t fiction? Every legend has a beginning. Every man has a name. But none as dark and mysterious as the depths of the seas he stalked. The world in time would come to know him as Captain Nemo and his fabulous submarine the Nautilus. Here, for the first time, the tale is told in his own words of how he came to be: I, Nemo.
Born Jonathan de Chevalier Mason, he had it all: a prestigious position as chief naval engineer to Queen Victoria, a beautiful wife and children, and a bright future, but he was betrayed by the very people he served and loved because he would not divulge the secret of a weapon so terrible that whoever possessed it would rule the world. Thus begins a sordid and shocking ordeal unsurpassed in history. Arrested on false charges and tried in the Star Chamber, a secret court, he is convicted and sent to Belial Island to toil endlessly in its steaming tropical jungles. Then fortune smiles on him in the guise of a frail elderly French priest and his little band of followers. Together the two men hatch a plot to escape and forever be free of tyrannical governments that cast them aside like trash. But Jonathan has a score to settle and soon his betrayers will feel his wrath.
I, Nemo is a steampunk novel written in Dharma and Deanna's signature style, historical fact blending seamlessly with fiction, it is an action packed, gut wrenching roller coaster ride of torrential proportions. Starting with 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, J. Dharma & Deanna Windham have added greater depth and vibrancy to this time honored classic, creating something altogether unique and different.
Born Jonathan de Chevalier Mason, he had it all: a prestigious position as chief naval engineer to Queen Victoria, a beautiful wife and children, and a bright future, but he was betrayed by the very people he served and loved because he would not divulge the secret of a weapon so terrible that whoever possessed it would rule the world. Thus begins a sordid and shocking ordeal unsurpassed in history. Arrested on false charges and tried in the Star Chamber, a secret court, he is convicted and sent to Belial Island to toil endlessly in its steaming tropical jungles. Then fortune smiles on him in the guise of a frail elderly French priest and his little band of followers. Together the two men hatch a plot to escape and forever be free of tyrannical governments that cast them aside like trash. But Jonathan has a score to settle and soon his betrayers will feel his wrath.
I, Nemo is a steampunk novel written in Dharma and Deanna's signature style, historical fact blending seamlessly with fiction, it is an action packed, gut wrenching roller coaster ride of torrential proportions. Starting with 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, J. Dharma & Deanna Windham have added greater depth and vibrancy to this time honored classic, creating something altogether unique and different.
300 pages, ebook
First published November 1, 2015
1 person is currently reading
52 people want to read
About the author
J. Dharma Windham
18 books2 followersJ. Dharma Windham has been shaking things up with his science fiction and fantasy offerings since 2015. He lives in South Orange County, CA with his cat Hemlock. He is a historian with an avid love of science and technology. He is fluent in Latin and Ancient Greek. He also co-founded three tech firms in the 1990s and early aughts. Combining such disparate interests to create compelling science fiction and fantasy set against a historical backdrop is his passion When not writing he likes to read, tinker with his classic Jaguar E-Type, and play his electric guitar.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 27, 2012
It was cool to read about the Nautilus being built but the murdering of inocent sailor and Marines left much to be desired. The story differs from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea on key points.
October 20, 2013
I really had a hard time reading this one. The story stayed too much on an even keel to be interesting, and the "missing pages" did not seem realistic in that they always stopped at the end of a full thought (except once) and when they picked up, they seemed to recap what was missed. Also, the steampunk was just not there.
December 5, 2012
Superb read, and very detailed travel info. Was amazing, and was an awesome read into how "Nemo" became Captain Nemo. Truly setup a great backstory, and I can't wait for more books!
Saw this on a Facebook Ad, and just got totally drawn into the story from there.
Saw this on a Facebook Ad, and just got totally drawn into the story from there.
December 5, 2024
As a lifelong fan of Captain Nemo and his fabulous Nautilus. Stoked at an early age by Disney’s version of 20,000 Leagues Beneath the Sea and its exquisite ship.
I was eager to read ‘I, Nemo’.
I read the original edition years ago and enjoyed it immensely, so, finding out there was a revised edition piqued my interest. The new opening chapter was VERY interesting. The new closing chapter thoroughly confused me. The difference’s between Verne’s Nemo and this one’s heritage is marked, but it works!
I wonder if the writers of the new Nautilus series cribbed some ideas from ‘I, Nemo’? Because there are several instances that happen in this book that never took place in 20,000 Leagues that ‘are’ in the new series.
(which was great fun, also has a beautifully designed Nautilus, and I highly recommend any fan of Nemo’s should watch!)
I was eager to read ‘I, Nemo’.
I read the original edition years ago and enjoyed it immensely, so, finding out there was a revised edition piqued my interest. The new opening chapter was VERY interesting. The new closing chapter thoroughly confused me. The difference’s between Verne’s Nemo and this one’s heritage is marked, but it works!
I wonder if the writers of the new Nautilus series cribbed some ideas from ‘I, Nemo’? Because there are several instances that happen in this book that never took place in 20,000 Leagues that ‘are’ in the new series.
(which was great fun, also has a beautifully designed Nautilus, and I highly recommend any fan of Nemo’s should watch!)
February 22, 2016
An imaginative re-telling of "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" by Jules Verne, "I, Nemo" is an intriguing tale that gives readers an alternate version of the reasons why the captain of the Nautilus and his crew became the scourge of the Seven Seas.
In that respect, I think this novel by J. Dharma Windham succeeds brilliantly.
Where it falls a little short for me is in the final confrontation between Nemo and the man who ruined him and, ultimately, set him on his path. Although it's not my intention to reveal what happens, I will say that because much of the book is, in fact, devoted to the ways in which this man destroyed Nemo's life and the captain's plans for revenge that I expected - hoped for - a titanic clash between them.
That clash seemed to me to be, however, anti-climatic.
That's my only gripe with this Steampunk story of the famous submarine and its crew. I enjoyed the technical descriptions of the ship and the fact that Windham drew upon the technology that was available at the time for much of its inner workings. I also very much enjoyed Windham's ability to create memorable characters within the pages of this book: Nemo, key members of his crew, the ambitious man who wreaked such havoc on the captain's life, and others were well fleshed out.
Windham has a strong narrative sense and his novel moves along at a nice pace. His descriptions of life at sea - and under it - are well written as are his battle scenes. Life aboard the Nautilus was a life of high adventure and the author has the ability to keep readers glued to the pages of his novel with his vivid descriptions of those times when the fabled submarine is in danger. Additionally, he has inserted a very interesting prologue and epilogue into his story, which leads me to believe that there is more to this story. I'd be very interested in reading a second book, one that carries that story even farther.
I'd recommend this book to Steampunk fans and also to anyone who enjoys a cracking good adventure story.
In that respect, I think this novel by J. Dharma Windham succeeds brilliantly.
Where it falls a little short for me is in the final confrontation between Nemo and the man who ruined him and, ultimately, set him on his path. Although it's not my intention to reveal what happens, I will say that because much of the book is, in fact, devoted to the ways in which this man destroyed Nemo's life and the captain's plans for revenge that I expected - hoped for - a titanic clash between them.
That clash seemed to me to be, however, anti-climatic.
That's my only gripe with this Steampunk story of the famous submarine and its crew. I enjoyed the technical descriptions of the ship and the fact that Windham drew upon the technology that was available at the time for much of its inner workings. I also very much enjoyed Windham's ability to create memorable characters within the pages of this book: Nemo, key members of his crew, the ambitious man who wreaked such havoc on the captain's life, and others were well fleshed out.
Windham has a strong narrative sense and his novel moves along at a nice pace. His descriptions of life at sea - and under it - are well written as are his battle scenes. Life aboard the Nautilus was a life of high adventure and the author has the ability to keep readers glued to the pages of his novel with his vivid descriptions of those times when the fabled submarine is in danger. Additionally, he has inserted a very interesting prologue and epilogue into his story, which leads me to believe that there is more to this story. I'd be very interested in reading a second book, one that carries that story even farther.
I'd recommend this book to Steampunk fans and also to anyone who enjoys a cracking good adventure story.
November 19, 2015
Wow! I don’t often leave reviews on books but really loved this one. Reading some of the other reviews I know mine won’t be wrought with such insight. I’m not a writer, just love great stories, and good reads. This book is both of those things. The book starts out in the future when a deep sea expedition finds a ship wreak that turns out to be Captain Nemo’s. They recover Captain Nemo’s Journal, this is the real book, the journal, but all of it adds great mystery and adventure to the reading. What a great way to tell this story!
This book was full of great characters, fast pace adventure and is simply a fun read. I’ve always been a fan of Science fiction placed in the past. It has that sense of futuristic setting, but also has believability, because that technology they use that doesn’t exist in their time, does in ours. This enables the characters to do marvelous, and exciting things in the story, without getting too ridiculous. It lends to a great landscape for mystery, excitement and adventure. The authors, J. Dharma & Deanna Windham, do this seamlessly with a great story, which was truly enchanting. I literally could not put the book down.
This book was full of great characters, fast pace adventure and is simply a fun read. I’ve always been a fan of Science fiction placed in the past. It has that sense of futuristic setting, but also has believability, because that technology they use that doesn’t exist in their time, does in ours. This enables the characters to do marvelous, and exciting things in the story, without getting too ridiculous. It lends to a great landscape for mystery, excitement and adventure. The authors, J. Dharma & Deanna Windham, do this seamlessly with a great story, which was truly enchanting. I literally could not put the book down.
November 29, 2012
Ugh... disappointing. I was really looking forward to this book, and it seems to have gotten good reviews from people on GoodReads... But, I was sorely disappointed. I was expecting something like Ahab's Wife (an amazing work of literature), but I, Nemo is rather pedestrian. I found the writing, especially the dialoge to be amatuerish, which surprised me since the couple who wrote this book have written others. But, when dialoge is unnatural and used simply as a way to "explain" things or "move the story forward"... it doesn't work. Anyway, I don't know how it ends because I couldn't stand to read any more than the first few chapters.
November 21, 2015
From start to finish this book was just plain fun. It's too bad it didn't come out this summer because it is the perfect vacation read. I Had a super wonderful time following Nemo's career from peaceful ship designer to vengeful captain of the Nautilus. The chapter where he is sailing from-Spoiler Alert--a harbor with sections of his submarine on several lumbering ships before a flotilla of Union warships can catch him had me sitting on the edge of my seat at Peets Coffee during my lunch break--and incidentally made me late back to work. Whether you have a taste for a really good action adventure or science fiction tale this book will whet your appetite.
November 30, 2015
Captain Nemo is not a man to be underestimated. This re-imaged version of Jules Verne's Nemo is a man of complex and ambiguous morality, extraordinary intelligence and foresight, and iron-willed determination. Nemo leads the way through this fabulous Steampunk adventure across continents, under oceans and through the various social and historical contexts of the second half of the 19th Century. If you want well thought-out science, geography and action, then look no further. Nemo's story, which he shares with his band of loyal followers, is one of adventure, outrage, revenge, genius, discovery and much more. Take a look, you'll find you're at the end of the novel before you even know it!
April 28, 2013
very good little adventure. ended too soon.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews