Jules Gabriel Verne (8 February 1828 – 24 March 1905) was a prolific French novelist, poet, and playwright widely celebrated as one of the fundamental fathers of modern science fiction. Through his collaboration with publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel, he produced the monumental Voyages extraordinaires (Extraordinary Journeys), a collection of 54 meticulously researched adventure novels that pushed the boundaries of human imagination. To this day, Verne remains the second most-translated author in the world, positioned directly between Agatha Christie and William Shakespeare