This really is an excellent book, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is best known for Sherlock Holmes, of course, but he was also an excellent science fiction author of his time, up there with Wells, Verne and the rest, and a wonderful writer in general. The Poison Belt starts off rather humorously then become intense, sad, and joyful in turn. Professor Challenger is another larger than life character, and he is also Doyle's favorite creation, not Holmes. I enjoy the Sherlock Holmes books, but I really do like Doyle's underrated sci-fi better.