The Mysterious Island

"Are we rising again?" "No. On the contrary." "Are we descending?" "Worse than that, captain! We are falling!" Five prisoners of war escape in an air balloon during a siege. They are blown way off course and days later they crash on a seemingly deserted island. In time, they manage to make a decent life for themselves on the island, but one day they see a pirate ship in the horizon.
Clearly influenced by 'Robinson Crusoe' Jules Verne does a great job of stringing together an intriguing mystery with great plot twists and surprises scattered throughout. 'The Mysterious Island' has inspired many movie adaptations, lately with Dwayne Johnson in the leading role.