When I was a child I borrowed the audiobook from the local library. It captured my imagination (I had a strong Jules Verne phase) and I'm happy to say it still feels a lot like that - the book is self insert adventure fiction (for Victorian men). It's childish, exuberant, simple, rascist and sexist wherever it can (I see you, head-shape connoisseurs!).

It ain't a Holmes, but it is a Doyle.