Ice Sphinx is another adventure science fiction novel from the cycle of a wonderful journey. The book is written as a sequel to the novel Stories of Arthur Gordon Pyma by American poet Edgar Allan Poe, who was one of the Vern's favorite authors.

The novel is told by the American traveler Joerlink, who in August 1839 in the Kerguelene Islands board the Halbrane Captain Len Guy. On the way to Falklands, Captain Guy is convinced that Poe's novel is based on true facts and that the ship is on an expedition to Antarctica to save the rest of the crew of Goelet Jan, on which Arthur Gordon Pym sailed and whose captain William Guy is the brother of Captain Len.

Joerlink will eventually join the rescue expedition.