The Lost World

Αυτό είναι μόλις το πέμπτο βιβλίο του Άρθουρ Κόναν Ντόιλ που διαβάζω, μετά από τρία μυθιστορήματά του με ήρωα τον φοβερό Σέρλοκ Χολμς, και ένα περιπετειώδες επιστημονικής φαντασίας με τον τίτλο "Η άβυσσος του Μάρακοτ", και δεν έχω παρά να δηλώσω για ακόμα μια φορά ιδιαίτερα ικανοποιημένος και ψυχαγωγημένος. Το είχα να πιάνει σκόνη για πάνω από έξι χρόνια, όμως αυτές τις μέρες έχω όρεξη για περιπετειώδη και ταξιδιάρικα βιβλία, οπότε ήταν μια καλή στιγμή για να το διαβάσω και να το απολαύσω όπως του αξίζει.

Λοιπόν, πρόκειται για ένα από τα πιο χαρακτηριστικά δείγματα μυθιστορημάτων που έχουν να κάνουν με την εξερεύνηση ενός χαμένου κόσμου, σε κάποια απομακρυσμένη μεριά του πλανήτη. Ίσως να μην είναι και από τα πρώτα του είδους, όμως πιθανότατα είναι από τα κορυφαία και από αυτά με τη μεγαλύτερη επίδραση σε μεταγενέστερα μυθιστορήματα, αλλά και σε κινηματογραφικές/τηλεοπτικές ταινίες. Το βιβλίο έχει να προσφέρει όλα τα καλούδια της εποχής και του είδους του, όπως δράση, ωραίες και δυνατές εικόνες, ταξιδιάρικη διάθεση, ευχάριστη και περιπετειώδη ατμόσφαιρα, αλλά και ένα κάποιο στοιχειώδες επιστημονικό υπόβαθρο (όχι και τόσο πειστικό ή λεπτομερές), με βάση πάντα τα διαθέσιμα δεδομένα της εποχής.

Η γραφή είναι πολύ καλή και ευκολοδιάβαστη, με γλαφυρές περιγραφές τοπίων και καταστάσεων, αλλά και με ωραίο χιούμορ σε διάφορα σημεία της ιστορίας. Οι χαρακτήρες έχουν το ενδιαφέρον τους και είναι ακριβώς όπως θα τους περίμενε κανείς, με τον συγγραφέα να έχει διάθεση να κάνει και λίγη πλάκα με τις ιδιορρυθμίες τους (φοβερή μορφή ο καθηγητής Τσάλεντζερ!). Η ιστορία μπορεί να αργεί λιγάκι να πάρει μπρος για τα καλά και η δράση να μην θυμίζει τις μπλοκμπάστερ ταινίες δράσης της εποχής μας, αλλά είναι ένα βιβλίο που ταξιδεύει τον αναγνώστη και τον κάνει να ξεφύγει για λίγο από την πεζή πραγματικότητα.

For how short this book is, it sure took me a long time to get through it. The first half focuses on getting to know the characters and the mystery of if Professor Challenger really found dinos in Brazil. I quite enjoyed the two sessions of professors and students heckling - higher ed meetings are so much more boring in my time period.

The second half, once they find a variety of prehistoric things was interesting and rather exciting at times. I guess I went into this thinking it would be like Jurassic Park but it really isn't. This isn't about a park somewhere where dinos have been recreated, this is people finding that they are still around in an area. The writing is definitely better than Jurassic Park (which was entertaining but laughably bad dialogue) but something about the pacing didn't work for me. Honestly, I haven't found myself to like this author all that much previously.

In the end, wish I hadn't bothered to read it, but it wasn't horrible.

3,5

3.5 Stars
I was so excited to learn that the author of the Sherlock Holmes books also wrote a dinosaur story. This was a science adventure that felt reminiscent of the work of Jules Verne. It starts out slow but gets more interesting when they finally go to the lost world. The book is overly focused on the indigenous people of the land which unfortunately didn't age particularly well. I wish the story had focused on the dinosaurs.

One of the two original, popular "dinosaur" novels.

By Charles van Buren on May 2, 2018

Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase

This review of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's THE LOST WORLD is from the Amazon Classics edition, December 5, 2017. Reviews of this edition also appear at the Amazon listing for a different edition published by Amazon Digital Services, March 30, 2011. Appearing under both lisings are multiple reviews of Michael Crichton's THE LOST WORLD. For instance, of the 35 one star reviews listed on, May 1, 2018, 25 are clearly reviews of the Crichton book. Only 2 are clearly reviews of Doyle's novel.  I have now discovered that my review and many others of Doyle's book appear under at least one of Amazon's listings for Crichton's book.

Doyle's THE LOST WORLD was originally published as a magazine serial in 1912. It was the second story of modern humans meeting dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals to meet with widespread public appreciation. The first was Jules Verne's 1864, JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH. Doyle's book was followed by Edgar Rice Burroughs' THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT, in 1918. Over the following years, Burroughs wrote several more "dinosaur" novels. Doyle, Verne and Burroughs are obviously the main forerunners of Michael Crichton's JURASSIC PARK, books and movies.

Doyle's book has a team of four European explorers trapped on the South American plateau of the lost world. SPOILERS AHEAD: there are dinosaurs chasing humans but not devouring them. With but four explorers, Doyle would have run out of characters. Instead, the book concentrates on the many dangers which confront the explorers, character development, suspense and acrimonious arguments within the scientific community. As one would expect from Arthur Conan Doyle, the novel is well written, but don't expect Sherlock Holmes meets dinosaurs. Several movies and TV programs have been based on the book. Some pretty good and some pretty silly. My favorite is Irwin Allen's 1960 movie with Michael Rennie and Claude Raines. It does not follow the book very closely but Rennie, Raines and Jill St. John make up for a lot of the sometimes silly alterations of the plot.

If it moves, shoot it. If it's standing still, wait until it moves, then shoot it.

A group of Pommies go to a mythical land of wonderful creatures and shoot them. They see a race of ape-men, and shoot most of them too; then bugger off back to England to brag about it.

There's no doubt that Arthur Conan Doyle was a talented writer, but I couldn't help but be a bit pissed off at the condescending vibe that pervades this Victorian Era work. I guess it was just normal for the time. Also, I found the concept of Lord John Roxton, the great white hunter, a bit shocking in these enlightened times. However, there is no denying the fact, that this little novel has inspired more books, movies and TV series, than any other. (Including my favourites, Sid and Marty Krofft's Land of the Lost - gotta love that Cha-ka, Land of the Lost with Will Ferrell, and the Jurassic Park franchise which is still chugging along.)

It was also refreshing to read a book that has correct English usage and spelling. This was my second time reading this, the first being about 45 years ago. I enjoyed it a bit less this time, but my fascination with all-things prehistoric has not waned.

“If in 100 years I am only known as the man who invented Sherlock Holmes then I will have considered my life a failure.” - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

This review will contain minor spoilers. Although Sherlock Holmes, Dr. John Watson, Mycroft Holmes, and Professor James Moriarty are Doyle's most known creations, Professor Challenger, the hot-tempered scientist is another character that many readers will be familiar with. This is the first of the Professor Challenger series and the only one that I had read previously. I started reading religiously in 2012 and The Lost World was one of my favourite stories from my pre-review era. I decided to revisit this exuberant and vivacious science heavy adventure tale that features dinosaurs - and I'm truly glad that I did.

This narrative begins with journalist and international rugby player Edward Dunn Malone as he finally tells the love of his life Gladys about the emotions and feelings that he has been harbouring. Unfortunately, it is soon revealed that she doesn't share the sentiments that Malone has been feeling and therefore he remains in the 'friend-zone.' He just isn't exciting enough. She wants an adventurer, essentially so she can bask in the glory of her partner's deeds. As the archetypal example of a member of the friendzone guild, he doesn't even consider thinking that maybe she is a "bad apple" and not the right woman for him. The antithesis is what he thinks. Malone races down to the office of the Daily Gazette and begs his editor for an exciting, dangerous assignment... war correspondence perhaps? His superior states that there is no task more high risk or hazardous for a reporter than to interview the infamous scientist Professor Challenger.

After an eventful and volatile first meeting between the duo, the emotions cool down and Edward ends up sharing a cigarette with the incredibly intelligent, agog, slightly unorthodox and idiosyncratic scientist. I pictured him as being like an early 20th century Brian Blessed with the presented attitude, extravagance, and description. He divulges information about a potential Lost World which he has visited and the last time he was there, although only for a brief period, he shot a pterodactyl and presents the wing to the journalist. As the next few chapters progress it transpires that a team of three very different individuals will attempt to retrace Challenger's steps to visit this plateau that seems to have ignored the laws of science that the rest of the world's environments have adhered to.

In Sherlock Holmes, the brilliant characters take the concepts from being good to often phenomenal. The same is true here. The trio attempting this escapade (which has been mostly ridiculed by the science community as nothing but fancy and absurd), are Malone, adventurer, and Amazon exploration expert Lord John Roxton, and Challenger disparager and rival Professor Summerlee. They also have Zambo who is described as a "negro Hercules" and he acts as their Amazonian guide.

The beginning of the novel runs at a steady pace as the characters are introduced, foundations are set and the plan is set in motion. It really gets going when the ensemble reaches the infamous plateau. If I had to summarise this tale in a few words it would be "a gripping and rip-roaring adventure." It features suspense, betrayals, surprising revelations, horror, and elements of mystery. Add into the mix a plethora of dinosaurs including Iguanadons, Allosaurus' Plesiosaurus' amongst many other assumed extinct species. Doyle must have done an immense amount of research for The Lost World regarding the science of the Jurassic period and also of his current day. Throughout, the story never comes across as if it was a dull science text. Complex discussions about plants, creatures, and the environment are often humorous as Professor Challenger and Professor Summerlee debate the facts - very rarely agreeing with each other's hypothesis. The players also end up in the middle of a war fought between ape-people and the indigenous tribes of this raised island. The novel also features amazing set pieces that appear as bewildering yet exhilarating for the characters to behold as they were for me to read. There is always the nagging doubt in the back of the ensemble's minds about how on earth they are going to escape the plateau and if they are sitting on one of science's greatest ever discoveries that the world will be oblivious to if they don't succeed and return to London.

"But surely no man had just such a day since the world began."

Simply put, this is one of my favourite stories from when I started reading properly. It will always have a special place in my heart and I'm sure I'll read it again in another seven years. An absolute classic.

James Tivendale

Obviously, The Lost World is not a very ambitious novel in the literary sense (basically an adventure story with dinosaurs), but the writing is quite engaging and at times wonderfully funny. The plot is silly at times but it makes the over the top protagonists even more hilarious. The subplot doesn't work as well, but more about that later. I think some people miss the humour in this one. I think the 'heroes' are supposed to do stupid things and we are supposed to make fun of them for it. The reporter who tells the story is supposed to be a bit stupid (so no wonder he goes exploring in the night when dinosaurs are hunting), the hunter/sportsman/adventurer Lord John is supposed to be over the top (in a cheesy way but it makes sense in the context of the plot) and professor Challenger well he is supposed to be an insufferable intellectual. The way author makes fun of the professor Challenger and academia is hilarious. Sure, the science in this novel isn't strong in this novel but the story itself is imaginative enough to be interesting and quite fresh for its time. This is the kind of novel that isn't supposed to be taken too seriously.

As expected from an adventure novel written more than a hundred years ago, there are hardly any women characters in this novel. No surprises there. I wouldn't call this book sexist, though. Yes, professor Challenger is not nice to his wife but he is not nice to anyone but himself- he is not supposed to be likable. The journalist's love interest is perhaps only there to serve to plot. At any rate, I didn't see her as a developed character and I didn't form any opinion of her. I wasn't expecting any female characters in an adventure story published in 1912, so I cannot say I was disappointed.

The only real issue I have with this novel is the 'missing link' subplot. The rest of the novel makes sense (even if it is a bit cheesy and predictable), but the 'missing link' part just doesn't. The way the author describes the ape people (if we can call them that) is inconsistent. They are supposed to be the missing link between apes and humans but it seems that Doyle couldn't make up his mind how evolved are they. The result is a mess. First they are described and portrayed as animals, then more as twisted humans (basically a bloodthirsty tribe) and suddenly as a treat to Indians and European 'heroes'. That part of the subplot didn't make any sense to me and it if it was supposed to be a metaphor, I didn't get it. Perhaps it would have been better if Doyle had left the whole 'missing link' creatures out of this novel. It somewhat ruined the novel for me. So, yes basically that's what bothered me the most. The while missing link business. If not omitted, it could have been better written for sure.

As for possible racism of this novel, that can be debated as people often find what they are looking for. While it is true that one sentence is definitely offensive (when the narrator describes a black man as being 'an intelligent as a horse') that's the narrator character and not the writer talking. They are clearly not the same person. One would need more arguments to pin that on the writer and the novel. Maybe some valid arguments exist, but you cannot judge a book on a basis of one sentence taken out of the context. The narrator (journalist character) in the novel is often described as not being bright, so his insult doesn't carry that much weight does it? It could be ironic. Doyle often used contrasting to make fun of his principal characters. Moreover, it can be noted that the Indians and the one African American man are often voices of reason and their actions more reasonable than those of European 'heroes'.

Was this book really racist? Does it put forward the idea that Caucasians are somehow better? I can't say that I got that impression, apart from the 'missing link' subplot that doesn't make much sense so I don't know what to make of that. Perhaps that part can be read as racist, if you insist on that reading but it is far from clear. As far as I noticed, the author makes fun of his 'heroes' so they are not exactly put on pedestal, are they? Who saves them in the end? Right! So, it is not like they have done it all on their own, they had lots of help (and a lot of luck). Plus, this novel isn't exactly very serious, is it? It is an adventure story that doesn't seem to push any definite views. On the other hand, as far as I remember, biracial people were indeed described in a rather negative way (the slave owner, the brother of the slave owner and so on). However, wasn't it also implied that it was the Latin in them that was their downfall? So, wasn't that the critique of Latin and not Indian blood in them? I'm not sure what to make of all that either. It's not as simple as it may look.

All in all, I'm glad I finally got around to reading this book. The Lost World was and still is (in many ways) an influential book, important for understanding the whole dinosaur in entertainment phenomena. I can see why many find this novel appealing. I can also understand why many don't. As for myself, I think I might read the sequel.