The Lost World is a classic work of action/adventure that has a lively feel that made for a very fun read. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, best known for his Sherlock Holmes stories, has a way of writing an engaging tale. For readers who fear reading books published prior to the later 20th century out of the desire to avoid dry, stale language, I would offer up this book. Although it shows the sentiments, good and bad, for the period in which it was written, the writing tone could easily be as modern as a work published in the recent years. It doesn't have much of a dated feel to this reader, except in one way that I will address later. Mr. Doyle takes the scientific debates of the later Victorian, early Edwardian period, and gives us vivid characters to speak for the different viewpoints, making what could be a dry discussion of evolutionary biology and the various proponents or antagonists therein, and instead crafting a diverting read.Challenger:Challenger is by far the most hilarious character in this story. He is completely pompous and arrogant, assured that he knows everything, and of his utter superiority in every way. He is oblivious to the idea that anything should shake his massive self-confidence. Although he is right a lot of the time, sometimes he's very, very wrong (or his way of analyzing and approaching things is just skewed), not that he lets that bother him much. Mr. Doyle created an iconic figure here, so it doesn't surprise me that he wrote other stories about Challenger. He's too good a character to let go of.Summerlee:Summerlee is mostly a foil for the more vibrant, and sometimes often obnoxious Challenger. He doesn't come off quite as vivid as either Challenger or Roxton, but he adds to the scope and detail of this story with his acerbic, strong, but not bull-like in the way of Challenger, personality. He turns out to be a very valuable member of the exhibition, both for his counterpart role as the voice of reason to the more bombastic Challenger, but also for his scientific knowledge and rationality in the face of very eye-raising events in the Lost World. Roxton:Goodness, I did love this character. I have seen and encountered those in popular media who exhibit the Great White Hunter stereotype, but Roxton didn't strike me that way at all. He's an alpha male in all the good ways. He wasn't one-dimensional, only driven by the hunt and sport (as I feared), although those were important things to him. He's a man's man, but he's also a thinker and a doer. He is a man who lives life to the fullest, and doesn't let fear or 'can't dos' stand in the way. He is a lot more compassionate and crusading that I expected. I thought he would be self-serving and superior. That's not him at all. Roxton is another iconic, larger-than-life character, that no doubt fueled many of the adventurer types that have populated later literature and cinema/television stories in this genre. In his own way, Roxton is also a foil for Challenger. Challenger is convinced of his self-importance, and ever ready to take credit for what he does. Roxton likes the thrill and the challenge. He claims his trophies, but it's not about the right to brag. It's about the doing for him. His very apt, if "school of hard knocks" wisdom saves the day many a time on this journey. Malone:Malone is the point of view of this novel. We see everything through his eyes, and his wry observations make for some very humorous moments. Doyle also uses Malone to convey the wonder of the Lost World. He describes both the dangerous and fearsome aspects of the lost world, and the rare and eye-opening beauty in a way that pulls me into the narrative head first. Malone and Roxton seem to be contrasted in ways in that Malone is a bit more of the thinker, who wishes he was the doer. He has quite a case of hero worship for Roxton, but Malone proves to be very valuable on this expedition, both as a source of information, and by his own feats that save and protect the various members on the expedition. He turns out to be a character that one should not underestimate or dismiss.You take the good with the bad:When it comes to older books and stories, one prepares to see some rather disappointing exhibitions of racism come into play. As a reader of classic and pulp literature, I have had it hit me very badly with some authors, and others where I was surprised at how enlightened their attitudes seemed. For the most part, this wasn't as bad as it could have been in that sense. However, it did bother me and made me wince how the one Negro character was referred to as 'our faithful' and as though he was an unintelligent object or possession pretty much every time. I found it very patronizing and offensive. His speech was very stereotyped (poor English and using the word 'Massa'), and showing slavish devotion to his white 'betters'. He was even referred to as being as intelligent as a horse. You could take that in the manner in which it was intended (which I did), as the man being less intelligent than white men, or you could take that as Doyle believing horses are smart cookies. Out of this whole book (which I had mainly favorable reactions to), this aspect left a bad taste in my mouth. It seemed as though the views of the South American natives were more enlightented than the black man. Yeah, that smarts. Also there is a tone that speaks of the inherent superiority of the white man and Europeans. I'm not beating up Doyle. I'm telling it like it is and how it affected me as a reader of color. I realize that these were the prevalent thoughts of the time. But this is not something that makes me a happy camper. Thus, it dulls the shining light of this story somewhat for this reader.On the good side....:The science, botany and zoology, exhibited in this story seemed quite knowledgeable, showing that Doyle did attempt to do his homework. I am no dinosaur expert, but I did recognize many of the older names for dinosaurs which probably came into common knowledge around the period in which this was written. This story also conveys a detail about the South American rainforests and tropical environs that made for a seemingly credible read. I felt like I was along for the journey, but immensely glad that I was just reading this book on my Kindle when it came to encountering vicious carnivorous species and the rather vile apemen. End Verdict: The Lost World is a piece of classic literature that no respectable adventure fan should go without reading. If you enjoy movies like Indiana Jones or Tomb Raider, or any other of the many treasure hunting/lost world expedition movies and tv shows, then take a little time to explore one of the forefronts in this genre of literature. I give it a thumbs up.
Like one of my Goodreads friends, I should say at the outset that my review can't add much to the excellent one already written by another friend, Lady Danielle (http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/... ). But I'll go ahead and share my perspective anyway, for what it's worth. While I did like the book, my rating for it wasn't quite as high as most of my friends gave it (for reasons I'll indicate below). But it's a good adventure yarn, still appealing on that level even 100 years after it was written, and for anyone seriously interested in the roots of modern science fiction, a must-read. The whole SF theme of juxtaposing the prehistoric with the present-day world derives directly from this novel; Doyle continues to be a serious influence on contemporary genre writers like Crichton, and a host of others in between.Much of the novel's appeal comes from the sheer power and fascination of the concept of being able to directly experience dinosaurs firsthand. In 1912, this idea was completely new; it's less so now, but even so, it retains a lot of its intrinsic excitement. Doyle's treatment mostly builds on this advantage positively; he's a very capable writer in terms of craftsmanship (I don't list him as a favorite for nothing!). His plot is solid and his pacing brisk, with plenty of the jeopardies and challenges that draw readers (including me) to this type of fiction. He peoples the narrative with vividly drawn characters. The most obvious of these is his series character Prof. Challenger, introduced here: too big (physically and in sheer force of personality) to ignore, supremely egotistical, belligerant, and combative, but brilliant, ingenious, and courageous. (Both Doyle's Holmes and Challenger were at least partly based on actual people; the latter on Doyle's medical school professor William Rutherfurd, just as Holmes was on Rutherfurd's colleague Joseph Bell.) But the supporting characters like Lord Roxton and Prof. Summerlee are brought fully to life as well (Roxton is really the most likeable of the group --his character here is vastly different from the arrogant jerk in the very unfaithful made-for-TV movie and series adaptation!). Malone, the narrator and viewpoint character, is less colorful, but he's an Everyman that readers can identify with --and like identifying with, as he proves himself brave and competent in various situations. Being written at a time when literary syntax was no longer as florid and convoluted as it had been in the early and mid-1800s, the prose here is pretty straightforward in style; it won't inhibit any modern reader with a good vocabulary. And the climax of the novel leaves the reader with some of the most arresting mental images I've ever experienced.For me, though, there were factors that kept the book from being a four-star read. That the science is dated wasn't that big a problem for me; we've explored enough of the earth by now to know that the idea of any surviving Jurassic ecosystem is pretty far-fetched, but in 1912 that wasn't the case. (Though he doesn't name the locality, Doyle actually based his physical setting for the titular Lost World on the then-wholly-unexplored high plateau of Roraima in southern Venezuela.) But the author's uncritical Darwinism is more of a challenge to belief; though one can, I suppose, accept Doyle's "ape-men" (which one character calls "missing links") here much as we accept dragons and unicorns in fantasy. One of my Goodreads friends likes Challenger better than Holmes, but I didn't have the same reaction. Indeed, although Challenger's character fascinates, I can't really say that I like him much at all (in real life, I think he'd drive me up the wall quickly if I had to be much in his company). Lady Danielle, in her review, analyzes the patronizing treatment and negative stereotyping of the only black character in the exploring party, Zambo, and I can't improve on her comments there. I'd add that the treatment of the Hispanic-Indian guide Gomez (he's repeatedly referred to or identified as "half-breed") is equally invidious, or more so; Zambo at least is seen as a sympathetic character, while Gomez is a treacherous, homicidal villain. To be sure, some blacks of that day and now (and some whites) exhibit traits like Zambo's, and no doubt some Hispanic-Indians (like some whites) ARE treacherous, homicidal villains. It's the absence of any balance to those portrayals here that gives the impression that we're being invited to view every real-life black, Hispanic or Indian person that way, a kind of racial stereotyping that comes across as a sour note in the read. The racist attitudes are matched by sexist ones; I can't say that the author's portrayal of women is very favorable. That the exploring party is all male is probably to be expected in any writing from this era, but like Verne in Journey to the Center of the Earth (at least in the translation I read), Doyle uses a conversation between the viewpoint character and his romantic interest at the beginning to pound home the point that adventuring is strictly a male preserve. The lady delivers lines like, "There are heroisms all around us waiting to be done. It's for men to do them, and for women to reserve their love as a reward for such men.... That's what I should like --to be envied for my man," and "It is never a man that I should love, but always the glories that he had won, for they would be reflected upon me.... These are the sort of men that a woman could worship with all her soul and yet be the greater, not the less, on account of her love, honored by all the world as the inspirer of noble deeds." (That choking noise in the background is me gagging.) And finally, there's no strong message here that speaks to any truth about the human condition, nor any ideas that make you seriously think.The negatives here, though, didn't pull down the positives enough to keep me from liking the book overall. If you can put up with the former, the latter will provide you with some rousing entertainment!
What do You think about The Lost World (2003)?
Move aside, Sherlock…Sir Arthur has conjured a protagonist who's an even more arrogant assbag than you. Everyone...the intrepid, the indefatigable, the insufferable Professor G.E. Challenger… If, like me, you enjoy characters that are gruff, prideful curmudgeonly sorts, than you will have fun with this guy. He is a serious hoot. Trust me. Physically, Prof. Challenger is a funhouse mirror reflection of Mr. Holmes. Instead of a tall, lanky, clean-shaven gentlemen who calmly condescends to the world around him, we have a short, barrel-chested, physically imposing caveman, with a booming voice and serious anger management issues. Tell me he doesn't look like the spitting image of Bluto...from Popeye. Hmmm?Intellectually, however, Challenger is definitely a pea from the same pompous pod as Doyle's most famous literary creation. Zero charm, no social graces and a chip on his shoulder the size of Gibraltar. He is a serious piece of unrestrained windbaggery that pins the needle on the Arrogasshat Pricktardo Scale. And he doled out some serious happy to me while I reading. Like Holmes, of whom I am a screaming fanboy, I found G.E. Challenger to be enormously fun to listen to as he waxed vaingloriously about his greatness and scientific acumen. While I wouldn't want to spend any real-life time socializing with the ill-mannered prig, as a literary companion he's an absolute blast. I can think of no better way to introduce you to the professor, and his over-the-top disagreeability, than the method employed by Doyle to unveil him to readers of The Lost World. When reporter Edward Malone (hiding his true vocation) requests a meeting with the reclusive scientist, this is the letter he receives in reply. SIR, I have duly received your note, in which you claim to endorse my views, although I am not aware that they are dependent upon endorsement either from you or anyone else. You have ventured to use the word “speculation” with regard to my statement upon the subject of Darwinism, and I would call your attention to the fact that such a word in such a connection is offensive to a degree. The context convinces me, however, that you have sinned rather through ignorance and tactlessness than through malice, so I am content to pass the matter by. You quote an isolated sentence from my lecture, and appear to have some difficulty in understanding it. I should have thought that only a sub-human intelligence could have failed to grasp the point, but if it really needs amplification I shall consent to see you at the hour named, though visits and visitors of every sort are exceeding distasteful to me. As to your suggestion that I may modify my opinion, I would have you know that it is not my habit to do so after a deliberate expression of my mature views. You will kindly show the envelope of this letter to my man, Austin, when you call, as he has to take every precaution to shield me from the intrusive rascals who call themselves “journalists.” Yours faithfully, GEORGE EDWARD CHALLENGER. Yes...he's like that. Plus he's violent, quick-tempered, pig-headed, racist, elitist, and is not above putting his wife in "time out" when he feels she has misbehaved. Yeah, he's pretty much the whole package of awesome. Once I read that, I knew I was in for something loaded with win. PLOT SUMMARY: Not sure this is really necessary, so I will keep this brief. As the title suggests, this is one of the archetypes of the “lost world” genre and Sir Arthur brings his usual skill to its execution. A journalist (the aforementioned Edward Malone) eager to impress his girlfriend, requests a dangerous assignment. He lands a doozy when an expedition is planned to prove (or disprove) Challenger's claim of having discovered an isolated region of the Amazon inhabited by dinosaurs, pterodactyls and other extinct and exotic creatures. Together with Challenger, another professor (the obligatory skeptic), and Lord Roxton, the standard rough and ready adventurer, the four embark on their fateful quest.Frills, thrills, spills, chills and kills ensue...in abundance.THOUGHTS: This is by the numbers storytelling for this sub genre, but Doyle’s talent and engaging prose make it a lot of fun. It's a given that the fantastic elements of the story have, to an extent, lost their ability to deliver the WOW that they originally produced, and the book's sense of depicting the truly wondrous does suffer a bit as a result. Still, I was pleasantly surprised at how engaging the narrative was and how much fun I had listening to Challenger and his colleagues expound with fervor on their dated scientific theories. Excellent storytelling has no expiration date, and Doyle, like contemporaries H.G. Wells and Jules Verne, has the ability to engage and captivate his audience with the wonders of a bygone age. I enjoyed myself, Sir Arthur. Thank you. 3.5 stars. Recommended!!
—Stephen
It's a classic tale of adventure and discovery that goes something like this:I'm a journalist and my girlfriend doesn't want to marry me because apparently I'm not adventurous enough. So I decided to join an expedition with the narcissistic and venomous Professor Challenger to the Amazonian rain forest so that he can prove his (universally dismissed) discovery of a lost world of dinosaurs and so that I can prove my manhood to my beloved.So we go, along with a couple other adventurers. Holy cow, there really are dinosaurs! What beautiful beasts! Isn't it amazing that they are still alive! We can't wait to shoot them all and take their corpses back to England.But uh oh, there are also a bunch of savage ape men that want to kill us and probably eat us because they're probable cannibals; I know this because their skin is not white.Will we escape with our hides? What about the hides of a bunch of officially extinct dinosaurs? Will I win the heart of my astoundingly shallow girlfriend? You must read to find out!
—Christopher
I read The Lost World when I was a kid, I think. The story is very familiar. Maybe I read part of it, or an abridgement, or a comic version. Or I'm confusing it with the many imitations, like Edgar Rice Burroughs' Land That Time Forgot (1918, a mere 6 years after Doyle's novel). Whatever my first encounter, my reread last week was a lot of fun.The Lost World almost crackles with manic energy. The basic idea, finding a lost dinosaur land, would have been enough for any novelist. But Doyle adds a good backstory, bolts on a fun conclusion, and also populates the tale with solid characters, especially the awesome professor Challenger. *And* the action is manic and well told. We begin with Challenger beating up reporters (!) and never pause. The novel also offers a fascinating microcosm of colonialism during the end of its global heyday. Our heroes (all male) leap into other societies, kill at will, commit something close to genocide, enslave an entire species, and also run off with precious gems. For which they are celebrated.For me, reading about WWI, The Lost World is a fine text for the war's leadup. It's a book fairly obsessed with characters forcing themselves to be more manly, more virile, more violent, and more daring. Characters are quick to violence and ready to destroy... yet all within a meticulously maintained social hierarchy. You can see August 1914 and the western front about to appear.I said more about this book on an upcoming SFFaudio podcast, and will defer to that when it appears.
—Bryan Alexander
