Imagine living in a world where it was discovered that dinosaurs were living and flourishing on an uncharted piece of land. What kind of debate and tension would this cause in the scientific community? Sir Conan Doyle (author of the popular Sherlock Holmes books) does just that in his The Lost World.
SUMMARY
What would a man do to win the heart of the woman he loves? If you are journalist Edward Malone, you find the most dangerous assignment you possibly can! The editor of the Daily Gazette sends the young Malone on a perilous mission: to interview Professor Challenger. While this seems easy enough, Malone is given the information that Challenger attacked several other men who approached him.
The Professor had taken an expedition to South America, but no one could seem to get any details out of him. This is where Edward Malone comes into the spotlight. He visits the Professor and his wife for an interview under a clever disguise. When Malone's true intentions are revealed, Challenger assaults Malone.
Challenger is afraid of receiving more mockery because of his claims, but he finally tells Malone his secret: he has discovered a plateau serving as the home of dinosaurs! Malone is skeptical, yet Challenger offers a trip to the South American plateau, where the existence of these beasts will be proved.
The two men are also accompanied by the scientist Professor Summerlee and explorer John Roxton. They and their native guides arrive at the plateau, but Challenger, Malone, Summerlee, and Roxton are trapped with the beasts of the island. The remainder of the story follows the adventurers as they brave monstrous dinosaurs and savage natives.
CONTENT
One would think that a novel about explorers and dinosaurs would prove violent. While The Lost World certainly has a good share of violent material, it is not too gory. By the same token, much of the story is dialogue, sometimes merely about scientific classifications (which some, like myself, might find interesting!). People are killed and assaulted by not only dinosaurs, but also by other humans. There is the occasional use of rifles, also.
Language is rather minimal, with just a few uses of d*** and the English "bloody."
There is nothing sexually immoral in the story. Malone is in love with a woman named Gladys, though she seems somewhat fickle when it comes to love.
The author, Arthur Conan Doyle, was an evolutionist, it would appear. His book is grounded on the theory that dinosaurs lived millions and millions of years ago, never coming face-to-face with humans. On the South American plateau, the native "humans" are evolving from monkeys to humans, and there are different tribes that are at different stages in their evolution. However, in writing The Lost World, Doyle's best "proof" for evolution actually disproves it! The creatures on the plateau are in the same state as if it was millions of years ago. But if everything is evolving to higher species, as evolutionists claim, why then would a plateau full of extinct kinds stay virtually unchanged for well over ten million years? This would actually prove an intelligent Creator!
While The Lost World has violence and atheist teachings, it is still a classic adventure novel that anyone can enjoy, with the right mind. If some readers are willing to overlook some possibly "dry" parts (as some might say), you will discover a decent action/adventure novel.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Number of pages: 272 (Modern Library, 2003 edition)
Author of book: Arthur Conan Doyle
Published in: 1912
Primary audience: Pre-teens, teens, adults
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