The Lost World is an adventure and science fiction novel by British writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle recounting an expedition to a remote plateau in the Amazon basin of South America where dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals still survive, along with a tribe of vicious ape-like creatures that are in conflict with a group of indigenous Indians. The work introduces the character of Professor Challenger, who leads the expedition (and who would appear in later Conan Doyle stories), and is narrated in the first person by the journalist member (Edward Malone) of the exploration party. The Lost World appeared in serial form in the Strand Magazine, illustrated by New-Zealand-born artist Harry Rountree, during the months of April to November 1912 and also was serialized in magazines in the United States from March to November 1912. Hodder & Stoughton published the first book edition in October 1912 in Great Britain (London), with printings as well in the United States (New York) and in Canada (Toronto).
When he was working on The Lost World, Doyle explained to his editor Herbert Greenhough Smith: "My ambition is to do for the boys' book what Sherlock Holmes did for the detective story". Doyle cast the novel in the mode of the popular 19th century "boy’s adventure story" genre of Robert Louis Stevenson and H. Rider Haggard, but written to appeal to adults as well, as declared in his opening epigraph: In developing the novel, Doyle drew on factual sources such as zoologist Ray Lankester's book Extinct Animals and the accounts of explorers, most notably his friend Percy Fawcett. He also took direct inspiration from earlier fictional works by Jules Verne (in particular, Journey to the Center of the Earth, in which humans encounter prehistoric creatures living deep inside the planet), and British adventure fantasies about finding lost kingdoms and mysterious ancient civilizations in faraway locations such as Haggard's King Solomon's Mines and She: A History of Adventure. Adding to the mix, Doyle skillfully integrated humor into the story, satirizing, among other things, academic rivalries and sensational journalism—including a Foreword announcing withdrawal of a supposed injunction and libel suit against publication of the book by Professor Challenger. The public success of The Lost World (which was translated into multiple languages soon after), boosted by the popularity of the silent motion picture version from 1925, led to the term "lost world" being extended to an entire subgenre of earlier and later adventure, fantasy, and science fiction works set in distant or hidden locations where ancient creatures, races, or civilizations continue to exist in modern times. The Lost World is widely considered one of Conan Doyle’s best novels for its exciting narrative, imaginative setting, and vivid characters, setting a standard for similar later adventure stories. It has never been out of print.
Plot summary
Edward Malone, a young reporter for the Daily Gazette, asks his editor for a dangerous assignment to impress the woman he loves, Gladys, who wishes for a great man capable of brave deeds and actions. His task is to approach the notorious Professor Challenger. The subject is to be his recent South American expedition which is surrounded by controversy. Malone masquerades as an earnest student to get in with the professor. However, Challenger sees through the masquerade, and after confirming Malone’s scientific knowledge is non-existent, erupts in anger and forcibly throws him out. However, Malone earns his respect by refusing to press charges with a policeman who saw his violent ejection into the street. Challenger ushers him back inside and, extracting promises of confidentiality, eventually reveals he has discovered living dinosaurs in South America, following up an expedition by a now-deceased previous American explorer named Maple White. At a tumultuous public meeting in which Challenger experiences further ridicule (most notably from a professional rival, Professor Summerlee), Malone volunteers for an expedition to verify the discoveries. His companions are to be Professor Summerlee, and Lord John Roxton, an adventurous hunter who helped end slavery on the Amazon; the notches on his rifle showing how many slavers he killed doing so.
Running the gauntlet of hostile tribes, the expedition finally reaches the lost world with the aid of indigenous guides, who are superstitiously scared of the area. Summerlee retains his arrogance and his skepticism, until a pterodactyl flies down and is seen by all at close range, as it steals the companions’ dinner. After this, Summerlee apologises to Challenger. The group explores the entire base of the plateau to find a way to the top and discover that a former route up is now blocked by a rock slide. They also encounter human bones at one spot at the base of the cliff, identified as James Colver, Maple White’s companion, who, it would seem, somehow fell to his death. With the cliffs to the plateau apparently unscalable, an adjacent pinnacle is climbable but separated by a wide gap. Challenger determines that a tall tree on the pinnacle can be cut down and used as a bridge, which allows the four explorers to cross over to the plateau. However, they are almost immediately trapped on the other side, thanks to the treachery of one of their hired porters, Gomez—who, as it turns out, is a former slaver whose brother had previously been killed by Roxton during his anti-slavery activities. He takes his revenge by dropping the tree off the cliff, stranding the explorers on the plateau. Roxton shoots and kills Gomez, and the other guide is subsequently killed by another porter, a formerly enslaved black man named Zambo, who remains loyal to the party: but the latter is unable to do much more to help, other than send some of the company's supplies over by rope. The explorers investigate the wonders of the lost world, finding a herd of Iguanodons in a glade. They narrowly escape an attack from pterodactyls after the party comes upon a rookery around a swampy pit in a former volcanic blow-hole. Although barely escaping with their lives, Roxton takes great interest in nearby blue clay deposits. At night a ferocious theropod is about to break through the protective fence of thorn bushes built around their camp; Roxton averts disaster by bravely dashing at it, thrusting a blazing torch at its face to scare it away.
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