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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Three short novels (well, The Poison Belt is a novella at most) and two short stories of wildly varying quality (but consistently compelling readability: at its worst, this is still Doyle). First up, The Lost World: almost too well known to need a review, this is a thrilling adventure story to which I was first introduced as an infant and have reread several times since, and ensures Doyle's place in the pantheon of science fiction's pioneers (although it arguably owes more to Rider Haggard than to Verne and Wells). It is THE dinosaur story, and let nobody tell you otherwise.
After this rattling yarn comes The Poison Belt, frankly a rather bizarre offering, with very little incident - in filmability stakes, the very reverse of The Lost World; but a clever and well-constructed piece, nonetheless. Make sure you read The Lost World first, and know and love the characters before embarking on the second novel with them.
And then... well, the previous reviewers have already ripped The Land of Mist to shreds, and deservedly so. It begins by stating that the previous novels were fictional but their characters real - the point being that Doyle wishes to dissociate this defence of Spiritualism from his works of science fiction, with which it is in fact unworthy to be classed. Somehow Challenger the radical has become a closed-minded reactionary, representing just the sort of scientists he confounded before; and there are many other inconsistencies. Some are minor (a poison whose name Challenger forgot in The Poison Belt, and cried "Excellent!" on being reminded, now turns out to be connected to a dark secret in his past); others more serious (the Challenger who in The Poison Belt referred to "the Great Gardener" and the "uncertainty" of what happens after death has been transformed into a convinced atheist - although, of course, he becomes a Spiritualist in the end). Two chapters rise above, or at least out of, the mire of Spiritualist propaganda: the one which deals with an exorcism attended by Ed Malone and Lord John Roxton has some of the earlier novels' sense of excitement and adventure; and that dealing with the home life of the fraudulent medium Silas Linden seems to belong in another book altogether. It exists because Doyle trod in Dickens' footsteps as a social reformer, and, indeed, it evokes Dickens' work: but the horrific scenes of child abuse contained therein will turn some readers' stomachs.
From this unwholesome fare we turn to the short stories - light-hearted offerings in the vein of The Lost World, crammed with Doyle's (and Challenger's) trademarks of wit, humour and utterly preposterous science. For these alone the book is worth the cover price (so far as I am aware, they are not available elsewhere, unlike the novels).
It might be wise, unless early twentieth-century Spiritualism and the follies into which even intelligent men could be led by it are an especial study of yours, to skip The Land of Mist; but the rest of this volume would be an ornament to any library.
After this rattling yarn comes The Poison Belt, frankly a rather bizarre offering, with very little incident - in filmability stakes, the very reverse of The Lost World; but a clever and well-constructed piece, nonetheless. Make sure you read The Lost World first, and know and love the characters before embarking on the second novel with them.
And then... well, the previous reviewers have already ripped The Land of Mist to shreds, and deservedly so. It begins by stating that the previous novels were fictional but their characters real - the point being that Doyle wishes to dissociate this defence of Spiritualism from his works of science fiction, with which it is in fact unworthy to be classed. Somehow Challenger the radical has become a closed-minded reactionary, representing just the sort of scientists he confounded before; and there are many other inconsistencies. Some are minor (a poison whose name Challenger forgot in The Poison Belt, and cried "Excellent!" on being reminded, now turns out to be connected to a dark secret in his past); others more serious (the Challenger who in The Poison Belt referred to "the Great Gardener" and the "uncertainty" of what happens after death has been transformed into a convinced atheist - although, of course, he becomes a Spiritualist in the end). Two chapters rise above, or at least out of, the mire of Spiritualist propaganda: the one which deals with an exorcism attended by Ed Malone and Lord John Roxton has some of the earlier novels' sense of excitement and adventure; and that dealing with the home life of the fraudulent medium Silas Linden seems to belong in another book altogether. It exists because Doyle trod in Dickens' footsteps as a social reformer, and, indeed, it evokes Dickens' work: but the horrific scenes of child abuse contained therein will turn some readers' stomachs.
From this unwholesome fare we turn to the short stories - light-hearted offerings in the vein of The Lost World, crammed with Doyle's (and Challenger's) trademarks of wit, humour and utterly preposterous science. For these alone the book is worth the cover price (so far as I am aware, they are not available elsewhere, unlike the novels).
It might be wise, unless early twentieth-century Spiritualism and the follies into which even intelligent men could be led by it are an especial study of yours, to skip The Land of Mist; but the rest of this volume would be an ornament to any library.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Edward Malone, reporter for the Daily Gazette, finds himself caught up in the claims of the eccentric Professor G. E. Challenger to have found a South American plateau where dinosaurs still live. Malone volunteers for a fact-finding mission, along with the dubious Professor Summerlee and the fearless big game hunter Lord John Roxton. The band voyages to South America, journeys to the plateau, and finds it filled with plants and animals for many different epochs. Finding themselves marooned on the plateau, the team faces many dangers and adventures.
While somewhat dated, this book is well written and exciting to read. As a matter of fact, part of the book's charm is its pre-Great War feel. If you like adventure stories, Arthur Conan Doyle, or big game hunters, then this book is for you!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
This was the first of Conan Doyle's Professor Challenger stories, and arguably still the best. Narrated by journalist Edward Malone, this is the tale of how he went about meeting Professor Challenger, and hopefully uncovering a hoax, but instead found himself on an expedition with Challenger, Professor Summerlee, and Lord John Roxton.
Since Professor Challenger has come back from South America no one will believe him about strange creatures, even though he shows his evidence. In the end a small expedition is mounted to determine whether Challenger is pulling a hoax, or indeed has found un undiscovered area, where dinosaurs still walk the Earth.
Full of adventure at the discovery of a 'lost world' our intrepid explorers have more to deal with than dinosaurs, there are also two different tribes in the area, and our group seem to be stranded for all time. Will they ever be able to return to the normal world, or even survive their trip?
I suspect like many people I read this when I was still at school, but it is one of those tales that is worth reading more than once, and is great to introduce younger readers to adventure.
Since Professor Challenger has come back from South America no one will believe him about strange creatures, even though he shows his evidence. In the end a small expedition is mounted to determine whether Challenger is pulling a hoax, or indeed has found un undiscovered area, where dinosaurs still walk the Earth.
Full of adventure at the discovery of a 'lost world' our intrepid explorers have more to deal with than dinosaurs, there are also two different tribes in the area, and our group seem to be stranded for all time. Will they ever be able to return to the normal world, or even survive their trip?
I suspect like many people I read this when I was still at school, but it is one of those tales that is worth reading more than once, and is great to introduce younger readers to adventure.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
The Lost World
I love this book, After Treasure island, and the Three musketeers it is the third book I remember from my childhood. Read more
Published 29 days ago by Mr. D. Palfreyman
Classic adventure
It's hard to believe this story is 100 years old!
Brilliantly written with great characters and a terrific mix of excitement and humour. Read more
Brilliantly written with great characters and a terrific mix of excitement and humour. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Jimmy Hill
A decent read ruined by American spelling!
A fine tale by Conan Doyle but why on earth do we have to suffer American spelling? This version does not use the orginal spelling but has been bastardised by someone across the... Read more
Published 3 months ago by ahdc
Very pleased with shipping!
I'm very pleased with the shipping on this product, it had arrived just a few short days after placing the order, came nicely packaged, I however was shocked when I saw the size of... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Sadistica
A Great Story
The Lost World is an exciting, well written story with beautifully drawn characters and touches of humour and philosophy which raise it to the highest level of literature. Read more
Published 7 months ago by bandcandy
Classic writing
A free Kindle book, courtesy of a group of volunteers, the description said. Well, thank you very much. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Rob
The Lost Turn-of-the-Century Adventure
Arthur Conan Doyle is best known as the creator of Sherlock Holmes who thinks his way through mysteries with tightly-reasoned deductions. Read more
Published 11 months ago by John M. Ford
Generally good collection of stories though the first two are the best
The Lost World
This still comes up well and is probably the author's most famous non-Sherlock Holmes story, the inspiration for many others, including Michael Crichton. Read more
This still comes up well and is probably the author's most famous non-Sherlock Holmes story, the inspiration for many others, including Michael Crichton. Read more
Published 12 months ago by John Hopper
The first and best Challenger story
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is well known for his Sherlock Holmes stories but here is another larger than life creation in the brilliant but arrogant Professor Challenger. Read more
Published 12 months ago by I. Proctor
Stick to Holmes, Sir Arthur
This is at best a very mixed bag, comprising two novels, a novella and two short stories, all featuring some or all of the same four key characters. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Simon Welch
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