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The classic tale of a hidden plateau in South America where dinosaurs still roam. They survived there because, owing to volcanic action, the plateau was raised above the surrounding plain and cut off from it by huge cliffs.
Professor Challenger claims to have evidence of the existence of dinosaurs but his claims are met with scorn. At a noisy public meeting he is challenged by Professor Summerlee. Professor Challenger agrees to give Summerlee the latitude and longitude of the plateau if he will agree that representatives of Challenger himself are able to join his expedition. He at once gets two other volunteers, Ed Malone a young London-Irish journalist, and Lord John Roxton, a gentleman explorer.
Preparations are made and the members of the expedition sail for South America. Once there they are joined by Challenger himself and then they proceed up the Amazon with Challenger himself as guide.
All through The Lost World there is a great sense of mystery and suspense. The reader is not just presented with dinosaurs. Conan Doyle works up to them gradually from the very beginning when, back in London in his study, Challenger first shows Malone the picture of a dinosaur in Maple White's sketchbook.
The tension builds up long before they reach the Lost World. The local Indians have a legend of Curupuri, the spirit of the woods, something dreadful, something to be avoided. They know the direction of Curupuri and none of them will go anywhere near it. As the party advance up the river in canoes they hear the constant, menacing throb of drums. Finally when they leave the river and get near more open country a strange bird flies past them. When they reach the plateau they walk round the bottom of it looking for a way to the top. At one point, at the foot of the cliffs, they come upon a skeleton impaled on some bamboo canes. Had the unfortunate man just fallen over the cliff or had he been thrown? Then when they make camp that night something with huge leathery wings swoops down and a snake-like head appears and down and steals their supper. Professor Summerlee then offers Professor Challenger his profuse apologies. They have seen their first pterodactyl.
Next day, a combination of the inventiveness of Professor Challenger and the skills of Roxton result in them gaining access to the Lost World. The sense of mystery is maintained as they explore the plateau and find clues. And then the tension mounts up. They have made amazing discoveries but will they ever live to tell the world about them?
There follows a thrilling story of encounters with dinosaurs. But dinosaurs are not the only inhabitants of the plateau. One side is occupied by a tribe of fierce apemen while on the far side, a group of Indians live in caves. Our intrepid explorers get involved in the survival struggle between the apemen and the Indians and, at one point, Challenger ends up a prisoner of the apemen.
I have loved this book ever since childhood. It really aroused my imagination.
They don't write them like this any more. Pity.
The Lost World was first published in the Strand Magazine in 1912.
12 to adult
This is the first book in a new series for young readers.
While playing in the woods Jack and his sister Annie, discover a tree-house. They climb a ladder and find a room filled with books. Jack looks at a book about dinosaurs and says, I wish I could see a Pteranodon for real. Then the tree-house starts to spin and the children are taken back to prehistoric times.
Annie climbs down the ladder and tries to make friends with a Pteranodon. Jack follows her reluctantly. He has a notebook and pencil in his rucksack and he decides to make notes like a scientist. The more adventurous Annie decides to explore and again Jack follows her. They see a Triceratops and Jack knows from the book that it eats plants. Then they see a duck billed dinosaur and a nest of baby dinosaurs.
Then they see a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Annie gets back to the tree-house but Jack is cut off. The terror of the dinosaurs is between him and the tree-house. Jack now knows how to get home. He has to get to the tree-house, find the book with a picture of his home in it and wish to be there.
But how can he get past the Tyrannosaurus to the safety of the tree-house? Will he ever be able to get back to the twenty-first century?
Illustrated in black and white throughout.
A good introduction to the Age of the Dinosaurs for young readers.
Should be read in conjunction with the accompanying web site at http://www.magictreehouse.co.uk/
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