My rating: 3 of 5 stars
The Lost World is a story dominated by Professor Challenger, even though the narrator figures as a journalist called Edward Malone, who enters upon the adventure because he wants to impress Gladys with his daring exploits. Malone’s initial meeting with the professor is particularly well written and grabbed my attention straight away. The description of Challenger as an overbearing, egotistical genius remains to be proven for the first few chapters, always allowing for the long-winded but often elegant style of writing one can expect from 1912 when it was written. Professor Challenger’s claim to have discovered prehistoric creatures, especially dinosaurs, living in a South American jungle whets the reader’s appetite for more.
Unfortunately, some of the supercilious attitudes of the typical white European male heroes of those times come through regularly, and are particularly exemplified in this book. There are several incidents with ‘ape men’ and local indigenous natives, who they call ‘Indians,’ that readers nowadays would find quite offensive. If one can ignore some of the blatant racism and read on then there is a fascinating story to enjoy with real dinosaurs! The incidents turn out to be too few and far less exciting than one hoped for.
There are two characters in the story that I particularly liked because they were the ones who effectively saved the day and the lives of the explorers. A black servant known as Zambo, annoyingly described by Malone as their ‘faithful negro,’ seems to be saving their skins through his ready communications with the outside world. Somehow he maintains supplies at desperate times, even though he is patiently waiting at the bottom of an enormous cliff face for many days. The other character is Lord John Roxton, a famous adventurer, explorer and big game hunter. It is his skill and experience, with weapons and jungles, which ensure they all stay alive throughout.
I originally read this book many years ago as a teenager, but was surprised to discover that I remembered very little about the plot. It must have been the idea of dinosaurs still living during our relatively modern times that enticed me. I have to admit to being quite disappointed now with the distinct lack of danger and excitement in the book when compared to films like Jurassic Park etc. But when we remember that back in 1912 it had not been very many years before when palaeontology had become an exciting branch of science; and Arthur Conan Doyle does combine his fiction with those discoveries most skilfully.
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