The Lost World (Doyle novel)


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 is narrated in the first person by the journalist member 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 through 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, with printings as well in the United States and in Canada.
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, 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, 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, who frightens the popular press intensely and physically assaults intrusive journalists. The subject is to be his recent South American expedition which, surrounded by controversy, guarantees a hostile reaction. As a direct approach would be instantly rebuffed, Malone instead masquerades as an earnest student. On meeting the professor he is startled by his intimidating physique, but believes his ruse is succeeding. However, Challenger had really seen 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, 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 scepticism, despite being delighted at making other scientific discoveries in the fields of botany and entomology: even a glimpse of a pterodactyl at a distance fails to convince him, because he believes it is some species of stork. The sharper-eyed Roxton is inclined to agree it is not a stork but has no clue what it really is, until a night-time encounter when it flies down and is seen by all at close range, as it steals the companions’ dinner. After this, Summerlee apologises to Challenger, learning humility.
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 Gomez and they hear the scream and then the thud of the falling body. 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. The next day, they find remains of Iguanodons with "marks of savage teeth and of enormous claws". Although it would suggest the work of a sabre-toothed tiger, Challenger reasons it was a larger and more reptilian creature which he suspects is an Allosaurus; though Summerlee suspects a Megalosaurus.

The night after, Malone ventures out alone and studies fauna near the central lake; including Glyptodons, Irish elks, and a Stegosaurus. He barely escapes the Megalosaurus and falls into a deep pit dug to trap and impale animals while running in the dark; proof of humans on the plateau.
After climbing out of the pit, Malone returns to the camp to find the others missing and signs of a violent attack. He contacts Zambo but receives no clue to what exactly has happened. The following morning, Roxton arrives after escaping the race of "ape-men" that captured the party on the night that Malone visited the central lake. While in captivity, they discovered that a tribe of indigenous people, with whom the "ape-men" are at war, inhabit the other side of the plateau.
Roxton and Malone take their rifles to mount a rescue. They arrive at the village of the ape-men and see an Indian hurled off the cliff to the delight of the hairy creatures. Professor Challenger apparently enjoys special status as a captive because of his physical resemblance to the king of the ape-men, and tries in vain to save Summerlee from a similar death. Lord Roxton shoots the king dead at the start of the rescue attack, and he and Malone fire repeatedly, preventing the ape-men from throwing Summerlee and the remaining captured tribe members over the edge.
One of the saved Indians is a young prince of the tribe and the surviving tribe members take the party back to their village. With the help of the explorers’ firepower, they return to defeat the "ape-men", slaughtering all the adult males, with most being driven off the cliff. After witnessing the power of their guns, the tribe wishes to keep the explorers on the plateau. During their time with the tribe, Roxton plans how to capture a pterodactyl chick at Challenger's request, using a protective wooden cage against the adult pterodactyls. They also encounter more local fauna including a Phorusrhacos, a Toxodon, an Ichthyosaurus, and a Plesiosaurus. Wanting to leave and return to civilization, the explorers are helped by the young prince they saved, who gives them a crude map of the caves in the hillside near the tribe. With the map, the explorers are able to find a tunnel leading back to the outside world. They escape by night, descending on a rope.
Upon return to England, despite full reports from Malone many detractors continue to dismiss the expedition's account, much as they had Challenger's original story—although Summerlee, having been on the expedition, has now switched sides and is supporting Challenger. Anticipating this, at a public meeting at Queen's Hall Challenger produces the young pterodactyl as proof, transfixing the audience and leaving them in no doubt of the truth. The explorers are instantly feted as heroes, and on a wave of adulation find themselves carried shoulder-high from the hall by cheering crowds. The pterodactyl, in the confusion, makes its escape and is witnessed several times at different locations around London, causing consternation wherever it goes, but is last seen heading off to the southwest in the probable direction of its home.
At a private celebratory dinner, Roxton reveals to the others that the blue clay contained diamonds. He had been tipped off to the possibility, by the recollection of a similar feature in South Africa, and managed to extract about £200,000 worth, which is to be split between them. Challenger plans to open a private museum with his share. Summerlee plans to retire and categorise fossils. Malone returns to his love, Gladys, hoping she will recognise his achievements. Instead, he finds she has now changed her mind and married a very ordinary man instead, an insignificant clerk. Astonished at this turn of events, and with nothing to keep him in London, he decides to accompany Roxton back to the lost world, which the explorers earlier had named "Maple White Land" in honour of the American who found it.

Characters

Professor George Edward Challenger – An energetic British zoologist with a volatile temper; his hairy, burly body and his thick beard are a source of humor in the story, including a resemblance to the king of the ape-men, who treats him like a brother after he is capturedEdward D. Malone – A reporter at the Daily Gazette of Irish background; an athletic rugby playerMcArdle – Malone's editor at the Daily GazetteProfessor Summerlee – An older British zoologist who is skeptical of Challenger’s claimsLord John Roxton – A widely traveled adventurer and skilled big-game hunter, an opponent of slaveryGomez – Brother to an enslaver whom Roxton killedManuel – Gomez's friendZambo – South American black man loyal to the explorersGladys Hungerton – Edward Malone's love interestJessie Challenger – Challenger's wife, who objects to his belligerent behaviorMaple White – Deceased explorer who discovered the lost worldThe Accala Indians – The native human inhabitants of the lost world plateau

Prehistoric animals encountered

Iguanodon – Large plant-eating dinosaurs: "they looked like monstrous kangaroos, twenty feet in length, and with skins like black crocodiles"; treated like cattle by the tribe of Indians living on the plateau.Unidentified theropod – Large meat-eating dinosaurs that Challenger and Summerlee debate if they are Megalosaurus or Allosaurus; oddly described as: "In shape they were like horrible toads, and moved in a succession of springs, but in size they were of an incredible bulk, larger than the largest elephant"; their "blotched and warty skins were of a curious fish-like iridescence." Stegosaurus – Armored plant-eating dinosaur, sketched by Maple White in his notebook, sighted by Malone near the lake at night.Pterodactyls – Pterosaurs or flying reptiles; Challenger and Summerlee debate if they were Pterodactylus or Dimorphodon.Plesiosaurus – Long-necked swimming reptile seen on the shore of the lake, much to Summerlee's delight Ichthyosaurus – Fish-like aquatic reptile caught in a net in the lake by the tribe.Megaloceros – Described as a huge deer resembling the "Irish elk" but without using a scientific name.Glyptodon – Described as like large armadillos, but without using a scientific name.Toxodon – Described as a: "giant ten-foot guinea pig, with projecting chisel teeth." Smilodon – Mentioned to been a possible candidate for the attack of the Iguanodon.Phorusrhacos – A giant flightless predatory bird called "phororacos" that chases and attacks Challenger; killed by Lord Roxton, who takes the skull as a trophy.Ape-men – Anthropoid apes covered in reddish hair, described as: "an advance upon the pithecanthropus of Java, and as coming therefore nearer than any known form to that hypothetical creation, the missing link."

Film, television, and radio adaptations

Film

Theatrical films:
Direct-to-video films:

Television

Documentary

  • ''The Real Lost World''

Audio