The Lost Continent

Rating:
Summary: What If: the US and Isolationism
Review: First published in 1915, the motivations for this story are obvious. The nations of the western hemisphere have taken an extreme isolationist stance in the early years of World War I, to the point that 200 years later they do not even know whether anything or anyone has survived the massive armed conflagration that began in the early 20th century. The hero inadvertently gets stranded in Europe and makes all of the startling discoveries of the outcome of the conflict and ensuing 200 years.

The story is ERB's standard fare. However, like many of his books from this period, there are a few themes to the story that are of interest above and beyond the light adventure story. The elements foremost in this novel are the destructive nature of war and racism. There is also a certain amount of naivete from the period and the relative newness of the United States as a world power.

Most of Burrough's books are good reading for pre-teen to early adolescent, and nostalgic adults; this one is no exception.
P-)

Rating:
Summary: This one needed some work.
Review: I have read a lot of Burroughs, and this one is rather typical of his stories. The idea of the civilized man having to survive in a savage part of the world is an all too common plot line for him.

The initial idea of European civilization being severely damaged by World War I, while an isolationist North and South America growing to the height of civilization and peace was a brilliant one. The idea of someone from the Americas entering the unknown European realm is a fascinating plot idea. Unfortunately, the book was just not long enough to really develop the story.

Even if World War I had gone as badly as the story indicates, I do not believe that European civilization would have been so totally obliterated that no trace of it would remain. There should have been ruins, at least. It seems more as likely that some sort of Medieval-type society would have resulted, especially since that is so much a part of the history of that part of the world.

Further, when the Roman Empire fell, some learning was preserve in monastaries. It seems to me that something similar would have occurred if World War I had destroyed European civilization. I kept expecting the main characters to come across something of this nature, but they never did.

Third, I find it unlikely that the animals that Burroughs describes as thriving in England would be able to do so, unless the entire climate of the planet had changed, and there is no indication in the novel that this has occurred. Lions and elephants may be able to live in zoos but if turned loose with a few British winters (from what I've read of the British climate), they would certainly not become more populous than humans.

Finally, I felt that the end of the story was rushed. With the material that he had, Burroughs could have stretched this story out to a multi-hundred page novel. As it is, the edition that I read was under 100 pgs.

In all, Burroughs started with a great idea, but it just needed a lot of work.

Rating:
Summary: This one needed some work.
Review: I have read a lot of Burroughs, and this one is rather typical of his stories. The idea of the civilized man having to survive in a savage part of the world is an all too common plot line for him.

The initial idea of European civilization being severely damaged by World War I, while an isolationist North and South America growing to the height of civilization and peace was a brilliant one. The idea of someone from the Americas entering the unknown European realm is a fascinating plot idea. Unfortunately, the book was just not long enough to really develop the story.

Even if World War I had gone as badly as the story indicates, I do not believe that European civilization would have been so totally obliterated that no trace of it would remain. There should have been ruins, at least. It seems more as likely that some sort of Medieval-type society would have resulted, especially since that is so much a part of the history of that part of the world.

Further, when the Roman Empire fell, some learning was preserve in monastaries. It seems to me that something similar would have occurred if World War I had destroyed European civilization. I kept expecting the main characters to come across something of this nature, but they never did.

Third, I find it unlikely that the animals that Burroughs describes as thriving in England would be able to do so, unless the entire climate of the planet had changed, and there is no indication in the novel that this has occurred. Lions and elephants may be able to live in zoos but if turned loose with a few British winters (from what I've read of the British climate), they would certainly not become more populous than humans.

Finally, I felt that the end of the story was rushed. With the material that he had, Burroughs could have stretched this story out to a multi-hundred page novel. As it is, the edition that I read was under 100 pgs.

In all, Burroughs started with a great idea, but it just needed a lot of work.

Rating:
Summary: Burroughs adds some social commentary to his adventure
Review: In "Beyond Thirty: The Lost Continent" Edgar Rice Burroughs provides an interesting combination of adventure and social commentary. The premise behind this novel is that the United States did not get involved in the "Great War" in Europe but instead followed its isolationist tendencies to such an extreme ("The East for the East...The West for the West") that no one from the United States has gone past 30 degrees or 175 degrees latitude for over 160 years. It is now 2137 and a raging storm has thrown the Pan-American aero-submarine "Coldwater" past the 30 degree mark. The damaged vessel under the command of Lt. Jefferson Turck lands in England and German helmet and Felis tigers. In time, the crew will discover what happened to "The Lost Continent" of the Old World. Of course, since this is a ERB novel we know that there will be a damsel in distress for Lt. Turck to save from the great evils that he finds.

One of the main strengths of Burroughs was his ability to create ancient civilizations. "The Lost Continent" is actually atypical for Burroughs who usually plunges his heroes into these strange new worlds a lot quicker than what happens in this novel, so this time around there is much more of a sense of mystery to the proceedings. Still, by the last half of the novel we are definitely on familiar and well-trod ground in terms of a ERB adventure story. Before World War II Burroughs wrote "Beyond the Farthest Star," about a distant planet that had been at war for centuries and where technological advances in warfare threatened to destroy all life, which makes it the other ERB novel to check out if you are interested in looking at another example of his rare attempts at social commentary. I do not think the payoff is worthy of the set up in "The Lost Continent," but it is intriguing to think that the United States completely cutting all ties with Europe was a viable basis for telling a futuristic adventure.

Rating:
Summary: Burroughs adds some social commentary to his adventure
Review: In "Beyond Thirty: The Lost Continent" Edgar Rice Burroughs provides an interesting combination of adventure and social commentary. The premise behind this novel is that the United States did not get involved in the "Great War" in Europe but instead followed its isolationist tendencies to such an extreme ("The East for the East...The West for the West") that no one from the United States has gone past 30 degrees or 175 degrees latitude for over 160 years. It is now 2137 and a raging storm has thrown the Pan-American aero-submarine "Coldwater" past the 30 degree mark. The damaged vessel under the command of Lt. Jefferson Turck lands in England and German helmet and Felis tigers. In time, the crew will discover what happened to "The Lost Continent" of the Old World. Of course, since this is a ERB novel we know that there will be a damsel in distress for Lt. Turck to save from the great evils that he finds.

One of the main strengths of Burroughs was his ability to create ancient civilizations. "The Lost Continent" is actually atypical for Burroughs who usually plunges his heroes into these strange new worlds a lot quicker than what happens in this novel, so this time around there is much more of a sense of mystery to the proceedings. Still, by the last half of the novel we are definitely on familiar and well-trod ground in terms of a ERB adventure story. Before World War II Burroughs wrote "Beyond the Farthest Star," about a distant planet that had been at war for centuries and where technological advances in warfare threatened to destroy all life, which makes it the other ERB novel to check out if you are interested in looking at another example of his rare attempts at social commentary. I do not think the payoff is worthy of the set up in "The Lost Continent," but it is intriguing to think that the United States completely cutting all ties with Europe was a viable basis for telling a futuristic adventure.

Rating:
Summary: Burroughs at His Best
Review: The Lost Continent by Edgar Rice Burroughs is, as every science fiction fan and writer knows, a classic. Burroughs long known for his Tarzan series, is at his best when writing about the future and outer space. In the Lost Continent, Asia and Europe have destroyed themselves in a massive war. Both continents are completely devastated. North America and South America merge forming "Pan-America". Europe and Asia are put off limits by law and Pan-Americans are forbidden travel pass a certain parallel (The original title of the book was Beyond Parallel... I've forgetten the exact number). Hundreds of years pass and everyone forgets that there was ever an Asia or Europe. The book details the voyage of a submarine Captain and his crew as they rediscover acient lands and the humans that inhabit them.

Burroughs creates a language, culture and history that in some form or another have appeared in every science fantasy/fiction written since. It's an easy read, full of adventure and romance. And, you will be amazed at Burroughs vision and skill.

Rating:
Summary: Burroughs at His Best
Review: The Lost Continent by Edgar Rice Burroughs is, as every science fiction fan and writer knows, a classic. Burroughs long known for his Tarzan series, is at his best when writing about the future and outer space. In the Lost Continent, Asia and Europe have destroyed themselves in a massive war. Both continents are completely devastated. North America and South America merge forming "Pan-America". Europe and Asia are put off limits by law and Pan-Americans are forbidden travel pass a certain parallel (The original title of the book was Beyond Parallel... I've forgetten the exact number). Hundreds of years pass and everyone forgets that there was ever an Asia or Europe. The book details the voyage of a submarine Captain and his crew as they rediscover acient lands and the humans that inhabit them.

Burroughs creates a language, culture and history that in some form or another have appeared in every science fantasy/fiction written since. It's an easy read, full of adventure and romance. And, you will be amazed at Burroughs vision and skill.

Rating:
Summary: Typical Burroughs, complete with tigers and savage queens
Review: Typical Burroughs fantasy. Lieutenant Jefferson Turck lives in an isolationist world in which the United States and other North and South American nations have severed ties from the rest of the world for some two hundred years, the last credible contact around 1972. As a commander of a flying-submersible cruiser, his job is to cruise between 30d west and 175d west longitude; to go beyond those lines is to be stripped of rank - if you survive, which no one has.

Beset by sabotage, Turck is cast adrift east of 30d in a motor launch. With a small crew he explores first Great Britian, finding a wilderness complete with lions, tigers and wild animals (ex-zoo residents, often as not). The humans have reverted to spear carrying hunter groups. The motorboat then travels to Europe, which is also a wasteland where nature has reclaimed all of "civilization". A great war - which the Pan-American nations of Turck's origin avoided - had devestated human life in Europe.

In Europe, Turck is captured by soldiers from a black empire from Abysinia who are bringing civilization back to Europe. As well as slavery. He is finally set free by yet a seperate invasion of Chinese troops, who being enlightened free the slaves and reunite Turck with his homeland.

As mentioned, this is typical Burroughs "sceience fiction". Turck encounters a "savage" queen in Great Britian who then almost by chance is encountered again in Europe where they profess their love and hence marriage looms - the same plot seen in many others of his books. He is betrayed by a dastardly villian or two. The technology has "dated" stamped all over it ("submersible flying cruiser"?). He has more than one Tarzan-like encounter in the wilds.

At the same time, it lacks much of the movie-stock plots; the hero's gun doesn't jam and in fact when he encounters lions he shoots quiet a few, only to be driven off by their sheer numbers. (If you've read stories of starved packs of man-eaters terrorizing villages, the idea of hungry prides of lions doing so isn't so far fetched.) His main character sometimes wanders off in introverted sidelights on various subjects but eventually comes back online.

Overall, a good Burroughs read. If you like old-timey adventure fantasy with a bit of man-woman attraction added and exploring lost lands of great forrests, this is a good book to try.