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Rating: 
Summary: Darwin never thought of this!
Review: Burroughs's unique system of evolution, presented in "The Land That Time Forgot" trilogy, is as fascinating as it is improbable. In these novels he manages to combine shipwreck, World War I, Jurassic Park, three rather unconvincing love stories, and a murder cult without even seeming to break a sweat. There's plenty of action for anyone, and although the plot doesn't really pull one along too well (hence the three stars), it's always fun trying to figure out what he'll come up with next. Very un-politically correct; one of my favorite places is in the second novel "The People That Time Forgot," when the hero discovers that he's beginning to entertain softer feelings for what would be known back home in California as--gasp--a squaw! Times really do change. These novels are not as good as "Tarzan of the Apes," but the conceit of a lost continent with strange beasts and people remains a good one, and the three novels, bound together in this edition, make a coherent and enjoyable whole. And after reading them, you can go rent the movies, as I'm planning to!
Rating: 
Summary: Excellant Edition
Review: Having just read Conan Doyle's THE LOST WORLD, I perused the other books waiting for me on my father's bookshelves. I saw that he had a lot of books penned by a author whose name was familiar to me, but whose works I had never read. The first of his books that I decided to read was The Land that Time Forgot, which was collected with two other books in the same series. It took me no more than a day's time to read this wonderful book. I am rather busy during most of the day, so I merely gave up sleep in order to read this book as quickly as possible. It was similar in many ways to Conan Doyles LOST WORLD, but it differed in the aspect that it was more of a romantic adventure novel. In the lost world, the main character sets of to impress a lady friend of his, by accomplishing a heroic act, and by doing so hoping to convince her of his marriageable worth. In the Land that Time Forgot and the subsequent stories, the hero endeavors to impress his marriageable upon his love by saving her life many times over from the likes of ferocious dinosaurs, lecherous ape-like men, and of course the traitorous germans. Being written sometime between 1910 and 1920 (the date eludes me) this book is well ahead of it's time. The tale is timeless, and is not discredited in the least by advancing technology or changing philosophies. I highly recommend this book to any who enjoy Science Fiction, Fantasy, Greek Myths or any sort of adventure that challenges the courage of the human race. If you read The Land that Time Forgot and liked it, then I also recommend The Lost World (Arthur Conan Doyle), The Lost World (Michael Crichton), and the John Carter of Mars series by Edgar Rice Burroughs.
Rating: 
Summary: Still holds up well after all these years...
Review: I first read "The Land That Time Forgot" five years ago, when it was still published in three separate short volumes: "The Land That Time Forgot", "The People That Time Forgot", and "Out of Time's Abyss" (all originally published in Blue Book in 1918). I enjoyed the story immensely, but I mistakenly treated it as a trilogy, or a series of novels like Burroughs's own Barsoom series, and read them separately, interspersed with other books. With the publication of this single volume "Commemorative Edition", I finally realized that Burroughs meant for the work to be published as one novel (which it was until the 1960s), and sat down to read it as such.What a difference this makes. I now believe that "The Land That Time Forgot" is Burroughs's best work, and the definitive "lost world" tale. The three sections are semi-independent, but work as a whole in unexpected ways. In Part I, we are introduced to the Island of Caprona and the bizarre prehistoric land of Caspak hidden inside it, but only after a long submarine journey. Before the hero can solve the mystery of the strange evolutionary system of Caspak, we cut to Part II, which immediately launches us into an adventure on the other side of the Island with a new narrator. Many plot strands come to an end at the conclusion of this second section, but there are still some questions left, still some mysteries, and Part III brings it all to a great conclusion, when we finally see behind the curtains and learn the enigma of Caspak. Burroughs's writing is simple, tough, and exciting, and Caspak provides endless excitement from all corners of pre-history and fantasy: dinosaurs, sea monsters, cavemen, giant mammals, and winged humanoids! And there are airplanes and German subs as well. But what really sets this novel apart from other, similar stories, is the evolutionary concept that rules Caspak. I will say no more...the riddle of Caspak is the best of many reasons to read this wonderful novel, presented complete for the first time in nearly half a century.
Rating:
Summary: The Land That Adulthood Forgot
Review: It is hard to know exactly how to review this trilogy by Edgar Rice Burroughs. I remember being given the first book, The Land That Time Forgot, by my father and devouring it, followed quickly by the next two volumes. My tastes were not sophisticated but my eagerness was in the extreme and these three books took me away to a place of dinosaurs, evil Germans, stalwart heroes, beguiling animal-skinned beauties and a mystery that defied evolution (or, more precisely, any known logic or science). I was truly in the land before time: childhood. Imagine my joy on discovering all three very short books wrapped in a modern new package that I could feel confident reading on a commute to work without undue embarassment. These books are still fast paced and have a truly pulpy, nostalgic feel to them. They can grow repetitious read all at once and perhaps the border between pulpy and musty is a fine one. They are more adventure and action stories than tales of the imagination (although the third installment does conjure quite a number of interesting images). The writing is simple and the dialogue is ludicrous. But the whole experience is still a delight as I was transported back and for that I am thankful for this wonderful new edition.
Rating:
Summary: The Land That Adulthood Forgot
Review: It is hard to know exactly how to review this trilogy by Edgar Rice Burroughs. I remember being given the first book, The Land That Time Forgot, by my father and devouring it, followed quickly by the next two volumes. My tastes were not sophisticated but my eagerness was in the extreme and these three books took me away to a place of dinosaurs, evil Germans, stalwart heroes, beguiling animal-skinned beauties and a mystery that defied evolution (or, more precisely, any known logic or science). I was truly in the land before time: childhood. Imagine my joy on discovering all three very short books wrapped in a modern new package that I could feel confident reading on a commute to work without undue embarassment. These books are still fast paced and have a truly pulpy, nostalgic feel to them. They can grow repetitious read all at once and perhaps the border between pulpy and musty is a fine one. They are more adventure and action stories than tales of the imagination (although the third installment does conjure quite a number of interesting images). The writing is simple and the dialogue is ludicrous. But the whole experience is still a delight as I was transported back and for that I am thankful for this wonderful new edition.
Rating:
Summary: Not good literature, but great reading.
Review: It may not be Edgar Rice Burroughs at his best but, The Land that Time Forgot is great adventure. This book contains the three Caspak novels; The Land that Time Forgot, the People that Time Forgot, and Out of Times Abyss. Three stories that chronicle the adventures of three different men on the Antarctic sub continent of Caspak; a volcanic depression that supports a diverse and dangerous prehistoric eco-system. Bowen Tyler, the hero of the first story, leads a disabled German U-boat and English survivors into the isle of Caspak where they need to fight for survival and try to find a way to back home. In the second story would-be rescuer Tom Billings crash lands in Caspak and meets the prehistoric woman Ajor. Together they fight their way back the Ajor's home territory. The final Story, and perhaps the best is about English lieutenant Bradley and his capture by the highly evolved Weiroo men. His story shows the best of Burrough's rolling adventure style complete with unbelievable coincidences and narrow escapes only to be caught again to prolong the story. So suspend your disbelief and plunge into the world of 1914, fighting the Kiaser's men, Dinosaurs, and strange cavemen. The back drop and story line more than make up for the dated romantic ideas. Not as tight and focused as Tarzan, but where else does one get submaries and dinosuars?
Rating:
Summary: Still holds up well after all these years...
Review: While Burroughs was denigrated as being a "pulp" novelist for most of his literary career, he was clearly a better writer than the vast majority of genre writers who publish today, and he was also a better story teller than most. The complaint of a reviewer that Burroughs was an obsessive racist would be hilarious if it weren't so ignorantly misguided. Similarly the complaint that Burroughs had no ear for dialogue is drenched in ignorance. The dialogue of early 20th century America is not the dialogue of late 20th century England, a fact that should not need explaining, but unfortunately explication is needed for those who who lack the most rudimentary of analytical faculties. I find Hemingway to have a tin ear for dialogue because the people I grew up with didn't speak like Hemingway characters at all, but I don't criticize Hemingway for that and suspect that he accurately recorded the cadence of his fellows. Burroughs had a good feel for the common man of the early 20th century, which is one reason his books still sell. The Land That Time Forgot is a great adventure by a very good fantasy writer. Check it out while it's still in print.
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