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69th out of 134 books
—
169 voters
The Lost Continent
The Lost Continent is one of the least-known of Burroughs' thrilling science-fiction tales. In the year 2137, civilization has been in decline for nearly two centuries, and war-torn Europe is but a distant memory to the inhabitants of the isolated United States. But an American adventurer rediscovers the Old World, which has become a strange and savage land.
Paperback, 108 pages
Published
July 1st 2008
by Waking Lion Press
(first published February 1916)
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By 1916, Edgar Rice Burroughs was already a popular and regular contributor to the pulp periodicals of the day. Though a late starter--his first work, the John Carter story "Under the Moons of Mars," was serialized in "All-Story Magazine" in 1912, when Burroughs was 36--his output increased rapidly, to the point that by 1916, he had already seen the first three Carter works, the first two Tarzan titles, the first Pellucidar entry ("At the Earth's Core"), plus such various works as "The Eternal S...more
Europeans would surely find the idea behind this story quaint. Writing in 1916, ERB saw a future in which isolationist America cuts itself off from warlike Europe and has no contact with the entire hemisphere for two centuries. Finally, an American military vessel is blown off course by a storm, and by a series of misadventures the captain and two of his men wash up on the coast of what used to be England. Civilization there and in all of Europe appears to have regressed a couple thousand years...more
Too short! What if the United States had decided in 1916 that rather than become involved in WW1 they would seal the America's off from the rest of the world? What if for over 200 years they had patroled the Atlantic and the Pacific at 30 degree and 175 degrees sinking every ship that tried to cross and forbidding on pain of death their own people to attempt contact with Asia, Africa, Europe, or Australia?
That is the premise of this book. The year is 2137 and an old Panamerican naval vessel tha...more
That is the premise of this book. The year is 2137 and an old Panamerican naval vessel tha...more
Mar 21, 2012
Weasel
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
adventure,
science-fiction
2.5-3 stars. (AKA "meh")
Why this book is "meh":
This book has two main problems. The first is that, like Princess of Mars, it has a bit of the travelogue about it. One wanders through the world Burroughs has created, gaping at the various sights. But the sights and events simply happen to our hero, rather than being driven by either him or opposing forces. It lacks a narrative drive. It lacks plot. And unfortunately, the world presented here is not so fascinating as Barsoom and so the sightseeing...more
Why this book is "meh":
This book has two main problems. The first is that, like Princess of Mars, it has a bit of the travelogue about it. One wanders through the world Burroughs has created, gaping at the various sights. But the sights and events simply happen to our hero, rather than being driven by either him or opposing forces. It lacks a narrative drive. It lacks plot. And unfortunately, the world presented here is not so fascinating as Barsoom and so the sightseeing...more
I was cataloging books today, and came across this one from E.R. Burroughs. I couldn't remember reading it, and it was a rainy day, so ...
The premise is that the US took an isolationist position during the First World War, and Burroughs ignored the fact that Canada had a steady stream of ships flowing to and from, and Europe became cut off; in effect becoming the lost continent.
As with all Burroughs books, the plot is simple. Man finds woman. Man loses woman, man eventually finds woman and they...more
The premise is that the US took an isolationist position during the First World War, and Burroughs ignored the fact that Canada had a steady stream of ships flowing to and from, and Europe became cut off; in effect becoming the lost continent.
As with all Burroughs books, the plot is simple. Man finds woman. Man loses woman, man eventually finds woman and they...more
To be perfectly honest, I borrowed this book because I was trying to figure out how to add library books to my Kobo and it was available at the time. I really had no desire to read it. However it was only 100 pages and I was home sick so I gave it a quick read.
The year is 2137, apparently after or during the great war, the United States cut themselves off from Europe. No one was allowed past the 30 longitudinal line. United States is now called Pan-America and its Navy patrols the Atlantic to en...more
The year is 2137, apparently after or during the great war, the United States cut themselves off from Europe. No one was allowed past the 30 longitudinal line. United States is now called Pan-America and its Navy patrols the Atlantic to en...more
If you like the more famous works of this author, you'll love it - more jungle adventures fighting lions and tigers and natives. Except, the twist is that the Natives are the degrenerated peoples of Britain and Europe who have, apparently, destroyed themselves after The Great War. Not only that, but the survivors continue warring - the armies of the Chinese and Abyssinian new Empires. Throw in a savage young girl, Victory, who just happens to be heir to the throne, and you have a typical (if a b...more
This book was written in 1916, when the "Great War" raged in Europe, and America wanted to stay out of it. The premise is that the Americas did stay out and finally isolated themselves from the old world setting boundaries which no ship would cross. The book takes place over 200 years later, when a Naval Air-Submarine Ship breaks down and is swept across the 30 degree boundary and the commanding officer rediscovers the old world. The book is dated not only in its premise, but its underlying raci...more
I was expecting something more in the lines of a scientific romance like Doyle's "The Lost World" and while it did have some of that thrill, it also had more science fiction in involved. Burroughs is a master of pulp fiction, you either like that sort of thing, or you don't. It's not my absolute favorite, but I did enjoy the novel. The first 3/4ths are quite engaging, his speculation on the degeneration of the European continent due to a massive war and complete isolation from the influences of...more
I devoured Burroughs books as a kid, and I read one or two books by him every year to remind myself what it was like to have a sense of wonder (and not "read like a writer," which is what I usually do these days.) ... THE LOST CONTINENT, I have to say, is a lousy book and remained obscure Burroughs for a reason. The characters are thinner than usual in an ERB book. The plot is preposterous. And the resolution is handled so fast it makes little to no sense ... Lousy stuff! I'll stick with John Ca...more
This book was written in 1915 by the author who came up with Tarzan. The story takes place 200 years in the future (2116 or so). It is a speculation of what would happen if Europe, Asia, and Africa continue to tear themselves apart with the First World War. In reaction to the Eastern Hemisphere War, a unified Western Hemisphere, Pan-America, has been formed as a defense against getting pulled into the conflict (This aspect to the story is in part a reaction by Burroughs to the rise at the time o...more
Feb 26, 2012
David Brzezinski
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
sci-fi,
lost-worlds
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Despite a resonably promising opening, this story falls flat on its face once it reaches "mysterious" Europe. Every single tired ERB trope is shamelessly trotted out, with none his customary flair. He's on autopilot here, and it's frankly painful to read for the most part. It's set in the future, though you wouldn't know it from the trapped-in-amber prose and dialogue and the baffling lack of imagination. I usually enjoy ERB's books, but he's just not trying here.
Normally I read these comics of familiar stories to get idea, but I had never read the original here, so it was something different for me.
Very true to Burroughs origanl style, from what I can tell of his other stories.
Interesting concept of the world being so separated, and how we would evolve if the war never ended.
Very true to Burroughs origanl style, from what I can tell of his other stories.
Interesting concept of the world being so separated, and how we would evolve if the war never ended.
Any book by Burroughs is a joy to read. An early alternate history novel to be sure. This book may also make Burroughs the father of alternate history novels. Filled with adventure and some romance and an ending making you think there could always be more story to come sometime in the future.
An decent book, but not very deep. The beginning of the story is pretty strong, the middle is alright, but the ending just seems rushed. I would have liked another chapter to better explain Turck's journey home as well as some of the other things that were glazed over in the last 2 pages.
Never heard of this one before I found it on Amazon Classics. Neat early Sci-Fi from the early 20th century, 1916 I think. Classic adventure story where the good guys always win and get the girl too.
Nov 12, 2010
Patrick
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
science fiction fans
Shelves:
classic-sci-fi,
kindle
Interesting position on why it would be better for the US to stay out of European wars. I'm not certain if it was written before or after WWI. It is an odd read for a modern reader but worth doing.
The Lost Continent also called Beyond Thirty, introduces a world in 2137 with a Eurasia crippled by war and a civilised America. During this time no American has ever ventured east of the 30th parallel and its actually a law not to, however an American called Jefferson Turck happens upon England after a storm sends his ship off course..... he finds a desolate land.....
Read this years ago. Actually read it not realizing it was an Edgar Rice Burroughs. I'm glad I did read it, had I just judged by the author I'd have lost out on a good story.
It tells about the world of Europe following another "great war" that the US chooses to excuse itself from. The characters you meet, the locations you visit, Burroughs did a wonderful job of writing a story that envelopes the reader, pulling you along to the end. When the end did arrive, it has left a lasting impression on m...more
It tells about the world of Europe following another "great war" that the US chooses to excuse itself from. The characters you meet, the locations you visit, Burroughs did a wonderful job of writing a story that envelopes the reader, pulling you along to the end. When the end did arrive, it has left a lasting impression on m...more
Interesting view of the future from perpective of someone live around early 1900's. Technology describe in the futuristic view of 2130's seemed like not much changed since 1900.
Considering the time period in which this book was written, I'm sure some of the ideas in it were quite forward and brave for that era.
This was a decent graphic novelization, even if the source material could at times be annoyingly sexist. The illustrations were a bit too generic.
A good exploration of the future ruins of civilization. Holds up nicely, listened to it at librivox.org
Definitely a product of the time in which it was written, but a fun romp through an alternate future.
Have read a lot of lot of ERB. Not his best. SciFi channel should consider making a bad movie version of this this story - would not be hard to do. But I enjoyed the book until the last chapter - delicious trash.
A nice enjoyable read - basically, a ship docks into what was once Europe and the setting of Europe has changed quite a bit. The book also includes an adventure quality with a likable main character who at times seems in over his head. Worth an afternoon if you have time.
The Lost Continent is one of the least-known of Burroughs' thrilling science-fiction tales. In the year 2137, civilization has been in decline for nearly two centuries, and war-torn Europe is but a distant memory to the inhabitants of the isolated United States. But an American adventurer rediscovers the Old World, which has become a strange and savage land.
Also called "Beyond Thirty." I just re-read this book last summer. Edgar Rice Burroughs had so many great ideas. He is a good author and I loved reading his books in the summers under the elm tree in my back yard when I was a teenager.
I one I read was titled Beyond 30; it was a fun and outlandish Sci-Fi yarn and an interesting representation of the 20th century American jingoism, on one side manifest destiny and other isolationism. It is a good thing we've changed?
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Edgar Rice Burroughs was an American author, best known for his creation of the jungle hero Tarzan and the heroic John Carter, although he produced works in many genres.
More about Edgar Rice Burroughs...
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Feb 09, 2012 10:50pm