JRF's #38 - The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

When knights of the realm take breaks from writing detective mysteries, they write genre defining adventure stories - stories like the Lost World.

The Lost World introduces one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's lesser known protagonists, Professor Challenger.  Challenger is an eccentric academic who claims to have evidence that deep in the South American Rainforest exists a land isolated from time, a land where dinosaurs and other unknown beasts still roam.  To defend his honor and prove his claim he assembles a team of hunters, skeptics and colleagues.  What follows is a classic adventure of the first order.

Now if any of that sounds cliche or familiar (including the title) it is simply because Sir A.C.D. has influenced, inspired, and been borrowed from by many generations of writers since, not least of which is Michael Crichton who admits as much in the forward to this edition.

This book is a classic for a reason.  Highly enjoyable epic in the vein of L. Rider Haggard, Edgar Rice Burroughs and John Buchan.

JRF's #27 - The Master Mind of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Yes there are more of these books and yes I'm still reading them. And loving them!  After five books in the John Carter of Barsoom series Burroughs' plot lines had become somewhat formulaic.  This 6th book breaks the formula a bit and introduces not only a different plot arch but an entirely different protagonist - Ulyssees Paxton, an American killed on the battlefield of World War I only to wake up on Mars.

Paxton finds himself in the custody of Ras Thavas, a mad scientist who runs a brain transplant laboratory.  As is apt to happen to anyone who travels to Mars, Paxton falls in love with a beautiful Martian, unfortunately his love's brain is trapped inside of the evil queen's body that has stolen her beauty.  It is here that that the tale plunges back into the familiar romance and adventure that is the signature of Burroughs.

There is an interesting subplot that satirizes both militant atheism and blind fundamentalism, adding another level to an already enjoyable read.   If you are a fan of Barsoom you will want to read this.

JRF's #19 - The Chessmen of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs

The 5th installment of the John Carter of Mars series, The Chessmen of Mars follows John Carter and Dejah Thoris' daughter Tara into adventure, romance, and the bizarre.  Tara Carter inherited her mothers beauty and her fathers tenacity.  Yet being the sheltered daughter of the planets most powerful and famous couple has left her character unproven and her judgement lacking.  When a temper tantrum ends with her getting lost in an unknown corner of Mars and subsequently captured by subterranean humanoids with detachable heads and telekinetic powers, its up to Prince Gahan of Gathol, her rejected suitor, to find and rescue her.

Sci fi action, adventure and romance...my second favorite book in the series so far.

Mark's #7 - The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein

Before Frodo, their was Bilbo Baggins; A home loving hobbit from Bag end.

For the past couple of weeks I read this book to my daughters before bedtime. They loved it, and I did too.  Each chapter of this epic fantasy novel is an episodic story within the grand adventure.

This is the second time I've read The Hobbit, and once again I realized why I like the story so much more than the Lord of The Rings trilogy.  The story is fun, engaging, fast-paced,  with many twists and turns in the plot.

The characters too are fun and engaging.  In Bilbo, you have an unassuming little hobbit who always manages to do something unexpected and just right to save the day for himself, his fellowship of dwarves, or even for all the men of Dale and elves of Mirkwood.  By the end of the adventure, Bilbo has been deeply changed.  Other hobbits do not think too highly of him and his adventures, but it doesn't matter to Bilbo, he's a legend among elves and dwarves.

The themes of courage, self-sacrifice, and heroism are clear, and provided a context to discuss such things with my daughters.  Also, the themes of sovereignty and predestination are present as well.  Throughout the story, many characters sing songs of old which are prophecies of what is to come.  In Bilbo and his adventure with Gandalf and the dwarves, these prophecies come true.

At the end, Gandalf addresses this issue of prophecy and sovereignty in speaking with Bilbo,

"Surely you don't disbelieve the prophecies, because you had a hand in bringing them about yourself? You don't really suppose, do you, that all your adventures and escapes were managed by mere luck, just for your sole benefit? ...you are only quite a little fellow in a wide world after all!"

If you're a fan of The Lord of the Rings movies, and you plan on seeing The Hobbit when it comes out later this year, do yourself a favor and read the book first, you won't be disappointed.