The Lost World and Starclimber
After finishing Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World I jumped right into the third and last book chronicling the adventures of Matt Cruse and Kate de Vries, Starclimber., by Kenneth Oppel. Both books share similar themes: they are pulp adventures set in around the same time, they feature the discovery (or rediscovery) of new and dangerous animals. Yet these two books are very opposite in their writing styles. And one pays homage to the other in a huge way, which came as a funny coincidence.
There may be spoilers beyond this point...
One of the opening scenes of Starclimber paid homage to the ending of The Lost World. I read these two scenes just hours apart from each other with no foreknowledge of it. It was remarkable how exact Oppel recreates the ending with only the biggest difference being the creature revealed. In The Lost World, Professor Challenger presents evidence as proof of the discovery of extinct animals found on his expedition to the lost world saving the most irrefutable one for last- a living pterodactyl, which then escapes and terrorizes the audience humbling Challenger's scientific rivals. In Starclimber, this scene is almost exactly recreated as Kate de Vries does the very same thing with a creature she discovered and named Aerozoen, from the previous book, Skybreaker- also humbling her scientific rival. Oppel's version was almost parody and much light hearted as the series is aimed at young adults. In the Oppel version, it is right at the beginning of the book and Kate's rival provides an antagonist for Kate's sub-plots through out the story. This scene served as The Lost World's climax.
The difference in style between The Lost World and the Starclimber (and the rest of the Matt Cruse/Airborn series) is extreme.
Kenneth Oppel writes as if he read a how-to-write-perfectly manual and follows it to the letter. His writing is so well rounded and polished his work, in itself, could be used as a how to manual. The disadvantage to this style of writing is it removes a lot of the unexpected. I anticipated almost every twist. Perhaps this isn't as critical with young adults, but as a reader with some writing training, one knows that if the author mentioned something, it is sure to reappear later in the story. The formula becomes apparent sometimes. It feels like we could take the story and replace the tropes with a different genre and it would work just as well.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's writing style, on the other hand... Perhaps I do Oppel an injustice comparing him to a writer so renowned. One interesting thing about Doyle's writing, his protagonists are quite unlikable. Professor Challenger is a pompous ass. Even Sherlock Holmes, if you knew him for real in real life, would be annoying as hell. It's John Watson and Ed Malone who are the ones we really like and relate to. The Lost World sometimes starts down paths that end up nowhere. For example, one challenge the protagonists had was how they were going to get up and out and down from this plateau. Professor Challenger test flies a make-shift balloon constructed out of rope, branches, bubbling methane, and a giant fish's stomach. There is a great deal of detail around this plot device, but then they find a cave and leave that way! What!? Didn't see that coming! And that was totally refreshing and dare I say, a little more realistic.
I recommend both books and both series. The Lost World is part of a series, actually. Professor Challenger went on from there to be in two more of Conan Doyle's novels- The Poison Belt and The Land of Mist, he also appeared in two short stories- When the World Screamed and The Disintegration Machine. Kenneth Oppel's trilogy starts with Airborn, then Skybreaker and ends with this article's Starclimber. I'd love to hear what you think.
There may be spoilers beyond this point...
One of the opening scenes of Starclimber paid homage to the ending of The Lost World. I read these two scenes just hours apart from each other with no foreknowledge of it. It was remarkable how exact Oppel recreates the ending with only the biggest difference being the creature revealed. In The Lost World, Professor Challenger presents evidence as proof of the discovery of extinct animals found on his expedition to the lost world saving the most irrefutable one for last- a living pterodactyl, which then escapes and terrorizes the audience humbling Challenger's scientific rivals. In Starclimber, this scene is almost exactly recreated as Kate de Vries does the very same thing with a creature she discovered and named Aerozoen, from the previous book, Skybreaker- also humbling her scientific rival. Oppel's version was almost parody and much light hearted as the series is aimed at young adults. In the Oppel version, it is right at the beginning of the book and Kate's rival provides an antagonist for Kate's sub-plots through out the story. This scene served as The Lost World's climax.
The difference in style between The Lost World and the Starclimber (and the rest of the Matt Cruse/Airborn series) is extreme.
Kenneth Oppel writes as if he read a how-to-write-perfectly manual and follows it to the letter. His writing is so well rounded and polished his work, in itself, could be used as a how to manual. The disadvantage to this style of writing is it removes a lot of the unexpected. I anticipated almost every twist. Perhaps this isn't as critical with young adults, but as a reader with some writing training, one knows that if the author mentioned something, it is sure to reappear later in the story. The formula becomes apparent sometimes. It feels like we could take the story and replace the tropes with a different genre and it would work just as well.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's writing style, on the other hand... Perhaps I do Oppel an injustice comparing him to a writer so renowned. One interesting thing about Doyle's writing, his protagonists are quite unlikable. Professor Challenger is a pompous ass. Even Sherlock Holmes, if you knew him for real in real life, would be annoying as hell. It's John Watson and Ed Malone who are the ones we really like and relate to. The Lost World sometimes starts down paths that end up nowhere. For example, one challenge the protagonists had was how they were going to get up and out and down from this plateau. Professor Challenger test flies a make-shift balloon constructed out of rope, branches, bubbling methane, and a giant fish's stomach. There is a great deal of detail around this plot device, but then they find a cave and leave that way! What!? Didn't see that coming! And that was totally refreshing and dare I say, a little more realistic.
I recommend both books and both series. The Lost World is part of a series, actually. Professor Challenger went on from there to be in two more of Conan Doyle's novels- The Poison Belt and The Land of Mist, he also appeared in two short stories- When the World Screamed and The Disintegration Machine. Kenneth Oppel's trilogy starts with Airborn, then Skybreaker and ends with this article's Starclimber. I'd love to hear what you think.
Interesting analysis! I haven't read the books, but I did watch most of the episodes of the "Lost World" TV series back in the day...did you ever see any of those, and if so, how did it compare to the books?
ReplyDeleteI haven't, but I've been looking for them as a potential series to watch with the family. I looked into it enough to decide to go with that over "The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne" which looked awfully cheesy and convoluted from the little I sampled. I do intend to read the rest of Challenger's books, however. What a great character! I would guess he wasn't as unlikeable in the show, was he?
ReplyDeleteYeah, I actually remember liking his character a lot. Some of the writing was cheesy but by and large, I liked the show quite a bit and was sad when it was cancelled. My husband and I love sci-fi shows. Thanks for the reminder about this show through your book review! I had forgotten all about it until now.
ReplyDeleteI'll take your recommendation and watch this series sometime, hopefully soon. It went for 3 seasons, right? Did it end with a proper finale (without spoilers, please!)?
ReplyDeleteIt did go for 3 seasons, and unfortunately, it got cancelled right after a major cliffhanger ended season 3 due to low ratings or budget or something. I really despise networks that get you hooked on a good show and then cancel it and leave you hanging!
ReplyDeleteWhat sci-fi or other shows do you like? Have you seen Stargate? SG-1 is my favorite show...I thought nothing would ever bump Star Trek:TNG from the #1 spot it had with me since I was a kid, but Stargate did it finally.
Oh my gosh, the Lost World is one of my favorite books, if not the favorite. I have read it over so many times, my family would swipe my copy from me if they could! The imagery in his writing is superb, I feel as if I am there! And I agree, the protagonists aren't the kind of chaps you'd fancy being lost in the wilderness with, but it is quite an adventure!! Everything keeps you on your toes; so much action, so much romance (not in the flowery kisses sense,) and so much intrigue. I love when Challenger literally places his wife on a pedestal, all the while she is shrieking for help to get down!! And don't we all have people like Gladys in our lives, to fill us with fanciful expectations and visions of grandeur...yet sometimes spark something within ourselves that is for the better anyway.
ReplyDelete