Classic Stories: The Lost World
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Hello, my name's Tim. If you saw a dinosaur, would you stay calm or would you lose your head? It's an idea that has inspired many famous novels and films, but Arthur Conan Doyle's classic adventure is a true original.

Our story begins with the journalist, Ned Malone. He's in love with Gladys Hungerton, who declares that she will only marry a man capable of brave, heroic deeds. Determined not to lose her, Ned volunteers for a hazardous job, interviewing the grumpy and violent explorer, George Edward Challenger.

Challenger has made an outrageous claim. Dinosaurs are living in South America. And London society thinks he has lost his marbles. He hates journalists, so Malone pretends to be a student. But Challenger quickly sees through this disguise and loses his temper.

A fight breaks out and is witnessed by a passing policeman. Malone refuses to press charges, which earns Challenger's respect.

Challenger tells his tale at the Zoological Society. On a recent expedition to the Amazon, Challenger discovered an isolated plateau where prehistoric creatures are still living. He is mocked by the scientific community, especially by his rival, Professor Summerlee, but forms an expedition to investigate.

Malone volunteers, as does Summerlee, who wants to disprove the claims, and the famous adventurer, Lord John Roxton. They travel deep into the Amazon rainforest, using local guides so they don't lose their way. Challenger spots a pterodactyl flying in the distance, but Summerlee, unwilling to lose face, dismisses it as a large stalk.

One night, a pterodactyl swoops down and snatches their supper before their very eyes. Summerlee realises Challenger was right all along, and he apologises. The four adventurers climb the plateau, using a tree as a makeshift bridge. However, Gomez, one of their guides, destroys the bridge, trapping them.

Turns out, Gomez's brother was a slave trader whom Roxton had killed on his last expedition. Roxton raises his rifle and shoots Gomez. Roxton doesn't lose any sleep over this, and they explore this lost world. They find lifeforms thought to be extinct, giant insects, exotic flora, and, of course, dinosaurs.

They encounter iguanodons grazing, they're attacked by pterodactyls in a swamp, and a megalosaurus destroys their camp. Roxton seems particularly interested in some blue clay deposits, but Malone heads off to study a stegosaurus. Another megalosaurus attacks, and he barely manages to escape without losing his life.

Instead, he loses his footing and falls into a man-made pit. But who dug this pit? By the time he returns to camp, everyone is missing.

He has almost lost heart, but then Roxton returns, saying they were captured by a group of ape men. Apparently, there's a tribe of indigenous humans living on the plateau too, the Akala, who are at war with these ape men. There's not a moment to lose, and the two men set off to the rescue. They save Summerlee, Challenger, and some Akala prisoners too, including a tribal prince.

With the manpower of the Akala and the firepower of the explorers, they defeat the ape-men for good. In gratitude, the prince shows them a route off the plateau. The explorers haven't lost sight of their original goal and capture a pterodactyl chick before leaving.

Back at the Zoological Society, Challenger reveals the pterodactyl, proving his claim and vindicating his reputation. Malone publishes the story and they all become famous. The pterodactyl is accidentally let loose and roams around London.

Roxton reveals that the blue clay contained diamonds, which are worth a fortune. He splits this with the group, and Malone returns to Gladys to find that she's already married a clerk with a very boring job. So much for brave heroic deeds.

Disillusioned with love and with nothing to lose, Malone joins Roxton and returns to the lost world. I do love to lose myself in a good adventure story. Hope you enjoyed it as much as me, and I'll see you next time for another classic story. Goodbye.