MYERS, Edward

(1950-) US writer whose LOST WORLD sequence-the Mountain Trilogy comprising The Mountain Made of Light (1992), Fire and Ice (1992) and The Summit (1994)-interestingly revises a long-abandoned convention. Though itis primarily set in the 1920s, and though fantasy elements increasingly dominate in later volumes, the trilogy is of sf as a demonstration of the extent to which seemingly dead forms can, on re-thinking, serve contemporary needs. The sequence is set in the Andes, and the lost race in question is Native American. But the old Lost World novel-which normally articulated late 19th century Western civilization's uneasy claims to racial and political hegemony over the entire planet-would have necessarily treated the lost race-because it was not of ancient white stock-as inherently superstitious. EM's version is far more complex, and the protagonist's rocky hegira towards higher wisdom in the 3rd volume transforms the old Lost World progaganda vehicle into genuine dialogue.

   JC