“I believe my argument is valid. It is entirely possible, even likely, that dinosaurs still exist.”

In The Lost World, Michael Crichton’s sequel to Jurassic Park, a young, rich, and stubborn part-time middle school teacher and part-time explorer, Richard Levine, sticks to his belief that dinosaurs still roam the earth. Fueled by reports of huge, unidentified carcasses in Costa Rica, Levine sets out on a quest to prove his claim.

Two of his student assistants, Arby and Kelly, social outcasts with gifted academic abilities, somehow end up stowing away in Levine’s RV as it’s flown to an island off Costa Rica. The two soon realize that the island has many dangers and they must find a way to the mainland.

I couldn’t get enough of The Lost World. I felt definite ups and downs while reading this science-fiction novel. Crichton’s character portrayals allowed me to understand their emotions. I enjoyed reading in great detail about the dinosaur-infested island and the people trapped on it. He writes a multitude of breath-taking scenarios.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes a challenging plot and a good adventure story. I also recommend it to anyone who enjoys books like Dune, Eragon, or even any of the Harry Potter series.

All in all, I like The Lost World because it’s the kind of book whose ending is not predictable after reading the first 40 pages. Crichton did a splendid job of writing the second book in this two-part series.