Out of Time's Abyss

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

553

Title

Out of Time's Abyss

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

In the lost world of Caprona, explorer Bradley leads a perilous expedition through jungles teeming with prehistoric beasts and evolving human tribes. From battling giant cave bears to navigating a river of warm water filled with tadpole-like human spawn, the party faces constant danger. The narrative explores a unique evolutionary scheme where humans develop from eggs in pools, culminating in the rare 'no-egg-man' status. Amidst savage tribes and mysterious flying creatures, themes of survival, courage, and the bond between rescuer...

Summary up to 500 words

In Edgar Rice Burroughs' *Out of Time's Abyss*, the narrative follows Lieutenant Bradley and his companions as they leave Fort Dinosaur to scale the impassable barrier cliffs of Caprona, an island in a central lake. Their perilous journey is fraught with encounters against giant bears, flying reptiles, and hostile tribes. They traverse various stages of human evolution, from ape-like Bo-lu to the advanced Galu, who adhere to a cosmic law of 'kill, kill, kill.' Bradley learns of a mysterious 'way out' from An-Tak, a starving Galu prisoner. An-Tak reveals a complex evolutionary history where humans hatch from eggs in warm pools, drifting down a river to evolve into higher forms over eons. He explains that the dominant Wieroos tribe preys on the Galu, capturing women and torturing men to steal the secret of becoming 'cos-ata-lu' (no-egg-men). Bradley discovers a secret passage under the Wieroos' city, leading to a sewer beneath the river. After escaping, the group reunites with survivors, including Bradley's love interest Co-Tan and her father, the High Chief of the Galus. They also rescue Bowen Tyler and his bride, who had been stranded. The story concludes with the party sailing away from Caprona, leaving behind the strange, dangerous world they explored. As they depart, they reflect on the unique evolutionary history of the island's inhabitants, a scheme where life begins as eggs in warm pools and progresses through fish, reptile, and ape stages before reaching humanity. The narrative underscores the brutality of Caspakian nature, where survival is the primary law, and the miraculous rarity of a 'cos-ata-lu' being born after seven generations of survival against overwhelming odds. The expedition ends with the safe return of the rescued couples to the outer world, leaving the subterranean island behind.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Local file path

data/epubs/pg553.epub

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Categories

• Adventure
• Science Fiction