NonPro Book Club: A Steampunk LOST

A year ago today, the landmark series LOST came to a climatic (perhaps, anti-climatic?) close, ending an era in television history and forcing a horde of people to forever ponder the deeper mysteries of the island while simultaneously dodging god awful jokes about why the fat guy never lost any weight.

Seriously people, that was dealt with in, like, the third episode.

When the final season was announced, I went on an intense research binge, delving into legendary and literary examples of mysterious islands in the hopes of finding a narrative source of the power behind the show, and that was how I discovered a novel by Jules Verne, that pioneer of science fiction and inverse-namesake of Doc Emmit Brown’s two kids.

dig that crazy squiggle font

Île mystérieuse” or “The Mysterious Island” is 50% adventure-survival tale, 50% wonder-mystery, and 100% the spiritual forefather of LOST.  It has survivors from an air-vessel crash with shady histories, an uncharted island with surreal properties, secret caves, strange monsters, a treasure trove of hidden equipment, “others”, mid-season cast changes, and a dog.  Best of all, no one can claim that ol’ Verne was just making things up as he went along.  I mean, it’s not as if his books were published in episodic installments or anything! (*cough cough*).

As such, I am proud to announce that the first installment of the NonPro Book Club, a new project where we all get together and read a novel, chiming in once a week to discuss it in our forums.  Since “The Mysterious Island” is in the public domain, you can get a cheap copy just about anywhere, check it out of your local library, or get a free digital copy off of the wonderful Project Gutenberg website here.

So download, rent, or buy it today, and check back here and on Non-Productive.com for our weekly delve into…. The Mysterious Island

– Frank

 

 

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