Beyond Thirty (Bison Frontiers of Imagination) [Paperback]

Edgar Rice Burroughs (Author), David Brin (Introduction), Phillip R. Burger (Contributor), Richard A. Lupoff (Contributor)

Book Description

Series: Bison Frontiers of Imagination | Publication Date: March 1, 2001

By the year 2137 Europe has become a largely forgotten, savage wilderness. Fierce bands of hunters rove the crumbling ruins of once mighty, war-ravaged cities. On the other side of the Atlantic a prosperous Pan-American Federation has emerged, claiming all lands and seas between the 30th and 175th longitudes and forbidding contact with the rest of the world. All who cross beyond thirty are sentenced to death.

 

Beyond Thirty is the story of Captain Jefferson Turck and the crew of his aero-submarine, who through accident and sabotage are forced beyond the thirtieth longitude and embark on an epic quest to rediscover the legendary lands of the Old World. Their adventures stand as one of Edgar Rice Burroughs's most imaginative and subtly crafted tales. Burroughs wrote the story in 1915 in reaction to the growing horrors of the First World War, and his devastating vision of its consequences provides a haunting and enduring warning for the twenty-first century.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Students of early science fiction will welcome the University of Nebraska Press''s series Bison Frontiers of Imagination."—Times Literary Supplement

(Times Literary Supplement )

About the Author

Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875–1950) is the legendary author of dozens of novels, including The Land That Time Forgot and At the Earth's Core, both available in Bison Frontiers of Imagination editions. David Brin is a winner of the Hugo, Nebula, Locus, and J. W. Campbell Awards and the author of such renowned novels as The Postman. Phillip R. Burger is a freelance writer, a consultant to Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., and the former associate editor of The Burroughs Bulletin. Richard A. Lupoff is the author of Edgar Rice Burroughs: Master of Adventure.

Product Details

• Paperback: 124 pages
• Publisher: Bison Books; Commemorative ed edition (March 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803261845
• ISBN-13: 978-0803261846
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,718,176 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting future history, April 19, 2001

By 

J. Kazmierski "jkaz" (Tucson, AZ) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Beyond Thirty (Bison Frontiers of Imagination) (Paperback)

This is one of the most interesting and unusual of Burroughs' stories. Written shortly after World War I, "Beyond Thirty" follows the assumption that the war in Europe ultimately results in the destruction of European civilization and the complete isolation of the American continents for nearly two hundred years following. Everything between 172 degrees and 30 degrees West longitude is American territory; everything outside these lines is no-man's land. The story begins when an aerial patrol boat is sabotaged and its captain forces a landing near the forbidden 30th longitude line and takes the survivors across into Europe and no-man's land. On the whole, "Beyond Thirty" is a very good adventure story, but could have greatly benefitted from more thorough treatment of its subject. The first few chapters are marvelously detailed in their description of the post-war history, and the adventures toward the middle of the story are typically Burroughsian, with beautiful heroines, strong heroes and low villains. Unfortunately, the latter third seems rushed and most of the plot resolutions appear contrived as a result. "Beyond Thirty" is a good read, and can be rather amusing to the modern reader.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Burroughs adds some social commentary to his adventure, December 30, 2003

By 

Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Beyond Thirty (Bison Frontiers of Imagination) (Paperback)

In "Beyond Thirty: The Lost Continent" Edgar Rice Burroughs provides an interesting combination of adventure and social commentary. The premise behind this novel is that the United States did not get involved in the "Great War" in Europe but instead followed its isolationist tendencies to such an extreme ("The East for the East...The West for the West") that no one from the United States has gone past 30 degrees or 175 degrees latitude for over 160 years. It is now 2137 and a raging storm has thrown the Pan-American aero-submarine "Coldwater" past the 30 degree mark. The damaged vessel under the command of Lt. Jefferson Turck lands in England and German helmet and Felis tigers. In time, the crew will discover what happened to "The Lost Continent" of the Old World. Of course, since this is a ERB novel we know that there will be a damsel in distress for Lt. Turck to save from the great evils that he finds.

One of the main strengths of Burroughs was his ability to create ancient civilizations. "The Lost Continent" is actually atypical for Burroughs who usually plunges his heroes into these strange new worlds a lot quicker than what happens in this novel, so this time around there is much more of a sense of mystery to the proceedings. Still, by the last half of the novel we are definitely on familiar and well-trod ground in terms of a ERB adventure story. Before World War II Burroughs wrote "Beyond the Farthest Star," about a distant planet that had been at war for centuries and where technological advances in warfare threatened to destroy all life, which makes it the other ERB novel to check out if you are interested in looking at another example of his rare attempts at social commentary. I do not think the payoff is worthy of the set up in "The Lost Continent," but it is intriguing to think that the United States completely cutting all ties with Europe was a viable basis for telling a futuristic adventure.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What If: the US and Isolationism, July 16, 2003

By 

David Stapleton (California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Beyond Thirty (Bison Frontiers of Imagination) (Paperback)

First published in 1915, the motivations for this story are obvious. The nations of the western hemisphere have taken an extreme isolationist stance in the early years of World War I, to the point that 200 years later they do not even know whether anything or anyone has survived the massive armed conflagration that began in the early 20th century. The hero inadvertently gets stranded in Europe and makes all of the startling discoveries of the outcome of the conflict and ensuing 200 years.

The story is ERB's standard fare. However, like many of his books from this period, there are a few themes to the story that are of interest above and beyond the light adventure story. The elements foremost in this novel are the destructive nature of war and racism. There is also a certain amount of naivete from the period and the relative newness of the United States as a world power.

Most of Burrough's books are good reading for pre-teen to early adolescent, and nostalgic adults; this one is no exception.
P-)