The Smokey God: Or; A Voyage to the Inner World

by Willis George Emerson

Written in the style of a factual account, this extraordinary novel details the experiences of a Norwegian sailor named Olaf Jensen, who sails to the centre of the earth through an entrance located at the North Pole. On his deathbed, Olaf recounts the two years he spent with Earth’s internal residents – 12 foot tall beings whose capital city is purportedly the original Garden of Eden, and whose continued existence is facilitated by a ‘smokey’ sun at the centre of the planet. Although a remarkable and entertaining tale for any reader, this book is a must-have for anyone interested in the ‘Hollow-Earth’ theory and early speculative fiction around the topic. The subsurface world of Agharta is a recurring motif in paradisiacal mythos from around the world - the Valhalla of Norse mythology, Shangri-la, Tibet’s Shambhalla, the Belovodia of Siberian shamanism – and as such this novel constitutes both a thoroughly entertaining and informative read. Willis George Emerson was an American writer, newspaperman, lawyer, and politician. Published in 1908, The Smokey God was his sixth book amongst other such The Man who Discovered Himself (1919), The Treasure of Hidden Valley (1915), and Winning Winds (1885). The Smokey God has been republished here with an introductory biography of the author.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure, Classics, Spirituality, Monsters

88 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1908

About the author

Willis George Emerson (1856–1918) was an American novelist, Chicago newspaperman, lawyer, politician, and promoter, who formed the North American Copper Company in Wyoming. He founded the town of Encampment, Wyoming.

Reviews

[Ralph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Real? Fiction? Just a hoax? This tale of a journey to the world hidden at the center of the Earth, approachable through polar openings, is presented as a personal account, related in the form of a dying declaration. The narrative has an aura of veracity, and much of the geography is presented in a prosaic travelogue form, but the whole purpose of fiction is to seem as believable as possible. In my teens, when I was chasing lights in the skies and hunting monsters in the back-county, I probably would have given this tale written in 1908 more credence, but, now, it's just entertaining. I don't necessarily discount the possibility of an Inner Earth, or even that it possesses a civilization (I wrote an article in favor of it in the 70s for "Beyond Reality Magazine"), but I do believe that Willis George Emerson was just writing an entertaining novel (more novelette length actually) rather than recounting a true experience. Reading "The Smoky God" is bound to take some of the wind from the sails of those who think Edgar Rice Burroughs' invention of Pellucidar startlingly original. "The Smoky God" will certainly entertain you for a few hours and make you wonder "what if..." but those readers seeking THE TRUTH are best advised to keep on looking.

[Michael Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can appreciate this book as a classic of early proto-science-fiction and fantasy, but overall the story was somewhat boring and poorly paced. The interesting segments inside the hollow earth were rendered too quickly and the arctic sea voyage and frame story elements took up far too much of the story's overall length. Recommend only to die-hard antiquarian fans of the fantastic and hollow earth enthusiasts.

[Samira Elytess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I believe the author's experience of meeting with giants in inner earth is True!

I almost fell out my chair when I read the following descriptions of the giants living in Inner Earth.

"There was not a single man aboard who would not have measured fully twelve feet in height.They all wore full beards, not particularly long, but seemingly short-cropped. They had mild and beautiful faces, exceedingly fair, with ruddy complexions. The hair and beard of some were black, others sandy, and still others yellow. The captain, as we designated the dignitary in command of the great vessel, was fully a head taller than any of his companions. The women averaged from ten to eleven feet in height. Their features were especially regular and refined, while their complexion was of a most delicate tint heightened by a healthful glow."

"They were richly attired in a costume peculiar to themselves, and very attractive. The men were clothed in handsomely embroidered tunics of silk and satin and belted at the waist. They wore knee-breeches and stockings of a fine texture, while their feet were encased in sandals adorned with gold buckles. We early discovered that gold was one of the most common metals known, and that it was used extensively in decoration."

The words "beards", "tunics" , and "sandals" immediately triggered the images of Persepolis and Mesopotamia reliefs. Google ancient Persian Assyrian relief panels.

Check out this site and see the image:
http://www.metmuseum.org/learn/educat...

I wonder if the giants are the Aryan race who came from the Caucasus mountains located in today's Georgia, Armenia, and Russia. (from a stargate, a portal, or an opening to inner earth?)
In the book the author talks about the cradle of human race (Eden) which was located in today's Iraq.
Also, the middle-easterners have an obsession for possessing gold jewellery of 24-karat. ;)

The author says:

"I never saw such a display of gold. It was everywhere. The door-casings were inlaid and the tables were veneered with sheetings of gold. Domes of the public buildings were of gold. It was used most generously in the finishings of the great temples of music."

In Iran and Iraq, major religious shrines have golden domes.

Hmmmm........

I wish the author wrote more about the inner earth civilization. It leaves the reader with a thirst of curiosity. I don't know why he didn't give us more details as he had been there for two years. Or is it possible the people who published omitted out a lot of details? Who knows...
Although the sailing parts are boring, keep in mind that recording the adventure is a warm hug for sailors who have a lust for sea travel.

[Samichtime · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ending makes up for the slog. ❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

[GoldenGerbera · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book by accident. The best accident of this year so far! The only down side of this book that it is too short.

[Tariq Alferis · Rating 4 out of 5]

وهوا كتاب المؤرخ الأمريكي " ويليس جورج أيمرسن" .. الذي بأسم (( أله الضباب)) حيث أكد وأمن بقول المستكشف والبحار العظيم "يانسن أولاف " وقد ذكر المستكشف العظيم " يانسن أولاف " ان أرضنا مجوفة من الداخل فعلا ..




وأظهر الخرائط والوثائق الدالة على صحة قوله لدخوله لعالم جوف الأرض الداخلي والكثير من التقارير والوثائق العلمية المؤكدة الدالة على وجود فتحة منفذ عين القطب الشمالي .. حيث ذكر المستكشف العظيم "يانسن أولاف" .. للكاتب "ويليس أيمرسن" قصته الحقيقية الكاملة .. بعدما أصبح يبلغ من العمر 95 سنه وهوا على فراش الموت ..




وأخبره أنه من النوريج من مواليد جزر لوفودن ((Lofoden)) النرويجية القطبية التي تقع في أقصى سواحل النرويج الشمالية وحكى له قصه دخوله هوا وأبيه " أولاف " من خلال فتحة منفذ القطب الشمالي عن غير قصد .. وخروجهما من فتحة القطب الجنوبي من التيارات البحرية المتدفقة من بحار العالم الداخلي .. عبر فتحة منفذ القطب الجنوبي .. إلى بحر سطح الأرض (( بحر القطب الجنوبي )) ..



وقد أشار البحار "يانسن أولاف" بعدما بلغ من العمر " 95 سنة " وهوا على فراش الموت أن يؤرخ الكاتب " ويليس جورج أمرسن " .. هذه الوثيقة والحادثة العظيمة الحقيقية وينشر خبرها ويبينها للناس أجمعين .. ليعلم الناس بوجود هذا العالم الداخلي الخفي العظيم ..



فبعد موت المسكشف العظيم " يانسن أولاف " وعد الكاتب "ويليس جورج أمرسن" أن ينشر قصه صديقة بكتاب و يسميه (( أله الضباب)).. نسبتا إلى شمس جوف الأرض التي يعبدونها أمم (يأجوج ومأجوج) الذين يسكنون بالعالم الداخلي .. فيلقبون شمسهم باسم منبع الحياة وأله الضباب أو الدخان ويعبدونها ويعتقدون أنها ((عرش الله )) ..

المهم فيلم خيالي اطلع طول ، تلاقي مع عملاقة في جوف الارض وعندهم حياة زينا ، لكن كتاب ممتع

[Aaron Leahy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cool to see the origins of hollow earth theory but how are you telling me this brudda’s journey to and discovery of the world inside the world is only 58 pages. that shit crazy

[TAJ ALGADDAFI | تاج القذافي · Rating 3 out of 5]

-مرحبا يا اصدقاء🩵❄️✨️
-(إله الدخان، أو رحلة إلى الأرض الداخلية ) هو كتاب تم تقديمه كقصة حقيقية كتبها( ويليس جورج إيمرسون) في عام 1908، والذي يصف مغامرات (يانسن اولاف) البحار النرويجي الذي أبحر مع والده عبر مدخل إلى داخل الأرض في القطب الشمالي .
- النوع رواية خيال علمي و مغامرة ( رغم ان الكاتب يصر على انها قصه حقيقية)😉🤫
يتناول الكتاب بشكل اساسي فكرة الأرض المجوفة والي رح اضيف معلومات عنها هنا:
إن كوكب الأرض إما مجوف كلياً أو جزئياً بشكل ملحوظ من الداخل. ولطالما تناقضت هذه الفرضية مع الأدلة الملاحظة بالإضافة إلى المفهوم الحديث لتكون الكواكب.
- ولقد رفض المجتمع العلمي هذه الفكرة منذ القرن الثامن عشر على الأقل.
ولا يزال مفهوم الأرض المجوفة متداولاً في الفلكلور الشعبي وفي مجالات الخيال العلمي كما أنها تمثل اليوم إحدى سمات العلوم الزائفة ونظرية المؤامرة.

وقد ألفت كتب وبحوث عديدة حول نظرية الأرض المجوفة لا تحصى منها كتاب (خيال الأقطاب) الذي الفه وليم ريد وكتاب (رحلة إلى جوف الأرض)، وكتاب آخر لمؤلفه مارشال بي.

وفي عام 1906 نشر الكاتب ويليام ريد William Reed كتاب «شبح القطبين». وأول من تكلم عن الأرض المجوفة الفلكي البريطاني إدموند هالي مكتشف مذنب هالي، حيث تكلم عن ثلاث طبقات لكوكب الأرض وكان كثير من علماء الفلك قديما يؤمنون بهذه النظرية ومنهم نيوتن، ثم تلاشت هذه النظرية في العصر الحديث وخصوصا بعد الأكتشافات العلمية في القرن العشرين وخصوصا في مجال جيولوجيا الأرض وتبين إنها مجرد نظرية زائفة من خيال علمي خصب.
في العصور القديمة، ظهر مفهوم وجود أرض تحت الأرض أو داخل سطح الأرض ضمن القصص الشائعة للديانات الشرقية. وذُكِرَت فكرة وجود عالم تحت الأرض في الاعتقاد البوذي التبتي وعن وجود مدينة قديمة تسمى شامبالا تقع داخل الأرض. ووفقاً لليونانيين القدماء، كانت هناك كهوف تحت سطح الأرض كمداخل تؤدي إلى العالم السفلي، منها الكهوف في لاكونيا.

أما في الأساطير القديمة، هناك أسطورة كهف يسمى «كروتشان»، المعروف أيضا باسم «بوابة أيرلندا إلى الجحيم»، وهو كهف أسطوري وقديم. وفي العصور الوسطى، بينت أسطورة ألمانية قديمة أن بعض الجبال الواقعة بالقرب من أيسناخ الألمانية تحمل بوابة إلى الأرض الداخلية. وتقول أسطورة روسية أن قبيلة سامويدس، وهي قبيلة سيبيرية قديمة، سافرت إلى مدينة في كهف تحت الأرض للعيش داخل الأرض. بينما ذكرت الأساطير الأمريكية الأصلية، أن أسلاف شعب ماندان في العصور القديمة نشأت من أرض تحت الأرض من خلال كهف في الجانب الشمالي من نهر ميزوري. وهناك أيضاً حكاية حول نفق في محمية سان كارلوس في ولاية أريزونا بالقرب من سيدار كريك الذي يقال أنه يؤدي إلى جوف الأرض إلى حيث أرض تسكنها قبيلة غامضة.

وطرح العالم الفلكي إدموند هالي في عام 1692 فكرة الأرض المجوفة التي تتكون من هيكل أجوف على بعد حوالي 800 كم من الطبقات المركزية ونواة متمركزة.

ولقد أيّدَ العديد من العلماء في أمريكا في القرن السابع عشر والقرن الثامن عشر فكرة الأرض المجوفة ووجود شمس أو نواة داخلية، ومنهم العالم «دي كامب» والعالم «ويلي لي»و«جون كليف سيمز» والكاتب «جيرميا رينولدز». وفي عام 1913 كتب مارشال غاردنر كتاباً بعنوان «رحلة إلى جوف الأرض». حيث ذكر بأنه يوجد في القطبين الشمالي والجنوبي مداخل كبيرة إلي جوف الكرة الأرضية، واعتقد بأن القشرة الأرضية تبلغ سماكتها 800 ميل، وكلا الفتحتين (الشمالية والجنوبية) يبلغ قطرهما 1400 ميل. واتبع غاردنر فكرة «أويلر» أن هناك شمس صغيرة توجد داخل الأرض والتي يعتقد بأن قطرها يبلغ حوالي 600 ميل.

- أدلة النقض:-
تعتبر الجاذبية الحجة العلمية الأولى التي تدحض فكرة الأرض المجوفة وذلك لأن الكتل الكبيرة تحاول دائماً التماسك فيما بينها بسبب الجذب المادي. والمادة العادية ليست قوية بما فيه الكفاية لدعم الشكل الأجوف كحجم الكواكب مقابل قوة الجاذبية. وبذلك فإن القشرة المجوفة لن تكون قادرة على تحقيق التوازن الهيدروستاتيكي مع الكتلة الخاصة بها وسوف تنهار.
معلومات الزلازل تعطي تصوراً كافياً عن أشكال الطبقات الأرضية، وخاصة تلك التي تعبر من أحد أطراف الأرض إلى الطرف الآخر، حيث تم التوصل من خلال بنية الأرض إلى أن الموجات الزلزالية تناقض تماماً فرضية الأرض المجوفة. والوقت الذي تستغرقه الموجات الزلزالية للسفر عبر الأرض وحولها يتناقض بشكل مباشر مع المجال المجوف. وتشير الدلائل إلى أن الأرض مليئة بالصخور الصلبة (القشرة والغطاء العلوي) والغطاء السفلي، وسبائك النيكل السائلة (اللب الخارجي)، والنيكل الصلب (اللب الداخلي).
الأدلة المرئية: تعتبر حفرة بئر SG-3 من أعمق الحفريات التي صنعها الإنسان حتى اليوم، والتي تعتبر أحد مشاريع بئر كولا العميق في الاتحاد السوفيتي سابقا، وهي حفرة بعمق عمودي وصل إلى 12.262متر (12 كيلومترا) في عام 1989، وتوقف المشروع لارتفاع درجة الحرارة بشكل كبير إذ وصل إلى 180 درجة، إضافة إلى توقف التمويل بانتهاء وجود الاتحاد السوفيتي.

- قصص الخيال العلمي:-
فكرة الأرض الجوفاء شائعة في قصص الخيال العلمي، حيث ألّفَ لودفيغ هولبرغ في 1741 رواية نيكولاي كليملي إيتر تحت الأرض (نيلز كليم، سفر تحت الأرض)، وألّفَ جاكومو كازانوفا في 1788 «إيكوساميرون»، وهي قصة مكونة من 5 مجلدات من 1800 صفحة، تروي قصة أخ وأخت يقعان في حفرة تصل بهم إلى باطن الأرض ويكتشفان عالم تحت الأرض. وفي عام 1864، نشر جول فيرن رواية رحلة إلى مركز الأرض، التي وَصَفَت عالَم ما قبل التاريخ. وكذلك رواية جورج ساند عام 1864 بعنوان «لورا»، وهي رحلة لشخصية تدعى «دان لو كريستال» حيث يمكن العثور على بلورات غير مرئية وعملاقة في المناطق الداخلية من الأرض.

ومن الروايات الرومانسية لـوليام هنري هدسون 1887، (كريستال العصر)، إذ أن بطل الرواية يقع أسفل تلة تؤدي به إلى عالم تحت الأرض، وَتصنف الرواية ضمن قصص الخيال العلمي. على الرغم من أن البطل نفسه، يعتقد أنه قد سافر عبر الزمن إلى ما بعد آلاف السنين. إن فكرة الأرض المجوفة استُخدِمت أيضا من قبل إدغار رايس بوروس، مبتكر شخصية طرزان، في سلسلة «بيلوسيدار» من سبعة أجزاء، منها «جوهر الأرض» أو (Earth's Core) عام 1914، وباستخدام الحفر الميكانيكي، يكتشف أبطاله عالم ما قبل التاريخ (بيلوسيدار) على بعد 500 ميل تحت سطح الأرض، والعالم الداخلي أرضه مضاءة بأشعة الشمس الداخلية. وفي عام 1915 أصدرفلاديمير أوبروشيف رواية «بلوتونيا» تحكي عن مفهوم الأرض المجوفة لتأخذ القارئ إلى مختلف العصور الجيولوجية.

أما في العقود الأخيرة، فقد أصبحت الفكرة عنصراً أساسياً من قصص الخيال العلمي والمغامرات التي تعرض في الأفلام أو في ألعاب الفيديو مثل غيرز أوف وور، وكذلك في العديد من الأعمال المتحركة.

للصراحة كانت رواية لطيفة لكنها بعيدة كل البعد عن الحقيقة ، المضحك ان البحار عاش فترة في الشرق الأوسط فا ما استبعد انه استقى حكايته من الثقافة العربية و الإسلامية مثل فكرة جنة عدن و شعبها الي يلبس الذهب و الحرير و تجري من تحتهم الأنهار ، وذكرلك نهر الدجلة والفرات و يتكلمون بلغة اهل بابل و اشكالهم اصلا زي الي على معابد العراق ، وقالك في شمس ثانيه تحت هذي الأرض ، وقالك جلس عندهم سنتين وهو ما ذكر الا تفاصيل سطحية وتااافهه ، ما تكلم عن الحياه اليومية كيف ، ايش علومهم وايش تقاليدهم وعاداتهم ، ما ذكر حتى انواع طبخهم واكلهم ، لانه ببساطه خيالي ، اما بالنسبة لفكرة شعب يعيش تحت الأرض بمل بساطة نقدر نجيبها من فكرة شعب يأجوج و مأجوج الي مأخوذه ايضا من الثقافة الإسلامية..
كا رواية كان لازم يضيف الكثير من التفاصيل اليومية و يضيف غرائب اكثر من انهم عمالقه وجميع مخلوقاتهم عمالقه ، كذلك كان لازم ينهي الرواية بشكل كويس هو قال في البداية ان والده مات في الرحلة بس انهى الرواية من دون ما يقول كيف ومتى مات ابوه ، كان لازم يضيف شخصيات واسماء اكثر من هذا العالم و قصصهم وحياتهم و صراعاتهم و كيف ما طلعولنا وما الي ذلك ولكن الرواية كانت سريعه و مختصرة لأبعد حد، مستحيل ان في حد عاش هذي الأحداث ونسي يذكرها للمؤرخ .
كا رواية خيال علمي لا بأس بها ...🩵

[Cody · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting tale--wish it were longer with more detailed accounts, true or not.

[Kristin Hodge · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to know how many people believe this theory of inner earth and the ability to get inside by holes at the north and South Pole…. There seems to be a following for this….

I read this because a flat earther recommended it, confused if this is an acid trip delusion from a crazy person that was truly locked up in mental institution for 28 years, or if this just sounds crazy and the people controlling this world made him look and sound crazy.

Either way it was at least a fun tale! However 55 pages? They spent two years in inner earth with giants and giant animals and vegetation, the garden of Eden…. And all he gave is 55 pages?!?!? Also, as a Christian there is no mention of the one true God. They mention worshipping and praying to Odin and Thor a lot….. and of course the smoky god,…most flat earthers that recommend this read are Christian’s so I’m confused why they think this backs them up? Also how is hollow earth, like a geode, confirmation of flat earth????


Also he definitely got hypothermia and should have died, if not died I see why he is crazy… if he was really found on an ice cap…

This is TOO far fetched to be read as truth and simultaneously is FAR from biblical. If you are reading this for flat earth reading, skip. However if you want a crazy short tale that’s entertaining go for it lol

[Norma Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE SMOKY GOD: a voyage to the inner world, originally published in 1908, is the narrative of Olaf Jensen about a sailing venture a father and son (Olaf) take to the North Pole where they accidentally discover an opening into the inner core of the Earth. With footnotes on almost every page, you can’t help but wonder if the narrative is real or fiction.

The event is a happening in 1829 where for two years they explore the wonders under the Earth’s mantle, where they believe they’ve seen the true magnetic core of the Earth and the Garden of Eden, the four rivers origination point. It is lit by its own sun and is inhabited by giants of civilization who don’t mature until later years.

It is more of a short story/novelette in length but is so tightly woven that it was slow going to get through for me as my mind wandered at possibilities of truth. Several cultures of the world have elements of lore that lend to that thinking. With today’s modern technology, it would be interesting to see what new revelations are to be found in the region.

It has been stated that after publication of the work all maps, sketches and Jensen’s journal were given to the Smithsonian Institute. Fact or fiction? We may never know for sure.

[Devero · Rating 1 out of 5]

Un racconto fantastico spacciato come resoconto di viaggio, con il narratore che mette le mani avanti per pararsi dalla possibile follia del relatore.
La terra cava, idea bislacca. Le difficoltà del viaggio tra i ghiacci, non granché specialmente se uno si è letto Verne, molto più incisivo.
La parte avventurosa tra i giganti della Terra Cava? Non esiste, non succede nulla, è tutto troppo facile.
La noia serpeggia in ogni pagina di questo romanzo.
1 stella

[Bato25 · Rating 4 out of 5]

“This great luminous cloud or ball of dull-red fire—fiery-red in the mornings and evenings, and during the day giving off a beautiful white light—‘The Smoky God,’ as I termed it, is suspended in the center of the earth.”This story is a classic adventure archetype.
The beauty of the writing style is how it makes it seem as if it was a true record discovered after the death of the protagonist. It makes you wonder whether the protagonist was truly mad or did he genuinely discover the Garden of Eden (the utopian world)?
The story’s simplicity is deceptive. Beneath the surface lies a wealth of symbolism and myth. The inner world, feels like a vision of what humanity could become. It rises the question: Can the human race reach that level of enlightenment, intelligent, harmony and wisdom those in the inner earth have reached? Is that even possible with how the human nature is?
The inner earth might also represent the human longing to be oneself. To be free and adventurous. The sense of adventure in the novel and the theme of 'human vs nature' reminded me of the man and sea by Hemingway.
A quote I loved so much in particular is this: 'The world is, after all, a stage, and we are merely players who enter and exit; but now I know that the greatest truths are hidden from the many, and only revealed to the few who dare venture beyond.”
This is such a powerful statement about the need for knowledge and the cost of discovering it. Would you rather remain comfortable in ignorance, or suffer in the pursuit of truth? Is wisdom a gift or a burden?

[Britt · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter and I read this every night, for a few nights (it’s a short read) before bed. It gave us a sense of adventure and we both enjoyed it and had discussion about it afterwards.

Whether false or true, one cannot be sure except the author himself. However, I do believe there is much hidden from us about our Earth and those in the know would have us regulars not know. Either way, we enjoyed the book and it gave me a good new idea to think about considering if the possibility of a hollow earth could be, in fact, true! 5 stars.

[FringeFanatic · Rating 3 out of 5]

You'll be disappointed if you're looking for an action-packed adventure narrative. The book is not written to be as exciting and dramatic as possible. Inner Earth is supposed to be an Eden-like paradise (in fact the capital city of the Inner Continent was the original site of the Garden of Eden), so there's absolutely no conflict while the characters are inside. The author instead placed all the conflict during the sailing trips to and from Inner Earth, but if you're only here for the Inner Earth stuff, you might not care about the sailing trips at all.

I wasn't bored by the lack of conflict in Inner Earth, though I understand why someone else might be. I liked the descriptions and explanations making up the Inner Earth section; I just wish there were more of them. Emerson seems more interested in describing the plant and animal life of Inner Earth than the culture of its inhabitants, which I guess makes sense because he was a frontier settler, but I wish he hadn't glossed over every city the characters visited beyond the first. Even the plant and animal life wasn't all that creative now that I think about it; it was pretty much just "surface thing, but GIANT."

Interesting ideas, especially with the speculation on how humanity began in Inner Earth and migrated to the surface. I enjoyed it in the moment, but it doesn't hold up that well to scrutiny.

[Aubree Deimler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing 🧐

[Elia Luisetto]

Non metto un voto perché non so davvero l'inglese e ho capito solo parti casuali del libro😅

[David Chess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two and a Half stars, maybe

Brief and mostly sketchy, entirely too much of it is spent on the purely ordinary adventure on the way to the opening into the realm of the Smoky God. As if the author suddenly realized they had a deadline or something.

(The "Smoky God", by the way, plays virtually no part in the story.)

The part of the story spent in the Fantastic Realm is very sparse, and what we find out about it doesn't really hang together. The technology is for instance at a weird mix of levels. Nothing is described well enough to really interest me.

Read Journey to the Center of the Earth. Then if you feel like reading every other book in that genre, you can read this. At least it's short!

(It's come to my attention that some people on The Internet believe, or at least claim to believe, that this story is nonfiction. Haha no. That's ridiculous. I mean, beyond silly. Why are people like this?)

[Lee Gregory · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've always been interested in "The Hollow Earth" stories. First, from Vernes' Journey to the Center of the Earth. Admiral Peary reports. There is a website called Librivox and they have many older stories 100 years or older. But they are audio books read by a novices' like you and I. I came across 'The Smokey God' from the Librivox library. It was right up my alley. And free to boot. I mostly listened while working in the yard. I like the subject and went with it. I liked it and I wasn't familiar with WGE. It sounds like he had quite an imagination. I'm OK with the 'unaccepted' POV. We've got to keep an open mind. I enjoyed the book and the reader was just fine. I'd recommend the story any way you'd like.

[Erren Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a tale about two Norwegians, a father and his son, who decide to sail as far as they can north. They find the entrance to the hole in the top of the world and enter our Hollow Earth. They stayed there and found the people to be giants who lived hundreds of years. The city of Eden is here. When they left, they had to sail the river south and when the exited the hollow Earth out through the south polar opening, the father died in a storm and the son, though rescued, was thrown into an insane asylum for daring to tell the world about where he and his father had been. I believe him and his descriptions of what it is like within our Earth and its central sun. Do you?

[Opa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was out of the norm of the type of books that I enjoy. It was first published in 1908 about a supposed true event that happened in the 1800's. I was doing some research of what is really at the north pole and this story surfaced for me. If you look at maps or digital satellite pictures of the north pole area, whatever is there is blacked out. A Swedish fisherman and his son reported that they were there and this book is their story of what they found. The author listened to the story from the death bed of the son of the fisherman and wrote what he heard with the evidence the dying son turned over to him. The reader gets to decided if the story was real or not. Very interesting.

[J.E. Elysee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Gave me a warm feeling inside reading it. Him explaining things that have not been invented during the publication. And me being a 98 baby and knowing all the things he’s explaining in his best way possible. I love this book and encourage anyone who into esoteric knowledge to read!!!

Phenomenal book

[Carlos Freitas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Para uma premissa tão extraordinária, o relato "verídico" em The smoky god decepciona. Passa longe da riqueza descritiva de outros livros sobre expedições a mundos fantásticos como Encontro com Rama e Nas montanhas da loucura.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

What if?

[MrFuckTheSystem · Rating 5 out of 5]

I believe this book to be a true story of a father and son whom journeyed to the center of the earth. Prove me wrong !

[Kirsten Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just love returning to the verbose writing styles. The vocabulary and usage of words to convey emotion is just luscious. Am glad I made the effort to find this little tome.

[Kimberly Starrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whether you take this as fact or fiction it is a wonderful read. It's amazing to read things written so long ago and how our language has changed, been shortened and made less than it was.

[Mark Welsh · Rating 2 out of 5]

On his deathbed, Norwegian sailor Olaf Jansen entrusts the record of a boyhood voyage he took with his father to his next door neighbour. The trip began in Stockholm, and they traveled up the coast towards the Arctic Circle, stopping at various fishing ports along the way. Then his father suggested exploring further north in an effort to find the fabled ‘land beyond the north wind’. And they do find it, a forested, green country where they meet a race of 12-foot tall giants. Father and son then spend the next two years travelling through this land, before exiting at the South Pole.

This is an early ‘Hollow Earth’ novel, the concept of which was first proposed as a scientific theory by none other than Edmond Halley, yes the comet guy, who based his reasoning on some inexplicable compass readings of the time and false information concerning the density of the Earth, which was later put right by none other than Sir Isaac Newton. The theory was revived every now and then over the next century before gaining popularity in 1906 with the publication of ‘Phantom of the Poles’ by William Reid, which sought to explain the strange phenomena that had been observed at the poles, particularly at the North Pole. This was a time of intense public interest in the region with famous explorer, Admiral Peary, leaving New York on his way to the Arctic for his eighth expedition in the summer of 1908.

In short, it was the perfect time for a ‘Hollow Earth’ novel, or a novella in this case as ‘The Smoky God’ runs for only 74 pages in the edition that I read. Also, the voyagers spend less than a third of the story traveling through the Inner Earth. This is because Emerson is very keen to establish Jansen as a credible, authentic witness whose word can be trusted. To that end, we also get copious footnotes (only they're not really ’footnotes’ because they're inserted in the main body of the text) and these appear with monotonous regularity. These are mostly quotes from the writings of established scientists and real life explorers. There are even a couple of Biblical passages inserted in this way. Emerson makes no obvious overt effort to push Christian ideology in the text, but the main settlement within the Hollow Earth is called Eden, which seems a bit on the nose to put it mildly.

All this additional information is solely there in an attempt to prove the authenticity of Jansen’s assertions and brings up an interesting question. What was Emerson trying to achieve here? Was he trying to pull off some kind of literary hoax? Was he claiming that this was a real life account of a real life voyage? He certainly seems far more concerned with establishing the authenticity of it than he does with creating anything like fictional drama or compelling characters. On the other hand was he simply poking fun at the ‘Hollow Earth’ conspiracy theorists of his time? Is it a satire? It's hard to say and there doesn't seem to be any information out there which supports any particular view.

Why can't it just be an example of fantastical fiction instead? Well, if that was the intent, then it's a pretty much a total failure. For a start, there are only two really significant characters, Olaf and his father. The only other ones specifically identified are the ruler of the Hollow Earth, who makes a one scene appearance, and a giant called Jules Galdea, who kind of acts as interpreter, language teacher, and guide. It's mentioned in passing a couple of times that he has a wife. She never appears. That's the entire cast. There's also a complete lack of world building. We never find out how this giant civilisation works at all, what technology they have, how their society is organised or anything significant about it. All we’re told is that they're fun loving and extremely hospitable, which results in zero conflict with our heroes and zero drama. Nothing. What remains is just descriptions of the physical nature of the Hollow Earth, some of the flora and fauna seen on the voyage, the kind of landscape the travellers pass through. That's pretty much all you get. There's no real story. They go, they see, they come back. That’s it.

If you're a Lost World literature nut like me, or you're intrigued by the premise, you may want to check it out but if you're looking for a entertaining, engaging adventure it’s best skipped.

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

There great upheavals in the late 19th and early 20th centuries seem to have inspired many a writer. Authors of the books that I have currently listened to were certainly influenced by the new discoveries in science--such as the voyage of The Beagle, political upheavals, and spiritual pursuits. It feels like a great upheaval, as if people were resetting their compasses. Is this book such a reset or is it a bit of a weak copycat?

Many dealings with the compass are paid attention to in the story since the teller of the tale, Olaf Jansen, and his father, presumably named Jan, who sailed about the North Pole and the interior trying to figure a way home while determining whether or not to trust their compass.

The story also had a nod to The Odyssey as the father and son approached the open ocean, which they recognized as being close to home. So close and yet so far.

Does the idea of dealing with the compass, and the inner world have to do with a person's search for their own compass and their subconscious? I am not familiar with the Hollow Earth theory as other reviewers have mentioned, but the human body has a hollow interior which could be viewed as having northern and southern poles. There is a creative life within the body of the Earth/human. This interior life holds the gods(?) and giants of biblical yore. Such gods are equated to the subconscious archetypes in later years by Carl Jung.

Was Willis George Emerson's writing about the subconscious or was it just a try at the popular storytelling of his time? Or were the storytellers of that time unaware of what they were writing?

[MeanyPanini · Rating 2 out of 5]

For a book about the inside of the Earth, most of the story very underwhelmingly takes place on the surface. Instead of detailing the vastness of this world he's ventured into, he spends most of the time justifying his case to the audience and explaining already familiar things like boating at a level that has already been achieved and surpassed by other works. In the supposed 2 years he spent in the Earth, he barely even scratches the surface of this hidden civilization. A civilization like this should and would have volumes worth of history and lore to write about, yet in his time in the Earth the only thing he found worth writing about was the largeness of everything. According to the the events explained which took place in order to write his experience, he should have had more than enough time to make a monolithic tome of a masterpiece, but even in its short duration, the subpar writing with its offbeat pacing ultimately led to little of anything ever happening. I only give it 2/5 because of its historical value and for the earnestness of the author that makes me want to believe him, but otherwise it would have been a 1/5.