The Hollow Earth: At the Earth's Core / Pellucidar

Pellucidar #1-2

by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Readers can now enjoy two action-packed, adventure-filled fantasies from Tarzan creator Edgar Rice Burroughs--At the Earth's Core and Pellucidar--in this one volume! While working in the Sahara, David Innes--heir to a mining fortune--makes a shocking discovery: an unknown world exists below ground, at the Earth's core. Once trapped in this primeval land known as Pellucidar, Innes must battle an array of terrifying prehistoric creatures and primitive tribes if he is ever to return to the Earth's surface.


This new edition features a map of Burroughs' imaginary land plus a glossary of terminology.

 

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Alternate History, Fiction

352 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2003

About the author

Edgar Rice Burroughs was an American author, best known for his creation of the jungle hero Tarzan and the heroic John Carter, although he produced works in many genres.

Reviews

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

★★★★★ — 4.75/5
This book series was a revelation when I found it—like unearthing a fossil and realizing it was alive. It struck me during the years when video games like Dino Destroyer made my fingers twitch, but this? This lit up my brain. My spirit.
The world of Pellucidar is one without clocks, where the sun never moves, where time becomes a fog and danger is the only certainty. And in that chaos, David Innes is born—not of fate, but of will. It was the first time I felt that itch: I could be this guy. I could carve out my own world with teeth, fire, and bare fists.
Burroughs writes like he’s transmitting directly from the subconscious of every young adventurer—direct, kinetic, and without apology. It’s the kind of story that doesn’t sit back—it drags you forward. Still seared in memory.

[Matthew J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first two books in Burroughs's Pellucidar books are plenty entertaining in the way you expect from Burroughs. It's pulp adventure fiction of high order. At times it does start to feel a bit silly, like the TV show "24" where you sit back and think, "really, now she's kidnapped...again?!" Still, it's all in good fun. The second volume is some straight-up Imperialist porn.

[Bert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun series by ERB! Librovox has a wonderful narration of this book.

[Ken Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many years ago to remember.

[Holly Krull · Rating 1 out of 5]

Colonizer garbage. Plus way too much happens and it’s written in a way that makes it feel like nothing happened

[Christian Freed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple, basic adventure. It's a shame Burroughs only really has his Tarzan storyline developed into movies and whatnot.

[Joe Aguiar · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Hollow Earth contains Edgar Rice Burroughs' first two Pellucidar novels, "At The Earth's Core" and "Pellucidar". At The Earth's Core is a charming and fun adventure in the classic Burroughs style about two turn of the century men, David Innes and Abner Perry, who are testing a deep drilling ship for mining and accidentally discover a prehistoric world in the center of the Earth. Here they encounter all sorts of strange creatures and peoples including the tyrannical Mahars; a race of telepathic reptilian bird women who cruelly rule over all the other inhabitants. David also meets and falls in love with a beautiful cave girl named Dian. It's a fast paced and fun adventure filled with heroism and daring escapes as our heroes try to escape the Mahars and rescue their new friends all the while trying to figure out how to get home. Pellucidar picks up 10 years later with David Innes having returned to the surface and finally finding his way back to the subterranean world that now sees him as emperor. Now he returns to find the empire he established in ruins and his precious Dian has been taken by Hooja The Sly One. Most of the book entails David's trek across the subterranean land to find his mate and then to liberate Pellucidar from Hooja and his Mahar allies. What really disappointed me about this story was David's complete arrogance in his desire to modernize the primitive peoples and worse bring them all modern weapons to wage war. I understand his wish to free them from the rule of the Mahars and Hooja's army but, his bringing all the worst aspects of modern civilization to these primitive tribes just didn't sit well with me. David does discuss this at one point and does lament having to arm these people before bringing education and modernization to them but, I personally have issue with his arrogant need to "modernize" these people at all instead of letting them progress on their own. By book's end this prehistoric world sees itself now with trains and factories and, in my opinion, he has ruined a primitive and naturally wild land. Maybe it's the tree hugger in me and Burroughs was writing from the thinking of his era but, I feel Innes ruined Pellucidar with his efforts to save it. And this kept me from enjoying this second adventure in this underground world.

[Tawnni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad read, although it does bare some resemblance to "A Princess of Mars."

[Kristina Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic science fiction. Love, love, loved it!

[Harry Delien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great classic story

[Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a little disappointed with the first half of the book and was originally going to give this 3 stars but the second half really pulled through for me. Decent and fun book to dive into.

[Bert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun series by ERB! Librovox has a wonderful narration of this series.