Zanthodon

Eric Carstairs of Zanthodon #2

by Lin Carter

Beneath the trackless sands and shifting wastelands of the Sahara, there lies a world unknown to modern man, the underground land of Zanthodon. In its vast unmapped terrain are great jungles, strange seas and forbidding mountains, and there can be found many of the beings that have long since vanished from the surface of the earth: dinosaurs, flying monsters and primitive cavemen.

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction

185 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 3, 1980

About the author

Lin Carter was an American author, editor, and critic best known for his influential role in fantasy literature during the mid-20th century. Born in St. Petersburg, Florida, he developed an early passion for myth, adventure stories, and imaginative fiction, drawing inspiration from authors such as Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert E. Howard, H. P. Lovecraft, and J. R. R. Tolkien. After serving in the U.S. Army, Carter attended Columbia University, where he honed his literary skills and deepened his knowledge of classical and medieval literature, myth, and folklore — elements that would become central to his work.
Carter authored numerous novels, short stories, and critical studies, often working within the sword-and-sorcery and high fantasy traditions. His own creations, such as the “Thongor of Lemuria” series, paid homage to pulp-era adventure fiction while adding his distinctive voice and world-building style. His nonfiction book Tolkien: A Look Behind The Lord of the Rings was one of the first major studies of Tolkien’s work and its mythological roots, and it helped establish Carter as a knowledgeable commentator on fantasy literature.
Beyond his own writing, Carter was a central figure in bringing classic and forgotten works of fantasy back into print. As editor of the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series from 1969 to 1974, he curated and introduced dozens of volumes, reintroducing readers to authors such as William Morris, Lord Dunsany, E. R. Eddison, and James Branch Cabell. His introductions not only contextualized these works historically and literarily but also encouraged a new generation to explore the breadth of the fantasy tradition.
Carter was also active in the shared literary universe of the “Cthulhu Mythos,” expanding upon the creations of H. P. Lovecraft and other members of the “Lovecraft Circle.” His collaborations and solo contributions in this genre further cemented his reputation as both a creative writer and a literary preservationist.
In addition to fiction and criticism, Carter was an active member of several science fiction and fantasy organizations, including the Science Fiction Writers of America. He frequently appeared at conventions, where he was known for his enthusiasm, deep knowledge of the genre, and willingness to mentor aspiring writers.
Though sometimes critiqued for the derivative nature of some of his work, Carter’s influence on the fantasy revival of the late 20th century remains significant. His combination of creative output, editorial vision, and scholarly enthusiasm helped bridge the gap between the pulp traditions of the early 1900s and the expansive fantasy publishing boom that followed.
Lin Carter’s legacy endures through his own imaginative tales, his critical studies, and the many classic works he rescued from obscurity, ensuring their place in the canon of fantasy literature for generations to come.

Reviews

[Johnny · Rating 2 out of 5]

To those familiar with both the editorial and authorial work of Lin Carter, it hardly seems worth noting that his admiration for Edgar Rice Burroughs is not only palpable but noteworthy in imitative homage. Zanthodon is the name of the underground world discovered in the first Eric Carstairs novel, Journey to the Underworld. Fans of ERB will note the gentle gesture in that ERB’s underground world series began with At the Earth’s Core followed by a second novel named for the underground world discovered in the first novel, Pellucidar. Pellucidar and Zanthodon have the expected prehistoric creatures in common and primitive civilizations in common, as well as the love interest from the primitive tribes found in the hollow worlds, Dian the Beautiful in the former and xxxx in the current novel under discussion. In both novels, Dian or xxxx respectively serve as the primary object of David Innes’ or Eric Carstairs’ quests, as the “damsel” is in “distress” (ie. an enemy captive) in either case.

It is hard for me to compare the pacing of the books because I read the Pellucidar series all the way through when I was in junior high school. I loved them—thinking them much more fascinating than ERB’s Tarzan and easier-to-read than Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth or Arthur Conan Doyle’s Professor Challenger books (although I didn’t discover Doyle’s lost world books until I was an adult). Unless my memory has been supercharged by the golden glow of memory (and it probably has), the pacing in Zanthodon seems more tedious in that the point-of-view jumps around as though several different narratives have been artificially sliced-and-diced to accommodate cliff-hangers. As pulp adventures go, Zanthodon easily could be adapted into those old movie serials which, though lame, predictable, and before my time, still leave me fascinated (if not intoxicated) by the wild situations and escapes, deliberate (and sometimes, clumsy) plot twists and classic tropes. So, I would normally have enjoyed the “cliff-hanger” aspects of the story, but I felt that Carter went to the well far more than once too often.

There is one interesting syllogism in the book that caught my attention. Within the middle of the protagonist appraising yet another captivity into which he has been thrust, Carstairs considers what appears to be a valid axiom. “Why is it, I have often wondered that while cowards are not always bullies, bullies are always cowards? One of life’s little mysteries, I suppose.” (p. 96) It was also interesting to observe the difference to which Carter puts enforced nakedness in Zanthodon, as opposed to the bondage explicit in John Norman’s “Gor” series. Carter uses nakedness as innocence (at one point brutally victimized) and, at times, cluelessness. Norman uses nakedness to express a desired vulnerability and sensuality.

While I wouldn’t ignore an opportunity to peruse another volume in this series, I’m wondering if I wouldn’t be better off returning to the hollow world of ERB, as much as I’ve enjoyed other efforts by Carter.

[Derek · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book centers on a good if unoriginal idea: an underground city enslaved by man-eating mesmeric leech-slugs. Aside from the phylum of these overlords, this is heavily cribbed from Edgar Rice Burroughs's Pellucidar.

It takes time for all the characters to arrive at the Gorpak city, which I find to be common in Carter's writing. The real story can't start until the characters are bussed to the expected set piece, and assorted dilly-dallying occurs. The cast is large, and every one of them must be accounted for personally, even if their involvement is relatively minor.

The weird stylistic feature of this book is how it frequently changes scene, sometimes making a cut more than once per chapter. The cut-away looks intended to build suspense, but its overuse leaves it feeling choppy and abrupt, especially when the cliffhangers are artificially inserted and use the same technique of cutting off the end of the sentence.

The result of all this is that it lacks Burroughs's guileless charm: at once too calculating an imitation and too sloppy/careless an execution.

(Why does every Lin Carter series eventually involve pirates? Is that his twist of last resort or something?)

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book picked right up after the first one. While it is very gratifying that the story abounds with action and adventure, it gets rather tiresome everyone constantly getting captured and made slaves. This was written very much like the old fashioned pulps; every chapter is a dramatic climax. Filled with beast-men, slaves, and Slug Gods.

[Alton Motobu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Four separate plot lines as major characters go in different directions, then are reunited when they are captured by Gorloks, which are giant leeches with telepathic powers. This plot line is similar to Eloi vs. Morloks in H.G. Wells' The Time Machine. But everyone manages to escape, only to be recaptured by descendants of the Barbary pirates. Sounds ridiculous, but this is an improvement over the first book.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrifically fun and fast-paced adventure novel in the style of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Lester Dent, or Clark Ashton Smith. Those who turn their noses up at 'formulaic' plots should steer clear, but if you want a good rollicking yarn I say it's a 'should-read'. I recommend starting with the first in the five-book cycle, Journey to the Underground World

[Charles · Rating 2 out of 5]

The second book in this series.