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Lost
9781459811973
60 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 22, 2016
About the author
John Wilson
869 books55 followersJohn Wilson, an ex-geologist and frustrated historian, is the award-winning author of fifty novels and non-fiction books for adults and teens. His passion for history informs everything he writes, from the recreated journal of an officer on Sir John Franklin’s doomed Arctic expedition to young soldiers experiencing the horrors of the First and Second World Wars and a memoir of his own history. John researches and writes in Lantzville on Vancouver Island. There are many more details in his memoir, Lands of Lost Content, https://www.amazon.com/Lands-Lost-Con...
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 28, 2021
Pretty cute, for a story for youngsters about shipwrecks, cannibalism, and the mysteries of the North.
April 13, 2026
This is a short, engaging novel that moves quickly into action. It makes for a very accessible and enjoyable read, especially for its intended younger audience, but I found myself drawn in as an adult reader as well.
The pacing works well overall, and the story is easy to follow without feeling overly simplistic. While parts of the plot felt somewhat predictable, there is a nice twist toward the end that adds an extra layer of interest. I also particularly liked Anabel as a character: her role in the final part of the novel adds both energy and a sense of agency that elevates the story.
One aspect that felt slightly less convincing was the portrayal of Sam’s father, who seems surprisingly unconcerned about the Arctic expedition. This stood out as a bit implausible, though it doesn’t detract too much from the overall reading experience.
What I appreciated most is how the novel engages with larger questions around Arctic exploration and ethics. It contrasts those driven by profit, fame or the allure of discovery, especially in relation to the Franklin expedition, with those motivated by conservation and a desire to understand and protect the past. This gives the story a meaningful dimension beyond its adventure plot.
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy of Lost!
The pacing works well overall, and the story is easy to follow without feeling overly simplistic. While parts of the plot felt somewhat predictable, there is a nice twist toward the end that adds an extra layer of interest. I also particularly liked Anabel as a character: her role in the final part of the novel adds both energy and a sense of agency that elevates the story.
One aspect that felt slightly less convincing was the portrayal of Sam’s father, who seems surprisingly unconcerned about the Arctic expedition. This stood out as a bit implausible, though it doesn’t detract too much from the overall reading experience.
What I appreciated most is how the novel engages with larger questions around Arctic exploration and ethics. It contrasts those driven by profit, fame or the allure of discovery, especially in relation to the Franklin expedition, with those motivated by conservation and a desire to understand and protect the past. This gives the story a meaningful dimension beyond its adventure plot.
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy of Lost!
October 21, 2019
This is too unbelievable, even for a kid's book. I love everything Franklin Expedition, but eesh. This wasn't very good, sadly. :(
August 15, 2021
Another satisfying entry in this series of novels for reluctant readers.
December 16, 2025
Hi-lo read, reasonably action-packed. Some gruesome details (should appeal to certain middle schoolers) but nothing too gory.
December 4, 2017
it was a good book i really liked it because it had mystery and was cool to see how they go to the island
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February 7, 2019This reads like it was written by a very clever 6th grader. I don't know how else to describe it. It gave me flashbacks of middle school, working a shift in the writing lab and struggling to encouragingly say "you have potential, but this is not good writing."
It's clever, fun, engaging, and decently written with no grammatical errors or terrible word choice. Many adult authors writing for adults can't pull that off! On the other hand, it seems written by a person without a basic understanding of how real people talk, how adults behave, and how the world works. This person has literally never heard the advice "show, don't tell." The protagonists seem like kids from another century, with no cell phones, oddly formal speech, and no parental authority figures of any kind (there was briefly one dad, who asked his son permission to come along on a sketchy Arctic adventure? but already knew he'd say no?). It's bizarre to my adult eyes, but might seem great to kids and is a cool intro to the Franklin expedition (with a few fun macabre details).
It's also third in a series, but it's unclear what the first two books are even called. It hardly mattered, since the entire plots were awkwardly narrated by the main characters to each other ("Professor Plum? He tried to murder us in the conservatory!" "That is right, he wanted to kill us with the candlestick." "Yes, that is what happened. Shall we do another cryptic crossword puzzle?") I rate it confused and a half stars!
It's clever, fun, engaging, and decently written with no grammatical errors or terrible word choice. Many adult authors writing for adults can't pull that off! On the other hand, it seems written by a person without a basic understanding of how real people talk, how adults behave, and how the world works. This person has literally never heard the advice "show, don't tell." The protagonists seem like kids from another century, with no cell phones, oddly formal speech, and no parental authority figures of any kind (there was briefly one dad, who asked his son permission to come along on a sketchy Arctic adventure? but already knew he'd say no?). It's bizarre to my adult eyes, but might seem great to kids and is a cool intro to the Franklin expedition (with a few fun macabre details).
It's also third in a series, but it's unclear what the first two books are even called. It hardly mattered, since the entire plots were awkwardly narrated by the main characters to each other ("Professor Plum? He tried to murder us in the conservatory!" "That is right, he wanted to kill us with the candlestick." "Yes, that is what happened. Shall we do another cryptic crossword puzzle?") I rate it confused and a half stars!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews