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The Lost Trilogy
The Black Room
At the end of The Dark Ground, Robert finally managed to escape from the tiny underground world in which he had found himself trapped. He needed Lorn's help to do it, and he had to leave her behind. Now, back in his own world and his own size again, he realises that Lorn will die if she has to
spend the winter underground. To rescue her, he has to do two entrust his friend Tom with the incredible story of what happened to him, and find the 'real' Lorn above ground.
Using all of their ingenuity, Tom and Rob finally track down the girl for whom they are searching. Her name is Hope, and she's been locked in a pit by her misguided parents. She is filthy, backwards, and completely dependent on others. How can she help Lorn?
Getting Hope out of her prison will take more courage and patience than the boys feel they have. And then they still have to rescue Lorn. Time is ticking away. With each passing second, Lorn feels inexplicably called by a strange force drawing her into the dangerous tunnels of her underground world
while, above ground, Tom and Rob begin the desperate battle to save her.
spend the winter underground. To rescue her, he has to do two entrust his friend Tom with the incredible story of what happened to him, and find the 'real' Lorn above ground.
Using all of their ingenuity, Tom and Rob finally track down the girl for whom they are searching. Her name is Hope, and she's been locked in a pit by her misguided parents. She is filthy, backwards, and completely dependent on others. How can she help Lorn?
Getting Hope out of her prison will take more courage and patience than the boys feel they have. And then they still have to rescue Lorn. Time is ticking away. With each passing second, Lorn feels inexplicably called by a strange force drawing her into the dangerous tunnels of her underground world
while, above ground, Tom and Rob begin the desperate battle to save her.
236 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
7 people are currently reading
184 people want to read
About the author
Gillian Cross
149 books87 followersGillian Cross was born Gillian Arnold in 1945. She was educated at North London Collegiate School, Somerville College, Oxford and the University of Sussex. Although now a full-time writer who often travels and gives talks in connection with her work, she has had a number of informal jobs including being an assistant to a Member of Parliament. For eight years she also sat on the committee which advises ministers about public libraries.
She is married to Martin Cross and they have four grown-up children, two sons and two daughters.
She is married to Martin Cross and they have four grown-up children, two sons and two daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 25, 2023
Hello everyone, I'm Mr. C Reviewer, and tonight we're discussing (She/Her) Gillian Cross's book, The Black Room. Which is the second book in the lost series. I first read this book in September in 2021, taking me a few days to finish reading the whole book. This was my second experience with Gillian's work the first being book one, 'The Dark Ground' in the series. While reviewing book one, I mentioned several other books by this author that have captured my interest for potential future reading. These titles include: 1982-2017, The Demon Headmaster series 1987 'On the Edge', 1989 'A Map of Nowhere', 1996 'Pictures in the Dark', 1994 'New World', 1985 'The Dark Behind the Curtain', 1987 'Roscoe's Leap', and 2013 'After Tomorrow'.
'The Black Room' was rated for readers aged 11 and up and was first published on the first of January in 2001, which was the same date that book one was first published. It was told using third person with it being in Lorn's, Tom's and it also had a bit in Robert's point of view. Which spans 35 chapters and 218 pages. I wished that this book had its own audible version so that I could have listened to it while reading my physical copy. After doing some research on the book series, I discovered that it does have its own Audio CD available, which I plan to purchase in the future when I revisit the series again.
Summary: Lorn, a captive in a tiny underground world, is on the brink of death. Her only hope lies with Robert, who is determined to rescue her from the darkness that threatens to consume her. But Lorn is unaware of the dangers that lurk beneath her world, drawing her towards an unknown fate. Is it a call home or something more sinister? With time running out, Robert must navigate the treacherous tunnels to reach Lorn before it's too late.
Review:
-I was thrilled to discover that this book seamlessly picked up where the previous one left off, providing a continuous and cohesive reading experience. By starting where the first book left off, the author has skilfully avoided the need for lengthy flashbacks or gap-filling exposition, allowing the story to flow smoothly and maintain its momentum.
I found the word font titles of the chapters in this book to be quite appealing. The inclusion of these titles, which indicate the point of view being followed in each chapter, greatly enhances our understanding of the story. As the narrative switches between different characters' perspectives, having these titles allows for a smoother transition and a clearer grasp of whose viewpoint we are now delving into. In contrast, when I first encountered the initial book in this series, I found myself slightly disconnected from the story. This was primarily due to the need to constantly ponder over which character's perspective was being presented and simultaneously absorb the events unfolding within each chapter.
Like with the first book in the series, I found the setting of this second instalment to be particularly well-crafted, with vivid descriptions of the characters' surroundings that transported me to the world of the story. This attention to detail not only adds depth and richness to the narrative, but also made it easier for me to visualize the events as they unfold.
In my personal opinion, I found this book to be slightly more enjoyable than its predecessor. The reason for this preference lies in the fact that I perceived it to contain a significantly greater amount of thrilling and captivating adventures. After reading this book, I was struck by how certain elements reminded me of one of my favourite childhood movies, Peter Pan.
In this book, there are sections that feel like repetitive information, as if the author is presenting new ideas that were already covered in the first book. However, upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that these sections are not actually new information, but rather a rehashing of concepts that were introduced earlier in the book. I feel like this could be frustrating for some readers as it feels like we are being asked to revisit familiar territory without gaining any new insights like it was for me. Like with the first book in the series, there were several instances of multiple "ands" within a single sentence, which personally left me feeling a bit annoyed.
-In this instalment, I particularly enjoyed the introduction of several new characters, such as Robert's closest companion, Tom, and the opportunity to truly acquaint ourselves with Robert's sister, Emma. Additionally, we were introduced to a handful of other intriguing characters that added depth and complexity to the story. I found it fascinating that the book provides insight into Lorn's past, allowing us to gain a deeper understanding of her character and motivations. I was delighted to see that we were provided with a slightly greater amount of character detail in the content. However, I still would have appreciated a bit more as I feel that the current level of character development is somewhat lacking and could have been further expanded upon.
-I appreciated that the author deliberately avoided providing exhaustive explanations in this book, as it leaves room for further exploration in the next instalment. However, I do hope that we will delve deeper into the origins and motivations behind these events in the future.
For each story that I read, I rate it out of 10 so for this am going to give it a 8.2. Remember this was what I thought about the book personally and I suggest that you give it a go for yourself.
'The Black Room' was rated for readers aged 11 and up and was first published on the first of January in 2001, which was the same date that book one was first published. It was told using third person with it being in Lorn's, Tom's and it also had a bit in Robert's point of view. Which spans 35 chapters and 218 pages. I wished that this book had its own audible version so that I could have listened to it while reading my physical copy. After doing some research on the book series, I discovered that it does have its own Audio CD available, which I plan to purchase in the future when I revisit the series again.
Summary: Lorn, a captive in a tiny underground world, is on the brink of death. Her only hope lies with Robert, who is determined to rescue her from the darkness that threatens to consume her. But Lorn is unaware of the dangers that lurk beneath her world, drawing her towards an unknown fate. Is it a call home or something more sinister? With time running out, Robert must navigate the treacherous tunnels to reach Lorn before it's too late.
Review:
-I was thrilled to discover that this book seamlessly picked up where the previous one left off, providing a continuous and cohesive reading experience. By starting where the first book left off, the author has skilfully avoided the need for lengthy flashbacks or gap-filling exposition, allowing the story to flow smoothly and maintain its momentum.
I found the word font titles of the chapters in this book to be quite appealing. The inclusion of these titles, which indicate the point of view being followed in each chapter, greatly enhances our understanding of the story. As the narrative switches between different characters' perspectives, having these titles allows for a smoother transition and a clearer grasp of whose viewpoint we are now delving into. In contrast, when I first encountered the initial book in this series, I found myself slightly disconnected from the story. This was primarily due to the need to constantly ponder over which character's perspective was being presented and simultaneously absorb the events unfolding within each chapter.
Like with the first book in the series, I found the setting of this second instalment to be particularly well-crafted, with vivid descriptions of the characters' surroundings that transported me to the world of the story. This attention to detail not only adds depth and richness to the narrative, but also made it easier for me to visualize the events as they unfold.
In my personal opinion, I found this book to be slightly more enjoyable than its predecessor. The reason for this preference lies in the fact that I perceived it to contain a significantly greater amount of thrilling and captivating adventures. After reading this book, I was struck by how certain elements reminded me of one of my favourite childhood movies, Peter Pan.
In this book, there are sections that feel like repetitive information, as if the author is presenting new ideas that were already covered in the first book. However, upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that these sections are not actually new information, but rather a rehashing of concepts that were introduced earlier in the book. I feel like this could be frustrating for some readers as it feels like we are being asked to revisit familiar territory without gaining any new insights like it was for me. Like with the first book in the series, there were several instances of multiple "ands" within a single sentence, which personally left me feeling a bit annoyed.
-In this instalment, I particularly enjoyed the introduction of several new characters, such as Robert's closest companion, Tom, and the opportunity to truly acquaint ourselves with Robert's sister, Emma. Additionally, we were introduced to a handful of other intriguing characters that added depth and complexity to the story. I found it fascinating that the book provides insight into Lorn's past, allowing us to gain a deeper understanding of her character and motivations. I was delighted to see that we were provided with a slightly greater amount of character detail in the content. However, I still would have appreciated a bit more as I feel that the current level of character development is somewhat lacking and could have been further expanded upon.
-I appreciated that the author deliberately avoided providing exhaustive explanations in this book, as it leaves room for further exploration in the next instalment. However, I do hope that we will delve deeper into the origins and motivations behind these events in the future.
For each story that I read, I rate it out of 10 so for this am going to give it a 8.2. Remember this was what I thought about the book personally and I suggest that you give it a go for yourself.
October 24, 2007
First and foremost, this book won't make much sense if you haven't read the earlier one in the series. The premise of the story is interesting, if a bit ridiculous, but sometimes it feels like the author is trying just a little too hard to make it dark and dramatic. I give it 3 stars because of the well-written suspense - it was impossible to put this book down - but it has a disappointing ending, so that spoils it for me.
In addition, I hate it when an author strings the reader along for book after book without providing any answers. I don't mean to spoil anything here, but the premise is that a boy suddenly finds himself shrunk down to the size of an insect, and he meets others in that condition, and they struggle to survive. In this book the boy has been mysteriously returned to his former size and now seeks to rescue a girl he left behind. However, the author never explains how or why this has happened, which become increasingly frustrating. I'm sure more books will follow, but I'm not sure I'll be reading them.
In addition, I hate it when an author strings the reader along for book after book without providing any answers. I don't mean to spoil anything here, but the premise is that a boy suddenly finds himself shrunk down to the size of an insect, and he meets others in that condition, and they struggle to survive. In this book the boy has been mysteriously returned to his former size and now seeks to rescue a girl he left behind. However, the author never explains how or why this has happened, which become increasingly frustrating. I'm sure more books will follow, but I'm not sure I'll be reading them.
January 13, 2009
his is definitely a series where you need to read the first book.
We pick up just after Robert has returned to himself–an event which has changed his relationship with his sister, and his best friend.
Live in the cave is a strong memory to him, and he and Emma make regular trips to bring food and supplies to its occupants. While happy to be home, Robert can’t forget about those he left behind. Especially Lorn.
His obsession and change in personality lead Tom, who can’t understand this Robert, to confront him. Which in turn leads Robert to tell him the truth–and then drag him home to Emma for confirmation. Tom can’t get his mind around it regardless.
But when they suddenly think they may have stumbled upon the actual Lorn, reality takes and even stranger turn than what Tom considers Robert’s fantasy.
After a lot of planning and arguing, it’s Tom who comes out with more courage of his convictions and sees to it that Robert doesn’t back down on trying to return Lorn to herself.
We pick up just after Robert has returned to himself–an event which has changed his relationship with his sister, and his best friend.
Live in the cave is a strong memory to him, and he and Emma make regular trips to bring food and supplies to its occupants. While happy to be home, Robert can’t forget about those he left behind. Especially Lorn.
His obsession and change in personality lead Tom, who can’t understand this Robert, to confront him. Which in turn leads Robert to tell him the truth–and then drag him home to Emma for confirmation. Tom can’t get his mind around it regardless.
But when they suddenly think they may have stumbled upon the actual Lorn, reality takes and even stranger turn than what Tom considers Robert’s fantasy.
After a lot of planning and arguing, it’s Tom who comes out with more courage of his convictions and sees to it that Robert doesn’t back down on trying to return Lorn to herself.
May 31, 2009
This is a sequel to The Dark Ground, and it is most decidely not a stand-alone. The author gives just enough background information that a reader could barely understand the plot without having read the first book, and it wouldn't be very engrossing without prior familiarity with the characters. I'm mostly continuing this series in hopes of an eventual explanatory conclusion, which will have to a doozy to reconcile the explanation hinted at the end of the first book with the second.
September 17, 2010
Fast paced and exciting sequel! Robert is big again, and he's trying to help the little people in the cavern at the park. With the help of his (at first disbelieving) friend Tom and sister Emma, they formulate a plan to help the little people through the winter. Meanwhile, Lorn (the defacto leader, since Zak and Cam are still gone) is working on her own plan to expand the cavern. But above ground, Tom and Robert have discovered that the real "Lorn" is in danger, and set out to liberate her from her family and reunite big and little. Lorn is more mature than seems possible for her age and circumstances, but if you can suspend the big/little disbelief, you can accept her role in this story.
May 13, 2011
Spoilers!!!>......
I liked this one better than the first. There was so much more excitment and adventure. I was very upset with Lorn's situation. Child abuse is sick and I can't believe her father is so cruel. People are disgusting. I was glad they saved her, but they didn't reunite her. I was a little disappionted by that. I didn't really like Tom at first. He was stupid and navie about everything. This book still doesn't make sense because Cross never explains what is really going on. Cross doesn't tell why it's happening to these kids or who did it to them. I'm still lost and it better give all the details in the next book. Otherwise this series is completely pointless.
I liked this one better than the first. There was so much more excitment and adventure. I was very upset with Lorn's situation. Child abuse is sick and I can't believe her father is so cruel. People are disgusting. I was glad they saved her, but they didn't reunite her. I was a little disappionted by that. I didn't really like Tom at first. He was stupid and navie about everything. This book still doesn't make sense because Cross never explains what is really going on. Cross doesn't tell why it's happening to these kids or who did it to them. I'm still lost and it better give all the details in the next book. Otherwise this series is completely pointless.
May 29, 2015
The trilogy takes a whole new twist! Robert goes back to being big. Works with his sister Emma and eventually his best friend Tom to help the small ones. He believes the answer lies in Lorn, finding her big self and connecting them. What he finds is just crazy. Lorn was the only one who couldn't remember her previous life, all the other smalls could. We discover why her subconscious was blocking it out; it was too horrible to remember. She is better as a small. If her big and small reconnect, which will she become?
April 21, 2014
The second book of The Dark Ground trilogy was actually really good. I loved this because secrets are hidden and figured out when they find that Lorn , a girl who saved Roberts life in the dark ground, has a hidden secret of her past when she use to be big. The secret is so shocking I couldn't even believe. This shows how you can assume but never be 100% correct of somebody's life. Who knows maybe you cant even be positive of your own.
July 27, 2011
It's a good sequel.
January 25, 2013
really interesting.
Read
April 27, 2014I want to read this book :( I really love this book :( This story have suspense and mystery ^_^
Read
May 20, 2008JF Cro
October 8, 2011
It was bizarre and I'm still not really sure what happened in the end but I liked the characters.
Want to read
February 19, 2013i think its amazing
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews