Science Fiction Aubrey, Frank: The Devil-tree of El Dorado. v1. 07 Feb 2022

[GrannyGrump]

One of a loosely-linked trio of books about a “lost civilization” in South America, featuring the mysterious giant Monella. These are: the prequel, A Queen of Atlantis (1898); The Devil-tree of El Dorado (1896); and King of the Dead (1903).

A trio of adventurers explore the then-exotic and forbidding plateau of Roraima, to find the lost city of Manoa (El Dorado).

“Mt. Roraima [in South America] is believed to have inspired the setting for Arthur Conan Doyle’s 1912 classic The Lost World, where prehistoric creatures survived on a plateau. It certainly fits the bill. Defended by seemingly impenetrable 400-metre-high cliffs, the flat summit of Mt Roraima is home to many species found nowhere else on Earth. These endemic plants and animals have developed to be truly out of this world.”
(— from the Lonely Planet book The World’s Great Wonders, 2014).

Frank Aubrey beat Doyle to the punch by 15 years. This “lost world” novel is somewhat reminiscent of the style of Edgar Rice Burroughs (Pellucidar, etc.) or Robert E. Howard (Conan, etc.)

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Francis Henry “Frank” Atkins (6 Jul 1847 – 21 Oct 1927) was a British writer of “pulp fiction”, in particular, science fiction aimed at younger readers. He wrote under the pseudonyms Frank Aubrey, Fenton Ash, and Fred Ashley. In his chosen market, he was extremely successful and influential. Although contributing little to the sophistication of SF, he played an important role in its history.

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The Devil-tree of El Dorado, by Frank Atkins/Aubrey (1847–1927), was first published in 1896. This ebook is in the public domain where copyright is “Life+90” or less, and in the USA.
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