''Lost Worlds'' is a collection of

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures. The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...

short stories edited by American writer

Lin Carter Linwood Vrooman Carter (June 9, 1930 – February 7, 1988) was an American author of science fiction and fantasy, as well as an editor, poet and critic. He usually wrote as Lin Carter; known pseudonyms include H. P. Lowcraft (for an H. P. Lov ...

. It was first published in paperback by

DAW Books DAW Books is an American science fiction and fantasy publisher, founded by Donald A. Wollheim, with his wife, Elsie B. Wollheim, following his departure from Ace Books in 1971. The company claims to be "the first publishing company ever devoted ...

in 1980. It was reissued in hardcover and paperback by

Wildside Press Wildside Press is an independent publishing company in Cabin John, Maryland. It was founded in 1989 by John Betancourt and Kim Betancourt. While the press was originally conceived as a publisher of speculative fiction in both trade and limite ...

in May 2008, and in ebook by Gateway/Orion in May 2020.

Summary

The book collects eight stories by Carter, including three started by other writers and completed by Carter. It uses the subject of such "lost worlds" as

Atlantis Atlantis () is a fictional island mentioned in Plato's works '' Timaeus'' and ''Critias'' as part of an allegory on the hubris of nations. In the story, Atlantis is described as a naval empire that ruled all Western parts of the known world ...

, Mu,

Valusia ''Valusia'' is the fourth EP by American singer-songwriter Zola Jesus. It was released on October 15, 2010 on Sacred Bones Records Sacred Bones Records is an American independent record label founded in 2007 and based in Brooklyn, New York. ...

, and other "sunken continents beyond memory," together with an introduction and afterword by the author.

*Hyperborea **"The Scroll of Morloc" (by

Clark Ashton Smith Clark Ashton Smith (January 13, 1893 – August 14, 1961) was an influential American writer of fantasy, horror, and science fiction stories and poetry, and an artist. He achieved early recognition in California (largely through the enthusiasm ...

, completed by Carter) (from ''

Fantastic Fantastic or Fantastik may refer to: Music * ''Fantastic'' (Toy-Box album) * ''Fantastic'' (Wham! album) * '' Fan-Tas-Tic (Vol. 1)'', an album by Slum Village * '' Fantastic, Vol. 2'', an album by Slum Village * ''Fantastic'' (EP), an EP by ...

'' v. 24, no. 6, Oct. 1975) **"The Stairs in the Crypt" (by

, completed by Carter) (from ''

'', v. 25, no. 4, Aug. 1976) *Mu **"The Thing in the Pit" *Lemuria **"Thieves of Zangabal" (from '' The Mighty Barbarians'', 1969) **"Keeper of the Emerald Flame" (from ''

The Mighty Swordsmen ''The Mighty Swordsmen'' is a 1970 anthology of fantasy short stories in the sword and sorcery subgenre, edited by Hans Stefan Santesson. It was first published in paperback by Lancer Books in December 1970, and was a follow-up to the earlier Lanc ...

'', 1970) *Valusia **"Riders Beyond the Sunrise" (by

Robert E. Howard Robert Ervin Howard (January 22, 1906 – June 11, 1936) was an American writer who wrote pulp magazine, pulp fiction in a diverse range of genres. He created the character Conan the Barbarian and is regarded as the father of the sword and sor ...

, completed by Carter) (from ''

King Kull Kull of Atlantis or Kull the Conqueror is a fictional character created by writer Robert E. Howard. The character was more introspective than Howard's subsequent creation, Conan the Barbarian, whose first appearance was in a re-write of a reject ...

'', Sep. 1967) *Antillia **"The Twelve Wizards of Ong" (from ''

Kingdoms of Sorcery ''Kingdoms of Sorcery: An Anthology of Adult Fantasy'' is an anthology of fantasy stories, edited by American writer Lin Carter. It was first published in hardcover by Doubleday in January 1976 as the first of two such anthologies continuing a s ...

'', Jan. 1976) *Atlantis **"The Seal of Zaon Sathla" (from ''

The Magic of Atlantis ''The Magic of Atlantis'' is an anthology of fantasy short stories, edited by Lin Carter. It was first published in paperback by Lancer Books in November 1970. Summary The book collects seven fantasy tales by various authors set on the fictional ...

'', Nov. 1970)

Reception

The book was reviewed by Mark Willard in ''Science Fiction Review'', Spring 1983.

Notes

{{Lin Carter (books) 1980 short story collections Fantasy short story collections Short story collections by Lin Carter DAW Books books American short story collections

Summary

Contents

Reception

Notes