The Moon Pool
Author: Abraham Merritt
Year: 1919
Keywords: Science fiction, Oceania, Geographical myths, Botanists
Source: Project Gutenberg
On the island of Ponape, the light of a full moon washes over the ruins of an
ancient civilization. Unleashed from the depths is the Dweller, a monstrous
terror that stalks the South Pacific, claiming all in its path. An expedition
led by Walter Goodwin races to save those who have fallen victim.
The Moon Pool is a fantasy novel by Abraham Merritt (1884–1943). It
originally appeared as two short stories in All-Story Weekly: "The Moon Pool"
(1918) and its sequel, "Conquest of the Moon Pool" (1919). These were then
reworked into a novel released in 1919. The protagonist, Dr. Goodwin, would
later appear in Merritt's second novel The Metal Monster (1920).
Although Merritt did not invent the "lost world" novel — he followed in the
footsteps of Conan Doyle, Burroughs, and others — this work extended the
tradition.
The plot concerns an advanced race which has developed within the Earth's
core. Eventually their most intelligent members create an offspring. This
created entity encompasses both great good and great evil, but it slowly turns
away from its creators and towards evil. The entity is called either the
Dweller or the Shining One.
(Wikipedia)