Professor Challenger books in order

Q: "How many books are in the Professor Challenger series?"

"There are six books in the Professor Challenger series, published between 1912 and 1929."

Q: "What is the first book in the Professor Challenger series?"

"The first book in the Professor Challenger series is Isčezli svet, published in 1912."

Q: "Is Professor Challenger based on a real person?"

"Doyle based Challenger partly on Professor William Rutherford, a boisterous physiology lecturer he studied under at Edinburgh. The character's physical appearance, including his thick beard and barrel chest, was modeled on Rutherford, while his combative personality was exaggerated for comic effect. Doyle himself posed in costume as Challenger for a publicity photograph."

Reading order

#	Title	Published	Author	Buy on Amazon
1	Isčezli svet	1912	Arthur Conan Doyle	N/A
2	The Lost World	1912	Arthur Conan Doyle	Buy
3	The Poison Belt	1913	Arthur Conan Doyle	Buy
4	The Land of Mist	1926	Arthur Conan Doyle	Buy
5	When the World Screamed	1928	Arthur Conan Doyle	Buy
6	The Disintegration Machine	1929	Arthur Conan Doyle	Buy

Professor Challenger first appeared in The Lost World (1912), in which a newspaper reporter joins an expedition to a remote South American plateau where prehistoric creatures have survived. The novel was a huge success and has been adapted for film and television many times. Challenger himself is one of Doyle’s most memorable characters: a genius zoologist with a violent temper who physically attacks anyone who questions his findings.

The series continued with The Poison Belt (1913), in which the Earth passes through a toxic region of space, and The Land of Mist (1926), which reflects Doyle’s growing interest in spiritualism. Two shorter works, When the World Screamed and The Disintegration Machine, appeared near the end of Doyle’s life. The early Challenger stories are among the most important early works of science fiction, and The Lost World in particular helped establish the “lost world” genre that would later influence writers like Michael Crichton. This listing includes an international edition of The Lost World.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Professor Challenger series?

There are six books in the Professor Challenger series, published between 1912 and 1929.

What is the first book in the Professor Challenger series?

The first book in the Professor Challenger series is Isčezli svet, published in 1912.

Is Professor Challenger based on a real person?

Doyle based Challenger partly on Professor William Rutherford, a boisterous physiology lecturer he studied under at Edinburgh. The character’s physical appearance, including his thick beard and barrel chest, was modeled on Rutherford, while his combative personality was exaggerated for comic effect. Doyle himself posed in costume as Challenger for a publicity photograph.

Reading order#

Frequently Asked Questions

Reading order