David Harris (5) (1942–)

Fantastic book for boys based on the memoirs of Hiram Bingham entitled Lost City of the Incas. David Harris has taken the best bits and turned it into a real page-turner, hiding the fact that it is the discovery of Macchu Picchu until the last few pages – brilliant! There is some cannibalism in it which some may find hard to “stomach” but it is all handled very well. Highly recommended for the way it is written, and the fact that it is based on true events! (Can’t wait for the rest show more of the series!) show less

Not as good as the last one unfortunately as the books seemed to jump around between preaching tolerance of Muslims and presumations that the reader knows the historiacal backgound information to the story. A "Lawrence of Arabia" type explorer Austen Layard searches for the ancient city of Nineveh while battling warring tribes, the desert, WW1 and other problems. It's ok but the first one was infinitely superior. Disappointing.

A hazardous series of journeys in the Peruvian jungles and mountains finally results in historian and adventurer Hiram Bingham finding the ancient ruins he was searching for. It is very much in the manner of the old-style boys adventure stories with faithful guides, wily cannibals, man-eating big cats, rope bridges over flooded and raging rivers, landslides and fabulous tales of ancient cities in the jungle.
Hiram Bingham is a real historical figure so the story in this book is a combination show more of fact and fiction, or fictionalised fact.
This is novel is for those that love the Indiana Jones style of story and others who love the combination of treasure and danger of “old-time” archaeology. show less