In 1945, the end of the second world war was approaching, atom bombs were on the way, and science fiction felt more like speculative prophecies than adventure stories. In the pages of pulp magazine, claims that ancient civilizations lived beneath the surface of the earth, armed with forgotten technologies, and mutated into something monstrous and cruel. To some, it was pulp fantasy. To others, a terrifying revelation. Blurring the line between imagination and belief, the Shaver Mystery presented a surreal reality that was anything but ordinary.

SOURCES

Toronto, Richard (2013) War Over Lemuria: Richard Shaver, Ray Palmer & The Strangest Chapter of 1940’s Science Fiction. McFarland & Co. NC, USA.

Palmer, Ray (1945) The Observatory. Amazing Stories, Vol 18, No.3, May 1944. USA

Shaver, Richard (1945) I Remember Lemuria. Amazing Stories, Vol 19, No.1, March 1945. USA

Palmer, Ray (1945) Mantong, The Language of Lemuria. Amazing Stories, Vol 19, No.1, March 1945. USA

Shaver, Richard (1945) Open Letter to the World. Amazing Stories, Vol 19, No.2, June 1945. USA

Shaver, Richard (1945) Thought Records of Lemuria. Amazing Stories, Vol 19, No.2, June 1945. USA

Shaver, Richard (1945) Cave City of Hel. Amazing Stories, Vol 19, No.3, September 1945. USA

Palmer, Ray (1945) Report From the Forgotten Past? Amazing Stories, Vol 19, No.3, September 1945. USA

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Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017

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