Product Description

From the moment the eye opened, we have been captivated by the mysterious world of Lost. Each week the survivors face challenges and questions that are eerie as they are haunting real. For the first time, Unlocking the Mysteries of Lost takes an in-depth look at the island and its castaways, exploring the secrets behind their search for answers and meaning.

Going deep into the heart of Lost, this essential guide for the true fan explores such questions as:

o What does it mean to be lost? What does it take to be found?
o Does Mr. Eko or Locke hold the spiritual key to the island?
o How does one determine faith in the face of fate?
o Does technology save or doom the Lost generation?

Unlocking the Meaning of Lost also features the most extensive guide yet to the mysteries and secrets, such as:

o Secrets found in The Stand and other texts
o Clues hidden in Lost websites
o Extensive glossary of characters and symbols
o Complete character sketches and connections
o Mysteriously similar names
o The most credible theories
o How the creators connect with fans online

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #412986 in Books
• Published on: 2006-04-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

From Publishers Weekly
ABC's hit show, Lost, goes under the knife as Porter, a humanities professor, and Lavery, who has written studies about other shows including Twin Peaks, investigate the show's mysteries and provide valuable explanations of the show's plotlines and characters, along with speculation as to how they may be interlinked. The authors analyze the show's predecessors-Gilligan's Island, Jurassic Park and the Stephen King novella, The Langoliers-and posit "Lost's ongoing narrative drive is modeled, in what may be a television first, on the storyworld of video games." Loftier questions dealing with philosophical and spiritual concerns (Is technology good or bad? How do people define who they are? Does man have free will, or is he controlled by destiny?) are posed and left to the reader to ponder. The writers are remarkably conversant with the show and the subculture it's spawned, and though this makes for an insightful and satisfying read, the narrative can get bogged down in debating contradictory or insignificant details. With easy-reading plot summaries, intriguing predictions and swift overviews of the show's philosophical underpinnings, the book is sure to be a hit with fans.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
In just a little under two seasons, the ABC drama Lost has already garnered a devoted and fervent fan base and helped turn things around for a struggling network. Porter and Lavery venture inside the phenomenon, examining the different aspects of the show that have garnered it such a loyal audience. From a title that carries meaning on many different levels to the religious symbolism in the show to characters that defy the stereotypes they first appear to fit so neatly into, Porter and Lavery show just how inventive Lost is. They also delve into how the show's creators and writers created buzz for the show, building excitement through hype before the show even began. They've retained that fan base by going far beyond the hour of new drama each week--official Web sites tease and illuminate the show's mysteries, and the writers and cast even take time to visit fan sites to gauge audience reaction and theories about the show. An all-encompassing guide for those who want to dig deeper into this complex, compelling show. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

From the Back Cover
Uncover the secrets behind the phenomenon
From the moment the eye opened, we have been captivated by the mysterious world of Lost. For the first time, Unlocking the Meaning of Lost takes an in-depth look at the secrets behind the island and its castaways.

Going deep into the heart of Lost, this essential guide for true fans explores such questions as:

What does it mean to be lost? What does it take to
be found?
Does Mr. Eko or Locke hold the spiritual key to the
island?
How does one determine faith in the face of fate?
Does technology save or doom the Lost
generation?

The most extensive guide yet to the series, Unlocking the Meaning of Lost is the essential fan resource...and completely unauthorized.

Unlock the Mysteries
7 Secrets found in The Stand and other texts
7 Clues hidden in Lost websites
7 Extensive glossary of characters and symbols
7 Complete character sketches and connections
7 Mysteriously similar names
7 The most credible theories
7 How the creators connect with fans online

Customer Reviews

Good information but boring (nothing new)
I had some great hopes for this book to help me through the long wait for season 3 to come onto DVD, while I ultimately wait for season 4 to start. I found allot of this to be a synopsis of the obvious. I was hoping for some intelligent theory on what is actually going on, on the island.

In fact, I found quite a bit of the pontificating about various metaphors to be weak at best and just off track at its worst. Meaning I disagreed with allot of what speculation they did offer. If you frequent any LOST message boards, you will find this to be remedial and light to boring reading.

If you are just getting into LOST... this would be a good place to go to get up to date before you hit any intense discussion websites etc...

Who was this written for?
I read this book during the break in seasons 2 and 3. Besides the thorough section devoted to the producer's influences--the parallels to "The Stand" and "The X-Files" are interesting--it was a waste of time. It left me wondering what audience they were targeting with this book--huge Lost fans who are involved in the intertextuality of the show know all of this already, and casual fans won't be bothered by buying books. I also noticed that there is no speculation whatsoever in the book, and that it sticks to the basic facts that we all know already. Plus, it was written before the last episodes of season 2, which are critical to "unlocking" any meaning behind the show.

Don't buy it.

not helpful
What a horrible horrible book. This is not for Lost fans. This is for someone who's never seen Lost. It does not unlock or analyze anything. It pretty much reviews what has already happened. What a waste of money and time.