CP Literary Classics Library

Whenever you see this banner on the cover of one of our titles, it’s part of our Lost Treasures Collection. Members of the collection must be obscure and forgotten by the public and have been written by an author who is equally obscure and fallen out of the public eye.

Rediscover a Lost Treasure and give some of these classics a second chance at life in the 21st century.

THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU

When Biologist Edward Prendick boarded the Lady Vain out of Callao, he never expected to find himself adrift and without hope in the Pacific Ocean.  Much less to be rescued by the most unsavoury lot of sailors and a disenchanted drunk with a past.  

After being taken to a mysterious island research station, Prendick comes face to face with the eccentric and enigmatic Dr. Moreau.  Slowly, Prendick peels back the layers of the island and discovers the truth of the doctor’s horrifying research.  Will he escape to tell the world of the atrocities of Dr. Moreau?  Or will the horrors of the island consume him?

This timeless classic by H.G. Wells raises important questions about the nature of humanity, the limits of science, and the dangers of playing God.  

A TRUE STORY

To answer the question burning in your mind… yes.  The image on the cover is absolutely a dog-faced warrior riding into battle on a winged acorn.  Yes, this is an actual scene in the book.  No, this is not the strangest thing you will read today. 

“A True Story” or “Lucians True History,” first published 1800 years ago, is arguably the first science fiction story ever written.  This novella follows Lucian as he goes to the moon, fights aliens on the sun, gets swallowed by a 200-mile-long whale, and has other adventures.  It deals with alien races, cultures, strange technology, and other genre tropes.  “A True Story” was sci-fi before sci-fi was sci-fi.  And every bit of it is as odd as it sounds.

This is going to get weird. 

THE BLUE LAGOON

(Blue Lagoon Trilogy – Book One)

Dick and Emmeline are but children when their ship sinks and maroons them both on a small tropical island in the South Pacific.  Miraculously, with the help of the ship’s galley cook, the pair learn to survive on the island and even thrive on its limitless bounty.  But when the children lose their guardian, they are forced to brave the jungle and grow on their own.

As the children mature into adulthood, new feelings begin to stir within them.  What are these emotions?  What is this force that draws them together?  They explore themselves as they explore the island and grow together in a natural marriage, according to nature, that was blameless and without sin. 

Meanwhile, back in San Francisco, the children’s parents learn that Dick and Emmeline may yet be alive, having survived their ordeal on the wrecked ship.  Will they find their children?  Or are they lost forever in the vast South Pacific Sea? 

THE GARDEN OF GOD

(Blue Lagoon Trilogy – Book Two)

Arthur Lestrange is psychologically shattered after discovering the fate of the children, Dick and Emmeline.  Captain Stainstreet of the Raratoga takes Dick under his care, fearing for his father’s sanity.  Matters aren’t helped when Lestrange claims to have a vision of the children telling him to visit the island where they will see him again. 

Arriving on the island, Arthur and the crew of the Raratoga discover the remains of Dick and Emmeline’s life there.  Arthur, with the child and the rascally sailor Jim Kearney, stays on the island so that Arthur may reconnect with the last days of the lost children. 

But, after several years, their lives on the island are disrupted by the arrival of a brainwashed native island girl named Katafa, who refuses to be touched.  Will Katafa ever trust Dick?  What will Uta Matu, the king of Katafa’s people, do when he discovers foreigners intruding on the island? 

THE GATE OF MORNING

(Blue Lagoon Trilogy – Book Three)

Dick Lestrange, son of Dick and Emmeline Lestrange, is the newly crowned king of the Kanaka people, though there are no palaces in his future.  He has become the inheritor of a broken island kingdom.  Their people are weak and defenseless, their fighting men and war canoes being utterly destroyed in the previous assault on Palm Island.  Dick and Katafa, his new queen, must rally the people before they are beset by forces from beyond the sea. 

Complicating their efforts is the arrival of Le Moan, the granddaughter of a rival faction leader on the island.  Will she aid his efforts?  Or will her affections toward him come between Dick and his queen?  Only time will tell whether her feelings lead the island and its beleaguered population to prosperity or utter destruction.

GREEN MANSIONS

After a failed revolution, Abel flees the city of Caracas and flees into the unexplored jungles of Guayanna.  Battling fever and hunger, he finally settles in an old native village where he is welcomed and given shelter.  But he is sternly warned not to enter the forest lest he encounter a demon they have come to fear, “The Daughter of the Didi.”

Intrigued, Abel explores the jungle and is drawn deeper into the forest by a strange, bird-like singing.  He enters an enchanting section of wood where he meets the enigmatic Rima.  The girl is a mystery; dark-haired, clothed in cobwebs, and conversing with the birds in a strange, melodic language.  She lives with her “grandfather,” Nuflo, who is every bit as mysterious as Rima; especially with her past, which he keeps a closely guarded secret. 

Who is this curious and enthralling woman with no past who converses with birds as old friends?  Why does Nuflo guard her history so closely, even from her?  Can Abel convince the natives to welcome this strange forest demon they have come to fear?  Or is their story to be cut short by hate and blood?

LILITH

Mr. Vane is a haunted man.  In the solitude of his library, apparitions of a raven flit at the corners of his vision.  He might have thought he was going mad until the day the raven introduced itself. 

Mr. Raven, as he was aptly so named, was a resident of “The Region of the Seven Dimensions;” and a friend of Mr. Vanes’ departed father.  Upon Mr. Raven’s invitation, Vane follows Raven to this parallel realm on a quest for his father. 

Upon his quest, he crosses paths with Lilith; the demon queen of the realm of Bulika and the former wife of Adam.  Will Vane conquer Bulika and its demon queen to be reunited with his family?  Or will he succumb to her beauty and charm and sit at the foot of her throne forever? 

LOVED YOU BETTER THAN YOU KNEW

(Ratings Unavailable)

Cinthia Dawn was barely visible in the room.  The drab of her course, grey dress blended her seamlessly with the morose blanket of rain falling in sheets outside her window.  Was this to be the sum of her existence?  Was she ever to be shackled to this provincial life as adventure and culture passed her by?  Escapade and libidinous adventure beckoned to her.  She hears them even now, especially in the drops pattering on her window.  Would she ever break free of this monotony?

Not if her aunt and guardian, the Widow Flint, had much to do about it.  It had been many years since her father wandered and left Cinthia in her aunt’s care.  The withered, scabbed old woman hadn’t driven the intrepid spirit from her niece, but not for lack of trying.  Now, in her seventeenth year, Cinthia’s thirst for the bold and daring was greater and more unquenchable than ever.  And, unknown to her, she was about to get her wish.

Soon, Cinthia finds herself embroiled in adventure, dark secrets and a tragedy that would shape her life forever.

MERCIA: THE ASTRONOMER ROYAL

(Ratings Unavailable)

Initially published in 1895, Mercia, The Astronomer Royal follows young astronomer Mercia as she navigates the harsh political landscape in the far future of 2002. 

After rebuffing the advances of the lascivious Emperor Felicitas, Mercia finds herself accused of attempted murder and on the run from the Empire.  Will she fall prey and succumb to the jealous, lustful pursuit of the Emperor?  Or will she stand and defiantly bring an empire to its knees? 

Mercia, The Astronomer Royal is an interesting read for more than its compelling story.  Written in 1895 and set in their future, it also presents a fascinating look into where people of the time thought society would be by now.  It’s as much a work of astute social commentary as a study of failed progressive prophecy.  While some predictions have become laughably absurd, such as the notion that we’ve eradicated war and conflict, other aspects have proven remarkably spot on.

THE ROMANCE OF THE FOREST

The De la Motte family fled Paris to escape their cold-blooded creditors.  They never expected to become the guardians for the young Adeline, an orphan with a mysterious past and a trinket she claimed was from her late mother. 

Pursued by the lascivious Marquis, the family takes shelter in an abandoned abbey deep in the dark forest.  Can they withstand the advances of the wicked Marquis and escape their past?  And what of their new ward, the young Adeline?  Dark secrets will reveal themselves as the truth of her past and theirs intertwine.

“The Romance of the Forest” is a must-read for anyone interested in Gothic fiction.  First published in 1791, “The Romance of the Forest” is largely considered to be the genesis of modern Gothic fiction. 

In addition to its captivating story, this book is interspersed with many quotes and pieces of beautiful poetry from literary masters such as Shakespeare, Horace Walpole, Wharton, Beattie, and others. 

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

A Christmas Carol is a Christmas classic that has captured the hearts of generations with its heartwarming tale of redemption and compassion.

The story follows Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly old man who hates Christmas and everything it stands for. But on one fateful Christmas Eve, he is paid a visit by the ghost of his former friend and partner, Jacob Marley, who warns him of the consequences of his callous ways.

Scrooge is visited by three more ghosts who show him the errors of his past, the joys of the present, and the bleakness of his future. As he witnesses the impact of his actions on those around him, Scrooge is transformed into as kind and generous a man who has ever been

A Christmas Carol is a timeless reminder of the power of love, forgiveness, and compassion. With its vivid characters and poignant storytelling, this classic tale has become a beloved holiday tradition for readers of all ages.