Lost Civilizations

Congratulations! You have in hand a work that contains the only novel by Richard S. Shaver that was never released to the public in any popular, mass market, publication. Mandark was serialized in Chester S. Geir's The Shaver Mystery Magazine and published in complete form in Raymond A. Palmer's THE HIDDEN WORLD, both of which were small press, limited circulation journals available only to die-hard fans of The Shaver Mystery.

All of the material in this 5th issue of THE HIDDEN WORLD is being published for the first time anywhere. More than twelve years ago Richard S. Shaver began the writing of a book which he called "The Elder World" in which he intended to tell the whole Shaver Mystery with all the fiction removed, and with all his own research and thinking on it in evidence of its authenticity.

I have been reading stories by Richard Shaver for many a blue, hollow earth moon. In fact, at the age of 14 I was already a fan of Shaver's. Otherwise, why would I have written my first book on the subject of Shaver and his demented dero? Gray Barker published my initial humble work. The Shaver Mystery and the Inner Earth is still in print as Subterranean Worlds Inside Earth.

The Shaver Mystery is much more than just a fantastic look at a cavern world that Richard Shaver long contended exists beneath us surface dwellers . We are, Shaver always said, talking about more than just the Dero and the Tero and long lost civilizations. Remembering Lemuria is just the tip of the iceberg.

Lewis Spence is one of the 'greats' from the golden era of enlightenment. His mystical and historical insights are rarely matched by any authors and researchers today. Spence had a love for lost civilizations - Atlantis one of his favorites.

There is little to charm the imagination in the first ages of Chivalry. No plumed steeds, no warrior bearing on his crested helm the favour of his lady bright, graced those early times. All was rudeness and gloom. But the subject is not altogether without interest, as it must ever be curious to mark the causes and the first appearances in conduct of any widely spread system of opinions.

The following Account of the Five Indian Nations will shew what dangerous Neighbours the Indians have once been; what Pains a neighbouring Colony (whose Interest is opposite to ours) has taken to withdraw their Affections from us; and how much we ought to be on our Guard. If we only consider the Riches which our Enemies receive from the Indian Trade (though we were under no Apprehensions from the Indians themselves) it would be highly imprudent in us to suffer such People to grow Rich and Powerful, while it is in our Power to prevent it, with much less Charge and Trouble, than it is in theirs to accomplish their Designs.