Rating: 
Summary: A "moderate" book
Review: True to the Shangri-La concept, the book - like the High Lama,Chang et al - has a moderate plot, is moderately paced & reading time is moderately short. Aside from the mysterious start (which caught my attention) & the famous ending (as shown in the film), there was nothing much in between except Conway's thoughts & justification of his indifference & patience - which perfectly fits with the Shangri-La lifestyle.
Rating:
Summary: Engaging Start Yet Losing Interest...
Review: Since Heinrich Harrer's "Seven Years in Tibet" (based on author's true story) and "Return to Tibet", I had caught myself in a reading spree on everything related to Tibet, whether fiction or non-fiction. Tehn I came across James Hilton's "Lost Horizon". I had to admit that the book caught my attention with an engaging plot that four people brought against their will to mysterious Shangri-La, set in the hidden mountains of the Blue Moon, a place where nobody ages. The mysterious and suspending plot is what makes this Hawthornden Prize-winning novel catchy and was made into motion pictures several times. Despite the splendidly written text, the storyline itself was not developed very extensively. Most of the text describes the story of Hugh Conway, who was trapped by the fascination of eternal life. The sudden and abrupt ending of the novel was somehow disappointing to me.
Rating: 
Summary: A True Classic
Review: This is a book that tells a deceptively simple story which underneath the narrative, examines the will of man, his ambition and raises the question of whether individualism (which our world holds so dear) is better than the collective mind. (Shangri La) While exploring the fascinating world of Shangri La through the eyes of the 4 kidnapped characters we are drawn to this world of beauty and peace. Is living forever on the earth, boring and unfulfilling as some would have us believe, or does it grant us a beginning to unlock the secrets of life, its meaning, and why we are here? While Christendom preaches heaven, this gem of a book examines the bibles teaching of the possibility of living forever on the earth under Paradisaic conditions and what that would mean for mankind. It also illustrates the ill effect of Nationalism, War and Greed upon our society and where these values are taking the majority of mankind. In a fascinating tale, this brilliant work of fiction allows us to think outside the box and explore another world, a world far better than our own.
Rating: 
Summary: Not what I expected...
Review: "Lost Horizon" is definitely not the best book I have ever read. It starts out with four men talking about different things when they come to the conclusion that they all know Hugh Conway, who was kidnapped along with three others. Their plane crashes in the mountains, and they are rescued and taken to a place called Shangri-La. Here they experience a lot of peace because Shangri-La is away from the ongoing war. Many things happen, and Conway along with one of the others decides to leave. This is the way the book ends, except for the Epilouge where Rutherford again talks about Conway and tries to figure out where he is. This book is definitely for those who like weird things. It was not the best book for my tastes.
Rating: 
Summary: False Myth
Review: The myth of Shangri-La, as created by James Hilton in his classic book "Lost Horizon", is an example of one simplistic myth. Hilton's Shangri-La is a utopia that is idyllic: peaceful, serene and the people - subservient. The irony of Hilton's Shangri-La is that it is not only a simplistic but also a false representation of Tibet. Although Hilton does not say it directly, all the symbols point to a literary construction of a mountain city/country run by a high priest - a french one at that. The myth of Shangri-La does not reflect the authentic narrative of Tibet. I praise Hilton for his literary style and his imaginative spirit. I highly recommend this book but keep in mind that it is part and parcel of a dangerous and overly simplistic mechanism of what Edward Said coined as "Orientalism". Read it for all it is worth then pick up "In Exile from the Lands of Snows" by John F. Avedon and judge for yourself.
Rating:
Summary: LOST HORIZON
Review: Lost Horizon is a wonderful novel with a well written plot. The story starts when a plane of four passengers gets highjacked. Which takes them in a journey to a wonderful mysterious and mystical place, located in the himalayas Shangri La a monastery has many secrets to be uncovered by the main charecter Hugh Conway who at the beginning struggles to understand some of the secrets kept hidden by Shangri La. Some would compare this magical place to a paradise, but man once had paradise and lost it what will man choose to do this time...well i guess you'll just have to read it.
Rating:
Summary: Which would you choose?
Review: Hilton's story of the struggle between the real world and utopia is sure give you a pleasing read. The story opens as four Westerners flee from Baskul to avoid a oncoming war. Soon they find themselves highjacked and deposited by the valley of the blue moon also known as Shangri la. The story line then follows the lead character (Conway) and the supporting characters as they struggle to understand the valley, their place in the world and ultimately they must decide to either stay in the valley or return the outside world. Obviously written for the pre-WWII generation Hilton brings to the front the philosophical ideas of peace and warnings of "man's upcoming struggle that will eventually destroy civilization". The story line is dated and one can, at times, question it's political correctness but it's a good, quick read for anyone interested in religion and spiritual matters. I saw the movie years ago and liked it. After reading the book I would have to say that I like the book more.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderfully captivating story!
Review: "Lost Horizon" is one of the best books I've read in a long time. It is a mysterious and spiritual tale that will keep you reading until the end. However, I was disappointed that in the prologue, the basic ending was revealed. This removed some of the suspense from the overall story. But there are certain surprises at the ending itself, which ended abruptly and left me wondering for a long while after. Overall, this was a very good story well worth the read and I recommend it to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: A thought provoking charmer
Review: Who wouldn't be charmed by a tale of life in a stress free utopia where life is long and there is time to pursue the better things in life? However, in the lamastary of Shangri-la, issues arise as newcomers must determine whether to trust those who promise such a life and whether giving up what we have in the outside world is a fair tradeoff for the blissfull life at Shangri-la. On one level, "Lost Horizon" is escapist fantasy. On another level, it is highly thought provoking.
Rating:
Summary: a fun quick read
Review: This was a great summer read. It goes quick, i keeps your attention, and its just good fun. The suspense definitely boils as the plot unfolds which truely makes it hard to lay this one down. Although a bit dated, i found it to be very well constructed. A good story, interesting characters, and alot of mystery. Simply put, one of the better classic adventure tales i have had the pleasure of reading. Highly recommended if your not looking to for something to deep.
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