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Finding Lost: The Unofficial Guide by Nikki Stafford
01/03/2007 . Source: Sue Davies 
pub: ECW Press. 383 page illustrated softcover. Price: $17.95 (US), $19.95 (CAN). ISBN: 978-1-55022-743-7. Buy Finding Lost: The Unofficial Guide in the USA - or Buy Finding Lost: The Unofficial Guide in the UK  check out website: www.ecwpress.com www.ecwpress.com
You either get 'Lost' or you don't. No half measure or maybes. You just walk away if it doesn't suit. When I first heard about it, I was imagining a tale based on 'Survivor' where you get lots of mini-soap opera stories and emotional highs and lows. Instead we are given a quirky drama with a slightly SF edge with so much depth you could fall into it and never emerge.
'Lost' is available in two versions. I am a Lost-lite. I like the drama and emotional side. I spend very little time wondering where it is going to go.
Then there is the Lost-heavy. This is where it could take over your life. There are discussion groups, websites, blogs, conventions and a whole lot more.
This book is for us cheats who like everyone else to do the hard bit and think about it and boy, has this author thought about it. Way too much.
All is made clear in this book though let me stress none of it is made clear by the people in charge: the writers and producers. They have a little gold mine and will want it to continue to yield treasures as long as possible. What this book does is explore episode by episode the continuing and occasionally bizarre story that has unfolded over the two seasons.
My first impression is how well read the writers are. There are so many allusions to lots of different topics, literature and philosophy coming out strongly. Who says television is dumbing down?
The evolving series has to make decisions that affect characters lives and deaths They have outside influences such as studio and sometimes fan pressure. It is hard to keep a show going when everybody else thinks they know better than you where it should be going. So they have mistakes and non-starting arcs and in this age of the DVD and the freeze-frame, everything is catalogued and will be used against them.
This book covers each episode in a methodical way. It keeps it spoiler free on an individual episode ,so any speculation does not use information available in later episodes. It covers the mythology and the allusions are dissected including any references to books. The author includes a précis of the plot of relevant books, so don't read that if you intend to pick up the actual book.
All in all, this is an extremely agreeable read and a great lead-up to watching Season Three and wondering where it will all end.
Sue Davies
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