Finding Lost

The second instalment in the critically acclaimed, bestselling Finding Lost series "Stafford brings the symbolism, themes, and mythology to the forefront, so that casual viewers and devoted fans have a better understanding of what is happening in each episode." - About.com The castaways on Lost spent two seasons trying to find rescue, dealing with the traumas of their past, and being baffled by the presence of polar bears on their deserted island. In season 3, they are focused on a bigger problem: the Others. With the mysteries of the island deepening and the puzzle becoming more convoluted, this book will help you put those pieces together to figure out where the series is going. The only Lost guide available that analyzes the show episode by episode, Finding Lost series includes: • an in-depth look at every episode, with highlights, music, and nitpicks outlined at the end of each one • chapters on the influential television series The Prisoner, Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time (a favorite book of the Others), Eko's Jesus stick, the real David Hume, and the online game The Lost Experience • sidebars chronicling fun trivia such as why Canadian references imply the presence of evil; what Kate's aliases really mean; comparisons of the Others' wicked deeds to those of the Losties; and many more • bios of the new actors on the show • analyses of the show's literary references, including A Tale of Two Cities, Of Mice and Men, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and Through the Looking Glass • photos of the filming locations in Hawaii Full of exclusive photos and enough background to put you leagues ahead of other viewers, this book will finally help you "find" Lost. Following the undisputed success of its predecessor, this all-new third season guide delves deeper into island mysteries with new information, bios and exclusive on-set photos.

Lost, the Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning hit television show, has become renowned for its complexity week after week, enticing both cult and mainstream fans to figure out the keys to some of the mysteries. There are several Lost books on the market, but Stafford's Finding Lost series is recognized by fans as the only book to cover each episode in-depth, as well as provide chapters on books referenced on the show, historical figures, religious iconography, and other background materials that put her readers far ahead of other viewers. Now, in Finding Lost - Season Four: The Unofficial Guide, Stafford continues to delve into the mysteries of this show. Season 1 was about trying to get rescued; season 2 was about adapting to the island; season 3 about the tension between the Lostaways and the Others. Season 4 is the turning point in the series, pointing fans to the future through flashforwards, rather than to the past. The Season Four guide will contain analyses on the Oceanic Six, how the time travel theories play into the greater mysteries on the show, how different characters are starting to come together, and point the way to how this series could possibly end. It will include chapters on the books alluded to this season (The Tempest, Slaughterhouse Five, Valis) and give background into new philosophical and scientific references. With exclusive photos of the show's filming locations in Hawaii, as well as ones taken on the set, this book helps both casual and diehard fans "find" Lost. Nikki Stafford is the author of several books, including previous books on Lost, as well as Bite Me! An Unofficial Guide to the World of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and co-author of Uncovering Alias: An Unofficial Guide. She lives in Toronto. Season 1 of Lost was immensely popular. But by season 2 the ratings had begun to decline. This was either thanks to the inefficient scheduling of episodes (a couple of weeks of new episodes followed by a month of reruns, then three weeks back on and three more weeks of reruns) or thanks to the exposition of the story lines and the deepening of the mysteries (with no answers) that had fans scratching their heads. By season 3, when the network aired six episodes that were heavy on the Others, Kate, Jack, and Sawyer, and very light on everyone else, and when they ran the rest of the season a full three months later, those fans who were already frustrated by the show jumped ship, which left only the hardcore fans behind. Thank goodness we stayed. We've loved Lost unbendingly from the beginning, but season 4 was mind-blowing. In fact, the fourth season won back many viewers. Reduced to a mere 13 episodes due to the WGA Writers' Strike, this season was short, but packed with intrigue, drama, mysteries, and answers. During an interview I did while the Writers' Strike was on, a journalist asked me why I thought season 4 was getting great ratings and was so critically acclaimed. Was it because of the strike?, he asked. I said the answer was manifold. Yes, the Writers' Strike (which lasted from November 2007 to February 2008) created a dearth of new programming in January and February, precisely the time Lost began rolling out brand new episodes. Or it could have been the timing of the DVDs. In previous seasons, new fans of the show would buy the DVDs when they came out - usually around September 7 or 8 - and try to make it through the episodes in two weeks before the new season started.

"If you want to know your Benjamin Linuses from your Henry Gales or your John Lockes from your Jeremy Benthams, let Nikki Stafford be your constant. Her writing reflects the insightfulness, passion and humor of both the show and its fans." - Steve "The Shout" Dandy, "Nik at Nite" contributor Since its premiere in 2004, Lost has gone from weird (polar bears in the jungle) to weirder (a man living in a bunker hitting a button every 108 minutes to "save the world") to just plain crazy (a large frozen wheel moving the island). And the fans love every minute of it. In the brilliant season four, the outside world invaded the island and the Oceanic 6 were "rescued." And now... they're coming back. The pre-eminent source for fans, Nikki Stafford's Finding Lost series - the only Lost books with a complete episode-by-episode guide - continues its exploration of the deeper meanings of the show. The book includes: • an in-depth look at every episode of season five, linking the events in the season to the early Lost years and adding highlights, little-known facts, and nitpicks • chapters on the rules of time travel, the smoke monster, and that mysterious four-toed statue • sidebars chronicling fun trivia such as Geronimo Jackson, Star Wars references, and Locke's injuries • analysis of literary references such as The Little Prince, Ulysses, Y: The Last Man, A Separate Reality, and Everything That Rises Must Converge • photos of the filming locations in Hawaii As you prepare to watch the final season, Finding Lost provides enough background to help you "find" Lost. Nikki Stafford is the author of several books, including previous books on Lost, as well as Bite Me! The Unofficial Guide to the World of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and co-author of Uncovering Alias: An Unofficial Guide. She lives in Toronto.

The first book in the critically acclaimed, bestselling Finding Lost series brings you an analysis of seasons 1 and 2 in one volume. If you're feeling as lost as the castaways on the show, Finding Lost is the crucial companion guide to help you unravel the mysteries of the island. This is the only book that offers an episode-by-episode guide to the first two seasons of Lost, following the developments of the characters, the plots, and the various connections fans must make to keep up. Finding Lost includes: • an in-depth look at every episode, with highlights, music, and nitpicks outlined at the end of each one • chapters on the real John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau (and how they compare to the fictional ones), fan conspiracy theories, the blast door map, the Dharma symbol, and B.F. Skinner • sidebars chronicling fun trivia such as Sawyer's nicknames for people; what Hurley's numbers could mean; Vincent's mysterious appearances and disappearances; the redemption of the characters • bios for all of the major actors on the show • summaries of the show's literary references, including Lord of the Flies, The Third Policeman, Our Mutual Friend, Watership Down, and many more • photos of the filming locations in Hawaii, including a detailed map of how to conduct your own tour when in Oahu Full of exclusive photos and enough background to put you leagues ahead of other viewers, this book will finally help you "find" Lost. The essential companion guide for fans Lost in television's complex, mysterious series. Nikki Stafford is the author of five books, including Bite Me! An Unofficial Guide to the World of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and co-author of Uncovering Alias: An Unofficial Guide. She lives in Toronto. "Pilot, Part 1," like the series in general, is about fear. There are few things more frightening than being utterly lost in a foreign place among strangers, unsure if you'll be able to survive. But J.J. Abrams & Co. aren't satisfied with just a tiny thing like a plane crash on a deserted island; they throw in wild animals, mysterious voices ... and a tree-crushin', banshee-howlin', people-evisceratin' monster to boot. And that's just in the first episode. The pilot of the plane tells everyone that they're so off course that any search-and-rescue team is looking for them in the wrong place, eliminating all hope of someone coming to their aid quickly, and it's that moment when the fear sets in for all of them. As Jack tells Kate when he first meets her, the trick is to conquer that fear and not let it overtake you. This comment will become integral to the overall plot of the show, especially in season 2. Jack is immediately set up as the alpha male. Matthew Fox plays this character as a somber, damaged person who doesn't want to be the leader, but once the burden is bestowed upon him he becomes The Boss. The series' first shot is of him, his is the first flashback we see (when we see what happens on the plane for the first time), and he gets more lines than anyone else on the show. Later, Locke and Sayid will also step in as leaders of the group, but for now, it's all Jack. We see him as a man with incredible self-control (his story of his first surgery where he only "allowed" himself to be scared for five seconds establishes his Type A personality), but he'll soon discover that controlling everyone around him might not be as easy. The rest of the characters remain vague. Kate looks like she could be a girly-girl, but within seconds of being introduced to the audience, we realize she just wants to be one of the guys, and will try desperately to prove that she can succeed as one. Charlie is a friendly but self-deprecating British former rock star; Locke is a mysterious man who might be a little bit insane; Boone is a guy who's willing to help out everyone, but he's a little dense.