The People of the Crater

A dislocated postwar pilot accepts an Antarctic expedition and, with his colleagues, penetrates a mysterious bluish haze that conceals a broken polar crust and a lush, alien interior. An unseen intelligence seizes his aircraft and deposits him in a strange green plain where giant fernlike growths, yellow streams, and native populations confront the intruders. He becomes entangled in local prophecy and political struggles: he must challenge a Black Throne, defeat hostile Black Ones, and bring a Daughter from the Caves of Darkness to fulfill a destiny. The narrative follows exploration, survival, cultural encounter, and the forging of unexpected loyalties.