John Bellairs Wiki
John Bellairs Wiki

Mephistopheles Moote says the last time the red star was this close to earth, the inhabitants of this land cowered beneath its light (The Beast under the Wizard's Bridge; 40).

Background[]

Atlantis is a legendary island first mentioned by Plato.  In Plato's account, Atlantis was a naval power lying "in front of the Pillars of Hercules" that conquered many parts of Western Europe and Africa 9,000 years before the time of Solon, or approximately 9600 BC. After a failed attempt to invade Athens, Atlantis sank into the ocean "in a single day and night of misfortune".

Scholars dispute whether and how much Plato's story or account was inspired by older traditions.  The possible existence of a genuine Atlantis was discussed throughout classical antiquity, but it was usually rejected and occasionally parodied by later authors. Atlantis inspires today's literature, from science fiction to comic books to films. Its name has become a byword for any and all supposed advanced prehistoric lost civilizations.