"Atlantida" is a charming adventure novel penned with the aid of French creator Pierre Benoit and in the beginning. The tale is set against the backdrop of World War I and follows the day trip of French soldier and archaeologist, Pierre Servadac, as he embarks on a quest to discover the lost city of Atlantis. The novel begins with Servadac uncovering an ancient manuscript that hints on the lifestyles of Atlantis in the Sahara Desert. Driven by using a thirst for adventure and discovery, he assembles a diverse team of individuals, together with a German officer and a Russian prince, to accompany him on this perilous journey. As they traverse the unforgiving desert, they come upon numerous barriers, from treacherous landscapes to rival expeditions. The narrative unfolds as a thrilling combo of adventure, romance, and intrigue, with Servadac's unwavering determination and the enigmatic attraction of Atlantis propelling the tale ahead. Along the way, the characters grapple with personal conflicts, wartime tensions, and the allure of a lost civilization. "Atlantida" is tremendous for its brilliant descriptions of the Sahara Desert and its timeless exploration of the enduring mystery surrounding the legend of Atlantis.
Pierre Benoit (July 16, 1886 – March 3, 1962) was a French novelist, screenwriter, and Académie française member. He is most known for his second novel, L'Atlantide (1919), which has been adapted for film multiple times. Pierre Benoit was the son of a French soldier and was born in Albi (southern France). Benoit spent his childhood and military service in Northern Africa before going on to become a civil servant and librarian. He published his first collection of poems in 1914. He then joined the French army and was hospitalized and demobilized following the Battle of Charleroi. His debut novel, Koenigsmark, was published in 1918; the following year, L'Atlantide was published and won the Grand Prize of the Académie française, of which he became a member in 1931. Benoit was dispatched to Turkey as a journalist for Le Journal in 1923, and he afterwards traveled to other countries. Many of his writings, including La Châtelaine du Liban, were adapted into films during this decade. Benoit, a political right-winger, admired Maurice Barrès and Charles Maurras. During the Nazi occupation of France, Benoît became a member of the "Groupe Collaboration," a pro-Nazi artistic organization that comprised Abel Bonnard, Georges Claude, and Pierre Drieu La Rochelle. This resulted in his imprisonment in September 1944; he was eventually released after six months, but his work was kept on the "blacklist" of French Nazi collaborators for several years afterwards.
