‘Before Adam’ is an interesting entry in London’s body of work because of how distinctly different it is. Told through the visions of a young boy’s past life we follow Big Tooth, an early cave man as he learns to walk upright, make fire and fight off rival tribes. London’s trade mark world building is on full display however, building a luscious and vibrant world, where behind its beautiful veneer hides the deadly reality of pre-historic times. Big Tooth must hunt for his food facing down great mammoths and even sabre-cats to provide for his tribe and to impressive his budding love interest. It is an incredibly fascinating and engaging read, with beautiful description and compelling characters, perfect for anyone who is a fan of the ‘Assassins Creed’ series.
Jack London (1876–1916) was a pioneer, novelist, journalist and social activist. London was one of the first American authors to become an international celebrity thanks to his pioneering work in commercial fiction and magazines. Additionally he is accredited as a major innovator in the genre we now know as science fiction. Growing up in a working class background and spending several years homeless, he was a passionate fighter for workers’ rights, socialism, unionisation and animal rights. He would go on to be one of the highest paid authors in America thanks to his classics such as ‘Call of the Wild’, ‘White fang’ and ‘Sea Wolf’.
