The Lotus Caves is a juvenile

Young adult literature

Young-adult fiction or young adult literature , also juvenile fiction, is fiction written for, published for, or marketed to adolescents and young adults, roughly ages 14 to 21. The Young Adult Library Services of the American Library Association defines a young adult as "someone between the...

 science fiction

Science fiction

Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...

 novel by John Christopher, first published in 1969.

Plot synopsis

Two teenage boys, Marty and Steve, live in a colony on the Moon, "The Bubble", in the year 2068. Exploring outside the dome of "The Bubble" is strictly controlled. The boys grow bored and decide to explore outside the proscribed area in a stolen lunar vehicle, and crash through the moon's surface into a series of underground caverns containing alien life forms, controlled by a single intelligent alien life form. They also meet a man, a missing early lunar settler, who came to the caves years ago, who has become enthralled by the alien. The boys are torn between staying in the caves, within which the alien provides for their needs, and escaping. They eventually escape, but the man decides to stay, having lost any desire beyond communing with the alien.

Theme

The novel's main theme is that of the development of a young person's will and independence, and the conflict between benevolent authority and individual conscience.

Film Adaptation

A film adaptation of the book was in development in 2007, from Walden Media

Walden Media

Walden Media is a children's film production and publishing company best known as the producers of The Chronicles of Narnia series. Its films are based on notable classic or award-winning children's literature, compelling biographies or historical events, documentaries and some original...

, to be written by Brian Klugman

Brian Klugman

Brian Klugman is an American actor.Klugman was born in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father is a real estate broker, and his mother is a school teacher. Klugman's uncle is Golden Globe Award-winning actor Jack Klugman. Klugman has two brothers and one sister: Michael "Mike"...

 and Lee Sternthal and directed by Rpin Suwannath.

In 2010, the US TV network Syfy

Syfy

Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...

ordered a pilot based on the story.