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Malcolm Saville - Lone Pine Club, etc.

Posted: 22 Mar 2007, 13:00
by lizarfau
I was wondering whether any Saville fans on here had read a "new Lone Pine" adventure called Little Light, published by Richard Griffiths (who published Home to Witchend in hardback a couple of years or so ago). I was just reading about it on the website and am wondering whether to buy it or not. Anyone here able to recommend it?

The link is:

http://www.rhgbooks.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and the book can be found under 'Books'.

Liz

Posted: 22 Mar 2007, 23:15
by dsr
I've read it, and it's good enough to keep with the others. Although it's definitely aimed at an older age group than the rest - not really for pre-teens. Big disappointment - no twins in there.

I wouldn't pay £18 for it as a stand-alone book, but as a nostalgic extra, it was worth it for me. If you've got the full set of Lone Pines, then buy it.

(But no guarantees from me if you think you've wasted your money :P )

Posted: 22 Mar 2007, 23:18
by dsr
(Incidentally, the actuual Savilles on sale from Richard Griffiths are abridged like the Armada paperbacks. It's not the exact same text, I believe, but it's about the same degree of cuts. If you want the full text, you need the GGB reprints or an old hardback.)

Posted: 22 Mar 2007, 23:24
by Tony Summerfield
I'm not so sure about this myself. I belong to the Malcolm Saville Society and also have a complete set of Lone Pine first editions, but isn't this the equivalent of Fred Blogs writing a new Famous Five book about Julian's first teenage romance. :roll: :roll:

At £18 I am still sitting on the fence!

Posted: 23 Mar 2007, 05:09
by lizarfau
dsr wrote:(Incidentally, the actuual Savilles on sale from Richard Griffiths are abridged like the Armada paperbacks. It's not the exact same text, I believe, but it's about the same degree of cuts. If you want the full text, you need the GGB reprints or an old hardback.)
Oh no! So my copy of Home to Witchend is abridged? *Groans* I thought it seemed a particularly crappy and slight book, but put this down to old age (Malcolm's when he wrote it, not mine when I read it. :lol: )

Like Tony, I'm very undecided about Little Light. It's a lot of money, especially when converted to Australian dollars. Are all the Lone Piners in it apart from the twins, or is it just Jon and Penny (or rather, the alternative Jon and Penny)?

Posted: 23 Mar 2007, 12:35
by Lulie
Tony Summerfield wrote:but isn't this the equivalent of Fred Blogs writing a new Famous Five book about Julian's first teenage romance. :roll: :roll:
:lol: :lol: I just can't imagine our "grown-up" and slightly (dare I say it?) cocky Julian going all soppy over a mere girl :lol: :lol:

I wonder what George, Dick and Anne would say?

Posted: 24 Mar 2007, 01:31
by dsr
John and Penny are pretty much the same, only slightly grown up; Peter and David didn't make much of an impression on me; Jen and Tom are very entertaining, probably the best characters in there. James the journalist is there as well. And Ballinger.

I think Tony's right, it is very much like someone writing a sequel about Julian in love - and I'd probably read that one too :)

Home to Witchend might not be abridged - I don't think it was ever issued in hardback, so the Armada may have been all there was, and I agree old age was a factor. Not everyone's like P.G. Wodehouse, still churning out the quality stuff at 90. I can't remember where I saw Goodchild's editions were abridged, except that I bought a copy of Wings Over Witchend (which is high on my list of favourites) and it was no longer than the paperback. And I know the paperbacks are seriously cut short. Certainly, Goodchild's Monica Edwards books are abridged, or at least some are.

Posted: 24 Mar 2007, 10:10
by lizarfau
dsr wrote:John and Penny are pretty much the same, only slightly grown up; Peter and David didn't make much of an impression on me; Jen and Tom are very entertaining, probably the best characters in there. James the journalist is there as well. And Ballinger.
I liked James the journalist. Is he married to Judith in the book? I always thought he had a thing about Penny and would have preferred to see him end up with her. I liked Jon and Penny, but not as a "couple". The first-cousin thing put me off.

What about Harriet? Did she get missed out too?

I'm really looking forward to getting The Gay Dolphin Adventure from GGB as it's my favourite Lone Pine book and I only have the paperback version.
dsr wrote:Certainly, Goodchild's Monica Edwards books are abridged, or at least some are.
DFB's Dimsie books were republished by Goodchild - I don't know if they were abridged or not, but they were updated - the girls had electric fires instead of real ones and worried about their A-levels. I wonder if the Savilles were updated too.

Posted: 24 Mar 2007, 10:52
by Anita Bensoussane
[Lizarfu:] "Oh no! So my copy of Home to Witchend is abridged? *Groans* I thought it seemed a particularly crappy and slight book, but put this down to old age (Malcolm's when he wrote it, not mine when I read it. :lol: )
I only discovered the Lone Pine books as an adult (mainly Armada or Merlin paperback versions) and I thought Home to Witchend was horribly sentimental. Except for the twins, the characters are no longer interested in any kind of adventure except romance. What a betrayal! Even as an adult, I thought that that attitude served to undermine the rest of the series. If I'd read the books as a child, I'd probably have felt quite hurt and let down.

I can't comment on Little Light as it doesn't interest me - especially not at £18!

Anita

Posted: 24 Mar 2007, 13:57
by Kitty
Can anyone recommend a good Saville to start off with? I've got quite a lot of his books, but just can't get into them - I've tried the first book in a couple of the series as the logical way in, but really couldn't find an interest. Yet they're so popular that I know I must be in the wrong! What would be a good title to suck you into the Saville ethos?

Posted: 24 Mar 2007, 17:21
by Anita Bensoussane
Two of the Malcolm Savilles I find most gripping and atmospheric are Strangers at Snowfell ("Jillies" series) and Master of Maryknoll ("Buckinghams" series.) My favourite Lone Pine is The Neglected Mountain because it is beautifully written and full of drama. But it's just a question of personal preference really. Twins Dickie and Mary (Lone Pine) get on my nerves, as does Malcolm Saville's obsession with pairing off so many of his characters.

Anita

Posted: 24 Mar 2007, 17:54
by dsr
Yes, Harriet's missing too. Actually (acksherly?), I'd completely forgotten about her, which is why I didn't mention her.

fao Kitty - The Gay Dolphin Adventure is regarded by many, including me, as one of the best books in the series. It's set in Rye, and features a lot more of Jon and Penny, less of David and Peter. (Is Peter in at all? I can't remember.) And if you don't like that one or the first one, then I'd just accept that they aren't for you and read something you do enjoy. After all, we're all different - some people read James Joyce for pleasure! :( :?

Posted: 24 Mar 2007, 18:31
by Kitty
Anita Bensoussane wrote:Two of the Malcolm Savilles I find most gripping and atmospheric are Strangers at Snowfell ("Jillies" series) and Master of Maryknoll ("Buckinghams" series.) My favourite Lone Pine is The Neglected Mountain because it is beautifully written and full of drama. But it's just a question of personal preference really. Twins Dickie and Mary (Lone Pine) get on my nerves, as does Malcolm Saville's obsession with pairing off so many of his characters.

Anita
Oh, thanks! I think I've got all of them - need to get back home to check, but pretty sure I do. The Neglected Mountain puts me in mind of EB purely because of the title, so perhaps I'll try that first!!

Posted: 24 Mar 2007, 18:37
by Kitty
dsr wrote: fao Kitty - The Gay Dolphin Adventure is regarded by many, including me, as one of the best books in the series. It's set in Rye, and features a lot more of Jon and Penny, less of David and Peter. (Is Peter in at all? I can't remember.) And if you don't like that one or the first one, then I'd just accept that they aren't for you and read something you do enjoy. After all, we're all different - some people read James Joyce for pleasure! :( :?
I think I've got that one - I think it may actually have been the first one I stumbled on, though I never got round to trying it (the title was so bizarre, how could I not buy it!?).

Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. I suppose I just feel stubborn about them because I keep buying them, so I feel I ought to get some pleasure from them, lol! I was the same with Lorna Hill for ages, but after randomly picking one up to read in the bath, and discovering a liking and keen interest in the fortunes of Mariella, I became quite addicted to her!

It's funny how some authors just "grab" you and others are curiously elusive.

Posted: 24 Mar 2007, 23:53
by lizarfau
My favourite Lone Piners are The Gay Dolphin Adventure, Mystery at Withcend, The Elusive Grasshopper and The Neglected Mountain. Overall I like the ones featuring Jon and Penny more than those featuring Tom and Jenny. I like David and Peter, but they're not always together in the books.

There are lots of authors I can't get along with - notably Elsie J Oxenham, who I tried and loathed (but not as much as I loathe Tolkien!). It's good we all have different tastes, or there wouldn't be too many authors being published!