Helen Moss

[db105]

This writer has been mentioned here before, but I think such a blytonesque writer deserves her own thread.

She has written a 14-book series called Adventure Island, about the adventures of three children, siblings Scott and Jack Carter and their friend Emily Wild. By the way, the whole series (14 books) can be bought as a single ebook very cheaply from stores like Amazon, Kobo, Apple and others (search for "Adventure Island Complete 14-Book Collection").

I have just read the first book (The Mystery of the Whistling Caves). As I said, it's very much in Enid Blyton's style. Scott and Jack are staying during the holidays with their great aunt, a writer of mystery novels who lives in an island called Castle Key. In the beginning, the boys' attitude is not very positive, thinking they are going to be bored in such an out-of-the-way place, without even cell phone coverage, but all that changes when they meet a local girl called Emily, who is very much into investigating mysteries. Soon an archaeological treasure is stolen from the local museum and the three children (with the help of Emily's dog) have a mystery of their own to investigate.

The story itself has mystery elements in the style of the Five Find-Outers and adventure elements. There are a lot of things that the writer does well. The story is well-written, it does a good job of keeping the style of Enid Blyton's stories even though it's set in modern times (helped by the lack of cell phone coverage in many parts of the island), there is humor and banter between the children, the characters have their own distinct personalities... On the minus side, I did not quite warm to the characters as much as I did to Enid Blyton's. I guess the boys' dismissive attitude, although realistic in modern kids, is not as appealing. And I think we are lacking some of the quieter moments that we have in many of Enid Blyton's books, when we can just relax and enjoy the characters' having fun. Perhaps it should have been a little bit longer and let us get to like the characters more before the mystery starts. In this book, it seemed to me that at the end the characters got into a very dangerous situation when they could have done more to avoid it.

Nevertheless, this was a good read, and the whole collection is so cheap that it is worth trying.

[Fiona1986]

I've read half a dozen or so of the Adventure Island books and I agree that they are good, but I also think you're right that the boys aren't as immediately likeable as Blyton's leading characters.

[John Pickup]

I've got all the Adventure Island books but only read the first two. I like the style but agree with Fiona that the boys aren't as likeable as the ones in Enid's books. I like Emily's character though.

[pete9012S]

I just found this amongst my other books whilst searching for something else.
I may give it a bash tomorrow based on the blurb:

Scott and Jack are prepared to be bored and unhappy when they are forced to spend their summer on a small island off Cornwall. Fortunately they meet Emily and her dog. Emily is always looking for mystery and together they all find it.

They sail out to sea to listen to the Whispering Caves only to discover they are silent. Legend has it that this indicates some trouble for the island’s castle, and sure enough some priceless treasures are stolen from the castle museum. Soon the children are investigating the crimes and they find plenty of suspects and motives.

A mystery in the old-fashioned style – right down to the importance of the victuals! An action-packed beginning to a new series.

https://www.booktrust.org.uk/book/a/adv ... ing-caves/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Fiona1986]

I'm sure you'll like it, Pete.

[John Pickup]

That's the first book in the series, Pete. I've read that one and Midnight Ghost. Hope you enjoy it.

[pete9012S]

Thanks John - Spent almost all of today reading it without distraction in my garden den with coffee and snacks whilst the rain battered down.

I wanted to try to see if I could read the whole book in a day like I used to when younger, but I will probably have it finished tomorrow.

I'm glad I came across it by accident, as it's a good story. Believable characters and a plot that has now pulled me in!

As previous readers will already know, the book has a superb front cover and the map on the first few pages in is great - you can keep referring to it as you read the story.

[John Pickup]

I love books with maps, Pete. Most Malcolm Saville books contained maps and they definitely enhance the story. I've always wished that Enid's major series had maps to consult. A map of the different islands in Sea of Adventure so we could have plotted the route they took would have been brilliant.

[pete9012S]

Yes, I agree, that would have been great John.

Well I managed to read the book in one day and an hour which is not too bad I suppose for an old duffer.

It's the most modern children's book (2011) I have read for many many years, so the language and modern elements stood out to me.
A good read. I will look out for the next book.

Not that I agree with it, but after reading Helen's book I can see why Enid Blyton's language and terminology has been updated in modern editions.
They are treating Enid Blyton as a brand for a new younger, modern consumer.

I realise I am from a completely different generation to today's target market even though many would still view a child of the 1960's/70's as a 'younger generation'...

I am grateful for the recommendation about this book/author as I don't think I would have ever stumbled across it or considered it by myself.

I was interested to learn this about the author:

About The Author
Helen Moss was born in 1964 and grew up in Worcestershire and Saudi Arabia. After a degree in psychology and philosophy at Oxford University, Helen went on to do PhD research at Cambridge University. She recently spent a year in Portland, Oregon, with her family, and on returning decided to switch direction and devote herself full-time to writing books for young readers. Helen lives in a small village outside Cambridge with her husband, two teenage sons, two border collies, two gerbils, several hens and a bearded dragon called Frankie.

Regards

Pete

Postscript:



On looking for the next book I discovered I could buy the Adventure Island Complete 14-Book Collection - Kindle Edition from amazon for just £3.99.

I bought it as it seems to be a much more cost effective way of reading all the books.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adventure-Isla ... B00DI7HJZG" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[db105]

On looking for the next book I discovered I could buy the Adventure Island Complete 14-Book Collection - Kindle Edition from amazon for just £3.99.

I bought it as it seems to be a much more cost effective way of reading all the books.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adventure-Isla ... B00DI7HJZG" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yes, it's really good value. The complete series, 14 novels, really cheap. It's almost a gift. And I also really like the map and the covers.

I came back to this thread because I just read book 2, The Mystery of the Midnight Ghost. At a similar level as the first one.

I enjoyed it, although not quite as much as Blyton's work. To be fair, I have to admit I prefer Blyton's adventure novels to her mystery novels, just as a matter of taste, and this is more in the style of her mysteries.

These books are readable and not bad at all. One thing I like about them is that there's banter between the children, and they are likable. The problem I had in book 1 with the boys' attitudes being too dismissive does not happen in this one. Perhaps the thing that bothers me about this series is that the plot moves in a very streamlined manner, with short chapters all moving the plot forward, resulting in a very short novel, and there's little time for the characters and the readers to enjoy the adventure a bit more, if that makes any sense. This would benefit from being a bit longer and letting the story and the characters more room to breathe.

Still, well worth a try for Enid Blyton's fans.

[Wolfgang]

I started reading the books, finished book Number three yesterday. While they're not too bad, they're rather shallow and predictable, but maybe that's what children want to read these days...

[dsr]

Emily lives in a lighthouse, which is always a bonus for me. There's a strange attraction to living in a lighthouse, especially if you can sleep in a round room with windows on all sides. No idea why.

The lighthouse isn't a major contributor to the plots, though. Enid Blyton (and of course my pet favourite Antonia Forest) both had the jump on her there.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Yes, living in a lighthouse sounds most appealing. You'd be remote yet all-seeing - and snug yet exposed to the elements.