The Circus of Adventure

[Lucky Star]

Stephen, according to your Facebook page, you say you live in Chickamauga, Georgia. I don't think that is correct, is it?

Am I wrong or do I remember that it is in fact our very own moderator Keith who lives in Chickamauga, Georgia? As to Stephen I believe he lives in Flagstaff, Arizona. I discovered this when I posted here that I had visited that lovely city and he then informed me that he lived there. If I'd known we could have arranged a meeting. I remember thinking how strange it was that I had gone halfway across the globe and been within a mile or two of a fellow forumite without either of us actually realising it.

[Moonraker]

Am I wrong or do I remember that it is in fact our very own moderator Keith who lives in Chickamauga, Georgia? As to Stephen I believe he lives in Flagstaff, Arizona.

You are indeed correct. I also think you are right about Flagsaff. I just wondered why Stephen put Chickamauga.

[Lenoir]

Yes, he could have just put "Here"  

[black labrador]

Back to the Circus of Adventure!

I love the adventure series, and all of Blyton's circus books. So this should be one of my favourites. But it isn't. I think it is completely bonkers - and thought this when I read it as a child.

There is of course a big element of fantasy in all Blyton books but I cannot think of another mystery/adventure book which is so completely implausible.

Some examples:

There is no way that Gussy (whose distinctive appearance would have been much more noticeable in the 1950's than today) would have been placed with a family. He would have been kept in a safe house.

There is no way that Bill would have taken Gussy to such a remote place - without telephone or radio transmitter (as he had in the Island of Adventure)

Bill would have removed Gussy from the area immediately the Tauri Hessians were spotted in the area.

Bill would not have fallen for the story about an accident at the farm - not least because the farm had a phone!

I could go on. That is all in the first few chapters! The trip to Tauri Hessia, Jack breaking into the castle, and the release of the king are equally beyond belief. At times I keep expecting the characters to take out wands and cast spells! The plot would have been better suited to the Faraway Tree or similar series. It doesn't really fit into the Adventure series.

[Enikyoga]

Am I wrong or do I remember that it is in fact our very own moderator Keith who lives in Chickamauga, Georgia? As to Stephen I believe he lives in Flagstaff, Arizona.

You are indeed correct. I also think you are right about Flagsaff. I just wondered why Stephen put Chickamauga.

My apologies. In fact my obtaining one of my Facebook accounts coincided with my sending my book to Keith. I do not remember what happened, I guess I was trying to contact Keith via his Facebook e-mail and maybe I may have tried to update my Facebook at the time and I could have accidentally clicked "Chickamauga, Georgia" or maybe the two Facebook may have mysteriously meshed with each other. Thus, that is how "Chickamauga, Georgia" wormed itself in my account. I do not know exactly what happened. I should have corrected it long ago, but do to my laziness and knowing that a Facebook member's address is not often taken seriously, I just left it that way. In addition, at that time, being new to Facebook at that time, I had some rudimentary problems fixing the problem...anyway, I have since fixed the problem. My apologies once again.
Stephen I.

[Moonraker]

I am sure that Keith will be disappointed that you are not a close neighbour of his, after all. You could have had some wonderful chats together.

[Ming]

Do you have a death wish, Nigel?

[Dinah Cunningham]

While Circus is not my favourite Adventure Book it is also not the least favourite.

I agree with a lot of what black labrador said. I can understand some of Bills decision but not all.