Claude Voilier Fives

Advertise for wanted items. (Please note: The Enid Blyton Society is not responsible for anything listed in these forums. You buy and sell at your own risk.)
Post Reply
joelsymons
Posts: 2
Joined: 28 Jan 2013, 07:17

Claude Voilier Fives

Post by joelsymons »

I'm looking for copies of the Claude Voilier Famous Five books.
I've currently got about 8 of them and are looking for the rest. I've tried eBay, but not everyone there is willing to ship international, and individual shipping on them can add up (I live in New Zealand) and have even tried emailing the publisher to convince them to release them electronically (a long shot I know, but when you own the rights and haven't released a copy of it in 20 years - no publication costs seems to me like even if they only sell 100 copies a year it's still just profit for them)
So I thought I'd throw it out there to fans, to see if anyone had copies of the 'B series' gathering dust or that they read and decided that they weren't as good as the originals (a sentiment I whole heartedly agree with).
I'm also willing to consider buying duplicates of ones I already have if bundled with enough ones I don't.
Thanks, and sorry for the rambling.
User avatar
Poppy
Posts: 5725
Joined: 24 Apr 2012, 16:06
Favourite book/series: Famous Five/ Adventure Series/ Malory Towers
Favourite character: George Kirrin, Andy, Jack Trent & Diana.
Location: UK

Re: Claude Voilier Fives

Post by Poppy »

I have four which I do not read, for they are nothing like the origanals. Here are the titles:

The Famous Five and the knights treausre
The Famous Five and the stately homes gang
The Famous Five and the strange scientist
The Famous Five and the Hijackers

All good condition, please PM me if you want any, Joelsymons! :D
"Beware of young men with long hair - that's what dad says, isn't it?"
Pat, Holiday House


Poppy's Best of Books

Society Member
User avatar
Wolfgang
Posts: 3121
Joined: 06 Apr 2008, 05:26
Favourite book/series: The children at Green Meadows/Adventure-series
Favourite character: Fatty
Location: Germany

Re: Claude Voilier Fives

Post by Wolfgang »

I got most of my copies from awesomebooks.com . They send them abroad as well.
Success is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.
joelsymons
Posts: 2
Joined: 28 Jan 2013, 07:17

Re: Claude Voilier Fives

Post by joelsymons »

Thanks for the offer Poppy. I completely agree they aren't as good as the originals. For better or worse I started collecting a couple of them when I was younger and now my obsessive nature wants to have them all.
Wolfgang! I had never heard of that website. Those prices were insanely good. And their shipping to NZ was free. Thanks heaps!
User avatar
Poppy
Posts: 5725
Joined: 24 Apr 2012, 16:06
Favourite book/series: Famous Five/ Adventure Series/ Malory Towers
Favourite character: George Kirrin, Andy, Jack Trent & Diana.
Location: UK

Re: Claude Voilier Fives

Post by Poppy »

No problem, hope you get the ones you wanted! :D
"Beware of young men with long hair - that's what dad says, isn't it?"
Pat, Holiday House


Poppy's Best of Books

Society Member
jacksmith
Posts: 1
Joined: 26 Jun 2013, 05:53

Re: Claude Voilier Fives

Post by jacksmith »

Voilier Claude was a French teacher, journalist, translator (especially of popular children's series in English, as the three investigators and the Dana Girls in French), and a prolific author, writing more than 600 stories for various French magazines, and about 400 stories for children. In the English-speaking world, is best known for his continuation of Enid Blyton, The Famous Five series of children's adventure novels.
User avatar
Daisy
Posts: 16632
Joined: 28 Oct 2006, 22:49
Favourite book/series: Find-Outers, Adventure series.
Location: Stoke-On-Trent, England

Re: Claude Voilier Fives

Post by Daisy »

I believe Claude Voilier is a female. I too have read a few of these books and really I have no desire to read any more. To me they are a pale imitation of the Blyton originals.
'Tis loving and giving that makes life worth living.

Society Member
User avatar
RDMorrell
Posts: 474
Joined: 25 Jun 2007, 10:32
Favourite book/series: Famous Five, Secret Seven, Adventure
Favourite character: Anne
Location: Wellington, New Zealand
Contact:

Re: Claude Voilier Fives

Post by RDMorrell »

Claude Voilier is indeed a female. While best-known to English speakers for her Famous Five continuations, she was also a translator. Cool fact: in The Famous Five and the Strange Scientist, the character of Professor Kolkov comes from Varania, the fictional setting of much of the Three Investigators book, The Mystery of the Silver Spider! So that's a very neat little nod to one of the series Voilier was involved in translating.

Did you know that there are actually 24 Famous Five books written by Claude Voilier, but that only 18 of them were ever translated in English? However, an unofficial translation of the 19th one does exist - done by me. While I don't dare risk sharing it publicly (other than the odd snippet or chapter), I'm happy to share it privately. So if you want, joelsymons, PM me with your e-mail address and I'll send you a complimentary copy of my translation, entitled The Famous Five and the Ruby of Akbar (taken literally from the French Les Cinq et le rubis d'Akbar). Or you could join the Fans of Enid Blyton Yahoo group and read it in the Files section there.

By the way, joelsymons, have you tried Trade Me at all? Voilier books can pop up on there from time to time.
Best Regards

ROWAN M.

A room without books is like a body without a soul - Cicero
Post Reply