Tom Swift and the Captive Planetoid: The New Tom Swift Jr. Adventures #29

Tom Swift Jr. #29

by Victor II Appleton, Ray Johnson (Illustrator)

Tom Swift and the Captive Planetoid. Lists to this title on rear cover. Free tracking. Satisfaction guaranteed.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1967

Reviews

[Kevin Findley · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the fun things with this "Boy's Science Adventure" series is to see what were science fiction terms back then (1960s) now being used today in science and updated for new science fiction books and other media. Especially interesting in this book were two names - Challenger and Firefly.

OK, enough with the nostalgia.

In this adventure, Tom Jr and his father are getting ready to launch their next scientific endeavor: altering the orbit of a planetoid for exploration of the solar system and mining of precious metals, rare minerals, and more. Just before they make their final decision, a new terrorist group launches an attack on a not-finished spaceport. This is followed by a bombing and several personal attacks by the same group on Tom and a competitor of Swift Enterprises.

The story works well, the plot moves quickly, and Tom Jr. once again saves the planet from what could have been an extinction level event. It is a good tale, and the only drawback was the inclusion of Chow, the Swift's cook. I've never understood his presence when Tom's pal, Bud, is there to serve as a reason to explain the science and provide an extra set of fists when the "sweet science" is needed.

Still, it's a good story and a good entry point for anyone with kids who have outgrown the Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew, but still love adventure and mystery.

Find it! Buy it! READ IT!

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Tom Swift, Jr., books were a fun, upbeat, and interesting adventure series published for kids from 1954 to 1971 that promoted science, fair-play, patriotism, and team-work; they were good, positive books. The series served as a sequel to the original Tom Swift series that appeared from 1910 to the beginnings of World War II; Tom and his sister, Sandy, are the children of the first Tom and his wife, Mary Nestor; Tom's girlfriend Phyllis Newton is the daughter of Tom Sr.'s sidekick Ned Newton (now Uncle Ned to Tom and Sandy); the family home is still located in Shopton along Lake Carlopa, etc. It's nice that the continuity is preserved rather than just being over-written as happened to The Hardy Boys; in the first Tom Jr., book beings make contact that were first hinted at in the final real Tom Sr., book, Planet Stone, and throughout the series references to the history are made such as naming a device the Damonscope in honor of a character from the first series, Mr. Wakefield Damon. In addition to the Swifts and Newtons, Tom Jr. has his own sidekick, Bud Barclay, and there are several interesting supporting characters such as Phil Radnor, Harlan Ames (I wonder if Harlan Ellison was the inspiration for the name?), Hank Sterling, Miss Trent (who I don't believe ever had a first name), and especially Chow Winkler, Tom's cook, a former "Texas chuck-wagon" cook who was given to a variety of wild and unlikely expressions such as, "Well, brand my space biscuits!" The earlier books had nice covers, end-papers, and illustrations: Graham Kaye and Charles Brey provided the art for the first twenty-five volumes, followed by Edward Moretz, after which the artistic (as well as the literary) quality starting going downhill. Tom invented and built many fantastic inventions (but remember it was the '50s and '60s), and had many exciting adventures along with his friends and family. They faced off against saboteurs and spies and the evil Brungarians but their good spirits and hard work and can-do attitude always paid off in the end. The continuity didn't always hold logically from book to book, and looking back it's easy to pick apart one thing or another, but they were fun and fine books in their time. This twenty-eighth volume has a good cover showing nothing as described in the book. More interplanetary adventure. Let's colonize space!