Adventure series vs Secret series vs Barney Mystery Series

[Julie2owlsdene]

I more or less go off the story, rather than the series. There are some great stories in all of the books so I couldn't choose a particular set of books.

[Rob Houghton]

I think I would also put the Barney series just ahead, and for me the main reason is character. While I love the adventure series and Secret series, the characters are less defined in both of these. For me the charactes of Snubby, Diana, Roger and Barney are so very well drawn and seem like real people. The supporting characters are also well drawn, so that they seem to be real living breathing people. In the Adventure series the characters seem more shadowy (in my ,opinion) and in the Secret series the characters are even more shadowy still except maybe Prince Paul and Jack, but in the Barney series they are just right.

Charater will always have it over plot for me, so that's why, despite the Adventure series having some great exciting plots, the Barney books just pip the others to the post!

[Avinash Machado]

My favorite is the Barney Series followed by the Secret Series.

Avinash

[Dinah Cunningham]

My favorite would naturally be the Adventure-Series, as they are (together with the Famous Five) my all time favorites...
Next I would say the Barney-Series. And last the Secret Series, though I would put "Secret Island" between Adventure and Barney.

[Wolfgang]

Just wondering, Dinah Cunningham, do you refer to the English edition of "Secret Island", "Le Mystère de l'île verte" or are you refering to "Die verwegenen Vier/Die Arnoldkinder reißen aus"?

[jubei]

I write this based on my impression when I was reading Enid Blyton back there in the '80s.

THe Adventure series is exactly as it called, full of adventures. THey are strongly attached to the geographical site of the adventure, thus the dictate the overall atmosphere. They are notoriously thick book, and everytime I begin reading the book it fell like I am going to have a very long exhausting adventure. All eight books are excellent and consistently good. As part of Enid Blyton's book, the Adventure series is like the 2nd most popular team after Famous Five in Indonesia. So they are quite "mainstream".

The Barney Mystery series on other hand is different. They are quite dark in theme. My impression is the Barney series done their adventure in after dark time while the Adventure series is full of blue sky and under bright sun, I dunno how this gone into my subconsciousness. Most of Barney books are happened in named places, the Rilloby, the Rockingdown etc. The series did not very popular, I even never complete the whole series due to rarity at the time. Few months ago when I got the revive Enid Blyton "fever", the Barney series is what I read first. I like Rockingdown mystery, Rilloby Fair and Rubadub Mystery (one of Enid's best).

The Secret series is the rarest among the three in my experience. The only book I read back there is Moon Castle. I re-read all the other book few months ago only. The series did not have one uniform theme because the first book is kind of prequel to the other series. Paul the Prince is what unique about it. The series seems focus on holiday and adventure outside UK territory. The Spiggy Holes is very good while the others later series are standard Blytonian story.

When comparing the three as a series, I like the Adventure series because they are in one consistent universe. All eight books are really continuation one each other. I swear back there I pray that there are another Adventure books in the shop. However, as I just discovered Barney series, I really like them and wonder how can I missed it. The Barney series included some of Enid Blyton most creative writing because their story are well craved.

The Secret series is additional bonus for me, as they are like extended version of Famous Five and Adventure series.

[Dinah Cunningham]

Just wondering, Dinah Cunningham, do you refer to the English edition of "Secret Island", "Le Mystère de l'île verte" or are you refering to "Die verwegenen Vier/Die Arnoldkinder reißen aus"?

I only found the book while I was in the UK learning English, so it was a "newer" edition but it was the English edition.

[Anita Bensoussane]

My impression is the Barney series done their adventure in after dark time while the Adventure series is full of blue sky and under bright sun, I dunno how this gone into my subconsciousness.

That strikes a chord, Jubei. I wouldn't say "bright sun" and "after dark", but I do tend to think of the Adventure series as "outdoorsy and wild and dazzling" and the Barney series as "spooky buildings and gloom" even though some books don't fit that template (e.g. The Castle of Adventure has a deliciously dark atmosphere and The Ragamuffin Mystery is full of sunshine and sweeping sandy beaches).

[John Pickup]

I think that Ring O 'Bells Mystery is dark and spooky in atmosphere. I always think of it as a mystery set in a fairy tale. A wonderful book.

[Moonraker]

I haven't heard the expression, 'after dark' for decades. We often used it when I was a child.

[Lucky Star]

To me the Adventure series represents the finest and most consistent series that Enid ever wrote. The characters are all given equal billing so to speak and the plots are universally exciting. The Secret Series is also very exciting but the characters are less interesting and the quality of the plots is uneven. The same with the Barney series. Barney and Snubby are well drawn but I find Roger and Diana to be a bit colourless. And although The Rubabdub Mystery is my nomination for Enid's best ever writing the series is let down a little by the final two books.