Mountain of Adventure

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Darrell71
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Re: Mountain of Adventure

Post by Darrell71 »

Wolfgang wrote: And they renamed Meier to Feyer - for whatever reason I can't guess, for the other guy is still called Erlick.
Feyer doesn't have quite the same foreign ring to it, probably due to the lack of consecutive vowels. :?
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Anita Bensoussane
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Re: Mountain of Adventure

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Thanks, Wolfgang!
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Re: Mountain of Adventure

Post by Courtenay »

Wolfgang wrote: That reminds me of another small thing they changed in the French edition: Bill's co-pilot, in the French edition a mechanic, examines Philip's wings and says that no-one will ever be able to fly with them, they're trash. That's a bit harsher than Bill's remark about them in the ENglish and German editions.
Interesting... it does baffle me how some translators seem to think the point of translation is not to convey the original author's ideas and style as closely as possible in a different language, but apparently to rewrite the story as what they (the translators) think the original author should have written. :? But that addition does underscore the point that the "anti-gravity" wings really are a dangerous hoax perpetrated by a madman, not a brilliant new scientific discovery at all. Mountain may boast one of Enid's most improbable plots — I was left gaping at times as I read it, not expecting this kind of story from her! — but there is a really chilling and creepy side to it that makes it even more unusual and memorable. I must re-read it some time soon.
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It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
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Rob Houghton
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Re: Mountain of Adventure

Post by Rob Houghton »

I think everyone on here knows by now that reading The Mountain Of Adventure as a child (aged 12) sounded the death-knoll for my love of Enid Blyton for quite some time - as well as 'The Mystery That Never Was'. I hated the science-fiction themes of 'Muntain' as I wasn't into them at all as a child - but on a more recent read-through, despite not looking forward to reading 'Mountain' I actually quite enjoyed it!

I agree that the best element is the madness of the inventor, and how he controls everyone with his craziness - rather like a dictator - ruling by fear and promises of great wealth and fame. Its rather clever that he controls the king of the mountain in this way, using him for his own means - and the fact that paratroopers are being paid big money to leap off the mountain and fall to their deaths, then being tracked by dogs (presumably to get rid of the evidence!) gives the book a feeling of terror and realism that as a child I completely overlooked!
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Wolfgang
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Re: Mountain of Adventure

Post by Wolfgang »

Darrell71 wrote:
Wolfgang wrote: And they renamed Meier to Feyer - for whatever reason I can't guess, for the other guy is still called Erlick.
Feyer doesn't have quite the same foreign ring to it, probably due to the lack of consecutive vowels. :?
Actually the German names Meier, Maier, Meyer, Mayer, Meir and Mair are pronounced identically.
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Re: Mountain of Adventure

Post by Courtenay »

I was going to say, wouldn't Feyer rhyme with Meier anyway? :wink:
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It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
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Darrell71
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Re: Mountain of Adventure

Post by Darrell71 »

Yep I guess, still doesn't have the same feel to it at least for me.
Rob Houghton wrote: Its rather clever that he controls the king of the mountain in this way, using him for his own means
Isn't the king the inventor? :?
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Rob Houghton
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Re: Mountain of Adventure

Post by Rob Houghton »

Darrell71 wrote:
Rob Houghton wrote: Its rather clever that he controls the king of the mountain in this way, using him for his own means
Isn't the king the inventor? :?
yes - sorry - I always get them confused - I was thinking of how Meier controls the inventor. :-)
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Darrell71
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Re: Mountain of Adventure

Post by Darrell71 »

You quite got me confused for a second there! But yeah I agree, Meier is a clever guy, another example of how good brains are often used for the wrong reasons.
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Rob Houghton
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Re: Mountain of Adventure

Post by Rob Houghton »

This is probably one of the few EB books I've only read twice, so i'm easily confused with who is who! Sorry for the confusion! :oops:
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Darrell71
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Re: Mountain of Adventure

Post by Darrell71 »

No problem! I find it pretty awesome that you've read so many of her books so many times, wish I could get my hands on a few more of them!
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