The Enid Blyton Society

Hi Courtenay

My articles on the Adventure series were some years ago - starting in Journal number 16 and concluding in Journal 23. Not sure if they are available now though.

Its a great series - probably the most consistent of all Enid's series, as she didnt go on and on writing more and more until the quality diminished. Every book has something to recommend it with no weak final book to spoil the series, as in Secret Seven, Find Outers, Famous Five or Barney mystery, which all seemed to finish on rather weak books.

Hi Robert. I've seen some of your posts in earlier discussions, but didn't know whether you still came here. I love the poem in your signature!

I'm glad you say the Adventure series doesn't end on a weak final book! Judging from discussions with others here, opinions of River seem rather mixed. I would be quite disappointed if the series went out on a low point. Mind you, I'm nearly finished with Circus, and am finding it easily one of the best of the lot, though they're all great! Must stop typing and get back to it.

I will have to see if I can get hold of those Journals. If they're not available as back copies from Tony, they may well turn up on eBay - we've had a few members recently purchase ones they wanted from there.

Many thanks!

PS. I see Journals 16-23 are well and truly sold out, as are all the ones from more than just a few years ago - well, I'll have some fun seeing if I can track them down!

I would agree with those who rate River highly. The plot is simple but the setting is wonderful and the story is beautifully told as usual. It also contains some really memorable moments but I can't elaborate without risking spoilers!

I can't list my order of preference book by book, it's more level by level! - Island is always at the top because it's my favourite Enid Blyton book altogether. Valley I would probably list next because at the last read I felt it had the edge over Castle, Sea, Circus, River, which I can't choose between, and following hard on their heels comes Mountain and Ship.

I haven't commented much but I just want to say that it's been very enjoyable following your posts as you read the Adventure series for the first time Courtenay.

I will join in conversations on the other dedicated Adventure series threads just as soon as I've finished all the books - I've been avoiding others' conversations about them so as not to risk encountering spoilers!

I replied once but my reply didnt seem to appear! I agree that River is a good book - maybe not quite as good as some of the best in the Adventure series but certainly not weak. I love how Enid uses the river as a force, carrying the plot along. It's unusual in that nearly the whole adventure takes place on a river - just one journey all along its length.

I remember saying in my articles that in these books, the main character is really the setting - Island, Valley, Mountain, Sea, Circus, etc, and River is definitely no exception.

I hope you can find my articles if you fancy reading them - pity they arent available anywhere nowadays. I would send the original articles but I no longer have them.

I agree that Circus is definitely one of the best books in the series, in my opinion. It seems more adult in theme too, I think. I love them all, but my faves are Valley, Sea and Circus. My least favourite is probably one most people like - Castle - but it's still not bad!

I started to read "Le mystère de l'hélicoptère", the French edition of "Mountain of adventure". Apart from the fact that it is set in the Pyrenee and not in Wales, our much beloved exclamations of "Whateffer", "Indeed to gootness" and "Look you" are missing. Another significant difference is, that they're meeting an old friend of Allie there, and René, pardon, Bill only decided at the last possible point of time to join the family holiday. Very romantic indeed .
I only read the first of 24 chapters - it will be interesting to learn what excuse Bill will use not to go with the children on their ride.

Certainly a different set-up! I'd be interested to know if there are any further changes, Wolfgang.

So am I!

I read two more chapters today. It is mentioned that Effans would pay dearly for Kiki, but apart of that there's hardly any interaction between the two of them.
When Mrs Mannering hurt her hand it was described how dear Bill was around her, and the adults try to sort out how to get Mrs Mannering to the hospital some days later. We learn that Mrs Mannering's friend don't feel comfortable driving the winding and narrow streets so she refuses to to take Allie to the hospital. That's why Bill don't go to the trip together with the children.
I wonder why they included Mrs Mannering's friend at all if she's unable to do anything for her and doesn't deepen the plot. It isn't even a continuation thing, because another friend is taking cate of Mrs Mannering when she's ill in "Sea". I personally think it would have been better if they hadn't removed so many elements, Sally Slither doesn't seem to make an appearance at all.

That's rather sad, for all of the elements together make Mountain such a nice book. I think the budding romance between Bill and Allie in this book is one of the nicest things, I wonder why they'd remove that?

I finished the French edition today. The rest of the plot stayed more or less the same although there are still some shortages, though two things were also introoduced that are not found in the English or German edition.
When they couldn't make the rope-ladder to uncoil they're looking for a rope to get a better leverage, and they also ask the king for one, but he of course suspects that they need it to get out of the mountain.
When they're hiding in the cave where the spring runs, the French edition noted that it was cold and damp inside - it isn't mentioned in the English or Germans edition I own.
And they renamed Meier to Feyer - for whatever reason I can't guess, for the other guy is still called Erlick.

Thanks, Wolfgang. I can't imagine asking the mad king for a rope! I'd want to keep as low a profile as possible if I found myself in his mountain!

Well, in the English and German editions they ask him actually for a way out, Anita .

Golly - I need to read the book again!

Sparing you the pain of rereading the book ( ), Anita, here's the passage:

"Well - it just sounds so extraordinary, that’s all,“ said Lucy-Ann. „It sounds perfectly lovely, of course - I mean, I’d give anything to be able to fly like that. How clever you must be!“
„I have the biggest brain in the world,“ said the old man solemnly. „I am the greatest scientist that ever lived. I can do anything, anything!“
„Could you show us the way out of here?“ asked Jack, in an innocent voice. The old man looked uncomfortable.
„If you use my wings, then you can go,“ he said at last. „We are all prisoners here till then, even I! Meier has said this must be so. He says I must hurry, hurry to get my wings quite perfect - time is short. Then I shall be made king of the whole world, and everyone will honour me."

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.