What books do you wish would have been written?

[Chrissie777]

Interesting article, Courtenay!

We drove through Aberdeen in mid May and were so mad at our GPS, because we had to go through at least 50 roundabouts (I'm not exaggerating). Why is there no road that avoids Aberdeen entirely if you are driving along the coast north???
We went from Dunnottar Castle, Stonehaven, to Cruden Bay (New Slains Castle) and wasted almost 45 minutes just crossing 50+ roundabouts in Aberdeen.

[Bertie]

I agree that more Barney R books before he found his father would have been great. The search was an important part of the book, and I preferred Barney before he found his family.
I'd have loved more of my favourite series - Find-Outers - and, as much as I like Ern, and don't mind Eunice, I'd have liked most of those books just to be with the original five (and Buster).
Similarly, I'd have liked more Famous Five books set at Kirrin. And, again, mainly just with the Five and Timmy rather than adding 'extra' kids. I quite liked some - Jock, Sooty, Toby, Jo - but they're hit and miss and I mostly just prefer it when the original group features.

[Chrissie777]

Famous Five and Adventure were my favorites as a boy, and I would have liked more of them, from a Blyton at the height of her powers. Also, a boarding school for boys series.

I would have loved more Kirrin Bay stories in the FF series. Those 10 books taking place in Kirrin Bay and on Kirrin Island are my favorites and I keep rereading them.

[jubei]

I totally wish Enid write another Adventurous Four books. I want to read more about the four characters Jill, Mary, Tom and Andy.

2ndly, The Secret Series (Mike, Peggy, Norah , Jack! and Prince Paul) also need at least 1 book to make it as six canon book. Although there are 6th book written by other author, which I guess considered as canon to us(?)

The third wish would be another book to the Barney series. The Barney series is my most favorite series from Enid.

For Adventure series I guess 8 books are enough, they are all thick books already.

[pete9012S]

I agree with your suggestions jubei - I have just bought the extra Adventurous Four book that was expanded from the short story.

Have you read it? I'm going to read it for the first time when I go away for a break in a few weeks.

Author: Clive Dickinson
Publication Date: June 1st 1998
Paperback: 160 pages
ISBN-10: 0006945864
ISBN-13: 978-0006945864
Reprint Date: October 1st 2003
ISBN-10: 1841352101
ISBN-13: 978-1841352107

Brief Summary: A stolen suitcase of blueprints on an island far out to sea leads the four children into another exciting adventure. Can they thwart the evil schemes of a group of ruthless smugglers?

https://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/boo ... Trapped%21

[Anita Bensoussane]

What a terrible pity that all the series you've mentioned (Adventurous Four, Secret and Barney) are no longer available new in UK shops, Jubei (with the exception of The Secret Island, which is sold as a stand-alone title).

[Boodi 2]

I think that is very sad and difficult to understand, especially as the Barney/R Mysteries are among my very favourite Blyton books and I also like the Secret series, although I would not rate it as highly as some of the other series and stand-alone books. Does this mean that they will NEVER be published again????

[Barnard]

Certainly they won’t be published without being altered and cut to ribbons to remove anything ‘offensive’.
I’m lucky that my collection has the stories as Enid Blyton wrote them.

[pete9012S]

This is just my own fairly selfish opinion.

I have only really ever collected original hardbacks and 1960's/70's paperback Blytons.

Modern edited editions often with no illustrations now just clog up my search results on sites like ebay.
The modern books that are so heavily edited have no appeal for me.

I feel very fortunate have lived through an era that provided so many good quality unedited books.

With two gargantuan artists of huge talent like Eileen Soper & Betty Maxey fighting for my copious amounts of pocket money from extremely generous relatives in the 1960's & 70's I feel I have been lucky to live in a 'golden age' of collecting and reading Enid Blyton.

I am also constantly grateful that I had the full body of work by Enid Blyton to read and collect in my formative years.

I fear it is only going to get worse regarding the publishing of modern Enid Blytons.
The only 'modern' versions I buy are the groups of stories that offer many hard to track down stories as found in books like this:



Release Date: June 8th 2023
https://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/boo ... d+Whiskers

[jubei]

Have you read it? I'm going to read it for the first time when I go away for a break in a few weeks.

I aware of this book, but not sure if i already read it or not. Most probably not yet because it wasn't available back then when I'm actively read enid books.

I wasn't really aware that modern edition of Enid books was editted to suit modern ethic. I bought some Famous Five books on 2015, with new modernized cover. I don't know if they are already edited or still in original form. Gonna check it later.

I glad i have some books still in very early edition. And about 30-40 books in Indonesian language that i bought in the 80s.

[Bertie]

I wouldn't have liked any crossover books. I like them to remain in their separate worlds, which makes them more believable rather than when they mention reading a FF book in other series, etc.

I wouldn't have wanted any extra books from the 60's onwards - the later books in some of the longer series highlight why.

However, I really like the Barney series and the Adventure series and I wish Enid hadn't taken a lengthy break after the 4th and 6th books in the respective series and had carried on writing one a year in her prime. I'm sure we could have have had a few more good quality books written by her in either series.

[Blytonfan]

"Third Form at St. Clare's" and "Sixth Form at St. Clare's" - by Enid herself.

The existing ones by Pamela Cox - for me somehow lack that "something" that makes you read and re-read Blyton's books.

[IceMaiden]

I don't like or read modern versions or continuation novels because they are not by Enid Blyton. I'm only interested in Enid Blyton books written by Enid Blyton herself in her own words. To me it's the same as having a favourite character in a show played by a specific favoured actor or actress then the role being recast. It might supposed to be the same character but it's just not the same so the interest isn't there.