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Tom Swift Jr. #19
Tom Swift and His Triphibian Atomicar
An atomic-powered car that travels on land, water, and through the air -- Tom Swift Jr.'s latest invention -- is an extraordinary achievement. But even its young inventor could not anticipate what a dramatic role the Triphibian Atomicar would play in a technical aid mission which takes Tom and his top-flight engineers to the untamed Asian land of Kabulistan, to help the new republic develop its natural resources. Time and again Tom must pit his skill and courage against fierce, nomadic tribesmen. But this is not a one-sided conflict between the ancient and the modern. Beneath the façade of thunderous hoofbeats, spears, and scimitars is a scientific mastermind bent on destroying the members of the Swift expedition in order to conceal from the Kabulistan government his discovery of a fabulous ruby mine lost for two centuries. After a series of danger-packed episodes, Tom and his pal Bud Barclay are caught in a seemingly inextricable, underground trap. How Tom builds a "do-it-yourself" rocket in a cavern laboratory and sends it homing for aid is a brilliant stroke of ingenuity. The young scientist-inventor's daring exploits in the primitive Middle East country of Kabulistan will keep the reader breathless with suspense until the last page of this gripping story.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1962
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 31, 2017
I eagerly read every one of the Tom Swift books I could get my hands on, even the Tom Sr. books, when I'd find one. That's at an age when I fully expected I'd grow up to be a great inventor like Tom. I loved the flying automobile, but what really fascinated me was its name: two different portmanteau words in one appellation. Wow, you can DO that?
February 14, 2024
Read it in one evening, lol 😆 Didn't focus so much on the titular invention - at the start of the book, it's already been built - as on Tom's crazy adventures. I loved the setting in the fictional Middle-Eastern country, it gave the book a really different feel.
Tom almost died *only* once or twice, and for once the aliens weren't talking to him.
Tom almost died *only* once or twice, and for once the aliens weren't talking to him.
February 7, 2022
The Tom Swift series is a fun and exciting venture in the early science-fiction/fantasy, a bit dated and corny language with mannerisms not found in young people today.
The plots don't seem to vary much, yet everything works out in the end.
The plots don't seem to vary much, yet everything works out in the end.
November 5, 2022
Regular Tom Swift stuff.
December 27, 2022
Some international travel in this one. Lots of action.
June 28, 2015
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 nineteenth volume has a wonderful cover showing the titular vehicle, the very coolest car ever! With those silly fierce Cossacks heaving spears at it, yet! Remember this was a few years before Nick Fury had Lola the flying Porsche.
January 17, 2008
The Tom Swift books are totally fun - they are the Hardy Boys for young science geeks.
Tom invents a car that can fly and float. He also is called to help the development of "Kabulistan", a fictional country near Iran. Considering its time and audience, the book does okay in bringing in some regional color.
Tom invents a car that can fly and float. He also is called to help the development of "Kabulistan", a fictional country near Iran. Considering its time and audience, the book does okay in bringing in some regional color.
July 8, 2011
How can you go wrong with a bok that starts with, "Tom, your new atomic powered sports car is so dreamy!"
Similar to Hardy Boys but featuring a millionaire teenage inventor, this series was a favorite of mine when I was in about 4th grade. Can you believe our local library doesn't have any? I'm finding a few from a used book store in Jacksonville.
Similar to Hardy Boys but featuring a millionaire teenage inventor, this series was a favorite of mine when I was in about 4th grade. Can you believe our local library doesn't have any? I'm finding a few from a used book store in Jacksonville.
May 22, 2015
Another in the Tom Swift, Jr. series. I give this one five stars because it is just one of my favorites and I still want a triphibian atomicar. Even a biphibian... How we loved our flying cars in the 60s. Of course the trick is to be the only one who has one. If everyone gets one then you have the Jetsons and sky traffic jams, as we know.
January 2, 2014
I think, that I read this about 35 years ago...
Looks like I will have to read some more of these and see if any anre familiar
Looks like I will have to read some more of these and see if any anre familiar
June 12, 2014
Skipped ahead but thats was fine.
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October 26, 2016possibly read in winter 1967
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
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