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Tom Swift Jr. #28
Tom Swift and the Mystery Comet
Tom Swift Jr. realizes one of his greatest ambitions when the U.S. space agency commissions him to do a comet probe. With his latest invention, the telesampler, Tom hopes to glean unknown scientific facts from the next comet to pass near earth -- and even, perhaps, make a manned landing. But his erstwhile enemies the Brungarians are a threat to the daring research project and U.S. scientific prestige. Meanwhile, weird unidentified flying objects blazing across earth's skies are causing the U.S. Department of Defense great concern. When Professor Feng, of the University of Heidelberg, gives Tom a strange clue to the UFO's -- a clue which dates back to the Middle Ages -- the young space scientist is soon caught up in a web of danger and intrigue. How Tom succeeds in solving the complex riddle of the UFO's -- just in time for a desperate race with a deadly comet as earth's fate hangs in the balance -- makes one of the most tension-packed, thrilling stories in the Tom Swift series.
178 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1966
72 people want to read
About the author
Victor Appleton II
117Ìýbooks21Ìýfollowerssee also Victor Appleton
The character of Tom Swift was conceived in 1910 by Edward Stratemeyer, founder of the Stratemeyer Syndicate, a book-packaging company. Stratemeyer invented the series to capitalize on the market for children's science adventure. The Syndicate's authors created the Tom Swift books by first preparing an outline with all the plot elements, followed by drafting and editing the detailed manuscript. The books were published under the house name of Victor Appleton. Edward Stratemeyer and Howard Garis wrote most of the volumes in the original series; Stratemeyer's daughter, Harriet Stratemeyer Adams, wrote the last three volumes. The first Tom Swift series ended in 1941.
In 1954, Harriet Adams created the Tom Swift, Jr., series, which was published under the name "Victor Appleton II". Most titles were outlined and plotted by Adams. The texts were written by various writers, among them William Dougherty, John Almquist, Richard Sklar, James Duncan Lawrence, Tom Mulvey and Richard McKenna. The Tom Swift, Jr., series ended in 1971.
The character of Tom Swift was conceived in 1910 by Edward Stratemeyer, founder of the Stratemeyer Syndicate, a book-packaging company. Stratemeyer invented the series to capitalize on the market for children's science adventure. The Syndicate's authors created the Tom Swift books by first preparing an outline with all the plot elements, followed by drafting and editing the detailed manuscript. The books were published under the house name of Victor Appleton. Edward Stratemeyer and Howard Garis wrote most of the volumes in the original series; Stratemeyer's daughter, Harriet Stratemeyer Adams, wrote the last three volumes. The first Tom Swift series ended in 1941.
In 1954, Harriet Adams created the Tom Swift, Jr., series, which was published under the name "Victor Appleton II". Most titles were outlined and plotted by Adams. The texts were written by various writers, among them William Dougherty, John Almquist, Richard Sklar, James Duncan Lawrence, Tom Mulvey and Richard McKenna. The Tom Swift, Jr., series ended in 1971.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 22, 2021
The plot of this book is over the top, even for Tom Swift. It involves unidentified flying objects, a deadly comet on a collision course with Earth, a jealous classmate of Tom’s, the space aliens that Tom and his father are communicating with and the adversary country of Brungaria. There is too much going on and none of it is handled very well.
For example, Tom’s classmate (among others) manages to penetrate the security of the Swift compound, something that would never happen in the real world. The Swift complex has a large security apparatus, yet it rarely seems to do the job. If this subplot had been left out, the overall story would have been improved.
The final incredulous event is when Tom and Bud are in their spaceship and it is hijacked by a Brungarian agent. They manage to regain control of the ship just in time to change the comet trajectory enough so that it misses Earth. Since they are not that far from Earth and the mass of even the smallest comets is considerable, this is a major violation of the laws of physics. Too much, even for a Tom Swift adventure.
The best science fiction stories are those that focus on one conflict/adversarial or new phenomenon event. Put several together and there is not enough story to tell all the stories.
For example, Tom’s classmate (among others) manages to penetrate the security of the Swift compound, something that would never happen in the real world. The Swift complex has a large security apparatus, yet it rarely seems to do the job. If this subplot had been left out, the overall story would have been improved.
The final incredulous event is when Tom and Bud are in their spaceship and it is hijacked by a Brungarian agent. They manage to regain control of the ship just in time to change the comet trajectory enough so that it misses Earth. Since they are not that far from Earth and the mass of even the smallest comets is considerable, this is a major violation of the laws of physics. Too much, even for a Tom Swift adventure.
The best science fiction stories are those that focus on one conflict/adversarial or new phenomenon event. Put several together and there is not enough story to tell all the stories.
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 twenty-eighth volume has a strong cover showing what looks like an interplanetary, very colorful tiddlywinks game. Gosh, won't those dratted Brungarians ever learn?
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