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Tom Swift Jr. #21
Tom Swift and the Asteroid Pirates
A violent explosion in space touches off one of the most thrill-packed adventures in Tom Swift Jr.'s scientific career. The appalling news that a cargo rocket has disintegrated while en route with vital supplies to Swift Enterprises' research base on the asteroid, Nestria, sounds a grim warning that the lives of Nestria's personnel are at stake. To rescue the marooned men, Tom undertakes a hazardous voyage to Nestria, only to find the way blocked by an invisible barrier of deadly radiation created by an unknown enemy whose objective is possession of the base. Tension mounts at Swift Enterprises when a mysterious Oriental is shot while attempting to warn Tom that his life is in danger from the Black Cobra. The Oriental's mumbled warning, plus some revealing data collected by United States Intelligence, sends Tom winging to a secret fortress in South America for the first encounter with his inscrutable foe. But the decisive encounter is destined to take place in space. How Tom uses his new invention, the magnetic deflector, to crack the radiation barrier around Nestria, and how the young space scientist and his crewmen pit their wits and courage against the asteroid pirates and their diabolical leader, the Black Cobra, will hold every reader breathless with suspense.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1963
1 person is currently reading
89 people want to read
About the author
Victor Appleton II
117books21followerssee 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 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 8, 2017
Young inventor Tom Swift Jr. and his best friend, Bud Barclay, both eighteen years old, are on Tom’s Flying Lab Sky Queen when they witness the explosion of a supply rocket headed for an American outpost on the asteroid Nestria. They eventually learn that a group of space pirates, headed by the Black Cobra, has surrounded the asteroid with an antimatter shield in an attempt to conquer it. The Cobra’s men also make several attempts on Tom’s life. The two boys, Tom’s father Tom Swift Sr., Tom’s sister and Bud’s girlfriend Sandra, Sandra’s friend and Tom’s girlfriend Phyllis Newton, various Swift Enterprises employees, and other officials are all working to remedy the situation. How long will the crew on Nestria be able to survive without supplies? Do the pirates succeed in taking the asteroid? And can they make good their threats on Tom’s life?
At the very first homeschool convention which I ever attended, one of the workshop speakers highly recommended the original Tom Swift books. Tom Swift and The Asteroid Pirates is identified as Book 21 of 33 in “The New Tom Swift Jr. Adventures.� The original Tom Swift books, published by the Edward Stratemeyer Syndicate and attributed to the pseudonym of Victor Appleton but written mostly by Howard R. Garis of “Uncle Wiggly� fame, ran from 1910 to 1941 with a total of forty titles. The Tom Swift, Jr. books, attributed to Victor Appleton II, are an extension of the original series. Tom Sr. has grown up, married his childhood sweetheart, has had two children, and directs the gargantuan Swift Enterprises. His perpetually eighteen-year-old son is now the second generation inventor. The Tom Swift Jr. series ran from 1954 to 1971, for a total of 33 titles. Most of the stories were outlined and plotted by Stratemeyer’s daughter, Harriet Stratemeyer Adams, and the texts were written by various writers.
I have never read any of the original series. The Asteroid Pirates has a few colloquial euphemisms (tarnation, consarned, dad-ratted), but these books are basically harmless and would have the same kind of appeal as other Stratemeyer series, like the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, the Bobbsey Twins, etc. Tom Swift would be especially interesting to youngsters who enjoy children’s science fiction adventure novels that emphasize physics, invention, and technology. The second set begins with Tom Swift and His Flying Lab, and The Asteroid Pirates is followed by Tom Swift and His Repelatron Skyway. There have been three subsequent series, in which the main character is also “Tom Swift, Jr.� The third series of 11 volumes was begun in 1981, lasted until 1984, and differs from the first two in that the setting is primarily outer space. The rights to the Tom Swift character, along with the Stratemeyer Syndicate, were sold in 1984 to publishers Simon and Schuster which produced two other Tom Swift series. The 13 volumes of the fourth, published from 1991 to 1993, feature Tom Swift (again a “Jr.�) and are set mostly on Earth with occasional voyages to the moon. The Tom Swift, Young Inventor series, with Tom as the son of Tom Swift and Mary Nestor, the names of characters of the original Tom Swift series, was begun in 2006 and has some half-dozen books published as recently as 2007, for a total of around 103 volumes for all the series.
At the very first homeschool convention which I ever attended, one of the workshop speakers highly recommended the original Tom Swift books. Tom Swift and The Asteroid Pirates is identified as Book 21 of 33 in “The New Tom Swift Jr. Adventures.� The original Tom Swift books, published by the Edward Stratemeyer Syndicate and attributed to the pseudonym of Victor Appleton but written mostly by Howard R. Garis of “Uncle Wiggly� fame, ran from 1910 to 1941 with a total of forty titles. The Tom Swift, Jr. books, attributed to Victor Appleton II, are an extension of the original series. Tom Sr. has grown up, married his childhood sweetheart, has had two children, and directs the gargantuan Swift Enterprises. His perpetually eighteen-year-old son is now the second generation inventor. The Tom Swift Jr. series ran from 1954 to 1971, for a total of 33 titles. Most of the stories were outlined and plotted by Stratemeyer’s daughter, Harriet Stratemeyer Adams, and the texts were written by various writers.
I have never read any of the original series. The Asteroid Pirates has a few colloquial euphemisms (tarnation, consarned, dad-ratted), but these books are basically harmless and would have the same kind of appeal as other Stratemeyer series, like the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, the Bobbsey Twins, etc. Tom Swift would be especially interesting to youngsters who enjoy children’s science fiction adventure novels that emphasize physics, invention, and technology. The second set begins with Tom Swift and His Flying Lab, and The Asteroid Pirates is followed by Tom Swift and His Repelatron Skyway. There have been three subsequent series, in which the main character is also “Tom Swift, Jr.� The third series of 11 volumes was begun in 1981, lasted until 1984, and differs from the first two in that the setting is primarily outer space. The rights to the Tom Swift character, along with the Stratemeyer Syndicate, were sold in 1984 to publishers Simon and Schuster which produced two other Tom Swift series. The 13 volumes of the fourth, published from 1991 to 1993, feature Tom Swift (again a “Jr.�) and are set mostly on Earth with occasional voyages to the moon. The Tom Swift, Young Inventor series, with Tom as the son of Tom Swift and Mary Nestor, the names of characters of the original Tom Swift series, was begun in 2006 and has some half-dozen books published as recently as 2007, for a total of around 103 volumes for all the series.
August 25, 2024
Well THAT was a fun way to spend a few hours 😂 It felt like old times to sit down with a Tom Swift book. The premise was really intriguing - you know, I've learned to willingly suspend disbelief with Tom Swift. Which means I don't mind how ridiculous it gets, lol. 🤣 This one reminded me so much of the old Jonny Quest cartoons that this Gen Z kid loves so much, especially the villain and the ending. Same era, after all. 🤷♀�
As for the illustrations - I have no words 😂😂
As for the illustrations - I have no words 😂😂
August 6, 2017
Never read any of this type of books when I was younger, I was already off reading larger science fiction novels. I found it enjoyable for what it is, a light and easy read, with some inventiveness and plenty of adventure. Suffers from stereotyping. The books themselves are appealing with the nice hardcover and interior illustrations.
October 20, 2019
The asteroid is Nestria & the Cobra leads the pirates. Any other vehicles approaching it explode!
October 24, 2024
This is one of the best books in the Tom Swift Jr. Series
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-first volume has an okay cover showing a good space scene; reminded me of Flash Gordon, as did much of the plot. After all, you see the title and you think Buster Crabbe. Overall, a good space Swift adventure.
January 31, 2013
Got this one as a gift, the second Tom Swift Jr. book I read, and I remember thinking it was even cooler than Tom Swift and the Race to the Moon. Here Tom and his sidekick Bud capture an asteroid and bring it into Earth orbit for, um, mining purposes I think. They name it Nestoria, after Tom's mother whose maiden name is Mary Nestor. (And if I'm not mistaken, she is the love interest in the Tom Swift Sr. books written at the beginning of the 20th century.) But that asteroid is captured by pirates, and they have to get it back!
Interesting thing about this book? I bet this kind of shit is going to go down in real life within say the next 20 years.
Interesting thing about this book? I bet this kind of shit is going to go down in real life within say the next 20 years.
March 31, 2011
I can't remember it. I remember the cover and liking the book so much I have never stopped reading scifi. And people make fun of Mr. Appleton!
July 2, 2015
This is on of the most action packed books I've read (and of course the most action packed of all of the Tom Swift Jr. books I've read)!
July 17, 2015
These were better when I was 10.
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