Although I rated this one long ago it turns out that I was mistaken in thinking I had read it. Recently I listened to the audiobook with my daughter.

It's in this book that the trusty fisherboy, who appears now and then in the first five books, mysterious changes his name from Alf to James. I to think Blyton was playing the long game and had the series endured past book 23 this would have been resolved amid the unravelling of some dastardly plot.

This volume is one of the weaker ones in the series. It centres on Uncle Quentin's ill-specified scientific endeavors. In book 2 he was writing formula and brewing things in test tubes. Men working for an unspecified "foreign country" worked to infiltrate his household and steal his papers. In book 4 he seemed to be some sort of civil engineer collaborating on a project to drain a marsh and getting kidnapped by an irate smuggler. In book 6 the ubiquitous uncle is working solo on a government funded project that should "eliminate the need for coal, oil, and gas". Uncle Quentin appears to be about to solve the problem of nuclear fusion single handedly!

The science involves a tall tower made of plastic with wires poking out of the walls and a glass room at the top. We later learn that the experiment has the power to cause an explosion that would completely destroy the whole island. This is not, however, the reason Quentin has recused himself to the island (much to George's disgust). No, health and safety were never mentioned. Eschewing this simple and reasonable reason why Quentin might need to be on an uninhabited island Bylton wanders out on the slender limb of her scientific knowledge and declares that his work needs to be conducted beneath water and with water on all sides. We never find out why.

Of course bad men want to steal his idea. This time for profit rather than "the enemy". Quentin gets spooked that there maybe someone on the island even though reality has shifted and made it utterly impossible for anyone other than George and the local fishermen to navigate the rocks and land on the island.

Timmy has to stay to guard Quentin while back on shore the children monitor his lantern and mirror signals to confirm he is ok.

George "just a girl" gives away too much information to a shady type who shows an interest. He also provides the mandatory "extra child" in the form of his son.

It turns out that the baddies have parachuted onto the island to overcome the impassable rocks. For the rest of the series the rocks are eminently passable and fossil fuels are still used despite Uncle Quentin's discoveries...

It's a Famous Five book so of course there have to be caves. Not only caves but a nonsensical series of natural dry tunnels running from the island under the sea and surfacing on the mainland. Think about that one for a bit ... try to imagine how they formed and how they don't fill with water.

Pistols are drawn once more and a shot is fired! Don't worry, **SPOILER** Timmy survives.

Anyway, the baddies are caught, the son turns out not to be related by blood and gets a chance at a new life where he can use his artistic talent, and all's well that ends well.

What kind of scientist will Uncle Quentin be next? Stay tuned!



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.85 s Alan Cotterell535 183

Jolly adventures with the gang.read-202018 s Paul2,306 20

This instalment in the Famous Five series seemed a little dull to me in comparison to the last two books, which were both pretty high on the excitement scale.

Perhaps it was the fact that they were back on Kirrin Island for the third time... or perhaps it was because not a lot really happened until the third act, when things did start to pick up.

Don't get me wrong; I still enjoyed the book... just nowhere near as much as the previous two.

P.S. - I'm not completely mad; I do realise I'm not the target audience for this book. ;-)

Buddy read with Sunshine Seaspraybooks-read-in-2016 books-read-in-201914 s Teresa612 159

I haven't lost my marbles or anything but this is a series I grew up with and loved. I spent a lot of time on my own when young and books were my great comfort. Some time ago I decided to read these again. I still enjoy them after all these years. Yes parts of them are not quite pc for today's world but that aside I think they hold up well.childhood-reads11 s Tammi Doyle34

Any book that simultaneously advocates developing an alternative fuel source (circa-1950) and suggests the necessary ingredients in the underground rescue of a 13 year old are shovels and brandy is ok in my opinion.9 s Kelly-Marie206 5

4 stars
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