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Mad Scientists' Club #4
The Big Chunk of Ice: The Last Known Adventure of the Mad Scientists' Club
It wasn't the diamond as big as the Ritz but it was a pretty big chunk of ice and it got the precocious pranksters of The Mad Scientists Club entwined in an international intrigue that only the intrepid investigators of Interpol could unravel. Take the seven young mad scientists of Mammoth Falls, stick them in an antiquated blimp bound for the Austrian Alps, along with two hep young college girls and a zany professor of mysterious Rumanian origins, and you have the makings of a high-flying fun fest that could only come from the author of The Mad Scientists Club and The Big Kerplop! If you're not already a fan of superbrain Henry Mulligan, dinky Dinky Poore, fat Freddy Muldoon, and the other unpredictable troublemakers that populate this series of mad, mad adventure stories, you will be, once you read the Big Chunk of Ice.
280 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2005
36 people are currently reading
168 people want to read
About the author
Bertrand R. Brinley
20 books37 followersBertrand R. Brinley was born in Hudson, New York in 1917. He had a peripatetic childhood, living in Hudson, Lansdowne, Pennsylvania; West Newbury, Massachusetts; Evanston, Illinois; and Hollywood, California, to name just a few of the places. When he lived in Hollywood in the Twenties, he pitched pennies with Jackie Cooper, who became a child star, and sold newspapers to Charlie Chase, the silent comedy star, at the corner of Western Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard.
He attended high school in West Newbury in the same building in which I went to first grade, many years later. My father lived at what the family called "the Farm." It was indeed a farm; but, it was also home on and off for a variety of intellectuals during the Depression and a young man who was later to achieve great literary fame, John Cheever. We often visited the farm when we lived in West Newbury, and I remember the large library in one room.
West Newbury contributed a good many place names and several of the characters to the Mad Scientists' Club stories. My father graduated in 1935 and went West again to Stanford University, where he studied History, English, and Speech and Drama. During his years at Stanford, he worked at the Peninsula Creamery in Palo Alto, which is still in operation.
He was recruited by Harry Bridges' waterfront union to fight in Spain for the republican side in the civil war (Bridges' union was a Communist front organization). He and a colleague went along with the deal because they wanted a free trip to Europe: they planned to jump ship in Biarritz and tour through France. Alas, his father got wind of the caper and had my father's passport pulled. I remember my father telling me about a visit from a union recruiter one day while he was working at the Creamery who wanted to know if he was still going to join up.
It was in Palo Alto that my father met my mother at the Palo Alto Community Playhouse. He was the assistant director. Here is an excerpt from his resume: "Assisted in direction of major productions...directed workshop productions, handled publicity and season ticket campaigns...Appeared in major roles in ..ten productions. Typical productions: Winterset, Pygmalion, High Tor, The Importance of Being Earnest.. Stage Door, You Can't Take it With You, Our Town, Ah, Wilderness."
After they were married, they moved to Southern California, where he worked for the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation as a systems analyst. Never far from the theater, he co-founded the Lockheed Players, producing and directing The Importance of Being Earnest, Lady Blackmere's Fan, and Springtime for Henry.
In 1944 he entered the Army, which became his career and made his family international travelers. The service first took us to Germany and Austria, and later to Japan and Panama. Another excerpt from his resume gives a flavor of a long-lost time in our history: "...Assigned as Special Services Officer, Third U.S. Army in Munich and Heidelberg...Escorted USO shows. Directed Troop Entertainment Program for U.S. Occupied Zone, Germany...Organized road circuit of twenty-one show units and ninety-five dance bands..Arranged talent exchange with Bal Tabarin and Folies Bergeres in Paris, and the Palladium in London...Wrote and directed seven musical productions for troop entertainment...utilizing both soldier and professional talent, twenty-girl ballet, and concert orchestra."
Among his assignments were running The Stardust Club -- a nightclub for soldiers in Heidelberg, managing a resort hotel for Allied officers in Kitzbuhl, Austria, and serving as an aide to the commanding general of the Third Army in Vienna. In the latter assignment we lived in the Vienna Woods in a house that was built with straw instead of lathe to hold the coat of exterior stucco. It was our house of straw.
After returning to the States, he worked in public relations for the Salvation Army while we lived in West Newbury. He re-entered the Army during the K
He attended high school in West Newbury in the same building in which I went to first grade, many years later. My father lived at what the family called "the Farm." It was indeed a farm; but, it was also home on and off for a variety of intellectuals during the Depression and a young man who was later to achieve great literary fame, John Cheever. We often visited the farm when we lived in West Newbury, and I remember the large library in one room.
West Newbury contributed a good many place names and several of the characters to the Mad Scientists' Club stories. My father graduated in 1935 and went West again to Stanford University, where he studied History, English, and Speech and Drama. During his years at Stanford, he worked at the Peninsula Creamery in Palo Alto, which is still in operation.
He was recruited by Harry Bridges' waterfront union to fight in Spain for the republican side in the civil war (Bridges' union was a Communist front organization). He and a colleague went along with the deal because they wanted a free trip to Europe: they planned to jump ship in Biarritz and tour through France. Alas, his father got wind of the caper and had my father's passport pulled. I remember my father telling me about a visit from a union recruiter one day while he was working at the Creamery who wanted to know if he was still going to join up.
It was in Palo Alto that my father met my mother at the Palo Alto Community Playhouse. He was the assistant director. Here is an excerpt from his resume: "Assisted in direction of major productions...directed workshop productions, handled publicity and season ticket campaigns...Appeared in major roles in ..ten productions. Typical productions: Winterset, Pygmalion, High Tor, The Importance of Being Earnest.. Stage Door, You Can't Take it With You, Our Town, Ah, Wilderness."
After they were married, they moved to Southern California, where he worked for the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation as a systems analyst. Never far from the theater, he co-founded the Lockheed Players, producing and directing The Importance of Being Earnest, Lady Blackmere's Fan, and Springtime for Henry.
In 1944 he entered the Army, which became his career and made his family international travelers. The service first took us to Germany and Austria, and later to Japan and Panama. Another excerpt from his resume gives a flavor of a long-lost time in our history: "...Assigned as Special Services Officer, Third U.S. Army in Munich and Heidelberg...Escorted USO shows. Directed Troop Entertainment Program for U.S. Occupied Zone, Germany...Organized road circuit of twenty-one show units and ninety-five dance bands..Arranged talent exchange with Bal Tabarin and Folies Bergeres in Paris, and the Palladium in London...Wrote and directed seven musical productions for troop entertainment...utilizing both soldier and professional talent, twenty-girl ballet, and concert orchestra."
Among his assignments were running The Stardust Club -- a nightclub for soldiers in Heidelberg, managing a resort hotel for Allied officers in Kitzbuhl, Austria, and serving as an aide to the commanding general of the Third Army in Vienna. In the latter assignment we lived in the Vienna Woods in a house that was built with straw instead of lathe to hold the coat of exterior stucco. It was our house of straw.
After returning to the States, he worked in public relations for the Salvation Army while we lived in West Newbury. He re-entered the Army during the K
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July 24, 2025
The last Mad Scientists' Club book
Bertrand R. Brinley's The Big Chunk of Ice was not published during the author's life. His son, Sheridan dug up the manuscript after Purple House Press successfully reprinted the previous Mad Scientists' Club books. He (Sheridan) wrote a brief Introduction explaining the origins of the story (or its setting) in his father's Army experiences in Austria. He also added an epilogue based on some notes made by his father about the real people and places behind the story. He doesn't explain why the book was not published during Bertrand Brinley's life.
Fans of the Mad Scientists' Club, among whom I count myself, are likely to find this one disappointing. There is little of what I loved in The Mad Scientists' Club. Henry Mulligan's creatively subversive technical innovations play little role. Instead, the MSC goes on a trip to Austria with Professor Stratavarious, whom we met in The Big Kerplop!. There they make measurements on a glacier. There's a also a subplot concerning a large diamond that was lost a hundred years ago on the glacier. ("Big Chunk of Ice" -- get it?)
In addition, the MSC is joined by two young women. In principle, this is a great idea with the potential to expand the appeal of the MSC. But not like this. The young women, Angela Angelino and Angelina Angelo, are played for pure comic relief. They make no intellectual contribution to the investigation or problem-solving.
In fact, the big problem with The Big Chunk of Ice is that Brinley tries too hard to be funny. The Mad Scientists' Club often was funny, but it was a different kind of humor. It was based on the subversion of the staid citizens of Mammoth Falls by the teenage boys of the MSC. In The Big Chunk of Ice Brinley tries for comic dialog, but he doesn't have an ear for it. The effect is just embarrassing.
The Big Chunk of Ice: The Last Known Adventure of the Mad Scientists' Club is for Mad Scientist completists. I wouldn't recommend it to others. But, like all the Mad Scientists' Club books, it is brief, so you have little to lose.
Blog review.
Bertrand R. Brinley's The Big Chunk of Ice was not published during the author's life. His son, Sheridan dug up the manuscript after Purple House Press successfully reprinted the previous Mad Scientists' Club books. He (Sheridan) wrote a brief Introduction explaining the origins of the story (or its setting) in his father's Army experiences in Austria. He also added an epilogue based on some notes made by his father about the real people and places behind the story. He doesn't explain why the book was not published during Bertrand Brinley's life.
Fans of the Mad Scientists' Club, among whom I count myself, are likely to find this one disappointing. There is little of what I loved in The Mad Scientists' Club. Henry Mulligan's creatively subversive technical innovations play little role. Instead, the MSC goes on a trip to Austria with Professor Stratavarious, whom we met in The Big Kerplop!. There they make measurements on a glacier. There's a also a subplot concerning a large diamond that was lost a hundred years ago on the glacier. ("Big Chunk of Ice" -- get it?)
In addition, the MSC is joined by two young women. In principle, this is a great idea with the potential to expand the appeal of the MSC. But not like this. The young women, Angela Angelino and Angelina Angelo, are played for pure comic relief. They make no intellectual contribution to the investigation or problem-solving.
In fact, the big problem with The Big Chunk of Ice is that Brinley tries too hard to be funny. The Mad Scientists' Club often was funny, but it was a different kind of humor. It was based on the subversion of the staid citizens of Mammoth Falls by the teenage boys of the MSC. In The Big Chunk of Ice Brinley tries for comic dialog, but he doesn't have an ear for it. The effect is just embarrassing.
The Big Chunk of Ice: The Last Known Adventure of the Mad Scientists' Club is for Mad Scientist completists. I wouldn't recommend it to others. But, like all the Mad Scientists' Club books, it is brief, so you have little to lose.
Blog review.
February 24, 2021
Me almost abandoning this @ 47% - Oh my goodness. Axel is so crude and mean. Also I figured out the story and when Axel did that mean thing (I'm not gonna say it, it's just too crude), that was my LAST straw. I had to force myself to read this, as I liked the other Mad Scientists books, but books 1 + 2 were better than 3, but 4, it's just WAY worse (sorry author) then the rest. If Axel didn't do that mean thing, I probably would have kept reading the book. In other words, if the author didn't put Axel in the book (or didn't make him do that mean thing) I would have kept reading the book. (even though I still read it. My goal matters!!)
Angela and Angelina or whatever their names were, were annoying at the start. But one of them got better, I don't remember who was who so the one that wasn't talking like a weirdo.
I don't know why I didn't give this one star, I think I'm just too nice (lol). That's all, and yeah.
(that's the end of the review at 47%)
I knew the plot from 30%... So yeah. That's all. Bye.
Angela and Angelina or whatever their names were, were annoying at the start. But one of them got better, I don't remember who was who so the one that wasn't talking like a weirdo.
I don't know why I didn't give this one star, I think I'm just too nice (lol). That's all, and yeah.
(that's the end of the review at 47%)
I knew the plot from 30%... So yeah. That's all. Bye.
January 2, 2013
This book was a big disappointment after the first three Mad Scientists’ Club volumes. Brinley adds a smorgasbord of new elements here - a change of location to Austria under the guidance of the eccentric Professor Strativarious is the big one - but the big draw-card of the Mad Scientist books, i.e. solving problems or pulling pranks by good old-fashioned scientific know-how - is almost absent.
Instead a pair of new girl characters are added, one of whom talks in a painful 1960s slang which makes the book feel a lot more dated than the earlier three. She is quickly voted in as a new club member, but one has have to wonder why, since she never contributes anything at all to the club activities. Her addition feels like a very half-hearted attempt at gender equality, but one that in the end is a distraction that accomplishes nothing.
In much the same vein we are given a mountain castle inhabited by a malevolent dwarf; and while the castle location is host to much significant action, the dwarf and his nasty activities again end up being a pointless distraction. Even worse, there is a strong suggestion of genuine ghosts in the castle - something that would have been anathema to the scientifically-minded early books.
All in all, while it was nice to see the Club having one last outing, this one was a big disappointment.
Instead a pair of new girl characters are added, one of whom talks in a painful 1960s slang which makes the book feel a lot more dated than the earlier three. She is quickly voted in as a new club member, but one has have to wonder why, since she never contributes anything at all to the club activities. Her addition feels like a very half-hearted attempt at gender equality, but one that in the end is a distraction that accomplishes nothing.
In much the same vein we are given a mountain castle inhabited by a malevolent dwarf; and while the castle location is host to much significant action, the dwarf and his nasty activities again end up being a pointless distraction. Even worse, there is a strong suggestion of genuine ghosts in the castle - something that would have been anathema to the scientifically-minded early books.
All in all, while it was nice to see the Club having one last outing, this one was a big disappointment.
January 9, 2024
I grew up a big fan of the Mad Scientists' Club. I wish that Bertrand Brinley had written more books in the series. The club members were adventurous, intelligent, daring, inquisitive, sort of goofy at times and just a fun bunch of kids to hang with on any given afternoon of reading.
So I had looked forward to reading this last adventure. It was a fun story, but not really in keeping with the spirit of the Mad Scientists' Club of the past. Some of the writing feels incomplete or not well-edited. Some of the story seems a bit contrived and the accents of the characters are not consistent. There are also spots where Charlie, the narrator, is not present yet seems to know exactly what the other characters of the scene said and felt.
Those things aside, I was engrossed in the mystery of who wants the MSC to leave and why. The exploration of the castle by Charlie, Dinky and Freddie drew me in tight with great suspense. The challenges with flying Blimp across the Atlantic also had good tension and the story's outcome was satisfactory.
Was this my favorite story of the MSC? No. Not by a long shot. It's probably my least-favorite. However, it held my interest. I wonder why no one has stepped up and offered to write more MSC adventures. Maybe the time has passed for that, maybe not. But I'd read more stories if more are written.
So I had looked forward to reading this last adventure. It was a fun story, but not really in keeping with the spirit of the Mad Scientists' Club of the past. Some of the writing feels incomplete or not well-edited. Some of the story seems a bit contrived and the accents of the characters are not consistent. There are also spots where Charlie, the narrator, is not present yet seems to know exactly what the other characters of the scene said and felt.
Those things aside, I was engrossed in the mystery of who wants the MSC to leave and why. The exploration of the castle by Charlie, Dinky and Freddie drew me in tight with great suspense. The challenges with flying Blimp across the Atlantic also had good tension and the story's outcome was satisfactory.
Was this my favorite story of the MSC? No. Not by a long shot. It's probably my least-favorite. However, it held my interest. I wonder why no one has stepped up and offered to write more MSC adventures. Maybe the time has passed for that, maybe not. But I'd read more stories if more are written.
November 11, 2024
A fantastic story with a delightful sense of humor, would highly recommend for an easy read!
January 19, 2018
The Mad Scientist Club returns for one final adventure in The Big Chunk of Ice, by Bertrand R. Brinkley. Even though it was not as well done as the original three books, it is still an enjoyable read. In this adventure, the club joins up with Professor Stratavarious and goes on a two week scientific adventure to Heiligenblut, a remote town in the Austrian Alps. When they arrive, things seem suspicious, and rumors of a lost diamond are aloof… The club gains two new members in this story: Angela and Angelina, who are both students of the professor. In my opinion, they do not add much to the story and are an annoyance. This book also incorporates some more magical and mysterious elements, something that personally did not please me as I felt it went against the core scientific nature of these books. Once you get over those two items, I think that you will definitely enjoy these two books, regardless if you have read the other books in the series. The ending is especially unexpected and caught me by surprise. Even though this book isn't the best book in the series, I would still recommend it as it is a suspenseful and enjoyable read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2021
This was Brinley's last Mad Scientist's club book and while it was a decent enough book it wasn't near as good as the original book of short stories. Of course none of the others were either but all were good. The story line is decent and throws in some Gothic elements such as castles and a dwarf. The story itself was a bit far fetched but then I read scifi and fantasy so it is hardly anything compared to most other books I read. I suppose the thing that was a bit of a let down was that the club members didn't exactly create some zany thing themselves so much as they resolved a mystery under unique circumstances. A couple of things that I didn't care for was so much of the professor's Germanic accent in his sentences and some of the professor's humorous responses which I didn't find so humorous on numerous occasions. Finally the ending was a bit of let down as I think it could have been done better. Many of my complaints are probably partly because I read the first book in about the 8th grade and I am many years older now. But oddly I know I would still enjoy the first book if I were to read it again.
January 20, 2021
I have very fond memories of reading the Mad Scientists' Club short stories when I was young (well, not so much memories of reading as knowledge that I did read them and enjoyed them). After reading The Big Chunk of Ice, I wonder if my childhood appreciation for them might have been due to a lack of taste, the same way that I really enjoyed watching the tv show Alf but now find it abhorrent.
The book is poorly written. The dialogue attempts to be clever but is clunky. The characters have no depth (or even personality, really). Any member of the club could easily be exchanged for any other member without the reader being any the wiser. As if to emphasize this paucity, two of the newly introduced characters are named Angela Angelino and Angelina Angelo.
The story is poorly constructed. It had the potential to be exciting, but it left all of the exciting bits for the end, and provided them as exposition delivered by characters introduced solely for that purpose. Really, this seems to have been a book about how the members of the Mad Scientists' Club took a vacation in proximity to an adventure that is not really described in the book.
The content is occasionally offensive. The two aforementioned characters, Angela and Angelina, are supposed to be college students or perhaps grad students, but they consistently allow the boys who are not yet old enough to be in high school to take the lead. They also demonstrate frailty and a need for protection that seems excessive. Even in their strongest, most confident moments, they are still essentially babysitters. There is another character, Axel, whose entire description can be summed up as "angry dwarf". He is treated as a subhuman, both by the characters and by the author.
My recommendation: Don't read this book.
The book is poorly written. The dialogue attempts to be clever but is clunky. The characters have no depth (or even personality, really). Any member of the club could easily be exchanged for any other member without the reader being any the wiser. As if to emphasize this paucity, two of the newly introduced characters are named Angela Angelino and Angelina Angelo.
The story is poorly constructed. It had the potential to be exciting, but it left all of the exciting bits for the end, and provided them as exposition delivered by characters introduced solely for that purpose. Really, this seems to have been a book about how the members of the Mad Scientists' Club took a vacation in proximity to an adventure that is not really described in the book.
The content is occasionally offensive. The two aforementioned characters, Angela and Angelina, are supposed to be college students or perhaps grad students, but they consistently allow the boys who are not yet old enough to be in high school to take the lead. They also demonstrate frailty and a need for protection that seems excessive. Even in their strongest, most confident moments, they are still essentially babysitters. There is another character, Axel, whose entire description can be summed up as "angry dwarf". He is treated as a subhuman, both by the characters and by the author.
My recommendation: Don't read this book.
August 31, 2025
The Big Chunk of Ice tells an intriguing story about the mischievous and precocious members of the Mad Scientists’ Club from Mammoth Falls, who are whisked away on an expedition to the Austrian Alps. The expedition soon turns into a search for a possible priceless diamond, buried deep within a glacier. Together, will the team of mad scientists succeed in their mission, or succumb to the dangers of the glacier?
Among all the members of the Mad Scientist’s club, my favourite character is Henry Mulligan, the group’s main source of ideas. Henry is a perfect mix of brains, confidence, recklessness, and curiosity. His quick thinking skills have helped the group survive multiple catastrophes in the Alps.
After reading about the Mad Scientist Club’s fascinating adventure, I found the book humorous and superb. What really stood out to me was how the plot kept surprising me. The story kept me hooked until the last page, with each page offering something unexpected. Additionally, I especially appreciated that the book personalized the way each character speaks, making it an exceptionally immersive experience.
I highly recommend this book to readers aged 9-12 who enjoy science or adventure fiction. The story was engaging, entertaining, and captivating.
Overall, this book was a delightful read. The structure is coherent, and the humour is well-balanced. The only minor issue is the plot, which becomes somewhat monotonous in the middle parts as it drags slightly, with too much focus on the technical aspects of the expedition.
Despite some minor tweaks needed for the plot, The Big Chunk of Ice is a wonderful, humorous, and thoroughly enjoyable read. I would rate it 4.5 stars out of 5.
Among all the members of the Mad Scientist’s club, my favourite character is Henry Mulligan, the group’s main source of ideas. Henry is a perfect mix of brains, confidence, recklessness, and curiosity. His quick thinking skills have helped the group survive multiple catastrophes in the Alps.
After reading about the Mad Scientist Club’s fascinating adventure, I found the book humorous and superb. What really stood out to me was how the plot kept surprising me. The story kept me hooked until the last page, with each page offering something unexpected. Additionally, I especially appreciated that the book personalized the way each character speaks, making it an exceptionally immersive experience.
I highly recommend this book to readers aged 9-12 who enjoy science or adventure fiction. The story was engaging, entertaining, and captivating.
Overall, this book was a delightful read. The structure is coherent, and the humour is well-balanced. The only minor issue is the plot, which becomes somewhat monotonous in the middle parts as it drags slightly, with too much focus on the technical aspects of the expedition.
Despite some minor tweaks needed for the plot, The Big Chunk of Ice is a wonderful, humorous, and thoroughly enjoyable read. I would rate it 4.5 stars out of 5.
June 6, 2021
Sigh. All good things come to an end, and as if the end of the Mad Scientists' Club weren't bad enough, the final adventure has to be . . . meh. It's just so incredibly different from all the other stories that it's jarring.
The professor from the last book is a major character here, so involved that he's on almost every page, which made reading the adventure much more of a chore for me since I hated him when he appeared in the previous book. I just can't tell what Brinley intended the character to be satirizing and found him nigh insufferable. The story also introduces two girls (or rather women, since I think they're supposed to be the professor's grad students?) who are so personality-less and interchangeable that their names are Angela Angelino and Angelina Angelo (or something to that effect). One is a vague love interest and the other talks in a terribly affected sixties slang style. I don't think new characters are a bad thing, but they have to be worth the space they take up in the story, and these two, along with several others, simply aren't.
Also, the story takes place in Austria, which the Club travels to on the professor's private zeppelin. . . . What?! This fantasy level diversion from reality is completely out of touch with the rest of the stories and felt incredibly out of place. There's a mystery but the Club doesn't really get to solve it (which really got me; the big draw of the Mad Scientist books for me has always been them solving problems or carrying out pranks using scientific know-how, and that's almost entirely absent in this book), a tasteless depiction of a dwarf, the strong suggestion that ghosts are real, and so many other things that were so out of place it made me check repeatedly that this book wasn't written by someone else under Brinley's name.
Now there are a few scenes were the boys interact with each other without any other characters that have the old charm from previous stories, so it's not a total loss. But those scenes are few and far between, and certainly not enough to balance out the bad. If you're not a completionist, I'd honestly say you can skip this one.
The professor from the last book is a major character here, so involved that he's on almost every page, which made reading the adventure much more of a chore for me since I hated him when he appeared in the previous book. I just can't tell what Brinley intended the character to be satirizing and found him nigh insufferable. The story also introduces two girls (or rather women, since I think they're supposed to be the professor's grad students?) who are so personality-less and interchangeable that their names are Angela Angelino and Angelina Angelo (or something to that effect). One is a vague love interest and the other talks in a terribly affected sixties slang style. I don't think new characters are a bad thing, but they have to be worth the space they take up in the story, and these two, along with several others, simply aren't.
Also, the story takes place in Austria, which the Club travels to on the professor's private zeppelin. . . . What?! This fantasy level diversion from reality is completely out of touch with the rest of the stories and felt incredibly out of place. There's a mystery but the Club doesn't really get to solve it (which really got me; the big draw of the Mad Scientist books for me has always been them solving problems or carrying out pranks using scientific know-how, and that's almost entirely absent in this book), a tasteless depiction of a dwarf, the strong suggestion that ghosts are real, and so many other things that were so out of place it made me check repeatedly that this book wasn't written by someone else under Brinley's name.
Now there are a few scenes were the boys interact with each other without any other characters that have the old charm from previous stories, so it's not a total loss. But those scenes are few and far between, and certainly not enough to balance out the bad. If you're not a completionist, I'd honestly say you can skip this one.
August 30, 2019
'The Big Chunk of Ice: The Last Known Adventure of the Mad Scientists' Club' by Bertrand Brinley was the best of the four, in my opinion. That's quite something since I read the first 'Mad Scientists Club' over fifty years ago and my affection for it is covered with a patina of nostalgia.
Unlike the first book, the fourth book is a long story of mystery as the club travels (by blimp!) to Heiligtenblut Austria to study a melting glacier. They're on a glacier study team with Professor. They soon become involved with glacial surveys, local legends, a castle with a dwarf and a ghost, and suspicious characters galore.
There's never a dull moment and Mr. Brinley manages to lead his readers on and then surpise them with several twists.
Recommended for youngsters, young adults, and the young at heart.
Unlike the first book, the fourth book is a long story of mystery as the club travels (by blimp!) to Heiligtenblut Austria to study a melting glacier. They're on a glacier study team with Professor. They soon become involved with glacial surveys, local legends, a castle with a dwarf and a ghost, and suspicious characters galore.
There's never a dull moment and Mr. Brinley manages to lead his readers on and then surpise them with several twists.
Recommended for youngsters, young adults, and the young at heart.
December 27, 2019
Another delightful installment in the adventures of the Mad Scientists' Club! We enjoyed it very much, and it made a satisfying conclusion to the "series." Like the previous book, The Big Kerplunk, this one was a single longer story, rather than a collection of episodes (such as the first two books are). It was fun to see our familiar friends off on an expedition to the other side of the world, and there was a bit of a mystery-adventure in this case (and less of the "scientific" escapades of previous installments). Overall, it was a bit more slapstick and farcical than the other books in the series, reminding me at times of the old Scooby Doo cartoon show or Get Smart or the Pink Panther movies. But it never felt overdone or over the top in that regard.
December 18, 2025
The first two Mad Scientist Club books were a formative part of my youth and inspired some very creative troublemaking. When I found out there were a third and fourth book in the series, I jumped at the chance to relive my nostalgia.
Here, we find that the Mad Scientist Club has created such havoc in Mammoth Falls that the city council willingly chips in for an extended research expedition to Austria in a ramshackle blimp. Foreign shenanigans ensue...
Here, we find that the Mad Scientist Club has created such havoc in Mammoth Falls that the city council willingly chips in for an extended research expedition to Austria in a ramshackle blimp. Foreign shenanigans ensue...
October 10, 2025
Crazy Story
Different Mad Scientist Club story that adds in a couple of girls and a Professor and a trip to Austria. Henry plays a much smaller role in this story.
Still, an enjoyable little story.
Different Mad Scientist Club story that adds in a couple of girls and a Professor and a trip to Austria. Henry plays a much smaller role in this story.
Still, an enjoyable little story.
August 18, 2019
Different tone than the rest of the series... not bad, but not really what I was looking for either.
February 14, 2020
I LIKE THIS BOOK.
November 2, 2021
This was really a read aloud by Lawrence, but the boys continue to live the adventures of the Mad scientists club and are sad to have finished the series.
September 21, 2011
If your kid is the curious, science-minded type who gets into trouble because of it, like I was (am), you need to get them (and yourself) all of Bertrand Brinley's long out-of-print, but now reprinted hard-cover editions (published by Purple House Press) of all the "Mad Scientists' Club" books, and Brinley's two other books as well.
I discovered them on my own at school when I was 7 years old, and they're the best type of kid's book (I took a "Children's Lit" course in college) - when I bought the reprints (thanks, Chip!) I enjoyed them as much as I did from 7 years old through high school.
The best Children's Lit books are ones that work for all ages, where a 6-7 year old "early-reader" like myself, or I'd guess 11-13 year old "normal" kid will love the stories - they're somewhat like a Hardy Boys book but much more fun, with real science behind crazy adventures. By high school I enjoyed the Real but Goofy Science, and today I enjoy the writing style, excellent story telling without the "formula" of the Hardy Boys and "adult" things I get now but not when I was young. So they're a fun read for all ages.
I've given copies of them to fellow geek / enginerd pals, who then read/give them to their kids. It's too bad more weren't written, since these are true classics, but Brinley died right when they finally started selling.
I'd rank these as the "Where the Wild Things Are" for kids 5-6th grade and up. And if your kids don't like them, and you like goofy adventures about science-based pranks gone wrong, and madcap results, you'll love these books yourself. The illustrations are spot-on perfect in a unique style, much like the original "Alice in Wonderland" or "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" stuff. It's a very 1950's style and shows "nerdy, outsider" kids as being very hip and fun.
Half-Kidding Warning: I did the "fake UFO" siting prank, and blew up a tree, and faked a "Loch Ness Monster" in a nearby lake, like in the books... so you might want to keep an eye on any kid who really takes to the stories. I still like to do the "UFO" thing even as an adult, but blowing stuff up was pretty stupid... but being "stupid" is part of being a kid I believe, and why I'm still a pyromanic and prankster, but with ethics and safety in mind being a reluctant adult.
Don't let that joking warning put you off - if your kids decide to learn how to make a remote-controlled submergeable "monster", they'll probably take to science courses in high school and then go on to do wonderous things in their life / career. And likely have a good sense of humor about it all.
Timeless classics all. Recommended!
I discovered them on my own at school when I was 7 years old, and they're the best type of kid's book (I took a "Children's Lit" course in college) - when I bought the reprints (thanks, Chip!) I enjoyed them as much as I did from 7 years old through high school.
The best Children's Lit books are ones that work for all ages, where a 6-7 year old "early-reader" like myself, or I'd guess 11-13 year old "normal" kid will love the stories - they're somewhat like a Hardy Boys book but much more fun, with real science behind crazy adventures. By high school I enjoyed the Real but Goofy Science, and today I enjoy the writing style, excellent story telling without the "formula" of the Hardy Boys and "adult" things I get now but not when I was young. So they're a fun read for all ages.
I've given copies of them to fellow geek / enginerd pals, who then read/give them to their kids. It's too bad more weren't written, since these are true classics, but Brinley died right when they finally started selling.
I'd rank these as the "Where the Wild Things Are" for kids 5-6th grade and up. And if your kids don't like them, and you like goofy adventures about science-based pranks gone wrong, and madcap results, you'll love these books yourself. The illustrations are spot-on perfect in a unique style, much like the original "Alice in Wonderland" or "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" stuff. It's a very 1950's style and shows "nerdy, outsider" kids as being very hip and fun.
Half-Kidding Warning: I did the "fake UFO" siting prank, and blew up a tree, and faked a "Loch Ness Monster" in a nearby lake, like in the books... so you might want to keep an eye on any kid who really takes to the stories. I still like to do the "UFO" thing even as an adult, but blowing stuff up was pretty stupid... but being "stupid" is part of being a kid I believe, and why I'm still a pyromanic and prankster, but with ethics and safety in mind being a reluctant adult.
Don't let that joking warning put you off - if your kids decide to learn how to make a remote-controlled submergeable "monster", they'll probably take to science courses in high school and then go on to do wonderous things in their life / career. And likely have a good sense of humor about it all.
Timeless classics all. Recommended!
September 1, 2020
This was a bit of a disappointment for me, leaving small town America behind for wacky European characters and a feeble attempt to work in some “girls.” But it had a transatlantic balloon trip and a castle with hidden passages, so my boys still seemed to like it.
February 22, 2010
We laughed out loud the whole time we read this book together. I loved reading the dialogue written phonetically to imitate various accents. Great read, lots of suspense and drama. Girl stereotypes a bit limiting and annoying, but considering when it was written I chose to overlook them and explain to my son how narrow they were.
February 10, 2015
The last adventure? Last recorded adventure, perhaps - but like the other timeless characters of the literary cosmos, Jeff and Henry and Mortimer and Homer and Dinky and Freddy and Charlie are still metting in their clubhouse, the shades carefully drawn, and always planning another adventure... which is reassuring for other adventurers.
January 18, 2016
As a kid my friends and I were the mad scientist club of the neighborhood. My high school class voted me most likely to work in a secret government lab someday. This is a great book for a young reader that loves science. Very recommended
June 2, 2013
Again, good but missing something. I honestly don't know what the something is. I wish I did.
October 8, 2015
I loved it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was the second best book ever. (The Secret Science Alliance is number one.)
Recommended for anybody.
It was the second best book ever. (The Secret Science Alliance is number one.)
Recommended for anybody.
August 5, 2016
Finishing up the Mad Scientist's Club adventures! My son and I both enjoyed them.
January 29, 2018
i liked it
June 3, 2018
Getting a little dated, but a cute adventure for geeky tweens.
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