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The Mad Misadventures of Emmaline and Rubberbones
The Island of Mad Scientists: Being an Excursion to the Wilds of Scotland, Involving Many Marvels of Invention, Pirates, a Heroic Cat
Aviatrix Emmaline Cayley, test pilot Rubberbones and the rest of their wacky household face a new adventure in the wilds of Scotland in this third installment in the Mad Misadventures series. On the run, the friends decide to rendezvous on the Scottish island of Urgghh, a place devoted to scientific experimentation where they believe they will find refuge. Unfortunately, not only are the scientists mad ? the island is anything but safe. A villain known as the Collector, who devotes his time to kidnapping inventors, lives next-door. Journey with our friends to the Island of Mad Scientists, where Emmaline and Rubberbones catapult into the middle of the Collector's devious schemes. Drunken pirates, a kilt-wearing mechanical man and Queen Victoria come to their aid! Squabbling scientists, a bungling ex-jewel thief and other nefarious fellows hinder them!
264 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2008
117 people want to read
About the author
Howard Whitehouse
17 books17 followersHoward Whitehouse lives in Hudson Valley, New York, US, with his wife, Lori Whitehouse, a pastor.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 4, 2008
After reading Betsy's review I went off to read this book and then the second in the series. I'd already read the first a few years back. Below are my comments about this book. But I've now done a blog post about the whole series because I think they could do with more attention.
I agree with Betsy about this book. It is delightful. I'd read the first in the series a few years ago and, after reading Betsy's brief comments, picked this one up at ALA. They remind me a bit of Joan Aiken's fun alternate histories. These mix in completely imaginary names and places alone with real ones. In this episode there is a Collector of scientists. Yes, you read that one right. And he covets two young people, protagonists of this tale. Periodically we hear about his collection and toward the end of the story we see the scientists in the dungeon. He's get Freud, Tesla, and others all futzing around most amusingly. And then, at one point, the deux ex machina of Queen Victoria comes along just in time to provide one of heroes with blankets and food as she needs them.
These books should not be overlooked!
I agree with Betsy about this book. It is delightful. I'd read the first in the series a few years ago and, after reading Betsy's brief comments, picked this one up at ALA. They remind me a bit of Joan Aiken's fun alternate histories. These mix in completely imaginary names and places alone with real ones. In this episode there is a Collector of scientists. Yes, you read that one right. And he covets two young people, protagonists of this tale. Periodically we hear about his collection and toward the end of the story we see the scientists in the dungeon. He's get Freud, Tesla, and others all futzing around most amusingly. And then, at one point, the deux ex machina of Queen Victoria comes along just in time to provide one of heroes with blankets and food as she needs them.
These books should not be overlooked!
June 26, 2008
I always want to kick myself when I read a sequel and find it so much fun that I can't believe I missed its predecessor. God, these books are great! If the words "high-speed chase on Penny Farthings" make your heart leap at all, take note. Fun, funny, and with the most interesting take on colonial England I've seen in a very long time. I'm almost sorry I have to review this professionally, because this book is beginning for a long and lengthy review.
January 12, 2025
Hahaha! Totally crazy and imaginatively funny book! Too bad he left the series with a bit of a cliffhanger!
January 29, 2009
The author is a good friend, and so I warn you, I'm somewhat biased.
Whitehouse's breezy, effortless style is exactly what I would expect out of the creator of ASTOUNDING TALES, HONOUR AND FORTUNE, and SCIENCE VERSUS PLUCK. I have always admire Howard's dry wit and droll delivery in his game designs (seek them out). To participate in an ASTOUNDING TALES game is a visual treat-- a game that plays like a mix between stand up comedy, vaudeville and performance art all at once and 90 miles an hour. Howard brings the same sensibilities and sense of humor to his pastiche of the "precocious children's lit" niche squarely aimed at young adult readers these days. Only he achieves so much more than a Harry Potter and a Lemony Snicket-- likable (not very annoying) children characters, foreboding villains, evil conspiracies. All done with that sense of detached parody you might see in a Flashman novel (without the naughty bits).
Island of the Mad Scientists is a great read, one I would recommend to adults FIRST and young adults SECOND. Then again, I'm biased.
Whitehouse's breezy, effortless style is exactly what I would expect out of the creator of ASTOUNDING TALES, HONOUR AND FORTUNE, and SCIENCE VERSUS PLUCK. I have always admire Howard's dry wit and droll delivery in his game designs (seek them out). To participate in an ASTOUNDING TALES game is a visual treat-- a game that plays like a mix between stand up comedy, vaudeville and performance art all at once and 90 miles an hour. Howard brings the same sensibilities and sense of humor to his pastiche of the "precocious children's lit" niche squarely aimed at young adult readers these days. Only he achieves so much more than a Harry Potter and a Lemony Snicket-- likable (not very annoying) children characters, foreboding villains, evil conspiracies. All done with that sense of detached parody you might see in a Flashman novel (without the naughty bits).
Island of the Mad Scientists is a great read, one I would recommend to adults FIRST and young adults SECOND. Then again, I'm biased.
May 21, 2009
Hilarious. I sincerely hope there are more adventures to come!!
March 22, 2017
So sorry to get to the end of this series. Porok!!! Loved all of the characters, but especially Princess Purnah. She is especiallyishlings the bestest characterings ever!! Long live Chiligrit!!
July 6, 2019
This is a pastiche of 19th century adventurer stories, aimed at younger readers full of good natured daring do tempered with some cynicism and a lot of silliness. The main characters are a bunch of eccentrics of various kinds including a very precocious designer of flying machines and a fearless tester of the same, Emmaline and Rubberbones. They are joined by a motley cast of eccentric old ladies, efficient manservants and eccentric inventors. The key setting of this is an island of mad scientist culled from 19th century novels and a few from history like Nikola Tesla. The main characters become involved with this island as they are looking for a place to escape with their friend the Princess Purnah from the British authorities. An evil collector who collects scientists has his eye on our two main characters.
The narrative is very light and fast paced. The silly events add to the light mood and every once and awhile prompt a laugh. Dialogue is likewise light and snappy. Characterization is rather light, with most characters managing to have only one or two quirks and not much development. This is clearly a book aimed at somewhat younger readers, but has a few clever twists on classic ideas that may hold the interest of older readers. The illustrations generally help set the appropriate atmosphere even if they do not particularly stand out. In-line with the nature of the novel as a pastiche some of the characters are ethnic or racial stock characters such as the savage central Asian princess or the loyal laconic Sikh manservant, but I think the book avoids playing these roles too straight.
This is the final book in a three part series, that is now out of print. I have only read this book in this series at this point, while there are lots of references dropped to unportrayed events (presumably from those books) that I did not find the absence of these events particularly confusing or frustrating.
The narrative is very light and fast paced. The silly events add to the light mood and every once and awhile prompt a laugh. Dialogue is likewise light and snappy. Characterization is rather light, with most characters managing to have only one or two quirks and not much development. This is clearly a book aimed at somewhat younger readers, but has a few clever twists on classic ideas that may hold the interest of older readers. The illustrations generally help set the appropriate atmosphere even if they do not particularly stand out. In-line with the nature of the novel as a pastiche some of the characters are ethnic or racial stock characters such as the savage central Asian princess or the loyal laconic Sikh manservant, but I think the book avoids playing these roles too straight.
This is the final book in a three part series, that is now out of print. I have only read this book in this series at this point, while there are lots of references dropped to unportrayed events (presumably from those books) that I did not find the absence of these events particularly confusing or frustrating.
February 4, 2016
The Island of Mad Scientists is a excellent read for a rainy day with free time. The wonderful transitions of point view can help you get the full view. With characters with names and descriptions like Lal Singh: A mysterious and heroic butler, The Collector: insane, obsessive yet organized, Samuel Soap: a master of disguise, Angus: a Scottish automaton, Professor Bellbuckle: a mad scientist, and Harry & Maisie: a holy man and his very fine cat. This book already promises interest. On top of all that it has an all out wacko plot with twists you don’t see coming. The description says it all “ Being an Excursion to the Wilds of Scotland, Involving Many Marvels of Experimental Invention, Pirates, a Heroic Cat, a Mechanical Man and a Monkey”. Altogether this is a book I would recommend to anybody who remotely likes fiction.
January 30, 2009
This series got better and better. I liked this book the best, followed closely by the Strictest School in the World (the first book in the series.) Purnah grew on me, to the point that I was quoting her to my dogling. Whitehouse's sense of humor is delightful. From the names of Chiligriti gods (Eejit, the god of stupidity) and victory anthem "I Have Cut Out YOur Bowels With a Hairbrush" to the various mad scientists, both resident and captured, to include Freud, Tesla, Cavor, and references to Moreau. It is obviously a book for young people, but there are references no child will get that make it a riot to read.
February 3, 2009
Funny, silly, and full of adventure. Emmaline and Rubberbones are friends and young experimental scientists who are escaping to an Island of Mad Scientists with Aunt Lucy, a butler, a mad scientist, and Princess Purnah, a silly princess who comes from a land far away with treacherous and deceitful relatives. With witty parody of familiar characters such as Sherlock Holmes, the book is fun to read. Younger readers might have trouble understanding Princess Purnah's English, although others will get a kick out of her playing with words.
May 16, 2014
An enjoyable series. Characters lack depth--everyone, even nominal main characters Emmaline and Rubberbones, reads pretty flat--but the mad misadventures provide enough amusement that I'm willing to overlook weak characterization. A good book to read to unwind--plenty of action and variety (esp. because of the multiple viewpoint structure), cheap laughs, silly situations.
July 14, 2009
I hope this isn't the last of this series because I have enjoyed them extremely much!! I love the humor and the adventure in them.
January 13, 2013
Fun, funny, clever, all around delightful!
June 14, 2017
Delightfully funny and outlandish from the crazy plot twists and impossible situations to the colorful and wild characters! I love this series of books!
January 22, 2021
This book was really good. It was funny.
March 5, 2022
This is a wonderful book for people of all ages! Well written and interesting story!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews