What do you think?
Rate this book
The Hardy Boys #65
The Stone Idol
When an ancient stone idol disappears, the Hardy Boys are off on another fast-paced adventure. It's a mystery that takes the boys from a primitive village in the Andes Mountains to Antarctica and finally to Easter Island. By using their fine investigative skills, the Hardy Boys find that the mystery of the stone idol is not what it seems!
177 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1981
8 people are currently reading
558 people want to read
About the author
Franklin W. Dixon
738 books992 followersFranklin W. Dixon is the pen name used by a variety of different authors who were part of a team that wrote The Hardy Boys novels for the Stratemeyer Syndicate (now owned by Simon & Schuster). Dixon was also the writer attributed for the Ted Scott Flying Stories series, published by Grosset & Dunlap.
Canadian author Leslie McFarlane is believed to have written the first sixteen Hardy Boys books, but worked to a detailed plot and character outline for each story. The outlines are believed to have originated with Edward Stratemeyer, with later books outlined by his daughters Edna C. Squier and Harriet Stratemeyer Adams. Edward and Harriet also edited all books in the series through the mid-1960s. Other writers of the original books include MacFarlane's wife Amy, John Button, Andrew E. Svenson, and Adams herself; most of the outlines were done by Adams and Svenson. A number of other writers and editors were recruited to revise the outlines and update the texts in line with a more modern sensibility, starting in the late 1950s.
The principal author for the Ted Scott books was John W. Duffield.
Canadian author Leslie McFarlane is believed to have written the first sixteen Hardy Boys books, but worked to a detailed plot and character outline for each story. The outlines are believed to have originated with Edward Stratemeyer, with later books outlined by his daughters Edna C. Squier and Harriet Stratemeyer Adams. Edward and Harriet also edited all books in the series through the mid-1960s. Other writers of the original books include MacFarlane's wife Amy, John Button, Andrew E. Svenson, and Adams herself; most of the outlines were done by Adams and Svenson. A number of other writers and editors were recruited to revise the outlines and update the texts in line with a more modern sensibility, starting in the late 1950s.
The principal author for the Ted Scott books was John W. Duffield.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 8, 2023
'The Stone Idol' (The Hardy Boys Mystery Stories #65) by Franklin W. Dixon.
Rating: 3.75/5.
Disclaimer:
This was my first time reading this book. I have, probably, read the first 63 Hardy Boys books multiple times, but the same can not be said for the subsequent books in the series. It isn't because I'm partial to the Originals, but more so because the latter books were hard to find growing up. However, with the advent of digital books in recent times, I'm eager to pursue my childhood ambition of reading all 190 Hardy Boys books at least once.
The Hardy Boys books are a nostalgic affair. Had it not been for these books, it would have been difficult for me to cultivate my interest in reading and to later expand my reading preferences to include the fantasy and sci-fi genres. So, yeah, that's the main reason why you would rarely find me giving a rating of fewer than 3.5 stars (out of 5) to these Hardy Boys books.
Review:
This book had a much better plot than its predecessor. It was a fun-filled, action-packed, and thoroughly gripping story from start to finish.
The Hardy Boys are involved in two different mysteries - the theft of a valuable stone idol and the pursuit of a ringleader of a gang of thieves pilfering material from various naval bases. These two cases take the brothers to different locations right from Chile to the South Pole and from the Andes to the Easter Island. The Hardys have their share of fun and brush with death multiple times in this book, which adds to the thrill of the adventure.
The two different mysteries finally overlap towards the end of the book as one would come to expect from a typical Hardy Boys book juggling with multiple mysteries. However, the way these two mysteries seem integrated seems much of a stretch, and the resolution of the ringleader's pursuit arc seemed far too convenient. However, the book makes up for it with the smart deductions by the brothers at the end of the book while they try to solve the identity of the man who smuggled the stone idol.
Overall, 'The Stone Idol' was an entertaining addition to the Hardy Boys series. It was a gripping adventure tale that stays true to the spirit of the earlier Hardy Boys books.
Aunt Gertrude, who was their father’s sister, answered. “Why aren’t you home yet?” she demanded in a tart voice.
“Well, we might have another case, Aunty,” Frank said. He knew that although Aunt Gertrude was often critical of her nephews, she was basically proud of their accomplishments.
“Hmph!” Miss Hardy snorted. “Don’t you ever give up? Can’t you stay home for a change like other boys? Seems to me that if you’re not in danger, you’re not happy.”
Rating: 3.75/5.
Disclaimer:
This was my first time reading this book. I have, probably, read the first 63 Hardy Boys books multiple times, but the same can not be said for the subsequent books in the series. It isn't because I'm partial to the Originals, but more so because the latter books were hard to find growing up. However, with the advent of digital books in recent times, I'm eager to pursue my childhood ambition of reading all 190 Hardy Boys books at least once.
The Hardy Boys books are a nostalgic affair. Had it not been for these books, it would have been difficult for me to cultivate my interest in reading and to later expand my reading preferences to include the fantasy and sci-fi genres. So, yeah, that's the main reason why you would rarely find me giving a rating of fewer than 3.5 stars (out of 5) to these Hardy Boys books.
Review:
This book had a much better plot than its predecessor. It was a fun-filled, action-packed, and thoroughly gripping story from start to finish.
The Hardy Boys are involved in two different mysteries - the theft of a valuable stone idol and the pursuit of a ringleader of a gang of thieves pilfering material from various naval bases. These two cases take the brothers to different locations right from Chile to the South Pole and from the Andes to the Easter Island. The Hardys have their share of fun and brush with death multiple times in this book, which adds to the thrill of the adventure.
The two different mysteries finally overlap towards the end of the book as one would come to expect from a typical Hardy Boys book juggling with multiple mysteries. However, the way these two mysteries seem integrated seems much of a stretch, and the resolution of the ringleader's pursuit arc seemed far too convenient. However, the book makes up for it with the smart deductions by the brothers at the end of the book while they try to solve the identity of the man who smuggled the stone idol.
Overall, 'The Stone Idol' was an entertaining addition to the Hardy Boys series. It was a gripping adventure tale that stays true to the spirit of the earlier Hardy Boys books.
November 1, 2023
Seri ini laris banget di Ipusnas jadi penasaran walau sudah baca beberapa. Sampul, judul, dan petualangannya mengingatkan pada keseruan Lima Sekawan, Trio Detektif, atau Pasukan Mau Tahu. Tetapi petualangan Joe dan Frank Hardy terasa lebih berbahaya, lebih Amerika. Musuh-musuhnya tak ragu berbuat kejam, walau kedua bersaudara ini untungnya selalu selamat. Petualangan dan kejar-kejarannya lebih mirip adegan dalam film ketimbang sebuah novel, tidak heran jika seri buku ini dibiarkan series filmnya. Plot twistnya berundak-undak, dikira itu ternyata dia sementara dia adalah itu--mbulet. Secara cerita, menarik dan enak dibaca (bisa dibaca sekali duduk untuk memperbaiki rentang fokus kita yg semakin memendek) tetapi ada vibes "Amerika Serikat pamer kuasa" di buku ini karena "anehnya" hampir semua orang Chile dan pulau Paskah di buku ini bisa berbahasa Inggris serta pelayan yg lebih memilih menghidangkan hamburger dan Coca cola kepada Hardy Bersaudara ketimbang menghidangkan makanan eksotis khas di sana. Bayangkan, jauh jauh ke pulau Paskah hanya untuk sekali lagi ketemu dengan hamburger dan coke!!!
September 27, 2018
This is a good solid Hardy adventure from the early paperback series. The story focuses on a missing Easter Island statue the Hardys are retained to recover along with travel to a base in Antarctica! The adventure is fast-paced and the quality of the paperback and illustrations is strong unlike the later paperbacks. Anyone who enjoys the Hardy Boys will like this mystery! This is also one of the few paperbacks that was later published in hardcover, continuing the run of hardcovers beyond the original 58.
February 16, 2018
This is the first cover by Steven Assel and... I hate it. The boys just look so frumpy. Frank's face looks like he's a depressed 44 year old government employee who's worried about a coffee stain on his slacks. Awful. At least the weird covers from the 50s were interesting in their ugliness.
The book is also pretty contrived and yet boring at the same time. Meh.
The book is also pretty contrived and yet boring at the same time. Meh.
October 22, 2017
Most boring mystery I have ever read. It just drags on
February 27, 2018
Eli read another book while I read this one to him. He wasn’t a fan.
April 30, 2020
As always.. i try to guess the ending of all the series Hardy boys
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2019
When I first read Hardy Boys, I think I was in class 5, I had such a crush on Frank Hardy. I liked the brainy one over the brawny one and that sums up my first impression of Hardy Boys.
In their late teens, Frank and Joe Hardy take after their detective father Fenton Hardy. Frank is the older of the two and has more breakthroughs in the cases because he is the brainy one. Joe is the younger brother who more often than not is useful when things get hot and they need to fight their way out.
Like Nancy Drew, the books in the The Hardy Boys series re written by ghostwriters under the collective pseudonym Franklin W. Dixon. And yes, the earlier books were better than the latter ones.
In their late teens, Frank and Joe Hardy take after their detective father Fenton Hardy. Frank is the older of the two and has more breakthroughs in the cases because he is the brainy one. Joe is the younger brother who more often than not is useful when things get hot and they need to fight their way out.
Like Nancy Drew, the books in the The Hardy Boys series re written by ghostwriters under the collective pseudonym Franklin W. Dixon. And yes, the earlier books were better than the latter ones.
September 17, 2016
This is asuperior mystery novel with strains of X-Files mixed into its fabric. I always enjoyed the Hardy Boys mystery books because of the kinship, adventure and knowledge I gleaned from reading them.
Read
January 21, 2009JMAR5-Dix
May 25, 2009
Travel with the Hardy's from South America to Antarctica to the Pacific to solve the mystery surrounding a stone idol
Read
June 18, 2011Loved it.
May 23, 2012
read when I was 10 through 13
January 27, 2023
Read when I was 9 or 10, and absolutely loved it.
September 15, 2016
It's the most boring Hardy boys book I have ever come across.
May 15, 2013
a must read and interesting book..
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews