The Boy Biggles

Biggles #92

by Capt. W.E. Johns

thirteen short stories about Biggles' childhood in India. The book has a short prologue called 'A Word in Advance' and a short epilogue called 'In Conclusion'.The stories are asA TEST OF NERVEBiggles does the bravest thing in his life in order to save the life of his friend, Captain John Lovell.A CHAPTER OF ADVENTURESBiggles saves his friend Habu from death on a collapsing rope bridge.MORE TROUBLEBiggles helps to tackle a wounded leopard and a fear crazed elephant.DEATH IN THE WATERBiggles saves a young boy from the jaws of a crocodile and later returns to kill it.THE BIG BAD BEARBiggles goes on a bear hunt with Captain John Lovell with some unexpected results.THE ONE THAT GOT AWAYBiggles has an encounter with a huge python and breaks a tendon in his calf.A SORT OF EDUCATIONBiggles saves an Indian girl from a rabid dog when he shoots it.LIVING DANGEROUSLYBiggles is charged by a buffalo and trapped in a tree. Later he is charged by a wild boar.THE THUGSBiggles saves his friend Sula Dowla from two murderous Indians, members of the thuggee cult.THE BLACK INTRUDERA search for honey leads to an encounter with a Black Panther, which Biggles has to shoot.A PROFESSOR LEARNS A LESSONBiggles acts as an interpreter for a Professor and has to save his life when he falls off a cliff.THE FOOLISH TIGERBiggles is attacked by an injured tiger but fails to kill it. His father and John Lovell hunt it down.THE LAST ADVENTUREBiggles saves a man who is attacked by a leopard. Three weeks later he goes to school in England.

Genres: Adventure, Childrens

182 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1968

Reviews

[Zoe and the Edge · Rating 4 out of 5]

He never forgot the picture of his father standing there, cool, calm and collected, waiting for striped death to emerge. Did this have any effect on the life he was to lead a few years later when he himself would be going out daily to meet death in a very different form, in the air?

So, this is about Bigglesworth growing up in India and all the animal predators and other dangers he encounters. He learns a lot from shikari Captain Lovell.

Biggles is referred to as James in this one. At first it was like reading about someone else. But then I recognised him when danger strikes and then there's a whole bunch of things I could list that makes him the Biggles I know.

He reacts with his quick decisiveness that I so appreciate. Even as a kid he can keep his cool so effectively during crises. Sure, he's terrified but he knows how to stuff it down and function. It was also interesting to see that even in his youth his fear is often morphed into anger at the injustice of a bully. He has such a strong instinct to shield victims from predators.

At the same time, I felt Johns tried too hard to create an exact replica of the grown-up Biggles. Also, some of the incidents that happen are down-right preposterous.

[Lydia Willcock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5 stars

[Edwin · Rating 2 out of 5]

My review... it has gone... :(

O, 2 stars, because as mentioned by another reader (@cover72 )it was too repetitive.

[cover72 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Recycling. That's what comes on your mind as you read this collection of short stories. Essentially, 80% of the stories has syntax of "Biggles goes on a walk with his rifle, unsuspecting any danger - Biggles encounters dangerous predator - Biggles kills or wounds the predator - Biggles returns to his father and promises he would be more careful." For "dangerous predator", assign Tiger/Leopard/Puma/Bear/Aligator/Thug/Bull and you pretty much get the story straight.
This book was W.E.Johns'es response on reader inquiries on how Biggles grew up in India and how it marked him, so each story has a little note like "and that is why Biggles was so cal-minded" or "and that is how Biggles learned to shoot."
There are few stories which have kinda unique plots, though, and you get some interesting information as it is usual with Biggles series - namely on the origin of "thug" term and on hunting goats in cold mountains.

[Karl Bartlett · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a study in how we as human beings are inculcated into behaviour that is repellant to our natural instincts, this book is revealing.
"He could just make out the vague outline of the goat. It was not grazing, but stood stock still staring at the jungle. From time to time it uttered a nervous little bleat. Did it know its danger? James wondered, feeling sorry for the poor, lonely little beast. He was sorry this was necessary."
Time and time again the young Biggles is forced to kill, shame really.
The descriptions of 'natives' is equally appalling and given that this was written in 1968 when Britain was troubled by ,'race relations' issues, the fact that this was considered acceptable reading for children is evidence enough of the depth of institutional racism. Good grief.
This would be a one star review if it wasn't for the Indiana Jones 'Temple of Doom' broken bridge episode, great stuff.

[Robert Hepple · Rating 3 out of 5]

Published in 1968, 'The Boy Biggles' is a series of fairly similar adventures experienced by the young Biggles when living in India whilst his father was an administrator in the Civil Service. Whilst some ofthe plots are a little silly, this hardly distinguishes it from some of the other Biggles books. It is far removed from the atmospheric prose of Kipling, but okay for a quick read.

[Rosie]

this was so much better than i expected it to be that i am honestly a bit baffled

[Geoff Regan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fair chunk of white saviour and a strong whiff of colonialism, but a pleasant bit of fun.

[Elisha Hughes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Probably the3 worst of the biggles, but still good.

[Sonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am reviewing the series as a whole, rather than the books individually
The Biggles series is great adventure fiction: we get high stakes, aerial action (in most of the books), and a hero who is endlessly loyal, competent, and calm under pressure.

I love the dogfights, recon missions, and wartime scenarios.

Where the series falls short is character depth. Some attitudes and simplifications reflect the period in which the books were written. There are very definitely dated elements, but considering the era the books were written - overall the series performs well. More than a few of the stories defy plausibility, but who doesn't love to curl up with a good adventure book or 10?

“Never say die.”

[Greg Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised at the premise of this book; I don't recall Biggles making a reference to his background of being raised in India by his rather senior Civil Servant father. However, I like how Johns shows us that the training he got in India stood him good stead for the rest of his life.
Many of the stories in the book follow a similar theme, and I'm quite sure for the boys and girls that this book was intended for, it was a jolly exciting storybook that taught them all sorts of things about an exotic country that they likely knew little about.
As an adult, I felt the book was less riveting than most of the normal Biggles adventure stories, but it was so completely different in scope that I rather enjoyed it all. I especially enjoyed Sahib Bigglesworth (and I paraphrase here). "Well, alright.. you may go out tiger hunting, but I do not want you getting eaten by a tiger. IS THAT CLEAR"?
Johns seemed to have been quite effortlessly a first rate story teller, despite the plethora of books that he churned out. I would have loved to have met this author and heard some of those tales first hand.

[Henry Douthwaite · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not to say I didn't enjoy it, but thank goodness I had read a Biggles book prior to this one as I might not have got much further. The chapters were rather repetitive. Biggles picks up a gun goes out for a walk, is surprised by a dangerous animal (different one per chapter) and deals with it. Apparently Biggles readers wanted something of Biggles' early life, what shaped him and this is delivered by the author. However, you do feel that occasionally he gets tired by the premise as certain chapters end very abruptly.

It is a boys own book after all and boys will get a great deal of joy out of it. There are also some fascinating facts for the young reader that relate to India under the British Raj.

I enjoyed it and it hasn't put me off reading more Biggles, but perhaps the trends of the stories cold have been altered occasionally. I also wanted to know a little more of the relationship between him and his father.

[Temaris · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very late addition to the Biggles stories, and if I recall correctly, owing a little too much to Kipling than is entirely fair, whilst lacking Kipling's talent and style.