What do you think?
Rate this book
Billy Bunter #4
Billy Bunter in Brazil
"I'm going to sit on that log and rest a bit," said Bunter. The log was half-embedded in the mud and it was the first solid object Bunter had seen since entering the swamp, so he was going to sit on it.
"Look out!" shrieked Bob, as the log begaan to move.
"Oh, crikey!" shouted Bunter.
The log heaved up, revealing that it had a head at one end, and a tail at the other. Bunter's eyes almost popped through his spectacles - he had very nearly sat down on an alligator!
"Look out!" shrieked Bob, as the log begaan to move.
"Oh, crikey!" shouted Bunter.
The log heaved up, revealing that it had a head at one end, and a tail at the other. Bunter's eyes almost popped through his spectacles - he had very nearly sat down on an alligator!
- GenresHumor
256 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 1949
2 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
Frank Richards
635 books15 followersPseudonym of author Charles Hamilton, who created Billy Bunter and who also used plenty of other pseudonyms.
Those other pseudonyms were, in alphabetical order:
Winston Cardew; Martin Clifford; Harry Clifton; Clifford Clive; Sir Alan Cobham; Owen Conquest; Gordon Conway; Freeman Fox; Hamilton Greening; Cecil Herbert; Prosper Howard; Robert Jennings; Gillingham Jones; T Harcourt Llewelyn; Clifford Owen; Ralph Redway; Hilda Richards; Raleigh Robbins; Robert Rogers; Eric Stanhope; Robert Stanley; Nigel Wallace; Talbot Wynyard.
Those other pseudonyms were, in alphabetical order:
Winston Cardew; Martin Clifford; Harry Clifton; Clifford Clive; Sir Alan Cobham; Owen Conquest; Gordon Conway; Freeman Fox; Hamilton Greening; Cecil Herbert; Prosper Howard; Robert Jennings; Gillingham Jones; T Harcourt Llewelyn; Clifford Owen; Ralph Redway; Hilda Richards; Raleigh Robbins; Robert Rogers; Eric Stanhope; Robert Stanley; Nigel Wallace; Talbot Wynyard.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 5, 2020
Billy Bunter leaves his usual setting of Greyfriars School to join Lord Mauleverer (Mauly) and the Famous Five on a summer holiday to Brazil where his lordship had property and had been invited by Brian Mauleverer, relative and the manager of said property, to spend the summer vacation. Bunter was not in the original party but he pestered until, somewhat reluctantly, the others allowed him to join them ... and in the long run it was a good job that they did!
Once Harry Wharton and Co had agreed to accompany Mauly, all expenses paid of course, and Bunter had been tagged on, the latter took great delight in telling others members of the Reform that he would be unable to stay with them at Christmas as he had another, and better, offer. And after arrangements had been made Hurree Jamset Ram Singh, one of the Famous Five, summed it all up with 'The cheerfulness is terrific!'
So it was a three-hop journey by 'plane to Rio; first stop Lisbon, then on to Dakar in West Africa and finally it was rolling down to Rio, where Brian Mauleverer was to meet them. The journey was not without incident as Bunter alternatively slept and ate and was constantly getting his geography wrong when he looked out of the window of the 'plane. And Brazil was eventually reached but at the airport there was no Brian Mauleverer to greet them. Instead there was an obsequious Brazilian named Martinho Funcho to meet them. Despite his ingratiating manner, the party soon learned that he could be bad news!
Funcho told them that Brian had gone away and would not be back for some time so in his stead he, Funcho as assistant-manager, was in charge at the Quinta Branca property. After spending a few days in Rio enjoying the sights, with Funcho as their guide, the party departed by rail and then travelled by river steamer into the interior of Brazil where they disembarked at Port Lucar, on the Araguaya river. The journey was not without its scrapes and Bunter, in particular, took centre stage particularly when he complained bitterly about the mosquitos.
After Port Lucar they left by canoe to go up the Araguaya to reach their destination. En route they came across an island that gave them one or two shocks, such as a man chasing a jaguar to the water's edge and shooting it; the man had a scar on his face and they all agreed that he looked a dangerous type. Funcho explained that he was probably a well known bandit called O Corvo, or The Crow, and that he was bad news so they had better keep out of his way.
Once at Quinta Branca Mauly became suspicious of the set up and the non-appearance of Brian but Funcho carefully explained this away and then purported to receive a letter from Brian saying that he would be away indefinitely. Mauly became even more suspicious while Bunter lounged on the verandah in a hammock eating all he could lay his hands on. Meanwhile Mauly and the others did some exploring in the surrounding jungle and on the river, which at one point led them into deep trouble.
While they were away Bunter did some exploring of his own, around the rooms of the Qunta Branca and it was while doing this that he discovered something that alarmed him. But as he wasn't perfectly sure of what he saw, he refrained from telling the others for the moment.
After various other scrapes for them all, including Bunter, who did accompany them on some trips, much to the others' annoyance for they had often to carry him back to camp because he feigned injury, particularly after he had sat on what he thought was a log ... that is until it moved! On one of their trips they captured O Corvo and held him back at base awaiting a trip to Port Lucar where he was to be handed over to the authorities. But O Corvo inexplicably managed to escape and that he was able to do so aroused more suspicion among the party.
Eventually the truth was discovered, thanks to Bunter and his investigating; Funcho was uncovered for what he really was, O Corvo was re-captured and Brian finally met up with Mauly and Co back at the Qunita Branca.
'Bunter in Brazil' provides plenty of excitement, laughter and enjoyable reading in a setting quite outside the usual Greyfriars one.
Once Harry Wharton and Co had agreed to accompany Mauly, all expenses paid of course, and Bunter had been tagged on, the latter took great delight in telling others members of the Reform that he would be unable to stay with them at Christmas as he had another, and better, offer. And after arrangements had been made Hurree Jamset Ram Singh, one of the Famous Five, summed it all up with 'The cheerfulness is terrific!'
So it was a three-hop journey by 'plane to Rio; first stop Lisbon, then on to Dakar in West Africa and finally it was rolling down to Rio, where Brian Mauleverer was to meet them. The journey was not without incident as Bunter alternatively slept and ate and was constantly getting his geography wrong when he looked out of the window of the 'plane. And Brazil was eventually reached but at the airport there was no Brian Mauleverer to greet them. Instead there was an obsequious Brazilian named Martinho Funcho to meet them. Despite his ingratiating manner, the party soon learned that he could be bad news!
Funcho told them that Brian had gone away and would not be back for some time so in his stead he, Funcho as assistant-manager, was in charge at the Quinta Branca property. After spending a few days in Rio enjoying the sights, with Funcho as their guide, the party departed by rail and then travelled by river steamer into the interior of Brazil where they disembarked at Port Lucar, on the Araguaya river. The journey was not without its scrapes and Bunter, in particular, took centre stage particularly when he complained bitterly about the mosquitos.
After Port Lucar they left by canoe to go up the Araguaya to reach their destination. En route they came across an island that gave them one or two shocks, such as a man chasing a jaguar to the water's edge and shooting it; the man had a scar on his face and they all agreed that he looked a dangerous type. Funcho explained that he was probably a well known bandit called O Corvo, or The Crow, and that he was bad news so they had better keep out of his way.
Once at Quinta Branca Mauly became suspicious of the set up and the non-appearance of Brian but Funcho carefully explained this away and then purported to receive a letter from Brian saying that he would be away indefinitely. Mauly became even more suspicious while Bunter lounged on the verandah in a hammock eating all he could lay his hands on. Meanwhile Mauly and the others did some exploring in the surrounding jungle and on the river, which at one point led them into deep trouble.
While they were away Bunter did some exploring of his own, around the rooms of the Qunta Branca and it was while doing this that he discovered something that alarmed him. But as he wasn't perfectly sure of what he saw, he refrained from telling the others for the moment.
After various other scrapes for them all, including Bunter, who did accompany them on some trips, much to the others' annoyance for they had often to carry him back to camp because he feigned injury, particularly after he had sat on what he thought was a log ... that is until it moved! On one of their trips they captured O Corvo and held him back at base awaiting a trip to Port Lucar where he was to be handed over to the authorities. But O Corvo inexplicably managed to escape and that he was able to do so aroused more suspicion among the party.
Eventually the truth was discovered, thanks to Bunter and his investigating; Funcho was uncovered for what he really was, O Corvo was re-captured and Brian finally met up with Mauly and Co back at the Qunita Branca.
'Bunter in Brazil' provides plenty of excitement, laughter and enjoyable reading in a setting quite outside the usual Greyfriars one.
November 30, 2011
"Chuck me over a deck chair!" says the Owl of the Remove. Bob Cherry and Harry Wharton each grab hold of one end and are happy to oblige.
"Ow! Leggo! Yaroo!" roars Bunter. "I mean... chuck me over a deck chair!" This doesn't help at all.
What he actually should have said, of course, was that he intended the particle reading rather than the preposition one. You see how useful it can be to know a little linguistics?
"Ow! Leggo! Yaroo!" roars Bunter. "I mean... chuck me over a deck chair!" This doesn't help at all.
What he actually should have said, of course, was that he intended the particle reading rather than the preposition one. You see how useful it can be to know a little linguistics?
December 18, 2017
Absolute fun read. When I read the initial couple of books I thought the stories would be all limited to the school and would revolve around Billy Bunter stealing food and getting ragged by his classmates. That was all the first book I read had. There was not even a semblance of a story. The next two changed my opinion. There were lot of things happening. In one, there is a real conflict with Billy being in the verge of being fired. And you are actually rooting for him despite his being mean, not particularly intelligent nor hardworking, deceitful and pompous. In the other, there is a theft and the whole school goes about solving the mystery. That kind of made it an engaging read. Bill Bunter in Brazil was completely over the top. Billy actually travels to Brazil with his friends and they have an adventure like the Enid Blyton Mystery/Adventure stories. I thought now that I am older and a bit better traveled I wouldn't be so charmed by exotic locales. How wrong I was. The journey to Brazil, the food (which seems to be an attraction only for Bunter) and all the other local attraction managed to excite me. The mystery as such is predictable and crime lowers may find it no big deal. But the whole children's adventure feel is delightful. This book gave me a real delightful 2-3 hours. I am hoping the rest of the Bunters lives up to this one. If they manage to, with so many around, they promise hours and hours of sheer joy.
As proper fiction though it is lacking in many aspects. It does not delve deep into characters. It remains at surface level and we only get to know the idiosyncrasies of the character and the various things known to external world. The relationships are also uni dimensional. Everyone seems to get on well with everyone else except Bunter who is universally detested. But not in a cruel way. Everyone still does their bit for Bunter and things usually turn out well for him in the end. Like Shikhari Shambu he has luck and he in unintentional instrumental in solving mysteries. So overall there is a feel good to it with Bunter happy in the end. So overall they recreate the vicarious feeling of being a child that I so much love in my Blyton books.
As proper fiction though it is lacking in many aspects. It does not delve deep into characters. It remains at surface level and we only get to know the idiosyncrasies of the character and the various things known to external world. The relationships are also uni dimensional. Everyone seems to get on well with everyone else except Bunter who is universally detested. But not in a cruel way. Everyone still does their bit for Bunter and things usually turn out well for him in the end. Like Shikhari Shambu he has luck and he in unintentional instrumental in solving mysteries. So overall there is a feel good to it with Bunter happy in the end. So overall they recreate the vicarious feeling of being a child that I so much love in my Blyton books.
March 16, 2022
Quite a disappointing read - I was looking forward to seeing Bunter and the Greyfriars crew away from school - but this slow and wearisome holiday in Brazil just didn't live up to my expectations.
I have a number of criticisms - the chaps took four flights to get to Brazil which covered about five early chapters of the book. Why Richards thought he needed to dedicate so long to four identical plane scenes I do not know. Once they arrive in Brazil, the mystery and [surprise] villain can be worked out immediately (maybe children might have taken a little longer to catch on but I don't think it was a very difficult mystery to solve). Also... El Corvo the dangerous bandit is captured twice by a group of fourteen year olds with no problem whatsoever, I don't think he gets a single line in this book so a pretty unimpressive foe.
Usually the books go out of their way to show a nice and loveable side to Bunter, which is hidden beneath all his outwardly unpleasant traits. But here Bunter is just an absolute prick - he's nasty to his friends, lazy and racist to every non-white person he meets. He is supposed to be the loveable hero of the stories, not someone who makes for such sour reading. 2 stars.
I have a number of criticisms - the chaps took four flights to get to Brazil which covered about five early chapters of the book. Why Richards thought he needed to dedicate so long to four identical plane scenes I do not know. Once they arrive in Brazil, the mystery and [surprise] villain can be worked out immediately (maybe children might have taken a little longer to catch on but I don't think it was a very difficult mystery to solve). Also... El Corvo the dangerous bandit is captured twice by a group of fourteen year olds with no problem whatsoever, I don't think he gets a single line in this book so a pretty unimpressive foe.
Usually the books go out of their way to show a nice and loveable side to Bunter, which is hidden beneath all his outwardly unpleasant traits. But here Bunter is just an absolute prick - he's nasty to his friends, lazy and racist to every non-white person he meets. He is supposed to be the loveable hero of the stories, not someone who makes for such sour reading. 2 stars.
October 22, 2013
Super Duper !! I simply loved these books
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews