The Black Dragon Tom Swift, No.1) [Paperback]

Victor Appleton (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this revamped and updated version of the classic (and the first of a series), the eponymous hero battles Xavier Mace (aka The Black Dragon), a "brilliant, vengeful" scientist. Mace is after the 18-year-old's newest futuristic creation, a levitating "skyboard," and kidnaps Tom's best friend, Rick Cantwell, to learn the secret behind it. But Rick knows football, not electromagnetism. Aware that Mace won't swallow disappointment easily, Tom utilizes daring, resourcefulness and an array of inventive devices to thwart his adversary. Although Appleton smoothly mixes the SF and action-adventure genres, he occasionally veers toward convolution--and confusion. Too, the few romantic scenes (that link girl-shy Tom with the vivacious Mandy) seem artificial. Yet these flaws may be forgiven by SF buffs who seek a hero with more brains than brawn. Ages 11-up.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Simon Pulse (April 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 067167823X
• ISBN-13: 978-0671678234
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,052,494 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Enjoyable. In the tradition of the old Tom Swifts, October 5, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Black Dragon Tom Swift, No.1) (Paperback)

The Black Dragon is the first in a 90s series of Tom swift books. They have moved to the California coast and a few names have been changed, but the story is very fun, with Tom still coming up with an invention or two to get them out of trouble. I recommend it to any Tom Swift fan or anyone who enjoys good clean science fiction on a younger level.

4.0 out of 5 stars A worthy beginning to another Tom Swift series, May 29, 2008

By 

Charles Ashbacher (Marion, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Black Dragon Tom Swift, No.1) (Paperback)

This book is the first in another series of Tom Swift books. In this case, Tom's buddy is Rick Cantwell and the story opens with Tom testing a hoverboard that uses superconducting materials. The test goes awry and this introduces the premise that Rick is a daring tester, who "tests till it breaks."
The story also introduces Xavier Mace, who is also known as the Black Dragon. Mace is true to the mad scientist/evil genius role, stopping at nothing to defeat his worthy opponent. In this story, Tom's father is cast as a strong leader, almost dictatorial at times, yet he does let Tom go his own way. It concludes in the predictable manner, where Tom destroys the Black Dragon's lair and he gets away, vowing revenge.
A potential future love interest for Tom is introduced in the form of Mandy Coster. The mutual liking starts a bit slow, as Tom is caught up in his inventing and is a bit of a verbal klutz around her. At the end, Tom saves her life when he stops some wayward machinery, and she rewards Tom with a hug and a kiss.
With modern technologies such as computers, holograms and high temperature superconductors, this book is technically up do date. As the first book in a new series, it does a good job introducing the main characters and the villain is a powerful one.