Rocket Racers (Tom Swift, Young Inventor) [Paperback]

Victor Appleton (Author)

Book Description

Series: Tom Swift, Young Inventor

Can Tom avoid a rocket wreckage disaster?

Tom is teaming up with his pals Yo and Bud to test out his new Swift-Racer, a rocket-powered plane built for speed. There's a competition coming up and Tom thinks the Swift-Racer is advanced enough to set a new record in the world of rocket racing. He and Yo can't wait to see how it stacks up to the competition. Plus the contest will reunite Tom with some of the friends he made when he competed in the Robot Olympics.

But as practice for the contest gets under way, disaster strikes. Some of the most powerful planes start crashing during their test runs. To Tom, it looks like more than just faulty technology. Could someone be sabotaging the competition? Tom's going to need more than rocket fuel to figure this one out -- and he'd better act fast, before someone goes down in flames.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin; Original edition (January 23, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 141693488X
• ISBN-13: 978-1416934882
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #278,138 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars Why would they do this to Tom Swift?, May 2, 2011

By 

Thomas E. Hudson "THudPHud" (West Linn, OR USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Rocket Racers (Tom Swift, Young Inventor) (Paperback)

I began reading the Tom Swift Jr. stories back in 1960 and have collected every TS book out there starting with the original series circa 1910. Unfortunately, that includes this series - a terrible abuse of the name Tom Swift. The stories are ridiculously unimaginative and the writing (I am an author so I do know a few things about the writing game) is poor at best. Where other TS series seemed to be aimed at 12-18 year olds, this entire series, and this book, seemed aimed at 8 year olds.

In this story, Tom tests out his new speedy rocket plane. Mysteriously, other rocket planes in a competition start crashing. Sabotage?

The plot line is so thin you can read the book through it and the lack of writing skill exhibited is like having an uncomfortably large elephant not just in the room with you, but actually standing on your foot. Grinding down.

It isn't any wonder that they stopped after just 6 of this series.

There is better fan-written fiction out there than this book and series.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun, quick adventures., May 27, 2007

By 

Barbie Jett (Arkansas) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Rocket Racers (Tom Swift, Young Inventor) (Paperback)

These books are good. The stories are quick and short and full of science and adventure. They're great for young boys and girls just getting into science fiction and if you just want something fun.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Repeat if necessary, May 8, 2007

By 

Rory Coker (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Rocket Racers (Tom Swift, Young Inventor) (Paperback)

Only four short stories packaged as "novels" into this new juvenile series, and it's already feeding off itself. Here's a retread of the second "novel", ROBOT OLYMPICS, except this time the fellers are building small jets souped up with rocket boosters, instead of building fighting robots. As usual Andy Foger is the bad guy, but the REAL bad guys are, well, you know, that anti-technology terrorist group which seems to have replaced Brungaria or whatever it was. There are no surprises. I found it difficult to picture an audience (or even a target age group) for this series. And Tom-as-narrator is very hard to get used to. And Bud Barclay could really be annoying if he set his mind to it. Wonder what the sales have been so far?