Biggles and the Dark Intruder
Aug. 19th, 2024 08:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rosanicusObligatory Taskmaster link...
Anyway, this was my latest Biggles read! I've had it high on my TBR ever sincephilomytha informed me of its Cornwall setting and - having bought a hardcopy for a fiver at a collectibles shop in Reading last week - I finally got round to reading it for myself.
Essentially it's a classic Biggles formula. Raymond invites Biggles into his office and complains about the fact that Biggles hasn't solved an aerial mystery yet, then informs him that there's been a potentially relevant development - the murder of a Cornish police officer on the road that crosses Bodmin Moor. Feeling professionally intrigued but also pessimistic (Biggles is in a bit of a downer mood all book, poor man), &Co drive and fly down to Bodmin themselves and do a little investigating...
It's nothing new really, and for a late series SAP book I wouldn't expect great innovation in form, but what this book did have in spades was TENSION and ATMOSPHERE. Maybe it's my Devonian upbringing showing but I fucking love a moors setting, and this book delivered it with style - even if it's clear the moors aren't exactly WEJ's favourite place in the world. Frankly between this and Hits the Trail I think he might just have it out for like... flat areas. Anyway, the really standout part of this book was the Bertie & Biggles friendship, which really shone through in the first half of the book.
Bertie gets to show off his expertise on heather of all things, linked to a youthful interest in grouse hunting (which he did in Scotland, apparently - another potential Gimlet crossover?). He also has a really spectacular whump plotline, involving stumbling through the moors in the dark, falling down a large hole, getting seriously concussed and almost burning to death. Honestly, the fact that WEJ finally learned that serious head injuries should be treated in hospital is admirable character growth on his part considering the last one I remember coming across was Biggles & Co where von Stalhein probably gets a skull fracture.
The mystery itself is intriguing and while it doesn't really play by the rules of The Game, I enjoyed the way it unfolded and especially the part where Bertie tries to say that an aristocrat can't be a villain and Biggles is rightfully unimpressed by his line of reasoning. It's nice when WEJ has even a mote of class consciousness pop up in a book!
I will say that the book's denouement (the villain putting a gun in his mouth and shooting out the back of his head...) was treated in an EXTREMELY blase manner which I think detracted from the rest of the admirably open emotion in the rest of the book. I think possibly WEJ was trying not to traumatise the presumed child reader but if you're doing that, WEJ, did you consider not writing it? Also this book contains the phrase 'bad tempered old bitch' which took me completely by surprise. The last use of 'bitch' I came across in Johns was in Steeley Flies Again, a book ostensibly for grown-ups, so seeing it here threw me for a loop.
Overally, it's a recommendation! Algy mans the phones for most of the book but he gets a few good moments. Ginger is suitably helpful, especially in rescuing Bertie from the hole he fell down. And Biggles gets to express frustration and try theories and generally be a capable but human detective! It's a good read and I'm pleased I read it - now to write H/C fic about Bertie in concussion recovery...
Anyway, this was my latest Biggles read! I've had it high on my TBR ever since
philomytha informed me of its Cornwall setting and - having bought a hardcopy for a fiver at a collectibles shop in Reading last week - I finally got round to reading it for myself.Essentially it's a classic Biggles formula. Raymond invites Biggles into his office and complains about the fact that Biggles hasn't solved an aerial mystery yet, then informs him that there's been a potentially relevant development - the murder of a Cornish police officer on the road that crosses Bodmin Moor. Feeling professionally intrigued but also pessimistic (Biggles is in a bit of a downer mood all book, poor man), &Co drive and fly down to Bodmin themselves and do a little investigating...
It's nothing new really, and for a late series SAP book I wouldn't expect great innovation in form, but what this book did have in spades was TENSION and ATMOSPHERE. Maybe it's my Devonian upbringing showing but I fucking love a moors setting, and this book delivered it with style - even if it's clear the moors aren't exactly WEJ's favourite place in the world. Frankly between this and Hits the Trail I think he might just have it out for like... flat areas. Anyway, the really standout part of this book was the Bertie & Biggles friendship, which really shone through in the first half of the book.
Bertie gets to show off his expertise on heather of all things, linked to a youthful interest in grouse hunting (which he did in Scotland, apparently - another potential Gimlet crossover?). He also has a really spectacular whump plotline, involving stumbling through the moors in the dark, falling down a large hole, getting seriously concussed and almost burning to death. Honestly, the fact that WEJ finally learned that serious head injuries should be treated in hospital is admirable character growth on his part considering the last one I remember coming across was Biggles & Co where von Stalhein probably gets a skull fracture.
The mystery itself is intriguing and while it doesn't really play by the rules of The Game, I enjoyed the way it unfolded and especially the part where Bertie tries to say that an aristocrat can't be a villain and Biggles is rightfully unimpressed by his line of reasoning. It's nice when WEJ has even a mote of class consciousness pop up in a book!
I will say that the book's denouement (the villain putting a gun in his mouth and shooting out the back of his head...) was treated in an EXTREMELY blase manner which I think detracted from the rest of the admirably open emotion in the rest of the book. I think possibly WEJ was trying not to traumatise the presumed child reader but if you're doing that, WEJ, did you consider not writing it? Also this book contains the phrase 'bad tempered old bitch' which took me completely by surprise. The last use of 'bitch' I came across in Johns was in Steeley Flies Again, a book ostensibly for grown-ups, so seeing it here threw me for a loop.
Overally, it's a recommendation! Algy mans the phones for most of the book but he gets a few good moments. Ginger is suitably helpful, especially in rescuing Bertie from the hole he fell down. And Biggles gets to express frustration and try theories and generally be a capable but human detective! It's a good read and I'm pleased I read it - now to write H/C fic about Bertie in concussion recovery...
