South Sea Adventure - Willard Price
First published 1952.
Book 2 in the 'Adventure' series. Preceded by 'Amazon Adventure.' Followed by 'Underwater Adventure.'
In this, the second book in the Adventure series, brothers Hal and Roger Hunt are sent to the 'South Seas' (aka, the Pacific) to collect various animals for the private aquarium of a rich steel magnate, including such things as a giant octopus and giant squid. The actual job only exists to get the plot in motion; we never really come back to the steel magnate at all. However, a secondary mission - to check on the secret pearl farm of an Oceanographic professor - is far more important to the proceedings, as it allows for the introduction of enemies, seeking to find the location of the pearl farm for themselves, and perhaps bring the boys to harm.
As in the previous entry, South Sea Adventure has fairly obvious villains, heroic 'native' characters, unlikely escapes, the successful capture of animals that (to the time of the book's publication) had been un-capturable, and descriptions of exotic locations that could inspire some epic holidays (even more so this time - parts of the Amazon seems rather dangerous!). This entry also involves an extended period of time when the brothers, along with one of their companions, get stranded on a remote island and must figure out how to survive. This is done by a combination of very specific knowledge (the building habits of a Siberian people group called the 'Fishskin Tartars' becomes important) and incredible luck (trapping both a sawfish and a giant squid in a simple tidal pool trap). Super unlikely, but such is the series.
Once again, there are elements to the series that haven't aged well, but this one is far more focused on adventure and survival, and so those elements are less intrusive.
Fun.
Completed 27 March 2024.
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