Underwater Adventure - Willard Price
First published 1955.
Book 3 in the 'Adventure' series. Preceded by 'South Sea Adventure.' Followed by 'Volcano Adventure.'
Picking up straight after the end of South Sea Adventure, and still based in the same region of the world (the Pacific Ocean, particularly around the Marshall Islands), Underwater Adventure sees Hal and Roger Hunt continuing their animal gathering expeditions. This time, however, the focus is a little different, with the brothers (and their friend Omo from the previous book) joining forces with Dr Blake, a scientist with the Oceanographic Institute, to explore (surprise, surprise) the underwater world. Although there is still some animal collecting, the focus is far more on scientific discovery and trialling of various 'cutting edge' underwater technology (such as aqualungs, diving bells, and even snorkels - which I guess were cutting edge in 1955).
As is normal for the series, Underwater Adventure also includes a villain, with the role this time going to a slimy character called 'Skink', who - despite his obviously villainous and even murderous intentions - is allowed to continue working for Dr Blake far beyond when any reasonable person would have been sent packing. And, without giving any spoilers, there are some significant deaths in this instalment - with at least one getting some pretty blatant foreshadowing earlier on. There are also, as is fairly normal for this series, a few episodes where animals get killed in ways that wouldn't sit well with modern audiences, even if the animals in question are threatening our heroes at the time.
Each of the books in this series so far have been interesting, but one episode in Underwater Adventure has the distinction of being the first time in the series to make me actually feel a sense of panic. This is when one of our heroes is taking a turn in the diving bell, only to have the vehicle lose power and communication. The character has an inner monologue going about how he could end up sinking to the bottom of the ocean and slowly suffocating if things went wrong any further.
Ugh.
The book ends, as is normal, with the set-up for the next adventure in the series. This time around, the set-up is a little odd, with the book telling us: "...volcanic disturbances had thrown up islands where none had existed before. Several active volcanoes had poked their noses out of the sea and were spouting ashes and white-hot lava. Earthquakes continued to be reported throughout the western Pacific...The whole end of the Pacific seems to be blowing up. Something very unusual is happening; we want to find out what." (page 188-189). Such an unusual chain of events is, well, unusual for the series, and although I'm not intending to read through the whole series back-to-back, it does make me interested for when I do read the next book.
Completed 10 April 2024.
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