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obscuredbyclouds's review against another edition
3.0
Ich hatte mir eine englische Taschenbuchausgabe aus den Neunzigern mit diesem grässlichen Cover gekauft:
Trotz des eher bescheuerten Aussehens, hat es Spaß gemacht, es auf Englisch zu lesen. Ich finde das gerade auch die sehr alten Illustrationen einen Charme haben, auch wenn besonders Peter und Bob so gar nicht meinem Bild entsprechen.
Sprachlich habe ich gelernt, dass die Telefonlawine im Original "Ghost-to-Ghost Hookup" heißt, wobei das Ghost ein Codewort für die ganzen Kinder ist. Mhm. Da bin ich mal wirklich froh, dass hier nicht wortwörtlich übersetzt wurde. Warum man aus Worthington allerdings Morton gemacht hat, erschließt sich mir nicht. Ist das für deutsche Augen/Ohren wirklich so viel leichter? Dass aus den Bayern Hans und Konrad die Iren Kenneth und Patrick wurden, verstehe ich da schon besser.
Der Fall selbst? Ein mittelmäßiger. Das ganze wirkt eher sehr formular-haft und etwas gezwungen. So richtig spannend ist es auch nicht, und ihr englischer Auftraggeber August August nimmt irgendwie nie so richtig Gestalt an.
Trotz des eher bescheuerten Aussehens, hat es Spaß gemacht, es auf Englisch zu lesen. Ich finde das gerade auch die sehr alten Illustrationen einen Charme haben, auch wenn besonders Peter und Bob so gar nicht meinem Bild entsprechen.
Sprachlich habe ich gelernt, dass die Telefonlawine im Original "Ghost-to-Ghost Hookup" heißt, wobei das Ghost ein Codewort für die ganzen Kinder ist. Mhm. Da bin ich mal wirklich froh, dass hier nicht wortwörtlich übersetzt wurde. Warum man aus Worthington allerdings Morton gemacht hat, erschließt sich mir nicht. Ist das für deutsche Augen/Ohren wirklich so viel leichter? Dass aus den Bayern Hans und Konrad die Iren Kenneth und Patrick wurden, verstehe ich da schon besser.
Der Fall selbst? Ein mittelmäßiger. Das ganze wirkt eher sehr formular-haft und etwas gezwungen. So richtig spannend ist es auch nicht, und ihr englischer Auftraggeber August August nimmt irgendwie nie so richtig Gestalt an.
henrik_w's review against another edition
4.0
I read a lot of The Three Investigators books when I grew up, so re-read one for fun. Nostalgia, but quite OK story. The early books (by Robert Arthur) are the good ones.
ferrisscottr's review
3.0
I've been reading this series for about 40 years. I don't ever search them out or go to a bookstore to buy them but if I stumble across the series (usually in an antique or co-op store) I buy the books. I was at an antique store the other day and I saw two Three Investigator books that I had never read on a corner shelf and picked them up.
Good stuff.
It contains all of the usual things you'll find in a Three Investigators book:
Mystery pops up out of nowhere, appearance by Alfred Hitchcock, Worthington and the Rolls, mix-ups, red herrings, shady characters, Jupiter's latest scientific method for mystery solving, down to the wire solution to the mystery.
Love this series - always a good time when I find one I haven't read before.
Good stuff.
It contains all of the usual things you'll find in a Three Investigators book:
Mystery pops up out of nowhere, appearance by Alfred Hitchcock, Worthington and the Rolls, mix-ups, red herrings, shady characters, Jupiter's latest scientific method for mystery solving, down to the wire solution to the mystery.
Love this series - always a good time when I find one I haven't read before.
govmarley's review
3.0
I adore riddles! We get a fun one in a cryptic message this time. I beat Jupe to the punch and figured it out before him. Sorry, Jupiter. Better luck next time.
We have a missing jewel, some mysterious busts, a riddle, and a boy named August August. (Really? So dumb). Anyway, the Three Investigators are on the case, and when I say the Three Investigators I mean Jupiter Jones, with a little bit of Bob Andrews thrown in for basic library research. Pete, you are dead weight, my friend. I fail to see you investigate anything. More like One Investigator and his Tag Along Friends, amirite?
The mystery is a good one and I remember this one fondly. Remember, I am re-reading the whole series so you don't have to! You're welcome.
We have a missing jewel, some mysterious busts, a riddle, and a boy named August August. (Really? So dumb). Anyway, the Three Investigators are on the case, and when I say the Three Investigators I mean Jupiter Jones, with a little bit of Bob Andrews thrown in for basic library research. Pete, you are dead weight, my friend. I fail to see you investigate anything. More like One Investigator and his Tag Along Friends, amirite?
The mystery is a good one and I remember this one fondly. Remember, I am re-reading the whole series so you don't have to! You're welcome.
prof_dr_mochi's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
elak's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
mandalou's review
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
ishouldbereading's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
bev_reads_mysteries's review
3.0
In this outing Alfred Hitchcock brings the mystery to Jupiter, Bob, and Pete. He introduces them to his young English friend, August August. Gus, as he prefers to be called, is looking for help solving a riddle left him as part of an inheritance from his Great-Uncle Horatio who recently died in California. Presumably, if the riddle can be solved, there is some sort of "treasure" to be found. Jupiter assumes it must be valuable, since Great-Uncle Horatio went to great trouble to code the directions to its whereabouts. In fact, along the way, they discover that the treasure is a valuable ruby called the Fiery Eye and that a set of busts from Horatio's estate may hold a clue.
As with most jewels in mysteries of this sort--there is a legend of danger surrounding the gem. The Investigators and Gus will also discover that an sinister Indian man and a gang of thugs are hot on the trail of the jewel as well. Will the boys outwit the thieves and see that Gus gets his rightful inheritance?
I love revisiting this series that I first found when I went with my then best friend and her family on a shopping trip to the big malls in Ft. Wayne. That's when Walden Books and B. Dalton were still a thing and I insisted on stopping in all the bookstores. Not too long ago I started reading the titles I had missed when I was young--the first was The Mystery of the Talking Skull which I got from the library. I was disappointed that the books had been rereleased without the Hitchcock connection. That was part of the charm for me--I've now started looking for vintage editions (like the one pictured above) where Hitchcock still provides the introductions and interacts with the boys.
These books are good solid stories for young readers. The mystery isn't terribly intricate, but it is interesting and exciting enough to keep one turning the pages. It's good fun and the clues are such that the young reader has a chance to solve the mystery before Jupe does. As an adult, I enjoy revisiting the friends of my childhood and tagging along on their adventures.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
As with most jewels in mysteries of this sort--there is a legend of danger surrounding the gem. The Investigators and Gus will also discover that an sinister Indian man and a gang of thugs are hot on the trail of the jewel as well. Will the boys outwit the thieves and see that Gus gets his rightful inheritance?
I love revisiting this series that I first found when I went with my then best friend and her family on a shopping trip to the big malls in Ft. Wayne. That's when Walden Books and B. Dalton were still a thing and I insisted on stopping in all the bookstores. Not too long ago I started reading the titles I had missed when I was young--the first was The Mystery of the Talking Skull which I got from the library. I was disappointed that the books had been rereleased without the Hitchcock connection. That was part of the charm for me--I've now started looking for vintage editions (like the one pictured above) where Hitchcock still provides the introductions and interacts with the boys.
These books are good solid stories for young readers. The mystery isn't terribly intricate, but it is interesting and exciting enough to keep one turning the pages. It's good fun and the clues are such that the young reader has a chance to solve the mystery before Jupe does. As an adult, I enjoy revisiting the friends of my childhood and tagging along on their adventures.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.