Showing results by author "Victor Appleton" in All Categories

It's another day at the Swift Academy when Tom starts finding little troll-like figures around campus. And he's not the only one. Much to the amusement and curiosity of students, these dolls are appearing all over the school. But even after they're collected by faculty, a second wave mysteriously appears - except these replacements record audio and play it back for surrounding listeners. Before everyone knows it, secrets and gossip are revealed across campus, and suddenly the figures aren't nearly as fun as they used to be.

Every year, Swift Academy students go to a nearby summer camp to field-test their inventions. Tom and his friends have been working hard on all their projects, but they’re most thrilled about Noah’s new virtual reality simulation. They can’t wait for it to go live, and everyone is looking forward to running tests at the camp. Nothing dulls their excitement, not even when a mysterious prankster starts messing with people’s inventions.

Tom gets to take all sorts of cool classes at the Swift Academy of Science and Technology, but robotics may be the one he is most excited for. Their teacher is holding a battling robot tournament, and Tom has to build a machine that will come out on top. With the final battle coming up, Tom and his friends need as much time as possible to refine their masterpiece. But the rest of their teachers have been giving so many pop quizzes that they can barely focus in class, never mind concentrate on the tournament.

With his new shadow in tow, Tom expects the night to be uneventful. But when the facility suddenly goes into quarantine mode, the overnight lock-in turns into a building-wide lockdown. Tom and his friends are left trapped in their respective rooms, with no way to communicate the outside world. As they make their way through the facility using methods that are a little more...creative...than normal, Tom and his friends start realizing that there is more to this quarantine than meets the eye. It’s up to them to not only escape, but also find out what - or who - is behind the lockdown.

When your dad funds the Swift Academy of Science and Technology, you’re bound to have a bunch of tech at your disposal. So no one bats an eye when Tom and his best friend, Noah, test their new virtual reality drone before class. At the academy, once class starts and the drone is parked, their brainiac friends then launch into farfetched discussions about the curriculum. And when they watch a documentary about the FBI’s most wanted hackers from the '80s, they quickly start speculating that the academy custodian is one of them.

In Tom Swift and His Motor Boat, Tom's father - Barton Swift - a world-famous scientist, has been robbed of one of his greatest inventions. It's up to Tom to bring the criminals to justice, but he becomes a target of the rogues' anger when he unknowingly buys a boat in which the criminals have an interest in. This full cast production is an exciting adventure for the whole family.

The first in a series of 28 Tom Swift books by Victor Appleton, this book introduces us to our hero Tom Swift son of noted inventor, Barton Swift. Tom's father's invention for new and improved turbine motor is stolen by the Happy Harry Gang, who we will meet in future episodes since they manage to escape this time. Each chapter is a cliffhanger filled with intrigue, espionage and excitement!

Tom Swift puts his modified motorcycle to the test while delivering top-secret plans, dodging spies and danger. His first thrilling ride kickstarts a legendary adventure series.

A mysterious visitor from outer space arrives as pure energy. Tom must protect Exman from spies and disasters in one of his most thrilling space-age missions.

Tom explores ancient ruins in Honduras searching for a lost Mayan idol. This archaeological adventure blends science, culture, and excitement.

Tom competes to build the fastest airplane and win a $10,000 prize—but sabotage forces him to rebuild. It’s a race against time in this thrilling aviation story.

A stolen diamond hidden in a boat throws Tom Swift into danger. Using his smarts and speed, he battles a gang of thieves in this gripping early adventure.

Tom Swift unveils an aerial warship with terrifying potential, facing sabotage and international intrigue. A mix of high-flying action and inventive genius.

Tom Swift enters the world of high-speed racing in Tom Swift and His Electric Runabout. With his custom-built electric car, he’s set to compete in a grueling 500-mile race. But when a sinister plot threatens not only his chances of victory but also the financial future of his community, Tom must think fast to outwit the criminals. Will he cross the finish line as a champion—or lose everything in the process? A thrilling tale of speed, science, and suspense.

n Tom Swift and His Big Tunnel, young inventor Tom Swift is called upon to tackle an engineering nightmare—a seemingly impenetrable mountain in Peru blocking a critical railroad project. With rival companies waiting for them to fail, Tom must develop a groundbreaking explosive to finish the tunnel in time. But the adventure doesn’t stop there. Alongside his loyal companions, he embarks on a perilous journey deep into the Andes, encountering lost cities, ancient secrets, and unexpected dangers. Can Tom’s genius outmatch nature’s toughest challenge? A thrilling mix of science, adventure,...

In Tom Swift and His War Tank, the young inventor turns his genius toward aiding the Allies in World War I. When his revolutionary tank design falls into the hands of German spies, Tom must outmaneuver enemy agents, keep his work a secret, and prove that machines—not just manpower—can win wars. A gripping mix of invention, espionage, and wartime intrigue, this adventure showcases Tom Swift’s knack for innovation and high-stakes action.

Three very successful series of stories aimed at children and teens were created by a man who had a book-packaging house and didn’t want to cause confusion. So none of the stories ever had his name on them. Instead, Edward Stratemeyer hired several writers and provided them with story ideas that were then published under the pseudonym Victor Appleton.

Young Tom Swift purchases a motorcycle and, being the inventor that he is, modifies it to his specifications in time to transport his father's new invention (a revolutionary turbine motor design) to Albany. However, a group of investors plan to steal the design for themselves, and send a gang of thieves after Tom as he travels the backroads to Albany.

This time Tom Swift is off to Alaska to hunt for the valley of gold. His friend Abe Abercrombie, an old miner, claims to know approximately where it lies: "up where the icebergs and caves of ice are." But he needs Tom and his airplane to help him locate the exact spot. Unknown to Tom, his chief rival, Andy Foger, gets wind of the project and vows to beat Tom to the prize. Unknown to both are the Alaskan natives who will kill to protect their gold...

Here's another light-hearted adventure in this popular series of entertaining stories about Tom Swift and his latest inventions. This time it's an electric car. Tom is intent on building an electric car capable of beating all other electrics currently in production. But primarily, he has a personal goal and challenge. He wants to race his chief rival, Andy Foger, and beat him badly. Herein lies an exciting account of how automobile races were conducted in the early 1900s....