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The Rick Brant Science-Adventure Series |
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"Adventure," Rick Brant said, "is kind of hard to define, because what may be adventure to one person may be commonplace to another." |
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 The Rick Brant series was published by Grosset and Dunlap from 1947 to 1968. Volume 24, The Magic Talisman, was rejected by Grosset and Dunlap because it contained references to magic and ESP. It was finally published in 1990 by Manuscript Press. A companion volume, Rick Brant's Science Projects, was published by Grosset and Dunlap in 1960. The first three titles in the series were co-authored by Harold L. Goodwin and Peter J. Harkins. The remaining titles were written by Harold L. Goodwin. Rick Brant lives on Spindrift Island off the coast of New Jersey with his family. Rick's father, Hartson Brant, heads the Spindrift Scientific Foundation, a research group based on Spindrift Island. Rick lives with his father, his mother, his sister Barbara, known as Barby, and his best friend Scotty, Don Scott, who is considered part of the family. Rick takes an active interest in Spindrift's projects and hopes to be a scientist someday. |
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The Spindrift scientists often travel to exotic locales and find themselves in grave danger from foreign enemies and acts of sabotage. Ricky and Scotty become acquainted with Steve Ames of JANIG, which is the Joint Army-Navy Intelligence Group. Rick and Scotty frequently find themselves privy to JANIG investigations and intrigue. Rick and Scotty mature as the series progresses. They act like teenage boys in the early books. By the later books, Rick and Scotty have a more adult role and often travel by themselves. They have more responsibility, and their encounters with villains are of a darker nature with more violence. All of the books feature science in some capacity. Often, the science is used to help the boys capture criminals or to help solve a problem. In some books, science plays a minimal role, while in other books, science is described in great detail. The use of science and technical language causes these books to be more sophisticated than other series books, but just as much fun. Volumes 1 through 16 were published in hardcover with dust jacket and were later reprinted in picture cover. Volumes 17 through 23 were only printed in picture cover. Volume 24 was published in 1990 in a glossy picture cover edition. Volumes 21, 22, and 23 have been reprinted in recent years. Prices for Rick Brant books have come down from what they once were, but the last few titles remain expensive even though they have been reprinted. Expect to pay $200 or more apiece for each of volumes 22, 23, and 24. PDF files of most or all of the titles in the Rick Brant series, including the elusive final volumes, are floating around online. |
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