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A WWII novel in which Biggles & crew are sent to establish a base on Borneo from which to harass the Japanese forces.
Unsurprisingly, this book has a big racism issue. The local people on Borneo are stereotypical but at least they have agency and significant, sympathetic roles. Ditto for some Chinese characters. My biggest problem was more the very high level of generalized background racism.
I read this one largely because I was promised Biggles flying a plane while he has malaria, and that does happen, but between the amazing bit with Biggles flying a plane with a concussion in Biggles Sweeps the Desert and the utterly horrifying description of malaria in Little House on the Prairie, I was expecting something spectacular. Biggles flying with malaria is good but it's not in the league of either of those.
However, Biggles in Borneo does feature some actually spectacular sequences, including 1) a deadly snake in the cockpit, 2) Biggles piloting a barge like it's an airplane, 3) a rampaging mad elephant. Also, Ginger has a really great bit toward the end. Those parts were great, but overall the book was not a favorite.
In conclusion, Biggles fandom needs more malaria that's more dramatic. I recommend reading Little House on the Prairie (the single most racist Little House book, are the mosquitos also transmitting racism?) for inspiration. Also more of Biggles attempting to fly vehicles that do not fly. More dangerous animals loose on planes would also be good. And much as Dashiell Hammett suggested having a man with a gun enter if your plot is getting tedious, this book proves that another thing that really brings the excitement is a rampaging mad elephant.
Unsurprisingly, this book has a big racism issue. The local people on Borneo are stereotypical but at least they have agency and significant, sympathetic roles. Ditto for some Chinese characters. My biggest problem was more the very high level of generalized background racism.
I read this one largely because I was promised Biggles flying a plane while he has malaria, and that does happen, but between the amazing bit with Biggles flying a plane with a concussion in Biggles Sweeps the Desert and the utterly horrifying description of malaria in Little House on the Prairie, I was expecting something spectacular. Biggles flying with malaria is good but it's not in the league of either of those.
However, Biggles in Borneo does feature some actually spectacular sequences, including 1) a deadly snake in the cockpit, 2) Biggles piloting a barge like it's an airplane, 3) a rampaging mad elephant. Also, Ginger has a really great bit toward the end. Those parts were great, but overall the book was not a favorite.
In conclusion, Biggles fandom needs more malaria that's more dramatic. I recommend reading Little House on the Prairie (the single most racist Little House book, are the mosquitos also transmitting racism?) for inspiration. Also more of Biggles attempting to fly vehicles that do not fly. More dangerous animals loose on planes would also be good. And much as Dashiell Hammett suggested having a man with a gun enter if your plot is getting tedious, this book proves that another thing that really brings the excitement is a rampaging mad elephant.