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Hal & Roger Hunt Adventures #2
South Sea Adventure
Hal and Roger Hunt sink deep into danger when a specimen-collecting trip takes them into the lost world of the South Seas. But the deep-sea trawl has a hidden agenda -- a top secret mission for Professor Stuyvesant, and his scientific experiments in Pearl Lagoon.
259 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1952
10 people are currently reading
262 people want to read
About the author
Willard Price
142 books77 followersWillard DeMille Price was born in Peterborough, Ontario, and moved to the US when he was four. He got his MA and Litt.D from Columbia. He held a special interest for natural history, ethnology and exploration and made numerous expeditions for the American Museum of Natural History and the National Geographic Society. Price also went on to edit various magazines on travel and world affairs and spent six years working in Japan as foreign correspondent for New York and London newspapers. He travelled in seventy-seven countries before his death in 1983.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
June 8, 2009
I'm going to rate all of the Willard Price books as four stars. Not because I think they're all that special (hell, they're basically the works of an eco-terrorism apologist), but because, when I was twelve, they were THE BEST BOOKS I'D EVER READ. I lapped them up. Loved 'em.
July 11, 2010
When I was a young'n I read the Adventure series by Willard Price. They were marvelous. They were a major contributor to my insatiable interest in good reads. His work was simple but followed exactly what a young boy needed. The series holds a special place in my heart :)
July 6, 2020
Willard Price’s “Adventure” series is set up so that it has a continuous storyline. Whilst this does mean they are difficult to read singly and there is a slightly annoying introduction and outro to each novel to link them together, similar to those you find around television programmes, it does mean you stay involved in the series and can continue reading easily without needing to reacquaint yourself with the characters each time.
Running almost directly on from “Amazon Adventure”, the setting for “South Sea Adventure” is equally as obvious from the title. A private collector has asked for the Hunts to obtain many marine creatures for his personal collection and with too much going on at home, he decides to send Hal and Roger. He also asks them to look into something on behalf of Professor Stuyvesant, who has set up a secret pearl lagoon in the area the brothers are due to be going to, so they can check on the progress of his experiment. However, none of this is without risk, as the pearl lagoon could be extremely valuable and there are people who would kill for its location.
Hiring a ship and crew, the Hunts head for the Southern Pacific, catching various marine animals along the way. The dangers they encounter aren’t just in the sea, however, as they encounter a hurricane along the way which damages the ship and they also have concerns about a member of their crew. The side trip is not without problems, as a missionary they allow to join them isn’t what he seems and so the Hunts are soon marooned without food or water.
Price’s writing is always fast-moving and he knows a lot about marine creatures, having been a journalist in that field for many years prior to turning to fiction writing. This means that, even without the variations in conditions that were present in the earlier book, he is still able to come up with many different methods of capturing and storing the creatures. That said, there is one part where he is a little keen to show off his knowledge, but in a part of the novel where it interrupts events a little.
There is also a suspiciously “MacGyver” feel to the situation where the boys are marooned. The island they are stuck on is described as having been hit by a hurricane and seems devoid of food, water and shelter, but the steps they take and the things they find are suspiciously easily to hand without explanation. Whilst the boys are certainly very adaptable and resilient, as has been proven over the earlier novel, this does read like the kind of plot device where Price has figured out how to get his characters into a situation, but can’t easily get them out and the plot hole is gaping and this puts me off a little, as much as I liked “MacGyver”.
This is not the only weakness in the writing, as the character building is equally as weak as it was in the first novel. The boys build a very close relationship with Omo, one of the crew who is originally a Pacific islander, but there is nothing in the novel that suggests that this has built naturally. The treatment the islanders receive at the hands of both the crew and others belong to a different time and whilst their treatment isn’t as bad as written by the likes of Mark Twain, is does feel slightly uncomfortable to read and the situation on some of the islands does have an American colonial feel to it.
“South Sea Adventure” is a weaker novel than the first in the series, containing much of what makes Price’s writing good, with some great animal encounters, but having greater areas of weakness than that novel. The lack of character building is consistent, but it is the plot holes towards the end which really spoil this novel for me and whilst it certainly keeps things interesting, it removed me from the moment so forcibly that it took the edge away from it.
Running almost directly on from “Amazon Adventure”, the setting for “South Sea Adventure” is equally as obvious from the title. A private collector has asked for the Hunts to obtain many marine creatures for his personal collection and with too much going on at home, he decides to send Hal and Roger. He also asks them to look into something on behalf of Professor Stuyvesant, who has set up a secret pearl lagoon in the area the brothers are due to be going to, so they can check on the progress of his experiment. However, none of this is without risk, as the pearl lagoon could be extremely valuable and there are people who would kill for its location.
Hiring a ship and crew, the Hunts head for the Southern Pacific, catching various marine animals along the way. The dangers they encounter aren’t just in the sea, however, as they encounter a hurricane along the way which damages the ship and they also have concerns about a member of their crew. The side trip is not without problems, as a missionary they allow to join them isn’t what he seems and so the Hunts are soon marooned without food or water.
Price’s writing is always fast-moving and he knows a lot about marine creatures, having been a journalist in that field for many years prior to turning to fiction writing. This means that, even without the variations in conditions that were present in the earlier book, he is still able to come up with many different methods of capturing and storing the creatures. That said, there is one part where he is a little keen to show off his knowledge, but in a part of the novel where it interrupts events a little.
There is also a suspiciously “MacGyver” feel to the situation where the boys are marooned. The island they are stuck on is described as having been hit by a hurricane and seems devoid of food, water and shelter, but the steps they take and the things they find are suspiciously easily to hand without explanation. Whilst the boys are certainly very adaptable and resilient, as has been proven over the earlier novel, this does read like the kind of plot device where Price has figured out how to get his characters into a situation, but can’t easily get them out and the plot hole is gaping and this puts me off a little, as much as I liked “MacGyver”.
This is not the only weakness in the writing, as the character building is equally as weak as it was in the first novel. The boys build a very close relationship with Omo, one of the crew who is originally a Pacific islander, but there is nothing in the novel that suggests that this has built naturally. The treatment the islanders receive at the hands of both the crew and others belong to a different time and whilst their treatment isn’t as bad as written by the likes of Mark Twain, is does feel slightly uncomfortable to read and the situation on some of the islands does have an American colonial feel to it.
“South Sea Adventure” is a weaker novel than the first in the series, containing much of what makes Price’s writing good, with some great animal encounters, but having greater areas of weakness than that novel. The lack of character building is consistent, but it is the plot holes towards the end which really spoil this novel for me and whilst it certainly keeps things interesting, it removed me from the moment so forcibly that it took the edge away from it.
November 26, 2024
4.5 stars
August 19, 2011
I loved the sea adventures the best in this series. I don't know why. Willard Price could do no wrong when I was reading this series.
I know these were books for boys but I had a herpetologist for a father. I caught snakes and frogs and fed crocodiles before I went to school.
I know these were books for boys but I had a herpetologist for a father. I caught snakes and frogs and fed crocodiles before I went to school.
August 18, 2007
i learned about sea creatures like Portuguese man-of-war and what to do if they sting us - extremely fun - i want to hang out with Hal and Roger when i grow up
October 21, 2010
I love this book because it taught me about all these different animals.
September 8, 2012
I loved for these books when I was about 11 and learned A LOT about animals and geography from them
February 27, 2014
My 5th grade teacher read all the Willard Price books to us. Thank you, Mrs. Wilson! I loved them. I can trace my lifelong love of travel and adventure back to Amazon Adventure.
January 2, 2025
A fascinating tale of resilience and survival in the mysterious but deserted islands and seas of the Pacific.
The irony is while Hal and Roger along with their Polynesian sailor friend Omo undertook the perilous tasks of capturing wonderful marine specimens and diving for pearls in an uninhabited lagoon , their deadliest foe was a pearl smuggler and murderer posing as a missionary, the notorious Merlin Kaggs who makes an appearance in later books too.
Price takes us on a voyage through these relatively unknown seas as the reader travels from San Francisco to Hawaii, Bikini Atoll to Pohnpei with the added pleasure of witnessing Hal and Roger tussling with Manta Rays and a Giant Octopus. A formidable antagonist , Merlin Kaggs has the gift of fooling everyone he meets disgusting and impressing the reader at the same time with his stealthy ways.
Price also introduces us to the mysteries of the deep as Hal and Roger encounter several weird and wonderful creatures from the Supergiant Squid to Moray Eels.
The boys' stranded experience on the desert island is quite similar to a Bear Grylls survival show as they eat grubs , use innovative methods to collect water , build shelter, fish and prepare a raft to escape.
Importantly, Price acknowledges and condemns the exploitation of the Polynesians by Western colonisers. His sombre description of radioactivity in the ecosystem due to the Bikini Atom Bomb Tests , forced displacement of native islanders and population decline brought about by foreign diseases are solemn moments. Heartwarmingly, the close brotherly bonds of friendship between Hal and Omo (both saved each other's lives) was touching.
Thanks to Price , I've always dreamed of visiting Pohnpei and exploring the South Seas which continues to remain an enigma for much of the world.
The irony is while Hal and Roger along with their Polynesian sailor friend Omo undertook the perilous tasks of capturing wonderful marine specimens and diving for pearls in an uninhabited lagoon , their deadliest foe was a pearl smuggler and murderer posing as a missionary, the notorious Merlin Kaggs who makes an appearance in later books too.
Price takes us on a voyage through these relatively unknown seas as the reader travels from San Francisco to Hawaii, Bikini Atoll to Pohnpei with the added pleasure of witnessing Hal and Roger tussling with Manta Rays and a Giant Octopus. A formidable antagonist , Merlin Kaggs has the gift of fooling everyone he meets disgusting and impressing the reader at the same time with his stealthy ways.
Price also introduces us to the mysteries of the deep as Hal and Roger encounter several weird and wonderful creatures from the Supergiant Squid to Moray Eels.
The boys' stranded experience on the desert island is quite similar to a Bear Grylls survival show as they eat grubs , use innovative methods to collect water , build shelter, fish and prepare a raft to escape.
Importantly, Price acknowledges and condemns the exploitation of the Polynesians by Western colonisers. His sombre description of radioactivity in the ecosystem due to the Bikini Atom Bomb Tests , forced displacement of native islanders and population decline brought about by foreign diseases are solemn moments. Heartwarmingly, the close brotherly bonds of friendship between Hal and Omo (both saved each other's lives) was touching.
Thanks to Price , I've always dreamed of visiting Pohnpei and exploring the South Seas which continues to remain an enigma for much of the world.
December 23, 2024
The nostalgia high from reading Amazon Adventure again after all these years was too great, so I had to dive directly into number two, South Sea Adventure!.
It's slightly different in tone from the first. There is less of a focus on the collection of animals for their collections and zoos. They certainly gather some specimens in the first half, but from the middle onwards, it becomes more of a survivalist shipwreck story.
And I'd say it still works, in that galavanting Boys Own kind of way. It still doesn't bear up to close scrutiny - it's too obvious that anytime they need new materials or food or water, nature offers up just the thing - but it's still so much fun for the boy in me. The villainous aspect is more clearly drawn, which I guess works to add more realistic narrative impetus.
I remember having read these two, and then looking over the titles of some of the later volumes in the series - Volcano, African, Arctic, Gorilla. You kind of know exactly what you're going to get with each one, but you're still excited to read it. And I'm actually quite excited to try and dig them up out of my archives too!
It's slightly different in tone from the first. There is less of a focus on the collection of animals for their collections and zoos. They certainly gather some specimens in the first half, but from the middle onwards, it becomes more of a survivalist shipwreck story.
And I'd say it still works, in that galavanting Boys Own kind of way. It still doesn't bear up to close scrutiny - it's too obvious that anytime they need new materials or food or water, nature offers up just the thing - but it's still so much fun for the boy in me. The villainous aspect is more clearly drawn, which I guess works to add more realistic narrative impetus.
I remember having read these two, and then looking over the titles of some of the later volumes in the series - Volcano, African, Arctic, Gorilla. You kind of know exactly what you're going to get with each one, but you're still excited to read it. And I'm actually quite excited to try and dig them up out of my archives too!
October 19, 2018
A book of two halfs.
The first half concerned the two lads Roger and Hall Hunt travelling to the South Seas to collect animal specimens for their father's zoo. A side story involved them being asked to visit an oyster farm to see how it was progressing.
A villain had his eye on the South Sea oyster farm also, and managed to dupe the boys in taking him to where they were hidden. The second half of the book concerns the boys escape after the villain abandons them on the uninhabited island. After lots of ingenuity, luck and near death experiences they finally survive while the criminal gets his cumuppence.
The book then leads straight into the third book of the series underwater Adventure.
Good yarn. Four stars.
The first half concerned the two lads Roger and Hall Hunt travelling to the South Seas to collect animal specimens for their father's zoo. A side story involved them being asked to visit an oyster farm to see how it was progressing.
A villain had his eye on the South Sea oyster farm also, and managed to dupe the boys in taking him to where they were hidden. The second half of the book concerns the boys escape after the villain abandons them on the uninhabited island. After lots of ingenuity, luck and near death experiences they finally survive while the criminal gets his cumuppence.
The book then leads straight into the third book of the series underwater Adventure.
Good yarn. Four stars.
January 29, 2019
This is book 2 in the Hal & Roger Hunt adventure series, the first one the Amazon Adventure was also an audio read for me with these two being the only ones available in that format.
Just like the Amazon Adventure, this is a book taking these two brothers on an adventure to exotic places with someone on their trail, and not in a good way.
It’s a great series for middle grade, not just boys but girls also would enjoy these, reminiscent of Nancy Drew and the Hardy boys. Written in the 40s and 50s there is no technology or modern conveniences.
I read (listened) to this as part of my 2019 reading off my shelf challenge.
Just like the Amazon Adventure, this is a book taking these two brothers on an adventure to exotic places with someone on their trail, and not in a good way.
It’s a great series for middle grade, not just boys but girls also would enjoy these, reminiscent of Nancy Drew and the Hardy boys. Written in the 40s and 50s there is no technology or modern conveniences.
I read (listened) to this as part of my 2019 reading off my shelf challenge.
September 21, 2020
- I enjoyed reading this book, more than some of the others in the series. I liked the ongoing struggle to get water and food, it meant each chapter could have a mini story of a problem and resolution. Instead of some of the other books where the reader is bombarded with information about different animals and habitats, we are filled with information about how to get water and food on an island, which I found a bit more interesting.
- I would recommend this to anyone who likes adventure, read the other books in the series, or likes survival strategies.
- I would recommend this to anyone who likes adventure, read the other books in the series, or likes survival strategies.
November 12, 2021
Following their Amazon escapades, Hal and Roger Hunt embark on another rollicking adventure, venturing into the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean. Initially I was disappointed that there wasn’t as much focus on the wildlife in this second entry in Willard Price’s Adventure series, but I was surprised to find myself hooked by this boy’s own take on Robinson Crusoe. An encounter with a deadly water spout was a particularly thrilling high point—I would never claim Price to be a literary giant, but this was a superbly written passage.
May 3, 2019
Ollie: Two boys head into the mysterious unknown of the Pacific Ocean, meeting friends and making enemies... The 2nd book in the series, the book keeps the reader reading, as every page asks a new question or answers another question. This gripping, actio-packed novel will not allow you to leave it even though some of the language is out of date as it was written in 1949.
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February 21, 2023It was like the author was continually trying to kill the brothers off. Just one danger after another. I would've liked a bit more of a confrontation between them and the villain to have that satisfaction of the bad guy getting his comeuppance
Read
January 1, 2025Abraham really enjoyed this. J/H not so much. Decided to let Abraham read others from this series on his own, which he's been more willing to do recently, and we went a different direction with read alouds.
April 14, 2018
As far as I know I read all of these, as a child, younger than 10. I've just recorded a representative few here, on goodreads. Loved them at the time, but that's nearly 1/2 a century ago.
December 14, 2021
Classic Willard Price; enjoyed him as a kid, enjoying him as an adult.
January 5, 2023
The story takes place in the last century, the fifties or sixties, but is a fine adventure and has some educational aspects, too.
February 9, 2024
This book was hilarious. Next level off the chart. Raced through it to see the ridiculous conclusion and I was here for it. Will definitely read more from Willard Price.
April 22, 2025
Casual racism? Never heard of her.
November 15, 2018
possibly read some time in winter 1966
January 7, 2025
This was an ok read. It is a YA adventure where two brothers set off to the South Sea Islands on an adventure to collect sea creatures. There is a secret mission to investigate a pearl bed that others would like to get their hands on.
The book aims more for young teen audiences.
The book aims more for young teen audiences.
March 27, 2019
Action, adventure, survival, environment, conservation...
I loved these books when I was a kid. At the time, they seemed to border on sci-fi regarding the at-the-time-amazing technology the boys used.
Of course, looking back you can see how these stories are flawed, but I still think they are enjoyable. In fact, it would make for a really interesting middle school science project for children to read one of these books and then compare them with the knowledge of the world and technology we have today.
I loved these books when I was a kid. At the time, they seemed to border on sci-fi regarding the at-the-time-amazing technology the boys used.
Of course, looking back you can see how these stories are flawed, but I still think they are enjoyable. In fact, it would make for a really interesting middle school science project for children to read one of these books and then compare them with the knowledge of the world and technology we have today.
January 6, 2021
The second book in the series picks up where the previous left off with the brothers being awarded a trip to the South Seas after their successful Amazon venture. This time they are tasked with capturing such sea curiosities as the giant octopus, manta ray, and absurdly, a giant squid. They are also enlisted for a mission involving gathering pearl samples from a top secret coral atoll. However, like all the books, there is a dastardly villain eager to get his hands on their treasure. Interestingly, this villain is the only one to make a reappearance in later books.
In the story's second half, the tone becomes a lot darker as the boys and their Polynesian friend, Omo, are marooned on the inhospitable pearl island. With their survival skills pushed to the limit, they must scrape together shelter, food and water. The sheer luck with which they manage to pull through against all the odds requires great suspension of disbelief, especially when a 20 foot long giant squid turns up to menace them. There are also some bogus animal facts, where their size and ferocity are greatly exaggerated. This book has more of a castaway focus than animal wrangling, yet it's still an exciting, if improbable story.
In the story's second half, the tone becomes a lot darker as the boys and their Polynesian friend, Omo, are marooned on the inhospitable pearl island. With their survival skills pushed to the limit, they must scrape together shelter, food and water. The sheer luck with which they manage to pull through against all the odds requires great suspension of disbelief, especially when a 20 foot long giant squid turns up to menace them. There are also some bogus animal facts, where their size and ferocity are greatly exaggerated. This book has more of a castaway focus than animal wrangling, yet it's still an exciting, if improbable story.
November 16, 2015
I must have read the full set of these when I was in single digits. I have a terrible memory but there are still little details that I remember from reading these books, so they must have something special. I seem to recall the books often having a fight scene in which the older brother has to fight the baddie, and there's a comparison of the weights (in pounds) of the protagonists. We weighed in stones/pounds in Britain so I was always struck by the American style of giving people's weights in pounds. It's funny the things you remember...
January 1, 2019
I have the fondest memories of being read this book when I was little and much of my love (and knowledge) of the sea has come from this book (and Blue Planet – obviously). The descriptions of the animals and locations have stayed with me all these years and paint such a vibrant picture of the story being told. It’s important to remember the era this was written, however, when reading this as there are certain attitudes and expressions which don’t go down well in today’s mindset.
May 4, 2009
Strong adventure story, the usual interactions with animals heightened by the Hunts' search for pearls and an extended stay on a desert island. Roger's battle with an octopus is a highlight in the whole series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews