Quantum Force (Tom Swift, No. 13) by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift IV #13

by Victor Appleton

Tom has just completed a super secret project in the Swift the creation of a powerful force field capable of protecting all types of vehicles. Now he's taken the device one step further and has adapted it for personal an invisible shield that can deflect any attack. But, a cunning, evil genius seeks the device for the perfect cover for his global crime schemes!

Genres: Science Fiction

Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 1993

About the author

Victor Appleton was a house pseudonym used by the Stratemeyer Syndicate and its successors, most famous for being associated with the Tom Swift series of books.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_...

The character of Tom Swift was conceived in 1910 by Edward Stratemeyer, founder of the Stratemeyer Syndicate, a book-packaging company. Stratemeyer invented the series to capitalize on the market for children's science adventure. The Syndicate's authors created the Tom Swift books by first preparing an outline with all the plot elements, followed by drafting and editing the detailed manuscript. The books were published under the house name of Victor Appleton. Edward Stratemeyer and Howard Garis wrote most of the volumes in the original series; Stratemeyer's daughter, Harriet Stratemeyer Adams, wrote the last three volumes. The first Tom Swift series ended in 1941.
In 1954, Harriet Adams created the Tom Swift, Jr., series, which was published under the name "Victor Appleton II". Most titles were outlined and plotted by Adams. The texts were written by various writers, among them William Dougherty, John Almquist, Richard Sklar, James Duncan Lawrence, Tom Mulvey and Richard McKenna. The Tom Swift, Jr., series ended in 1971.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Swift

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tom builds a personal force field, and I found it interesting to see the various drawbacks, like the fact that it needs to be porous enough to let air through, and it can't extend past the feet, otherwise he would be levitating. A villain named Roscoe Montoya finds out about the forcefield. He kidnaps Tom and steals it. Tom manages to foil the villain, because he disguises the force field controls as his fingernails! (It's weird.) Montoya's men attack Swift Enterprises to get the controls. Tom is forced to defeat them and his own tech, in order to save the day.

I thought Montoya was interesting and rather violent, compared to the other criminals in this series. Other readers disliked him, because he's a little over-the-top and never explains why he wants the force field to begin with. He is also kind of stupid, because he has mind-control crystals which could easily subdue Tom, only Montoya forgets about them. He uses them on random crooks instead.

[Phil · Rating 1 out of 5]

The last book in the Swift series is a disappointment. Tom magically creates a force field, and then he lands in the crosshairs of some crook living in the hills above Swift Enterprises who has magic brain controlling diamonds. The crook wants to steal the force field and Tom ends up having to figure out a way to beat his own tech in order to save the day.

Actually, that last bit is the only redeeming factor in this book: Tom having to beat his own tech. Other than that the plot is dubious, the villain over the top, the technology not grounded in reality, and the dialogue, as usual, was deplorable.

Most of the book covers a week of Tom testing and retesting his invention. Seriously. It was boring. A sad ending to a series that deserved better.

The same conglomerate publishing company did Tom Swift, the Hardy Boys, and Nancy Drew, and while the Hardy Boys managed to last for over 100 case files, I am stymied as to why they could produce more and better Swift books.

For me the best are Negative Zone, Monster Machine, Microbots, and Mind Games. The Hardy Boys/Tom Swift crossover Time Bomb is also good.

[Christopher Brehm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good

[Kein · Rating 4 out of 5]

FORCE FIELD! Always an amazing concept.