Review of "The Perils of an Air-ship or Boy Scouts in the Sky," by Capt. V. T. Sherman

 Review of

The Perils of an Air-ship or Boy Scouts in the Sky, by Capt. V. T. Sherman

Four out of five stars

A bit of science and technological fiction

 Published in 1912, the plot devices in this book were developed less than a decade after the Wright brothers performed their first flight of a mere three-and-a-half seconds. Therefore, when the main characters fly their plane they call the Nelson over the Andes mountains and nearly all the way across South America, the author is engaging in some in significant extrapolation. Of course, it turned out to be correct.

 While several countries in South America are visited, the main focus is on Paraguay, An American than owns a large cattle ranch is on the verge of having it taken away from him. Tasked by the American government to go to Paraguay and get him released, the main characters use what would then be a super airplane to fly down and rescue him.

 Most of the adventure/action is typical of YA stories of the time. Some of them spend time on the Amazon being hunted by cannibals, there is another super plane piloted by the opposition and the government officials of Paraguay are depicted as being hopelessly corrupt.

 If this story is read as a historical retrospective of adventure stories of the time, then it can be enjoyed. Like many of the stories in this category, there are words and allusions that will offend those that demand modern purity of the language.