Tom Swift is approached by the owner of a circus to use one of his airships to search for a lost hunter, who went missing somewhere in South Africa while searching for a tribe of giants.

Tom Swift is the main character of five series of American juvenile science fiction and adventure novels that emphasize science, invention and technology. First published in 1910, the series total more than 100 volumes. The character was created by Edward Stratemeyer, the founder of the Stratemeyer Syndicate, a book-packaging firm. Tom's adventures have been written by various ghostwriters, beginning with Howard Garis. Most of the books are credited to the collective pseudonym "Victor Appleton." The 33 volumes of the second series use the pseudonym Victor Appleton II for the author. For this series, and some of the later series, the main character is "Tom Swift, Jr." New titles have been published as recently as 2007. Most of the various series emphasized Tom's inventions. The books generally describe the effects of science and technology as wholly beneficial, and the role of the inventor in society as admirable and heroic. Translated into many languages, the books have sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. Tom Swift has also been the subject of a board game and a television series. Several famous people, including Steve Wozniak and Isaac Asimov, have cited "Tom Swift" as an inspiration. Several inventions, including the Taser, have been inspired allegedly by Swift's fictional inventions. "TASER" is said to be an acronym for "Thomas A. Swift's Electric Rifle."

In "Tom Swift in Captivity" by Victor Appleton, the brilliant young inventor, Tom Swift, finds himself in a perilous situation as he becomes a captive of a hostile group. This exciting installment of the Tom Swift series follows Tom's efforts to escape from his captors and use his ingenuity to overcome various challenges. The story begins when Tom Swift travels to a remote and unfamiliar region for a scientific expedition. He intends to conduct research and gather valuable data on a newly discovered mineral. However, Tom's plans take an unexpected turn when he falls into the hands of a group of antagonists who are interested in his groundbreaking inventions. Tom Swift finds himself locked away in captivity, far from home and cut off from any means of communication. Despite the dire circumstances, Tom's resourceful and determined nature comes to the fore. He uses his knowledge of technology and inventive skills to devise clever escape plans and outsmart his captors. Throughout the novel, Tom encounters numerous obstacles and danger as he seeks to regain his freedom. His friends and family back home are worried for his safety and launch their own efforts to locate and rescue him. Meanwhile, Tom's captors try to force him to share his inventions, hoping to exploit his genius for their own nefarious purposes. As the story unfolds, readers are taken on a thrilling journey through a mysterious and hostile landscape. Tom Swift faces various challenges, from evading capture in treacherous terrain to engaging in daring confrontations with his adversaries. Victor Appleton skillfully weaves elements of suspense, adventure, and scientific exploration in "Tom Swift in Captivity." The novel highlights Tom's unwavering determination, bravery, and resourcefulness as he works tirelessly to free himself and protect his inventions from falling into the wrong hands. Amidst the action-packed plot, the narrative also explores themes of friendship, loyalty, and the ethical responsibilities that come with technological advancements. Tom Swift's passion for science and innovation serves as an inspiration for young readers, encouraging them to embrace their own curiosity and creativity. In conclusion, "Tom Swift in Captivity" is an engaging and fast-paced novel that captivates young readers with its thrilling storyline and compelling characters. Victor Appleton's masterful storytelling takes readers on a thrilling adventure, showcasing the power of ingenuity and resilience in the face of adversity.

Tom Swift in Captivity, or, A Daring Escape by Airship, is Volume 13 in the original Tom Swift novel series

Maryam Rostampour and Marziyeh Amirizadeh knew they were putting their lives on the line. Islamic laws in Iran forbade them from sharing their Christian beliefs, but in three years, they’d covertly put New Testaments into the hands of twenty thousand of their countrymen and started two secret house churches. In 2009, they were finally arrested and held in the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran, a place where inmates are routinely tortured and executions are commonplace. In the face of ruthless interrogations, persecution, and a death sentence, Maryam and Marziyeh chose to take the radical—and dangerous—step of sharing their faith inside the very walls of the government stronghold that was meant to silence them. In Captive in Iran, two courageous Iranian women recount how God used their 259 days in Evin Prison to shine His light into one of the world’s darkest places, giving hope to those who had lost everything and showing love to those in despair.

With their rakish characters, sensationalist plots, improbable adventures and objectionable language (like swell and golly), dime novels in their heyday were widely considered a threat to the morals of impressionable youth. Roundly criticized by church leaders and educators of the time, these short, quick-moving, pocket-sized publications were also, inevitably, wildly popular with readers of all ages. This work looks at the evolution of the dime novel and at the authors, publishers, illustrators, and subject matter of the genre. Also discussed are related types of children's literature, such as story papers, chapbooks, broadsides, serial books, pulp magazines, comic books and today's paperback books. The author shows how these works reveal much about early American life and thought and how they reflect cultural nationalism through their ideological teachings in personal morality and ethics, humanitarian reform and political thought. Overall, this book is a thoughtful consideration of the dime novel's contribution to the genre of children's literature. Eight appendices provide a wealth of information, offering an annotated bibliography of dime novels and listing series books, story paper periodicals, characters, authors and their pseudonyms, and more. A reference section, index and illustrations are all included.

This book reprints three stories each per book of the original Tom Swift series commencing in 1910. The Tom Swift books have been credited with laying the foundations for success of American science fiction by focusing on brilliant scientists and inventors. Tom Swift's adventures have been popular since inception in 1910: by 1914, 150,000 copies a year were being sold. As of 2009, Tom Swift books have sold over 30 million copies worldwide.