Tom Swift Among the Diamond Makers, or, The Secret of Phantom Mountain (Tom Swift Series Book 7)

iv, 216 pp., 4-page terminal publisher ad. "Tom Swift is a fictional young inventor in five different series of juvenile science fiction and adventure novels. The character was created by Edward Stratemeyer, the founder of the Stratemeyer Syndicate, a book-packaging firm, and have been written by a number of different ghostwriters over the years. The books are published under the collective pseudonym Victor Appleton (or, in one case, “Victor Appleton II”). The character first appeared in 1910 and has appeared in new titles as recently as 2007. Each of the various series focuses on Tom’s inventions, a number of which pre-date actual inventions. The character has evolved over the years, but in general the books portray science and technology as wholly beneficial in its effects. The books have been translated into a number of languages and sold over 20 million copies worldwide. Tom Swift has also been the star of a board game, an activity book, and a television show, and a feature film is planned. A type of pun, the Tom Swifty, is named for the character,[1] and a number of prominent figures, including Steve Wozniak and Isaac Asimov, have cited Tom Swift as an inspiration. Several inventions, including the taser, have been directly inspired by Tom’s fictional inventions."