Some stray excerpts from Biggles Goes to War

[sholio]

I thought I had read this one, but it turns out I only read the first chapter or so, and not the rest of it.



I haven't finished reading it yet - I last left them in two feet of snow surrounded by "about thirty or forty" wolves - Biggles why is your life like this. However, what this book made click for me (I had had this thought before, to a degree, but this one really drove it home) is that Biggles's basic archetype is "trickster hero."

The scene that made me think about this is the one where he steals the fighter plane from the German delivery pilot. He doesn't just order the guy out of the plane at gunpoint and take off with it, which he could very easily have done - no, he has to convince the guy to parachute out of his plane over the Ruritanian capital so Biggles can steal it in the air and fly off with it. It's not like the outcome is any different! It's just - that's his problem-solving set; he absolutely can shoot or punch his way out of things, but when it comes down to it, his default is trick/fake/bluff, and he loves getting one over on his opponents in that particular way. And this book is full of that, like the false-flag bridge-bombing operation. (He's not content to just blow up the bridge; he's also got to fly back and see everyone freaking out about it, because of course he does.)

(I was going to say that this is one thing he and EvS don't have in common - all spies are tricksters to some extent, but EvS doesn't seem to revel in it the way Biggles does. But then I remembered we're talking about Erich "resorts to a fake beard at the drop of a hat" von Stalhein, Erich "riding around in the enemy camp while pretending to be British" von Stalhein, and yeah, no, he actually likes it too, he's just more practical about it.)

Anyway, I love how much of this book leans into Biggles being essentially a force of nature to the people around him.

The princess faltered. It was obvious from her manner that she had hardly been prepared for Biggles's direct methods. His intense personality was drawing her secrets from her; or it may have been his sincerity that moved her to speak.

Also, just ... this:

Biggles sat down on an empty oil-drum, and stared thoughtfully at the ground. Algy and Ginger found seats near him. Ludwig remained standing.

It was a quarter of an hour before Biggles spoke again. 'I can think of only one way,' he said at last, slowly.

Biggles: sits perfectly still staring at the ground for 15 minutes
Everyone else (except Ludwig): finds a seat and accepts their fate

I love how by this point they've recognized what's happening when Biggles goes quiet and stares off into space and just let him do his thing. Also, Ludwig is the one of them who clearly doesn't seem to realize that this could go on for a while.

And have I mentioned how much I love his dry sense of humor?

'I rushed down at once to see what had happened.'
'Then you can rush back and tell her Highness that all is well.'

... and he definitely enjoyed blowing up that bridge.

[The Count]'You might try the bridge.'
[Biggles]'We might, but it wouldn't be much use.'
'Why not?'
'The two middle arches are missing.'
'What!'
'The most important part of the bridge, which is the middle, is no longer there.'
'Where is it?'
'In the river.'
'Great heavens! How did it get there?”
'It got in the way of a lump of high explosive and came off second best.'
'How on earth did that happen?'
'It didn't exactly happen. I dropped a bomb on it.'

Comments

[sheron]

Your honour, I love him XD

p.s. Of course they both love tricking and shocking one another. Half the time they meet, one of them is clearly hoping to see the other's face when they realize it's THEM. While the other appears to act as imperturbable as possible :D

But we’d better get downstairs. We look like having to do the Horatius act after all. Von Stalhein’s face should be worth looking at when he sees us.”
...
Strangely, perhaps, it was von Stalhein who saw him first. He stopped, advanced a few paces and stopped again. All Biggles had said about his expression came true, and revealed that he had not suspected who was in the castle. His face, usually immobile, took on a look of incredulity.

Moar:

Ginger was peeping round the doorpost. ‘They’re coming here,’ he stated.
‘Okay. Let ‘em come,’ replied Biggles. ‘We’ll wait for them. Their faces, when they see us, should be better than a puppet-show.
...
Footsteps advanced.
Biggles walked to the door of the hut and looked out.
‘Good morning, von Stalhein,’ he said evenly.
There was dead silence as the advancing party froze in its tracks.

XD He loves it.

And Erich does it right back:

He was feeling for his cigarette case when his companion on the settee lowered his newspaper. His attention being elsewhere, he did not notice this until a voice spoke. He paused imperceptibly in the act of taking a cigarette from his case. Then he turned his head, to meet the sardonic eyes of Erich von Stalhein.
‘Good evening, Bigglesworth. I was hoping you’d look in.’
Biggles finished lighting his cigarette before he answered. He needed a moment to recover. ‘It was nice of you to come along,’ he replied. ‘Dear me! How you do get about.’

and:

Who’s this fellow Erich I wonder? Erich... he’ll be a German. It’s a common German christian name. I wonder... no, it couldn’t be... not here.” Biggles thought for a moment.

...

The Doctor saw them at once and rose to meet them. His face was all smiles. “Ah! There you are,” he greeted, with more than usual cheerfulness. “You’ll be delighted to know that an old friend of yours has just arrived—at least, he tells me that he once knew you very well. He’s been telling me some of your adventures. He’s so looking forward to meeting you again.”

With that the second man, who had been sitting with his back rowards them, rose and turned; a tall, well-dressed man, rather thin, good-looking in an austere way, with a monocle in his eye. In his right hand he held a cigarette in a long holder. His left hand was occupied with a walking stick on which he leaned heavily.
“Hello, Bigglesworth,” he said, smiling curiously. “So we meet again, eh? What a small place the world is, to be sure.”
Ginger’s heart gave a lurch. It seemed to go cold.
...
Biggles had walked on as if nothing unusual had happened.

Every. Time. :D They've just gotta see that look on the other's face when the other realizes they're the Cleverest(tm).
I love them.

[philomytha]

Oh yes, when you collect them up like that it is definitely a theme!

(Actually, picture Erich and Biggles continuing to do this to each other in London: Biggles finding out where Erich goes for morning coffee and sitting down at his table before him, Erich finagling his way into being the taxi driver who picks Biggles up outside Scotland Yard, just for fun)

[sheron]

OMG making this a purely playful thing with them later in London is such a great idea ♥

[sholio]

(Actually, picture Erich and Biggles continuing to do this to each other in London: Biggles finding out where Erich goes for morning coffee and sitting down at his table before him, Erich finagling his way into being the taxi driver who picks Biggles up outside Scotland Yard, just for fun)

Okay, WOW, please imagine my hearteyes at this, it's amazing. *__* I can so easily imagine them doing this, as well as Algy being the unwilling recipient of all Biggles' planning for variations on it.

Biggles: no, he pulled the taxi driver bit last week ... oh, I've got it, so he comes out of his flat every morning at 7:20 sharp to get the paper, and if I'm already at the newsstand with my hat pulled down--
Algy: I need a drink

[sholio]

I love seeing all of these collected like this. THEM!!! *__*

[philomytha]

Biggles hijacking a plane by tricking the pilot to parachute out of it is, I think, my absolute favourite Biggles Exploit of the entire series. I love him so much.

[sholio]

Biggles, why are you like this. I love him too. <33333

(Imagine that poor delivery pilot trying to explain what happened. It sounds so completely bonkers.)

[wateroverstone]

I've always loved Biggles announcing he can't see the general as he doesn't have any clothes on then sending Algy out to entertain him and all the rest of the bath salts from Paris scene.What must that poor man have thought of Biggles?

[sholio]

And let's not forget the flowers that spontaneously appeared in his room when the only person in there was Algy ...

[wateroverstone]

Weren't the flowers brought and left by the princess's chaperone.
I love how he doesn't care what people will think of jim

[scioscribe]

Okay, I clearly need to read this one. These excerpts are adorable, and emphasizing that Biggles is a trickster hero really makes it clear why he clicks with me--this kind of thing always works for me, and it's my absolute favorite way to have an idealized heroic character. When I get super attached to a lead/heroic character, it's almost always because they fall into this mold.

'It didn't exactly happen. I dropped a bomb on it.'

LOLOLOLOL.

[sholio]

Yeah, I don't think it had fully clicked for me (before this book) that he *is* one of those kinds of characters, but he really is! It's so delightful and I think it's part of what makes him feel so different from many heroes of the era, especially since he doesn't seem in his general demeanor like the playful person that he is. I love him. <3

[sheron]

Yes, I am also delighted. I love that he's clever and playful ♥

[sevenall]

These are fantastic quotes and the observation that Biggles is both a trickster and a real force of nature is excellent! Love the wry humour in the books.

[sholio]

Yes, same! And also Biggles's playfulness, which is not at all a trait that I associate with main characters in this general era normally.