Victor Appleton

author

Victor Appleton

Best known as the name behind the original Tom Swift adventures, this pen name was used by the Stratemeyer Syndicate for fast-moving stories packed with invention, travel, and danger. The books helped shape a classic style of American juvenile fiction that stayed popular for generations.

40 Audiobooks

Tom Swift and His Aerial Warship; Or, The Naval Terror of the Seas

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift in the Land of Wonders

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift in the Land of Wonders; Or, The Underground Search for the Idol of Gold

Tom Swift in the Land of Wonders; Or, The Underground Search for the Idol of Gold

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle; Or, Daring Adventures in Elephant Land

Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle; Or, Daring Adventures in Elephant Land

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift and His Airship

Tom Swift and His Airship

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift and His Electric Runabout; Or, The Speediest Car on the Road

Tom Swift and His Electric Runabout; Or, The Speediest Car on the Road

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift and His Motor-Cycle; Or, Fun and Adventures on the Road

Tom Swift and His Motor-Cycle; Or, Fun and Adventures on the Road

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift and his airline express : or, From ocean to ocean by daylight

Tom Swift and his airline express : or, From ocean to ocean by daylight

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift and his chest of secrets : or, Tracing the stolen inventions

Tom Swift and his chest of secrets : or, Tracing the stolen inventions

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift and his talking pictures : or, The greatest invention on record

Tom Swift and his talking pictures : or, The greatest invention on record

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift and his great oil gusher : or, The treasure of Goby Farm

Tom Swift and his great oil gusher : or, The treasure of Goby Farm

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift Among the Diamond Makers; Or, The Secret of Phantom Mountain

Tom Swift Among the Diamond Makers; Or, The Secret of Phantom Mountain

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift in the City of Gold; Or, Marvelous Adventures Underground

Tom Swift in the City of Gold; Or, Marvelous Adventures Underground

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift and his flying boat; or, The castaways of the giant iceberg

Tom Swift and his flying boat; or, The castaways of the giant iceberg

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift and His Big Tunnel; Or, The Hidden City of the Andes

Tom Swift and His Big Tunnel; Or, The Hidden City of the Andes

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift and His War Tank; Or, Doing His Bit for Uncle Sam

Tom Swift and His War Tank; Or, Doing His Bit for Uncle Sam

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift and His Motor-Boat; Or, The Rivals of Lake Carlopa

Tom Swift and His Motor-Boat; Or, The Rivals of Lake Carlopa

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift and His Sky Racer; Or, The Quickest Flight on Record

Tom Swift and His Sky Racer; Or, The Quickest Flight on Record

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift and His Submarine Boat; Or, Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure

Tom Swift and His Submarine Boat; Or, Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure

by Victor Appleton

The Moving Picture Boys on the War Front

The Moving Picture Boys on the War Front

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift and His Wireless Message; Or, The Castaways of Earthquake Island

Tom Swift and His Wireless Message; Or, The Castaways of Earthquake Island

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift and His Electric Locomotive; Or, Two Miles a Minute on the Rails

Tom Swift and His Electric Locomotive; Or, Two Miles a Minute on the Rails

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift and His Air Scout; Or, Uncle Sam's Mastery of the Sky

Tom Swift and His Air Scout; Or, Uncle Sam's Mastery of the Sky

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift and His Air Glider; Or, Seeking the Platinum Treasure

Tom Swift and His Air Glider; Or, Seeking the Platinum Treasure

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift and His Photo Telephone or the Picture That Saved a Fortune

Tom Swift and His Photo Telephone or the Picture That Saved a Fortune

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift and His Aerial Warship; Or, The Naval Terror of the Seas

Tom Swift and His Aerial Warship; Or, The Naval Terror of the Seas

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift in Captivity, Or, A Daring Escape By Airship

Tom Swift in Captivity, Or, A Daring Escape By Airship

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift Among the Fire Fighters; Or, Battling with Flames from the Air

Tom Swift Among the Fire Fighters; Or, Battling with Flames from the Air

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift and His Undersea Search; Or, the Treasure on the Floor of the Atlantic

Tom Swift and His Undersea Search; Or, the Treasure on the Floor of the Atlantic

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift and His Wizard Camera; Or, Thrilling Adventures While Taking Moving Pictures

Tom Swift and His Wizard Camera; Or, Thrilling Adventures While Taking Moving Pictures

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift circling the globe; or, The daring cruise of the Air Monarch

Tom Swift circling the globe; or, The daring cruise of the Air Monarch

by Victor Appleton

The Motion Picture Chums at Seaside Park

The Motion Picture Chums at Seaside Park

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift in the Caves of Ice, or, the Wreck of the Airship

Tom Swift in the Caves of Ice, or, the Wreck of the Airship

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift and His Giant Telescope

Tom Swift and His Giant Telescope

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift and His Giant Cannon; Or, The Longest Shots on Record

Tom Swift and His Giant Cannon; Or, The Longest Shots on Record

by Victor Appleton

Don Sturdy in the tombs of gold; or, The old Egyptian's great secret

Don Sturdy in the tombs of gold; or, The old Egyptian's great secret

by Victor Appleton

The Moving Picture Boys on the Coast

The Moving Picture Boys on the Coast

by Victor Appleton

The Moving Picture Boys at Panama; Or, Stirring Adventures Along the Great Canal

The Moving Picture Boys at Panama; Or, Stirring Adventures Along the Great Canal

by Victor Appleton

Tom Swift and His Great Searchlight; or, on the border for Uncle Sam

Tom Swift and His Great Searchlight; or, on the border for Uncle Sam

by Victor Appleton

The Moving Picture Boys and the Flood; Or, Perilous Days on the Mississippi

The Moving Picture Boys and the Flood; Or, Perilous Days on the Mississippi

by Victor Appleton

About the author

Victor Appleton was not a single author, but a house pseudonym used by the Stratemeyer Syndicate and later by its successors. The name is most closely linked with the original Tom Swift series, a long-running set of adventure novels centered on a young inventor whose gadgets and experiments launched him into one escapade after another.

Like many Stratemeyer Syndicate names, Victor Appleton stood for a team effort rather than one clearly identified writer. That system allowed publishers to keep a familiar author name on the cover while different ghostwriters produced stories in a consistent style. Besides Tom Swift, the name also appeared on other adventure books for younger readers.

Even though the person behind the byline was hidden, the impact of the name was very real. For many readers, Victor Appleton became shorthand for brisk plotting, imaginative machines, and the energetic spirit of early 20th-century series fiction.