King of the Air; Or, To Morocco on an Aeroplane

"King of the Air; Or, To Morocco on an Aeroplane" by Herbert Strang is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story follows the adventures of Tom Dorrell, a young and ambitious engineer or inventor with aspirations for flight, as he navigates challenges related to aeronautics and a daring rescue mission involving a British diplomat in Morocco. The beginning of the book introduces Mr. John Greatorex, a wealthy chemical manufacturer, who embarks on a trial run of his new motor-car, only to find himself stranded and in need of assistance. He encounters Tom Dorrell, a clever and resourceful boy from a nearby village, who offers to fix the car and ultimately wins Greatorex’s admiration. Their interaction sets the tone for the novel, establishing themes of ingenuity and the father-son-like mentorship that develops between Greatorex and Tom as Tom pursues the development of a groundbreaking flying machine. As the narrative unfolds, it hints at grander adventures, particularly involving a political crisis in Morocco, which looms ahead and promises excitement and peril for the main characters. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Herbert Strang was the pseudonym of two English authors, George Herbert Ely (1866–1958) and Charles James L'Estrange (1867–1947). They specialized in writing adventure stories for boys, both historical and modern-day.