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

by Victor Appleton

"Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle; Or, Daring Adventures in Elephant Land" by Victor Appleton is a young adult novel published in 1911. When young inventor Tom Swift perfects his electric rifle—a weapon that fires bolts of electricity—he embarks on an African safari that becomes far more dangerous than expected. Beyond hunting elephants for ivory, Tom and his companions must rescue friends held captive by hostile tribes. The novel is notable for inspiring the name of the Taser, a non-lethal weapon developed sixty years later.