Sometimes you want something very quick and simple to read and Biggles books are just that. Biggles and the Black raider is about Biggles with friends chasing a rebel/rogue/bandit in Africa. All the normal ingredients are there.

The book is written in the 1950s and a book written today would probably have given the native population more depth, but I expect nothing less from W.E. Johns. In his Biggles books, there are the nasty criminals or enemies and there are the good guys. And any bystanders might as well be paper silhouttes for all the depth they have.

All in all, this is what you expect, nothing more, and maybe even less. I'll give it a 3 star grade seen in context. ( )