Siri Salma titles 1-8 (in the Malaysian numbering system) appear to have been re-released by Fargoes with new cover art. The new covers look like they are computer generated and sometimes seem to have no relation to the story. The one pictured here is Missing Map and at least it has a map and a treasure chest. This company has re-vamped the series many times over the years; I can think of at least 6 different formats just off the top of my head.
The reboot (revised editions) are far from good. The publisher cut off a lot of the storstories, leaving the plot lost of the great details. The story became the most simplest and basic, less emotions to it. The language style is too formal compared to the earlier translation versions which are more natural and less formal.
ReplyDeleteFor example,"aku" (I/me) & "kau" (you) are used among Salma (Nancy), Zarina (Bess) and Mei Lin (George) whenever they have conversations in the earlier editions, but the revised edition constantly use "saya" (I/me) & "kamu" (you) in the conversations among them. It just too polite and formal.
Same goes for the villains, to emphasized their crude behaviour, they always use "aku" (I/me) & "engkau/kau" (you) when they talk in the earlier previous editions, but in these revised new versions they always use "saya" (I/me) & "kamu" (you), which are just too polite and formal. You no longer feel the badness and evilness of these villains. The romance/romantic parts between Jamal (Ned) and Salma (Nancy) are totally eliminated in these revised new version.
Even the jokes here and there are cut off to make the story short. You know how Zarina (Bess) is sometimes and her cousin Mei Lin (George) constantly teases her. All those are gone in these new revised edition.
At least it was still retained in the old earlier translation versions.
Oh I really missed those old Malay Nancy Drew translations before year 1990.