Tag: historical fiction

#BlogTour #BookReview The Traitor of Treasure Island by John Drake @EndeavourQuill

whatcathyreadnext4 Comments

The Traitor of Treasure Island Blog Tour Promo Banner

Welcome to today’s stop on the blog tour for The Traitor of Treasure Island by John Drake. Thanks to Hannah at Endeavour for inviting me to take part in the tour and for my review copy.

The Traitor of Treasure Island (ebook) is available to pre-order for the discounted Kindle price of £1.99/$2.99 until 19th August 2019.

The Traitor of Treasure IslandAbout the Book

Buried for nearly three hundred years and now brought triumphantly to light by Dr Livesey, this is, at last, the true story of what happened on the fateful Treasure Island…

The truth about Captain Flint and his fabled death.

The truth about Long John Silver and his coveted wife.

And the truth about Jim Hawkins, that double-dealing turncoat of the first order: the traitor of Treasure Island.

Format: Paperback, ebook (341 pp.)    Publisher: Endeavour Quill
Published: 19th August 2019         Genre: Historical Fiction

Pre-order/Purchase Links*
Amazon.co.uk  ǀ  Amazon.com
*links provided for convenience, not as part of any affiliate programme

Find The Traitor of Treasure Island on Goodreads

My Review

Although John Drake’s reimagining of Robert Louis Stevenson’s much-loved classic can be enjoyed by those who’ve never read Treasure Island, readers who have will be best placed to recognise the author’s changes and flights of imagination. The latter include romantic attachments, illegitimate parentage and the resurrection of a notable figure.

Having said that, many of the best known characters from the original book remain such as Jim Hawkins, Long John Silver, Squire Trelawny, Dr. Livesey, Blind Pew and Ben Gunn. In some cases, however, they think and act rather differently than in Treasure Island. The author also introduces a ‘heroine in peril’ and a side story of cunning and ruthless revenge.

In his Q&A on YouTube (Part 1 and Part 2), John Drake explains he never really liked the character Jim Hawkins in Treasure Island and decided to make him ‘seriously bad’ in his reimagining of Stevenson’s original. Jim Hawkins certainly goes from ‘hero to zero’ being depicted as a coward, liar, womaniser and traitor. The author even gets his final revenge by setting Jim on the path to a future career in a now rather discredited profession. In the author’s hands, Dr. Livesey becomes the hero of the piece and the narrator (via his journal) of much of the action.

The author’s in-depth historical knowledge and extensive research is evident in the details of navigation, weaponry and procedures aboard a sailing ship of the time, and also in the action scenes. As such The Traitor of Treasure Island will appeal to fans of naval adventure fiction by the likes of Alexander Kent, Patrick O’Brien or C.S. Forester as well as to those familiar with Stevenson’s original.

The Traitor of Treasure Island is a swashbuckling, action-packed story complete with maps of buried treasure, mutinous crew and adventure on the high seas. In the words of Squire Trelawny: “For the thrill of it! For setting out into the wide seas and the world of wonders”.

I received a review copy courtesy of publishers, Endeavour Media.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

In three words: Entertaining, action, adventure

Try something similar…Flint and Silver by John Drake (the first of his three prequels to Treasure Island)

John DrakeAbout the Author

John Drake trained as a biochemist to post-doctorate research level before realizing he was no good at science. His working career was in the television department of ICI until 1999 when he became a full-time writer.

John’s hobby is muzzle-loading shooting, and his interests are British history and British politics (as a spectator), plus newspapers, TV news, and current affairs. He is married with a son and two grandchildren.

Connect with John

Twitter  ǀ  Goodreads

The Traitor of Treasure Island Blog Tour Schedule

#BookReview This Mortal Boy by Fiona Kidman @BelgraviaB

whatcathyreadnext

This Mortal BoyAbout the Book

‘The offender is not one of ours. It is unfortunate that we got this undesirable from his homeland.’

Auckland, October 1955. If young Paddy Black sings to himself he can almost see himself back home in Belfast. Yet, less than two years after sailing across the globe in search of a better life, here he stands in a prison cell awaiting trial for murder. He pulled a knife at the jukebox that night, but should his actions lead him to the gallows? As his desperate mother waits on, Paddy must face a judge and jury unlikely to favour an outsider, as a wave of moral panic sweeps the island nation.

Fiona Kidman’s powerful novel explores the controversial topic of the death penalty with characteristic empathy and a probing eye for injustice.

Format: Paperback (288 pp.)                 Publisher: Gallic Books
Published: 1st August 2019            Genre: Historical Fiction

Pre-order/Purchase Links*
Publisher | Amazon.co.uk  ǀ  Amazon.com  ǀ Hive.co.uk (supporting UK bookshops)
*links provided for convenience, not as part of any affiliate programme

Find This Mortal Boy on Goodreads

My Review

In This Mortal Boy, the author depicts not just Albert Black’s trial and the events leading up to it but the effect on other people involved. There’s his family back in Belfast naturally, especially his mother, who leads attempts to obtain mercy for her son. But also the jury members, some of whom are more troubled by their role in potentially taking the life of a man than others, the prison staff and governor who must oversee Albert’s final days and hours, and most movingly perhaps Oliver Buchanan, part of Albert’s defence team, with sons of his own. ‘Once, he would have wished them to follow the law, as he has done, but now he hopes they will not. The law, as it stands at this moment, seems cruel and unjust, a carapace for power and revenge, designed by men who have been to war and can’t let the past go; must hunt down enemies for the rest of their lives.’

The author also explores the wider societal and political background to the case: public attitudes towards immigrants and youth culture; the role of the press in forming or even inflaming public opinion. Issues which, sadly, still form part of public discourse today.

As the book is based on real events, there is a sense of inevitability about the outcome. However, the sensitive way the story is told and the way in which the various issues are explored maintains the reader’s interest. The closing chapters of the book detailing Albert’s final days following his conviction and sentencing are poignant, incredibly moving but also chilling.

This Mortal Boy is a compelling story of discrimination, prejudice, closed minds and entrenched attitudes resulting in the waste of a life. Whether or not Albert Black was a victim of a miscarriage of justice is up to each reader to decide but, for me, the author persuasively made the case that this was so.

This is the first book I’ve read by Fiona Kidman. I came to it with high expectations because of positive reviews by other book bloggers; I wasn’t disappointed. There is beautiful writing and I especially liked the way the author captured the rhythms of speech of the various characters. I also loved the inclusion of Irish folk and popular songs.

Fiona Kidman is campaigning for Albert Black’s conviction to be downgraded to manslaughter on the grounds of self-defence. You can read about her campaign here.

I received a review copy courtesy of publishers, Gallic Books.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

In three words: Compelling, thought-provoking, moving

Try something similar…The Conviction of Cora Burns by Carolyn Kirby (read my review here)

Fiona KidmanAbout the Author

Dame Fiona Kidman is a leading contemporary novelist, short story writer and poet.

Kidman has won numerous awards, and she has been the recipient of fellowships, grants and other significant honours, as well as being a consistent advocate for New Zealand writers and literature.

She is the President of Honour for the New Zealand Book Council, and has been awarded an OBE and a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to literature. (Bio/photo credit: Gallic Books author page)

Connect with Fiona

Website  ǀ  Goodreads