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A stark and vivid novel of Australia's brutal past. An epic tale of two families, the Macintoshes and the Duffys, who are locked in a deadly battle from the moment squatter Donald Macintosh commits an act of barbarity on his Queensland property. Their paths cross in love, death and revenge as both families fight to tame the wild frontier of Australia's north country.Tags
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I have been wanting to start this series for ages and am so pleased that I finally did. It is the start a saga about the Duffy family of Irish catholics and the Scottish McIntosh clan living in Australia. The book starts in 1862 with a terrible dispersal of the Aboriginals camped on the property of Donald McIntosh where the son and heir to the McIntosh riches is killed by an Aboriginal warrior. Patrick Duffy, his son Tom, and Old Billy, just happen to passing through with their bullocky team at the wrong time. They try to protect an escaping Aboriginal warrior and end up on the wrong side of the McIntosh team and the traps (mounted police). This is the beginning of the ongoing quest for revenge between the families.
The Duffy daughter, show more Kate, lives in Sydney with her aunt and uncle and her brother Michael. Michael meets Fiona McIntosh and there are romantic sparks. But Michael is not good enough for the McIntosh family and he is a Duffy, so there is no way this relationship can be permitted to develop.
Peter Watt has done a great job of portraying the life of the people in 19th century Australia. He includes shocking descriptions of the dispersals of Aboriginals and collection of indentured workers from the islands. The life of the privileged, and life on the frontier. Also, he doesn't shy away from the sexual depravity of some of the characters.
A really good read. I'm rooting for the Duffys. show less
The Duffy daughter, show more Kate, lives in Sydney with her aunt and uncle and her brother Michael. Michael meets Fiona McIntosh and there are romantic sparks. But Michael is not good enough for the McIntosh family and he is a Duffy, so there is no way this relationship can be permitted to develop.
Peter Watt has done a great job of portraying the life of the people in 19th century Australia. He includes shocking descriptions of the dispersals of Aboriginals and collection of indentured workers from the islands. The life of the privileged, and life on the frontier. Also, he doesn't shy away from the sexual depravity of some of the characters.
A really good read. I'm rooting for the Duffys. show less
an incredible debut about the terrible things people do to each other in the name of love and honour
The first in a trilogy, a good read but definitely fiction..
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23 Works 540 Members
Peter Watt is an Australia author, born in 1949. He has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Tasmania, Post Graduate Diploma of Training and Development from the University of New England, and an Associate Diploma of Justice Administration from Sturt University. Beyond writing, he has experienced a wide variety of jobs that include show more soldier, articled clerk to a solicitor, prawn trawler deckhand, builder's labourer, pipe layer, real estate salesman, private investigator, police sergeant and adviser to the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary. He also spent time living and working with Aborigines, Islanders, Vietnamese, and Papua New Guineans. Currently he is a volunteer bush fire fighter with the NSW Rural Fire Service, six months a year. He is the author of over sixteen books including Cry of the Curlew, Shadow of the Osprey, Flight of the Eagle, To Chase the Storm, all from his Frontier series. The latest in the series is the best seller, While the Moon Burns (Book 11). (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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- Members
- 79
- Popularity
- 401,206
- Reviews
- 3
- Rating
- (3.91)
- Languages
- English, German
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 15
- ASINs
- 3
