THE FAR HORIZON:A Stand-Alone Novel & (Book 2 of The Macquarie Series)
A stand-alone novel, and also the second novel in The Macquarie Series
As a young British officer, Lachlan Macquarie served his country in America, the West Indies, India and Egypt, but now he is being asked to go to a wilderness on the other side of the world where famine and strife amongst the inhabitants is flourishing.
A firm hand is needed, but when he arrives Lachlan surprises the population by showing them he is not only firm, he is also fair.
George Jarvis, now grown to a young man, travels with him, and it is there George meets Mary Neely, a young, embittered English girl, who falls in love with George and learns from him about the goodness of life.
Set in the early nineteenth century, The Far Horizon is a story about the genesis of a nation, and the man who turned a convict colony into a country, and named it Australia.
Plot/Idea: 7 out of 10
Originality: 9 out of 10
Prose: 8 out of 10
Character/Execution: 9 out of 10
Overall: 8.25 out of 10
Assessment:
Plot: This novel's already solid plot could use a bit of reshuffling. The narrative gets diluted by the focus on Lachlan's adopted son and his second wife. They are fantastic secondary characters, but the driving force of the narrative must be Lachlan.
Prose: The writing is excellent. The dialogue is anything but stilted; it reflects the characters and is realistic. Additionally, the sense of place created by the author is very strong.
Originality: The challenges Lachlan faces are universal, but this work makes them feel personal. The book may be historical, but it sheds light on a larger, contemporary world.
Character Development: The characters here are very well developed. They are also changed by their experiences, and those changes inform their choices.
Date Submitted: August 29, 2017
