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ausdj2's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
tense
fast-paced
4.75
One of the greatest stories in history, told in a very entertaining way.
worky's review
3.0
A tale that is hard to believe, it is so brutal. Very readable as usual for Peter Fitzsimmons, but it reads like he spoke it into a voice recorder.
lukejkelly's review
4.0
The story of the Batavia is a surpassingly dramatic tale, one which evokes the feeling that 'the truth is sometimes stranger than fiction.' I had very much enjoyed FitzSimon's ability to take a historical tale and inject drama in his book on The Bounty, which I preferred to this one. The main reason I found this a troublesome read was not down to the exhaustive lengths to which the author goes to describe the killings on Batavia's Graveyard and beyond.
Although this is obviously a key part of the narrative, after a while I felt it was just too much. I powered through and was rewarded, but I wouldn't blame others for becoming fatigued by the many, many murders that are recounted throughout the middle of the book. Overall, a fine tale and well told, but could've done with some more heavy-handed editing, particularly in the middle third.
Although this is obviously a key part of the narrative, after a while I felt it was just too much. I powered through and was rewarded, but I wouldn't blame others for becoming fatigued by the many, many murders that are recounted throughout the middle of the book. Overall, a fine tale and well told, but could've done with some more heavy-handed editing, particularly in the middle third.
cbarcenam's review
5.0
Había escuchado la historia, pero cuando leí el libro de lo que sucedió me pareció irreal. Es una historia realmente salida de fantasía. Llena de traición, desconfianza, tragedia, violencia. Te hace ver que tan lejos puede llegar una persona (o grupo de personas) cuando esta desesperado o cuando está en busca de poder.
Lo recomiendo al 1000% vale muchísimo la pena.
Lo recomiendo al 1000% vale muchísimo la pena.
kiriamarin's review
4.0
Esta é uma verdadeira história de terror e sobrevivência. Quando um mutinio pós naufrágio em recifes de Abrolhos se torna um inferno numa ilha para os sobreviventes, que passam a ser atormentados por um psicopata megalomaníaco. Tem relatos muito fortes de tortura e assassinatos.
As mulheres que sobrevivem a isto são as verdadeiras heroinas principalmente Lucrétia Jans.
A parte histórica da era da navegação e expansão marítima e a fundação da Companhia Holandesa das Índias Orientais é pontual e interessante ,pois viria a transformar o comércio internacional com o surgimento do conceito de "ações e capital ". No enredo eu sinto que o autor utilizou muito de liberdade de interpretação e ficconalizacao dos fatos,que não era necessários pois os fatos são cruéis e realista o suficiente.
Enfim a justiça tardia foi servida (pelo menos para alguns)...
Obs: estes homens eram desprezíveis e gananciosas além do imaginável
As mulheres que sobrevivem a isto são as verdadeiras heroinas principalmente Lucrétia Jans.
A parte histórica da era da navegação e expansão marítima e a fundação da Companhia Holandesa das Índias Orientais é pontual e interessante ,pois viria a transformar o comércio internacional com o surgimento do conceito de "ações e capital ". No enredo eu sinto que o autor utilizou muito de liberdade de interpretação e ficconalizacao dos fatos,que não era necessários pois os fatos são cruéis e realista o suficiente.
Enfim a justiça tardia foi servida (pelo menos para alguns)...
Obs: estes homens eram desprezíveis e gananciosas além do imaginável
simonh's review
4.0
I hadn't really thought of myself as a non-fiction reader, but this book was highly recommended to me by a friend, so I went for it. As I waded my way through an extraordinarily dull preface and author's note, I found myself beginning to question their judgement. I imagined the awkward conversation during which I confessed to finding the book that they so raved about, as dull as ditch water.
All of that changed however, as the actual story began, a story so engaging, so engrossing, that parts of it kept me awake at night. So incredible is the tale of the Batavia that I cannot understand why I have never heard of it before. FitzSimons brings the happenings of four centuries ago to life with glorious style, and my only wish was that I too had been marooned on an island, so that I could finish the story without interruption. I should probably be very clear that I mean a different island, most certainly not one near the disturbing events of Batavia's Graveyard.
I was shocked. Stunned. Confronted by the kind of actions that one normally reads in fiction. Yet these events were real. They actually happened. And may God help us all.
A spectacular read, but skim through the preface and the author's notes and get straight into the business, you won't regret it. And just one tip. Look at the photos in the middle AFTER you've finished the story. I found they gave away some of the story.
All of that changed however, as the actual story began, a story so engaging, so engrossing, that parts of it kept me awake at night. So incredible is the tale of the Batavia that I cannot understand why I have never heard of it before. FitzSimons brings the happenings of four centuries ago to life with glorious style, and my only wish was that I too had been marooned on an island, so that I could finish the story without interruption. I should probably be very clear that I mean a different island, most certainly not one near the disturbing events of Batavia's Graveyard.
I was shocked. Stunned. Confronted by the kind of actions that one normally reads in fiction. Yet these events were real. They actually happened. And may God help us all.
A spectacular read, but skim through the preface and the author's notes and get straight into the business, you won't regret it. And just one tip. Look at the photos in the middle AFTER you've finished the story. I found they gave away some of the story.