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A review by ryner
Morgan's Run by Colleen McCullough
4.0
In 1787, bound in chains aboard one of the first ships loaded with unwanted rabble, Richard Morgan set sail from England along with several hundred other convicts, bound for the wild and unknown continent of Australia. The journey by sea lasts more than eight months. When finally they arrive and begin to organize an experimental settlement on Australia's southeast coast, realization dawns that the food, tools and other supplies sent by the government are both insufficient and inferior. It's unclear whether this fledgling colony will survive even a year.
This fictionalized tale of the very real historical figure Morgan is engaging from beginning to end, from his normal, humble life prior to running afoul of the law, to the time spend incarcerated in England, to the long, tedious voyage itself, to earning the respect of the overseers and attempting to forge a new life for himself through hard work. McCullough has an amazing talent for description, and I disagree with reviewers who maintain that the book deserved heavier editing — these readers clearly have not read her Masters of Rome series, as she is the Queen of Verbose! I found it engrossing and not at all boring, reveling in the level of meticulous detail. Richard's only real flaw is that he is portrayed as having none. His seeming perfection and uncanny luck, the only exception being the temporary lapse in judgment that got him into this mess, before long begins to seem unrealistic to the discerning eye. Incredibly, he has a talent for just about everything he attempts, and everyone who meets him almost immediately loves and respects him. Because I was thoroughly enjoying the book, I was able to suspend my disbelief despite how unrealistic it seemed. It was fun to "travel along" throughout the book, using provided maps as well as seeking out modern-day maps and encyclopedic data. I was disappointed, but not surprised, to learn that the Mount Pitt bird (providence petrel) became extinct on Norfolk Island as a direct result of overhunting on the part of these early settlers, though populations continue to nest today on neighboring islands.
This fictionalized tale of the very real historical figure Morgan is engaging from beginning to end, from his normal, humble life prior to running afoul of the law, to the time spend incarcerated in England, to the long, tedious voyage itself, to earning the respect of the overseers and attempting to forge a new life for himself through hard work. McCullough has an amazing talent for description, and I disagree with reviewers who maintain that the book deserved heavier editing — these readers clearly have not read her Masters of Rome series, as she is the Queen of Verbose! I found it engrossing and not at all boring, reveling in the level of meticulous detail. Richard's only real flaw is that he is portrayed as having none. His seeming perfection and uncanny luck, the only exception being the temporary lapse in judgment that got him into this mess, before long begins to seem unrealistic to the discerning eye. Incredibly, he has a talent for just about everything he attempts, and everyone who meets him almost immediately loves and respects him. Because I was thoroughly enjoying the book, I was able to suspend my disbelief despite how unrealistic it seemed. It was fun to "travel along" throughout the book, using provided maps as well as seeking out modern-day maps and encyclopedic data. I was disappointed, but not surprised, to learn that the Mount Pitt bird (providence petrel) became extinct on Norfolk Island as a direct result of overhunting on the part of these early settlers, though populations continue to nest today on neighboring islands.