Review
'I arrived at the end of this trilogy in the knowledge that the story and many of its characters would live on in my memory for a long time to come. For me this is the sign of a well-told tale.
In this third book we are treated to more wonderful characterisation and imagery, enabled from a foundation of solid research. Once again we find love, deceit, heartache, hardship, honour, and a host of other things which set this saga apart from other stories. Relationships and the development of character are central to the tale and we see people demonstrating the best and worst of humankind.
The journeys in which the characters are involved could have been skipped over with a few sentences, but in keeping with the earlier parts, we are invited into a world where nothing comes without effort and endurance, for the men, women, children, and animals.
I commend the author for the detail which is present throughout. Occasionally a phrase encompasses a fact related to the period, whether it be in the homeland or the penal colonies. Now and then, something of interest is slipped into a scene and holds the reader in the moment. Having an interest in natural history, I was impressed by the mention of the thylacine and the part played in the tale.
From the opening scenes of this wonderful story the circumstances and plight of women as a subordinate gender is explored, examined and explained in detail. Slavery was alive and well in Victorian times without having to look at the capture and exploitation of indigenous races.
This trilogy ranks in my top ten, and I've read a few stories.
Kudos, Rebecca Bryn.' Amazon review for On Common Ground Book 3 in the For Their Country's Good trilogy
From the Author
For Their Country's Good was inspired by a family story about a poacher who killed a gamekeeper and was transported to Tasmania, or Van Diemen's Land as it then was. I didn't know if the story was true, so I did some digging and discovered that indeed it was. Not only was my g-g-g-uncle, Jem, convicted but so were his two cousins. From trial transcripts, newspaper articles, and convict records, I unravelled the facts of their fascinating story, and a story of life in Victorian England for the working-class family in the mid 1800s. I followed their journey to Van Diemen's Land via the ships' log, and the surgeon's log, and their stay in Van Diemen's Land through their convict records and births, marriages, and deaths records. I added a love interest, a story began to take shape, and the one book I'd intended grew roots, sent out branches, and flowered into three. I have loved every minute of Jem and Ella's tale and I hope you do as well. One day, I hope to be able to produce it as an audio book, and I think it would make a great TV drama series. I'd love to see it on-screen. If you enjoy my tale, please take a moment to leave a review. I love reading reviews.
About the Author
Rebecca Bryn lives in West Wales with her husband and rescue dog where she writes historical, mystery, and post-apocalyptic tales with a twist and paints the fabulous Pembrokeshire coastline in watercolour.
