Through the Fray A Tale of the Luddite Riots

by G.A. Henty

Through the Fray is the story of the Luddite riots. The riots were a reaction to the new industrialization sweeping Britain.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

242 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1886

About the author

George Alfred Henty, better known as G.A. Henty, began his storytelling career with his own children. After dinner, he would spend and hour or two in telling them a story that would continue the next day. Some stories took weeks! A friend was present one day and watched the spell-bound reaction of his children suggesting Henty write down his stories so others could enjoy them. He did. Henty wrote approximately 144 books in addition to stories for magazines and was known as "The Prince of Story-Tellers" and "The Boy's Own Historian." One of Mr. Henty's secretaries reported that he would quickly pace back and forth in his study dictating stories as fast as the secretary could record them.

Henty's stories revolve around fictional boy heroes during fascinating periods of history. His heroes are diligent, intelligent, and dedicated to their country and cause in the face, at times, of great peril... Henty's heroes fight wars, sail the seas, discover land, conquer evil empires, prospect for gold, and a host of other exciting adventures. Along the way, they meet famous personages... In short, Henty's heroes live through tumultuous historic eras meeting leaders of that time. Understanding the culture of the time period becomes second nature as well as comparing/contrasting the society of various cultures.

Reviews

[Thom Swennes · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Spare the rod and spoil the child isn't always a truism. In the dawning years of the Nineteenth Century, middle class and well to do boys were sent off to school and out of the hands of their parents. Britain was committed to a war with France and the United States not to mention maintaining an empire that spanned the world. The industrial revolution was changing lives and circumstances; not always for the better. Through the Fray (1886) by G.A. Henty is about a boy, Ned that grew up in a small Yorkshire town. He attended the local boy’s school and, because of his father’s honorable service as an officer in the army, was the only student allowed to live at home during the school year. His teacher, in his first years, was a firm believer in the rod as an essential learning tool. When he was replaced by a younger teacher that believed that respect and honor was a more efficient instrument for learning, Ned’s life and those of his classmates changed forever. This story reminds me of Tom Brown’s School Days (1857) by Thomas Hughes. No great story would be complete without love, deceit, suspense, mystery or murder and this has it all!

[Shannon B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was alright. One of the rare times when henty doesn’t make a character perfect. Pacing is kind of slow for the first half and it seems as though he takes a really long time showing the status quo in the beginning. The second half is far more interesting and well paced; shows well the problems of the times and what could have been done to make it a bit easier on the people, as well as showing the challenges factory owners faced.
Listened to twice, would again somewhere down the line

[Lona Manning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jolly good Victorian-era boys' own adventure historical novel. The depiction of women will have modern feminists clutching their pearls.

[Emily Henderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a classic novel. Not typically a book I'd normally read, but I overall enjoyed it!

[Katja Labonté · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars & 3/10 hearts. I’m going to start this review by stating that I am a very impressionable person. Therefore, take my statements with a grain of salt and remember it’s a purely personal feeling—and that I have already read this book, so I knew what was coming up. Whenever I thought of this book after I read it the first time, I had an oppressive feeling. When I picked it up to reread it, I had that feeling during the first 10%—Mr. Holbrookn’s rule made me so cringy! As soon Ned defied him, it was smooth sailing, until Mr. Murdoch appeared. Then, knowing as I did what would happen, there was an underlying nervousness and anxiety until the death happened. This is simply a personal reaction however. I dislike having people in trouble and Ned’s trouble is particularly hard. I liked the doctor, and Ned’s relationship with his siblings is precious after the second tragedy. This book teaches a good lesson on the cost of prejudice and hatred, and letting loose reign to your temper. It’s more spiritual than any of Henty’s other books, though Ned never seeks God in any way in his difficulty. There are mentions of drinking, a couple euphemisms, and a (funny) story told about the devil and hell. This is a good view of life in the early 1800s as well (though why they didn’t change the school system is beyond me—all the men went though the same thing when *they* were young and hated it, so why on earth didn’t they change it?!).

A Favourite Quote: “‘But you know, Ned, where to look for strength and support. You have fought one hard battle, my boy, and have well nigh conquered; now you have another before you. Seek for strength, my boy, where you will assuredly find it, and remember that this discipline is doubtless sent you for your good, and that it will be a preparation for you for the struggle in after life. I don’t want you to be a thoughtless, careless young officer, but a man earnest in doing his duty, and you cannot but see that these two trials must have a great effect in forming your character.‘“
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: “The wind roared round the building, and in the intervals of the gusts the high clock in the corner of the room ticked steadily and solemnly as if distinctly intimating that its movements were not to be hurried by the commotion without.”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “‘There’s never any understanding women,’ Dr. Green said testily, ‘and your mother is a singularly inconsequent and weak specimen of her sex.’”

[KennyO · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Luddite" was a term that cropped up occasionally in my secondary and post secondary school years but I don't recall its roots ever having been explored or explained. Through the Fray goes some way in filling that void but it also has me feeling as if I've walked into a conversation that's underway with little to imply how it began. Henty's book is more about the activities of and effects on the participants in a certain (representative?) place than it is about the underlying social and technical issues. It isn't at all a bad book but it's nothing I'd ever call a "must read."

For an excellent thumbnail history of the Luddite movement see the article, What the Luddites Really Fought Against by Richard Conniff in the March 2011 issue of Smithsonian magazine. (It's available online at the time I'm writing this.)