Ben Retallick

Retallick Saga #1

by E.V. Thompson

In the tin mines of Cornwall, during the first decades of the 19th century, death is the constant companion of the working man. Ben Retallick has grown to sturdy manhood among the miners and fishermen, through the hard and hungry years when blood was often the price of bread. When cruel fate steals away Jesse, his love, Ben searches to find her, caring only for the day he'll make her his wife.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction

474 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

aka James Munro (Not this James Munro).

E V Thompson was born in London and spent nine years in the Navy before joining Bristol police. He moved to Hong Kong, then Rhodesia and had over 200 stories published before returning to England to become a full-time award-winning writer.

Reviews

[Tania Easton · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great book, there are 9 in the series I can't wait to read them all. If you loved Sara Donati Into the wilderness series and Diana Gabaldon Highlander series you will love this also. A must read.

[Dorcas · Rating 2 out of 5]

So this wasn't for me. And I'm not sure exactly which audience to recommend it to. The writing I thought was a bit clumsy. For example on page one we have a "threadbare thin shirt." If that doesn't bother you, you may be able to ignore the other irritations and enjoy the story.

Ben is a fifteen year old "man child ". By that I mean he has muscles grown men are envious of but at times is known to giggle uncontrollably. I think he gets it from his dad. In the space of two sentences, his father can scrunch up his face in a grimace of grief, smile, laugh and cough too. Its a good thing the author told us what everyone was thinking /feeling because I'll admit at times I was scratching my head and rubbing my belly simutaneously.

Ok, being serious now ...

I'm not sure who to recommend this to. YA may be able to ignore the less than stellar writing but I'd hesitate to give this to a young teen for a few reasons.

Teen sex is smiled on in an "I regret nothing" way (although its off screen). The young folks involved are both 15. Also there's a suicide that is viewed in an almost heroic light. How caring and unselfish this person was to kill himself so we wont have to look after him in his dying days and be burdened... is that REALLY a message we want to send?

I got about 125 pages in this before I decided nope...nope... heck nope! Just couldn't do it.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read with out realising, one of the latter books in this saga, I decided to read them in the correct order. This is the 1st of 9. It sets the scene for the Retallick family during the period from about 1815 to the early 1820s. The central family are a tin mining family in Cornwall.

The book also establishes the family links with fishing in the Mevagissey area.

The descriptions of the geographical setting and the wider historical context in terms of the social and political scene are very enjoyable to read.

This book covers part of the lives of two generations of the family. It covers the struggles which they have and establishes the control which the land owning class have over their lives.

By the end of the book, I certainly found that I wanted to move on to the next book in the saga.

[Garry Marlton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy the authors writting style. When you look at some of the books today it my not look exciting, but once you start there is something about this book that makes you want to keep reading.

[Annmarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoying this series. Having trouble getting some of the books from the library as they are so old but so far so good.

[Nik Morton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first of E.V. Thompson’s nine book historical saga, Ben Retallick, was published in 1980. It begins in Cornwall in March 1818. The title character is fifteen and has just survived the flooding of the tin mine where he worked. His father Pearson, 37, also a miner, is suffering from years of working underground mining tin: ‘I’ve spent too many years following tin lodes, Ben. I carry a part of every one of them inside me now.’ In short, he’s finished; the tin in his blood and lungs. Ben makes the acquaintance of Jesse Henna, a young girl and neighbour.

There appears to be a mystery involving Jesse’s mother Maude and the local landowner Sir John Vincent. We will learn the answer in good time. However, when Sir John’s Colman inherits the manor house and land, he casts out the Hennas and encourages his game-keeper Reuben Holyoak to wed Jesse. Colman is not a pleasant man.

Holyoak is unaware of the attraction Ben and Jesse share. ‘In the darkness of the night, with only the stars to bear witness, Ben and Jesse had consummated their love, and Jesse had crossed the threshold of womanhood’ (p100).

Times were hard in those days, and people suffered real grinding poverty, and Thompson reflects this well. All the ingredients are here: suicide, press gang abductions, still-born birth, mob anger, fishermen and tin miners at odds, the imposition of cruel law, death on the gallows, drunken domestic violence, blighted love, kind-hearted neighbours and social commentary that never dominates the story and characters.

The second volume is Chase the Wind.

[Eddie J]

I enjoyed this book . It has an easy going story line . Nothing very dramatic but it does show life in Cornwall back in the 1800s . Maybe not on par with Poldark but there are always different views on life back then and whilst Poldark was a mine captain this story is about a young lad working the lodes and the hardships of life then . As we moved to Cornwall several years ago I found the tales of Mevagissy and the life on the Tors interesting . I will read the next in the series as it does give light relief to the never ending gloom of Covid currently stalking the land.

[Caroline Templer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first in the Retallick, family story with Ben Retallick and his first love that becomes his wife.
The story set in Cornwall , and starts the family tales that go for many books [ which I have all of them]
Well worth reading, the author uses his previous job as a police officer in many different countries to make the story fill more factual. They have romance, history and an all round fill good feeling in this and all the other books.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having already read Chase the wind I knew I was m for a good read. E.V. Thompson’s descriptions of the Cornish landscapes and the research he has obviously put in about the lives of the Cornish tin miners , the fishermen and the farming community make for interesting reading. He takes the reader from West Cornwall to mid Cornwall and even to Plymouth which for someone like me who has spent the greater part of her life living in Cornwall easy to identify with.
Well recommended.

[Erroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant. Couldn’t get enough of this saga. Book 3 starts to wander off from the Cornish theme but is also a really good read but then book 4 and 5 go too far off the track. Book 1 Ben Rettalick is by far the best so far.

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, Just wow

[Noah Nixon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Enjoyable as a history lesson. That's about all.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cornwall and Cornish history. What's not to love?

[Terriamn Murrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

My second read of this book 30 year's apart it didn't disappoint, still a wonderful read.

[Gloria Nirmala · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s alright. Exciting bits but can be boring. Written very well though, learnt a lot about Cornwall.

[C.A. A. Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Noble Tin Miner, Ben Retallick struts around Cornwall in the 19th Century. To be honest, he was so chiselled and noble, I found it hard to equate him with the ill, weathered and almost starved tin miners of the day. It was alright for a period romance but is not my usual thing. It's well written and I'm sure there are many people out there who enjoy this type of novel.