Fire in the Blood: The Epic Tale of Frank Gardiner and Australia's Other Bushrangers

by Robert Macklin

A ripping yarn about bush ranging in Australia in the 19th century told through the eyes of the quintessential Australian bushranger, Frank Gardiner—the only one who wasn't killed by gunshot or hanging.

328 pages, Paperback

First published January 11, 2005

Reviews

[Jane Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and very readable if slightly corny account of the life of bushranger Frank Gardiner. It is written from the point of view of Gardiner himself. The story begins in San Francisco, the city to which Gardiner was exiled, and all the scenes set in the USA are fictional. Gardiner tells the story of his bushranging days to the son of Ben Hall, who hunted him down to try and kill him. Macklin claims that all the bushranging stories in Australia are true but gives no references to allow the reader to verify this. He includes stories about other bushrangers as well; the stories of Thunderbolt at least are repetitions of folklore and not completely true. Not sure how thorough Macklin's research of Gardiner was but if you don't need to take it as gospel it makes an entertaining read.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

good....