First Fleet

by M. Howard Morgan

The story of the First Fleet of convicts to Australia.

Jack Vizzard, an Oxford-educated lawyer, falls for Mary, a beautiful young woman of his home village, at a time when he is changing his life; disenchanted with his chosen profession he joins the Corps of Marines. His love is returned but Mary is falsely accused and sentenced to transportation. Consumed by anger and hate, Jack murders her accuser and abandons Mary to her fate, travelling to Australia as one of the marine guards.

The story follows the two main characters on the voyage until, only on arrival in New South Wales, they are reunited.

280 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 3, 2011

Reviews

[Ruth]

Obviously this is the first book in a set. Interesting tale about the first fleet to transport English convicts to Australia. A familiar mix of jealousy, treachery, revenge and a bit of romance to hold the story together. The book also addresses the concept brutality in social systems dominated by the powerful and the effect of individuals who hold to the belief of humane treatment for the voiceless.

[Paul-Robert Gibbs]

A well researched and engaging story.

The story of love in diversity, set against historic times. Well drawn characters and littered with factual references. Such hard times.