The Fire In The Stone

by colin-thiele

Libro usado en buenas condiciones, por su antiguedad podria contener señales normales de uso

Genres: Fiction, Australia, Young Adult, Classics, Childrens

227 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

Reviews

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

First published in 1973, this is a contemporary Young Adult Australian story of the hardship of kids living in the harsh and blistering hot opal mining fields in the inland north of the State of South Australia. People live in underground dug outs, some more primitive than others, to shelter from the elements, similar to somewhere like Coober Pedy.
There's an element of anyone being able to try their luck including a couple of kids. Three boys strike up a friendship on this basis and have a number of adventures that test their metal, in quite dangerous circumstances.
Thiele, like in other stories of his, he doesn't really shelter kids from the harsher elements of young people's lives in this story and the ending is quite heart-breaking for some characters, but a bit more hopeful if uncertain for others.
There seem to be fairly few novels set in the opal mines, after reading Chris Hammer's Treasure & Dirt I was keen to read more, and I had this classic YA in my TBR from collecting some of Colin Thiele's work for the anniversary marking 100 years since his birth.
Glad to finally get around to it, it's a story that's held up very well since the 1970s.

[Dion Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ernie was brought to the opal fields of Coober Pedy by his father who dreamed of making his fortune. Soon after arriving, Ernie’s father discovers that mining opal is hard work and so spends more time drinking and running up a debt than digging. Ernie is pretty much left to himself and to kill time during the blisteringly hot summer holidays he begins working an old mine. His world is turned upside down when he strikes opal. First from the legal issues of registering his mine. Then by the promise of riches from selling his cache. And finally, from the disappointment of having a thief steal almost the lot. The thief however is not only after Ernie’s opal but a larger heist and Ernie is dragged into it along with his two mates Nick and Willie.

Having just returned from a brief trip to Coober Pedy I couldn’t resist rereading this childhood favourite. Although dated by today’s standards, Thiele’s stories are classics and this one is no exception. It was even made into a film. Even twenty-five years after first reading it, I still found it an enthralling read. Filled with suspense, action and drama it is a page turner that I couldn’t put down. I’d recommend it to children and adults alike.

[Fiore Fabian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it when I was in primary, now a beautiful re-read when I was just about to donate it to the secondhand shop.
A sensitive tale centred around a boy and his friends, tied to the outback mining towns in South Australia.
Its a keeper.

[Christine Stowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last read when I was a kid. Great story about opal mining and friendship.

[Jessie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is one of my dad's favourites. It's very good, full of adventure but very sad :'(

[Larry Wegman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Australian kids' adventure with a dysfunctional family. And the black kid dies.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

super vague memory