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Golden Soak
An unscrupulous miner lies, cheats, and steals to survive in this rollicking adventure set in Western Australia.
Alec Falls is a mining man, and on his honeymoon, he made the strike of his dreams: a long, beautiful seam of tin, just waiting to be ripped out of the ground. For two years, Falls and his wife lived high on the find, spending every penny they made, certain there would always be more. But one day the tin ran out, and so did Falls’s wife. Broke, alone, and ruined, he starts a fire and burns his house to the ground. As far as the world is concerned, Alec Falls is dead.
He travels to the forbidding desert of Western Australia in search of the legendary abandoned gold mine known as Golden Soak. But the mine is empty, the land is dry, and the people of the desert feed on men like Falls. To make a second fortune, he must pull water from the sand—and gold from thin air.
Inspired by Hammond Innes’s own extensive travels in Western Australia, Golden Soak is a classic story of adventure, daring, and greed at civilization’s edge.
Alec Falls is a mining man, and on his honeymoon, he made the strike of his dreams: a long, beautiful seam of tin, just waiting to be ripped out of the ground. For two years, Falls and his wife lived high on the find, spending every penny they made, certain there would always be more. But one day the tin ran out, and so did Falls’s wife. Broke, alone, and ruined, he starts a fire and burns his house to the ground. As far as the world is concerned, Alec Falls is dead.
He travels to the forbidding desert of Western Australia in search of the legendary abandoned gold mine known as Golden Soak. But the mine is empty, the land is dry, and the people of the desert feed on men like Falls. To make a second fortune, he must pull water from the sand—and gold from thin air.
Inspired by Hammond Innes’s own extensive travels in Western Australia, Golden Soak is a classic story of adventure, daring, and greed at civilization’s edge.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1973
41 people are currently reading
99 people want to read
About the author
Hammond Innes
104 books107 followersRalph Hammond Innes was an English novelist who wrote over 30 novels, as well as children's and travel books.He was awarded a C.B.E. (Commander, Order of the British Empire) in 1978. The World Mystery Convention honoured Innes with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Bouchercon XXIV awards in Omaha, Nebraska, Oct, 1993.
Innes was born in Horsham, Sussex, and educated at the Cranbrook School in Kent. He left in 1931 to work as a journalist, initially with the Financial Times (at the time called the Financial News). The Doppelganger, his first novel, was published in 1937. In WWII he served in the Royal Artillery, eventually rising to the rank of Major. During the war, a number of his books were published, including Wreckers Must Breathe (1940), The Trojan Horse (1941) and Attack Alarm (1941); the last of which was based on his experiences as an anti-aircraft gunner during the Battle of Britain at RAF Kenley. After being discharged in 1946, he worked full-time as a writer, achieving a number of early successes.
His novels are notable for a fine attention to accurate detail in descriptions of places, such as in Air Bridge (1951), set partially at RAF Gatow, RAF Membury after its closure and RAF Wunstorf during the Berlin Airlift.
Innes went on to produce books in a regular sequence, with six months of travel and research followed by six months of writing. Many of his works featured events at sea. His output decreased in the 1960s, but was still substantial. He became interested in ecological themes. He continued writing until just before his death. His last novel was Delta Connection (1996).
Unusually for the thriller genre, Innes' protagonists were often not "heroes" in the typical sense, but ordinary men suddenly thrust into extreme situations by circumstance. Often, this involved being placed in a hostile environment (the Arctic, the open sea, deserts), or unwittingly becoming involved in a larger conflict or conspiracy. The protagonist generally is forced to rely on his own wits and making best use of limited resources, rather than the weapons and gadgetry commonly used by thriller writers.
Four of his early novels were made into films: Snowbound (1948)from The Lonely Skier (1947), Hell Below Zero (1954) from The White South (1949), Campbell's Kingdom (1957), and The Wreck of the Mary Deare (1959). His 1973 novel Golden Soak was adapted into a six-part television series in 1979.
Innes was born in Horsham, Sussex, and educated at the Cranbrook School in Kent. He left in 1931 to work as a journalist, initially with the Financial Times (at the time called the Financial News). The Doppelganger, his first novel, was published in 1937. In WWII he served in the Royal Artillery, eventually rising to the rank of Major. During the war, a number of his books were published, including Wreckers Must Breathe (1940), The Trojan Horse (1941) and Attack Alarm (1941); the last of which was based on his experiences as an anti-aircraft gunner during the Battle of Britain at RAF Kenley. After being discharged in 1946, he worked full-time as a writer, achieving a number of early successes.
His novels are notable for a fine attention to accurate detail in descriptions of places, such as in Air Bridge (1951), set partially at RAF Gatow, RAF Membury after its closure and RAF Wunstorf during the Berlin Airlift.
Innes went on to produce books in a regular sequence, with six months of travel and research followed by six months of writing. Many of his works featured events at sea. His output decreased in the 1960s, but was still substantial. He became interested in ecological themes. He continued writing until just before his death. His last novel was Delta Connection (1996).
Unusually for the thriller genre, Innes' protagonists were often not "heroes" in the typical sense, but ordinary men suddenly thrust into extreme situations by circumstance. Often, this involved being placed in a hostile environment (the Arctic, the open sea, deserts), or unwittingly becoming involved in a larger conflict or conspiracy. The protagonist generally is forced to rely on his own wits and making best use of limited resources, rather than the weapons and gadgetry commonly used by thriller writers.
Four of his early novels were made into films: Snowbound (1948)from The Lonely Skier (1947), Hell Below Zero (1954) from The White South (1949), Campbell's Kingdom (1957), and The Wreck of the Mary Deare (1959). His 1973 novel Golden Soak was adapted into a six-part television series in 1979.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 20, 2019
As strong of a storyteller as Hammond Innes was, he nevertheless had his weaknesses. They're on display in this novel. One of the particular strengths of past Innes' stories has been their flawed protagonists, who may or may not come out the better for their engagement with the elements of nature and humanity. Alec Falls certainly qualifies as a flawed protagonist. Alas, he is more than that. He undertakes one stupid act after another. It's like watching a horror movie. You know there is something evil at the dark at the top of the stairs. But that doesn't stop the hero or heroine from willfully blundering into terror. And they wouldn't listen to you, even if you could tell them. So, too, with Alec, who fails to see he is being made a patsy; who incredibly, at the end, allows himself to be followed into the desert towards the great copper strike; who constantly sleeps as life and death decisions pass him by; who doesn't have the sense to understand the intense rivalries for money that surround him; and who is always letting opportunities get away from him, because he is more interested in swilling beer, gulping tea, and filling his gut with food rather than do without and carry through on a plan. Instead, Alec is someone who trusts to luck. Several times, he is saved from his own death simply by luck, as Innes describes it. A morally flawed hero is interesting. An idiot is not.
Finally, the setting for this book is not as appealing as in other Innes novels, where the exotic seems always at hand. Other books of his have explored the Moroccan desert and given it a sense of magic. Australia is not magical. It is dreary and monotonous, despite the fact that Alec keeps trying to convince us of its desolate beauty. It all comes across as a poor man's version of the American Old West but without the epic scale and grandeur that diverse geography gives the American frontier. For that is what Innes has tried to do, here, write an epic adventure tale. He failed. He was always better at intimate stories among a small group of people, and he simply can't get past that formula in the Golden Soak. About the time he was writing, of course, Michener and Clavell were succeeding in that genre. Perhaps Innes saw an opportunity there. But it was not to be. He was always an adventure writer rooted in the Fifties and Sixties, when he did his best work.
Finally, the setting for this book is not as appealing as in other Innes novels, where the exotic seems always at hand. Other books of his have explored the Moroccan desert and given it a sense of magic. Australia is not magical. It is dreary and monotonous, despite the fact that Alec keeps trying to convince us of its desolate beauty. It all comes across as a poor man's version of the American Old West but without the epic scale and grandeur that diverse geography gives the American frontier. For that is what Innes has tried to do, here, write an epic adventure tale. He failed. He was always better at intimate stories among a small group of people, and he simply can't get past that formula in the Golden Soak. About the time he was writing, of course, Michener and Clavell were succeeding in that genre. Perhaps Innes saw an opportunity there. But it was not to be. He was always an adventure writer rooted in the Fifties and Sixties, when he did his best work.
August 31, 2011
This novel brings out the dry and dusty character of Western Australia and the horrors of another dry season on a failing farm. There's plenty of action, dark corners and hard luck days. Not a classic but an excellent thriller and well worth the read if you find it somewhere.
January 19, 2024
Review to follow
March 28, 2021
I met Hammond when he was in Dampier researching the book so thought I had better read it after all these years. A little dated but a good glimpse of the times in the arid NW of Aus when the iron ore boom was beginning. This was the time of the Poseidon share price run on the stock exchange and plenty of unscrupulous traders and con artists in search of the next big thing.
Should have stuck with iron ore
Should have stuck with iron ore
November 9, 2019
Hammond Innes is such an underated author where I come from I enjoy his books a lot and I am glad that so many others do as well
September 21, 2021
A taste of the harsh Northwest Australian environment. As one who has lived in Port Hedland and worked on the highway to Broome near the Marble Bar turnoff it seems genuine in its descriptions. The storytelling seemed a bit jumpy- it didn't have a straight narrative line. In fact in someways the plot reminded me of Campbel's Kingdom. A damaged character seeking mineral wealth in a challenging environment, evil characters lurking around with a background love interest- both books check all of these boxes.
September 24, 2024
This novel will be of particular interest to those who have an understanding of the Western Australia mining scene and the outback. A really good mystery keeps the reader wanting to find out what happens. A great book.
February 9, 2013
The only way I can describe the experience of reading any Hammond Innes book is to say it feels like I'm reading a 1950's black & white movie. A very good black & white movie.
May 24, 2022
Being an avid fan of Hammond Innes for around 40 years, it was a no brainer to order his book. I've probably read this story before but I don't remember as I read all of the time. I may even have it in paperback packed away somewhere. A great story, relatable characters, action and mystery. Hammond never disappoints!
October 14, 2025
I always enjoy Hammond Innes books, the strong visuals and story make his books hard to put down.
This story in the Australian outback is no exception. I can visually imagine the desert, the town ships and the mines even though I have never been there.
This story in the Australian outback is no exception. I can visually imagine the desert, the town ships and the mines even though I have never been there.
September 16, 2022
Read in Norwegian (Kampen om gullkilden). Innes is a very good author; an exiting read,
August 17, 2023
I've read this novel several times, and it's even better now. I've noticed more subplots within the main plot.
August 17, 2013
I enjoy Hammond Innes books and this one is a well worth read. I takes you into Western Australia and the outback. It looks at the mining industry and some of the problems that outback farmers have to put up with when there is no rain. There is blood and guts to keep you interested in the story. I look forward to the next Innes book that I come across.
February 22, 2015
A good example of Innes type of thriller, set this time in Western Australia during the 1970's mining boom (Deja vu?) Least liked element was the depiction of First Australians as having a limited vocabulary as well as the narrator referring to them as "abos".
February 4, 2014
An interesting and binding adventure of gold prospecting in Australia. Transports you to the desperation of hope in finding a great treasure.
Nice escape.
Nice escape.
September 21, 2015
Mystery set in the mineral boom in outback Australia 1969-70.
January 20, 2017
"Golden Soak" - written by Hammond Innes and published in 1973 by Alfred A Knopf. A lengthy, dark tale taking place in an Australian mine.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews