The Queen's Colonial

The Colonial Series #1

by Peter Watt

1845, a village outside Sydney humble blacksmith Ian Steele struggles to support his widowed mother. All the while he dreams of a life in uniform, serving in Queen Victoria's army. 1845, Puketutu, New Second Lieutenant Samuel Forbes, a young poet from an aristocratic English family, wants nothing more than to discard the officer's uniform he never sought. When the two men cross paths in the colony of New South Wales, they are struck by their brotherly resemblance and quickly hatch a plan for Ian to take Samuel's place in the British army. Ian must travel to England, fool the treacherous Forbes family, and accept a commission into their regiment as a company commander in the bloody Crimean war—but he will soon learn that there are even deadlier enemies close to home.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Military Fiction

416 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2020

About the author

Peter Watt's life experiences have included time as a soldier, articled clerk to a solicitor, prawn trawler deckhand, builder's labourer, pipe layer, real estate salesman, private investigator, police sergeant and adviser to the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary. He has lived and worked with Aborigines, Islanders, Vietnamese and Papua New Guineans.


He speaks, reads and writes Vietnamese and Pidgin - and has a reasonable grasp of the English language. He currently lives in Maclean, on the Clarence River in Northern NSW.

Good friends, fine food, fishing and the vast open spaces of outback Queensland are his main interests in life. He also enjoys SCUBA diving, military history, crosswords (but not the cryptic kind) and teaching.

He is a member of the Australian Institute of Management, the Australian Institute of Training and Development and the Australian Society of Authors.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree (University of Tasmania), Post Graduate Diploma of Training & Development (University of New England) and an Associate Diploma of Justice Administration (Sturt University).

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was 1845 and Ian Steele and his mother lived a humble life – he as a blacksmith; she a widowed woman – in the area called the Blue Mountains outside Sydney Town. The gold rush days had tempted Ian to leave but then he’d realised he could make his fortune supplying the travellers with horse shoes and the like for their journey to riches. Ian’s father had served in the army, and it was Ian’s greatest desire to follow in his footsteps. But he knew it was only a pipe dream…

Some years later, when Ian’s business was well established, he chanced to meet a man by the name of Samuel Forbes. Samuel was a second Lieutenant but dreamed of leaving the army as the terror, blood and fighting were not for him. But his aristocratic family from London had thrust him into the army, declaring it would make a man out of him.

As their friendship ripened, so too did the most audacious of plans evolve. With some months of coaching, Ian was soon on his way to England, and to meet once again with “his” family. For Ian was now Samuel – but could he fool the people who had been closest to him in his youth? And with his commission into the Queen’s army, could he emulate a commanding officer – he who had never fought in a war before?

As Captain Ian Steele (known to all as Captain Samuel Forbes, but called the Queen's colonial behind his back) led his men in the Crimean war – brutal, bloody and terrifying – he was aware of other dangers. But one thing was certain – he would be the best he could and do his utmost to keep his men from harm.

The Queen’s Colonial is the first in a new series by Aussie author Peter Watt and I devoured it! Fascinating, intriguing, poignant – and incredibly fast-paced and well-written; I can’t wait to read the next in the series. My first by this author, even though I have two on my bookshelf which have been there for ages! I’m definitely impressed and will be reading more! Highly recommended.

With thanks to Pan Macmillan AU for my uncorrected proof ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Brooklyn Tayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can also find more of my reviews at - brooklynthebookworm.wordpress.com :)

I recieved a copy of The Queen's Colonial and its sequel, The Queen's Tiger (along
with an author intervie opportunity with Peter Watt, so stay tuned for that!) from Pan Macmillan Australia in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts are my own.
Historical Fiction to me, is one of the optimal ways to see vicariously to what the past may have been like! When done well, it can be a sweeping portal to leap into the past!
The Queen's Colonial is a high example of this! My first foray into Peter Watt's writing, definitely not my last! As soon as I started reading this, I felt instantly immersed in 1845, where in Sydney and New Zealand, Ian Steele and Samuel Forbes, respectively, dream of opportunities slightly beyond their grasp. Ian is a lowly blacksmith, dreaming of fighting in Her Majesty's Service and Samuel, a poet at heart, would give nothing to escape the tragedies and brutality of war.
I should mention, that these gentlemen bear an uncanny resemblance to one another! Why, they could almost pass as brothers were they not from such different backgrounds. However, Ian's beloved Mum, a wise Scottish woman who has come to rely on Ian after the unfortunate death of her husband and Ian's Father, remarks that their future is bound unlike no other!
Ian and Samuel instantly bond and I loved seeing their friendship develop, Samuel confiding to Ian that he doesn't want to lose his lover James (moment of appreciation for the gay representation here) and how Samuel fears that his father and malicious brother Charles would see him extinguished from his rightful inheritance if Sam himself does not complete a certain number of years in the Army.
Sam doesn't want to do this, though, but of course he wants his inheritance. I mean, fair enough, it is rightfully his.
Ian dreams of serving Her Majesty on the battlefields.....
What ensues is honestly one of the very best historical fiction novels I have read in some time! I absolutely loved every moment of this, from Sam teaching Ian how to be Sam, to Ian literally taking Sam's place as Sam himself on the bbattlefield, but in every other sense too! Seeing Ian interact as Sam to Sam's family was perfection! Even though I know Ian was Ian just disguising as Sam, I could tell that Sam's younger brother, Herbert, and sister Alice, and Alice's sweetheart Peter, all absolutely adored Ian and had no question that he was indeed Samuel Forbes!
Someone who was slightly weary of his apparent brother's return was Mister Charles Forbes, scoundrel extraordinaire. I passionately despised his character, I mean he conspired to have Sam/Ian and even young Herbert killed! And he pretty much uses his entitlement to beat any woman who doesn't want to lay with him. He also detests Peter, a humble Doctor from Canada who has Alice's heart.
Whilst I didn't love Charles, I did love mostly everyone else! I just felt that Ian, Samuel, Conan (a scoundrel at first, but if he didn't have a path of redemption, well he did, and it was wonderful), young Hebert, Alice, Peter, Molly...I was just so wrapped up in these chatacters, I'm so excited that I get to read more about them! Especially given how much is up in the air after that ending! My expectations are all of the high!
If you love a sweeping, soaring Historical Fiction then look no further! The Queen's Colonial is for you!

[Hamad AlMannai · Rating 1 out of 5]

Spectacularly bad writing and spectacularly uninspired story.
Colonial fantaisies drive the protagonist from 1840’s Sydney to swap identities with an officer who just got out of the Maori wars, because the other guy is now disillusioned with the colonisation fantasy.
Little did the protagonist know it won’t be fighting natives with spears anymore as the Russians want to invade Crimea. He also has to deal with his father and older brother, London landed gentry who are scheming to disinherit him or kill him.
Other than the unimaginative story I also hated all the dialogue. Not one line of dialogue came across as realistic, with an over-reliance on exposition and cliches.
I thought from the blurb that this book would be set in Colony NSW or Aoteroa but past the first few pages it’s actually set in London and Crimea.
Book very narrowly passes the Bechdel test through one conversation.

[Jeanette · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a time just prior to the Crimean War that in journeying to the colony of Australia, Samuel Forbes is delighted to encounter a mirror image of himself in Ian Steele and proposes a changing of their identities and lives, whereby Ian Steele would become the soldier and Sam would be able to pursue his life in the manner he wishes. Ian has dreamt of being a soldier and would do almost anything to have this commission away from his tedious work life and is happy to become the imposter. With the aid of Samuel's uncle who is also living in the colony Sam tutores and instructs Ian on the necessary refinements and protocols that befit the standing of gentry and officer. Sam/Ian on arrival in England with his change of speech and new demeanour is for the main part able to pull off his new life, although at times comment is made about the odd slip in his new cultured voice as having been in the colonies too long. Since arriving in England Sam/Ian has discovered the arch nemesis of the real Sam, Charles and Archibald Forbes. Archibald, an arrogant and abhorrent person sees Ian/Sam only as a product of his wife's infidelity and with that he is determined that Charles is the son who will inherit all of the family's estate and wealth. A younger son will be well provided for and Alice, a dowry. Charles on the other hand is a womaniser and adulterer and a suspect murderer of Jane Ian/Sam's love interest.


Ian/Sam as a soldier meets up with a Canadian doctor Peter and they become great friends. Both have an idealistic view of war for which is severely changed when they encounter reality along with the youngest Forbes son, Herbert who is killed. Alice laments his death and when the three are together she remarks about a letter written by Charles to Sam/Ian's commanding officer Major Jenkins conspiring to have both men killed. At the retirement dinner of the regiment's colonel, Ian/Sam is dismayed to find that Jenkins has been promoted to the position and for the next ten years of his army service to fulfill his promise to the real Samuel Forbes he will have to endure his worst enemy.

[Unseen Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of The Queen's Colonial from Pan Macmillan Australia to review.

Rating of 4.5.

Following the conclusion of his long-running Frontier series, one of Australia’s most intriguing authors, Peter Watt, returns with a brand new adventure that features several intriguing characters involved with unique historical events during the Victorian era.

For as long as he could remember, colonial Ian Steele has always wanted to serve as an officer in the Queen’s army. However, for a humble blacksmith living just outside of Sydney Town, this seems like an impossibility. That is until 1852, when he meets Samuel Forbes, a young English aristocrat, poet and former Second Lieutenant in the army, who bears a striking resemblance to Ian. After prematurely finishing his commission following a terrifying campaign against the Maori warriors in New Zealand, Samuel is living with his uncle in Australia, avoiding returning home to a father who hates him and forced him to join the army against his will.

Samuel presents Ian with an interesting proposition. In order to receive a massive family inheritance, he needs to complete 10 years’ service in the army, but after his previous combat experiences he has no intention of heading back, preferring to seek adventure in America with the man he loves. However, wanting to receive the money and spite the father who abandoned him, Samuel has come up with a plan: send Ian in his place and then split the inheritance between them.

After the death of his mother, Ian accepts the offer and journeys to England to take his place as a captain in the Forbes family regiment. As he successfully integrates himself in the Forbes household, he becomes acquainted with the members of his new family. While Samuel’s sister and younger brother welcome him with open arms, Ian quickly discovers that Samuel’s father and older brother have no intention of giving up Samuel’s portion of the inheritance.

Ian’s desire to prove himself in battle is soon rewarded, as the regiment departs England for the continent. Nicknamed “the Queen’s colonial” by his soldiers, he gains a reputation in the fight against the Russians in the Crimean war. But while the Russians and disease are a constant danger, the greatest threat to Ian may come from his own side. An Australian fugitive hiding out in the regiment knows who Ian really is and could easily report him, while the devious plots of the Forbes family could strike him down at any time.

Click link for full review:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2018/11/08/...

An abridged version of this review ran in the Canberra Weekly on 8 November 2018:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2018/11/08/...

Or visit my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/

[Graham Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh dear. So many five star reviews for this book. It appears I find myself in the minority, wishing this was more towards the literary end of the spectrum. I am a hard marker when it comes to historical military fiction, with George MacDonald Fraser my high water mark. He is a master of dialogue, character, and action. The storytelling in this case was too basic and unsophisticated for my taste. Not enough showing, just telling and more telling.

My biggest problem with the book is the stilted and unbelievable dialogue. Most of the time the dialogue is for the purpose of exposition, rather than anything a person would realistically express.

The story did improve once the action moved to the Crimea and the military action, and the author is obviously more comfortable in that sphere. Unfortunately, getting there was rather contrived and painful. I had hoped I had found several historical series I could get my teeth into, but, alas, it was not to be.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I chose this book as I’m currently in New Zealand and thought it was about the Maori wars. That’ll teach me not to read the synopsis and scan the first chapters before purchase! Anyway the Crimea was equally interesting and the book certainly picked up in the second half when the hero was there. However, the family plot - dastardly, pantomime villain of an elder brother etc - was wooden and hard to swallow.
I think a Sharpe type series is in the offing and I may read more as the military history aspects are interesting. The hero sailed for Persia at the end of the book and I don’t know anything about that so will be interested to read about it.

[Nic · Rating 3 out of 5]

When two men from very different backgrounds cross paths in the colony of New South Wales, they are struck by their brotherly resemblance and quickly hatch a plan for one to take the other's place in the British army. Ian must travel to England, fool the treacherous Forbes family and accept a commission into their regiment as a company commander. Once in London, he finds love with an enigmatic woman, but must part with her to face battle in the bloody Crimean war.⁣⁣
⁣⁣
It took me a while to get into this one, as the writing is very “old worldly” (as I guess is befitting the time in which it’s set - in the last 1800s), but once I did, the plot line really hooked me and I was eager to see what would happen. I would compare the writing to that of an Agatha Christie novel; I could easily imagine it being made into a BBC series.⁣⁣
⁣⁣
My problem was I had a really hard time liking the main character. He seemed to fall in love with every single lady he met throughout the book, and he was quite mysoginistic, at one point saying that ladies were far too delicate to become surgeons. I know this was probably the opinion of the day, but I still found it quite jarring to read from the perspective of a man who thinks like this. Also, every time he has an argument with another man, he either punches them or, at the point in the book when he’s serving in the army and has multiple arguments with a fellow officer, he reaches for his gun every time. I’m not a big fan of war or violence, and this propensity for violence really irked me, as he’s meant to be the hero of the book.⁣⁣
⁣⁣
That being said, I really enjoyed the historical fiction parts of the book, that describe the Crimea War and the way the British army worked back then. I learnt a lot while reading, and I’d recommend this book to anyone who likes books set in this time period, as the attention to detail and the amount of research that must have gone into this book is phenomenal.⁣⁣

[Neville · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first of the Colonial series that I have read, and I'm looking forward to reading the others as this book really caught my interest.
It starts in 1845 with Second Lieutenant Samuel Forbes fighting the Maori under the British flag in New Zealand. He learns that war is dangerous and that there are many deaths when fighting against an enemy that has just as much interest in keeping what they have.
On the other side of the Blue Mountains outside of Sydney Town, a popular blacksmith (Ian Steele) is working hard to support his mother and build a business in the small town, but with gold found in the hills around his town, he soon builds a profitable business off the miners looking to purchase tools for mining.
Eventually these two meet and form a close friendship, but one of them has a secret that involves the other, but will have benefits for both of them.
The story will take you to war in the Crimea (1854) where the Tsar and his Muscovites are waging a war against Europe and Ian will face death in the battle to capture Sebastopol, but he also has to fight a war against a coward (Lieutenant Jenkins), who will soon become Ian's boss when Jenkins pays for a commission of the rank of Major. This was a common practice at the time and led to many incompetent people leading in the British forces.
This story will keep you interested from start to finish and even includes Florence Nightingale in her early days of nursing at the battle front.

[Yahya · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a compelling and vivid piece of historical fiction that immediately pulled me into its world.

Set in the 19th century and beginning with a daring identity swap between two men.. each driven by personal circumstances.

What stood out most to me was how well-painted the characters are. Watt gives each of them distinct voices and believable motivations, making it easy to connect with their journeys. The idea of two men switching places, each hoping to escape a troubled past or reach for a better future, is not only fascinating but also creates a narrative rich with tension and intrigue.

The historical backdrop of particularly the Crimean War adds a layer of depth to the story.. I appreciated how the novel highlighted the shift in warfare tactics during that time: from traditional sword based combat to the use of firearms, signaling the beginning of a new, more brutal era in military history. It’s a stark reminder of how the nature of war has evolved. Compared to today’s wars, which are often driven by financial and technological power, the Crimean conflict feels both distant and strangely familiar.

This first installment in The Colonial Series shows great promise.. this series has all the makings of a memorable saga.

[Leanne Cramond · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think Peter is probably one of the most under-rated Australian authors writing today and I am a big fan. He has written 18 novels (this is his 19th) and knowledge of Australia’s history, both military and society, is phenomenal. The way he incorporates this knowledge into wonderfully page-turning stories is flawless. My favourite series of his is the historical Duffy and Mackintosh saga that starts with Cry of the Curlew. For the last 12 years Peter has concentrated on this series. Queen’s Colonial is the start of a new series, so it is the perfect beginning for those who have yet to discover him. A young struggling blacksmith in Sydney Town of 1845 dreams of joining the Queen’s army and fighting in foreign lands. In New Zealand, another young man from an aristocratic family in said military forces, wants nothing more than to escape the horrible fighting and live a peaceful life. The two of them meet by chance in Sydney where they both recognise how similar they look and decide to change places.

Perfect for fans of military history and also for those who like their historical family sagas.

[Richard Marman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peter Watt has been around for ages, but this is the first time I've read his work.
The old identity switch has been done a few times before, but this works simply because it's a good old 'boy's own' adventure.
Sydneysider Ian Steel (great name don't you think?) is a seriously tough good guy who swaps places with aristocrat Samuel Forbes, whose dad bought him a commission in the army. Sam doesn't reckon it's a soldier's life for him.
Ian finds his way to the UK to take on Sam's pretty awful relations with the help of few trusty socially disadvantaged chums along with a couple of heart-of-gold good time gals and an English rose or two,
Ian (now aka Sam) finds himself sent to the Crimea where the serious action begins.
Ian's secret is always in jeopardy' so not only does he have deal with hordes of bellicose Russians, but also his scheming adopted family, who are just plain mean.
A great read for historical novel tragics.

[Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think Peter Watt would be my favourite Australian author. The Cry of the Curlew series (but particularly the first 3) were really unparalleled in this country. All of his books have been great. I'd give this one 3.5 stars. Not his greatest, but certainly enough to await #2 in the series. You need to remind yourself that this isn't a stand-alone. It is book one in what is hopefully a long series. I'd recommend that if this one fell a little short, then still commit to #2.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly recommended.

The first novel by Australian author Peter Watt that I've read and I loved it so much I've bought all of his previous works. A great trip through British military history, with some Australian flavour thrown in. Asked to impersonate a high-born Englishman, New South Welshman Ian Steele is reborn as Captain Samuel Forbes and he finds himself in the middle of the Crimean campaign, dealing with all sorts of enemies.

[Lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cracking read that covers class boundaries and army life. I knew little about the Crimean war, so that was interesting. Occasionally things got a bit too predictable, but overall, this was an entertaining read. I especially enjoyed the relationship between Ian and Conan. I look forward to reading the next instalment.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an okay, entertaining (for the most part) read. Good intrigue, family and friend drama and feuds, undying love - about what you'd expect. I found the accounts of the battles to be a bit tiresome and tedious. Not as good as the Duffy v MacIntosh series but am looking forward to reading the follow ups.

[Sean Harding · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part of me thinks I have read something by this geezer, the other part disagrees, but regardless of all that guff, this was a historical book with good guys, bad guys and a bit of the plot devices for that other book I read recently The Guilty Man, certainly not the same, but there is a whiff of that novel in this one, as intrigue mounts, I will probably keep going with part 2 of the trilogy.

[Chris Klitzing · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have got to admit I reluctantly started this book because I saw no equal to the Duffy/Macintosh books but the great stories continue with a very likeable new character in Ian Steel/Forbes
I also like the apparent meticulous historical research because I was taken back to the Crimean War
Great read and look to the next chapter
😊😊

[Nigel Copeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hidden conflict

A great story by this author hence the 5 stars. One does not like war and one wishes to go to war but things need to be put in place to let this happen. You must read the book to get the outcome.

[Mark Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mixed v ews. On one level I can't wait to read more in this series but on another some of the dramatic moments seem a little far fetched. I did enjoy the descriptions of the Crimean War though. Left me wanting more!

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Courtney Linde · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully written book set in a time when things were so different. The history written into the book makes it so hard to put down and not read through the whole night.

[trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story.

No one writes likes Peter Watt. The detail of history events is remarkable. It should be in school libraries. Well done again.

[Greg Barron · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review is here: https://www.storiesofoz.com/2019/02/1...

[Joy Norman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy the way Peter Watts writes, he weaves and turns his story and it is such, for me a better way of reading history

[Tony Sidwell]

First of trilogy

[Ray Banks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read. On to the next.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this story.

[Overbooked ✎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Kelsi Hills · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really easy read. Nice fast pace. Enjoyable