Blood in the Dust

by Bill Swiggs

'Essential reading for all adventure fans. Honour and courage in the wild and unpredictable Outback.' Wilbur Smith

1853, Victoria, Australia. Five bushrangers led by the murderous outlaw Warrigal Anderson raid a small homestead. When they ride away, nineteen-year-old Toby O'Rourke's life is changed forever. His parents lay dead at his feet and his brother, Patrick, is badly wounded.

But Toby O'Rourke is made of steel forged in the hardship of colonial life. Forced into adulthood, he and Patrick will seek to restore the family fortunes and outwit not only the rich businessman who conspired to rob them of their birth right, but the vicious men who murdered their parents . . .

For readers of Wilbur Smith, Jeffrey Archer and Bryce Courtenay, as fast-paced adventure story and the winner of the best unpublished manuscript category of the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

388 pages, Paperback

First published September 19, 2019

About the author

Bill Swiggs was born and brought up in Western Australia, where he still lives. He joined the Royal Australian Air Force as an aviation firefighter before becoming a police officer, and now works as a firefighter for a defence contractor. Bill divides his time between working, writing, flying and his grandchildren.

Reviews

[Susan Hampson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is certainly a worthy winner of the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize as it follows the fortunes and misfortunes of two Australian brothers, still in their teenage years. Toby and Patrick O'Rourke come from a decent hard-working family, gullible and not worldly-wise as most but with enough about them to learn quickly to survive the harsh, unforgiving Australian outback and outlaws that keep crossing their tracks. The brothers are determined that the men that tore their family apart will one day pay for what they did.
The two brothers set off to find their fortunes determined to return to their family home one day when the right time comes. They come across a family from England, seeking their fortunes looking for gold and they join together. Frank and Maree Hocking with their two daughters give the young men stability of being in a family and the Hockings the much-needed knowledge of the outback and how to survive.
This book brought to life the harsh realities of these pioneering settlers in the Australian outback. The frustrations and heartbreak brought about by greedy outlaws that put no value of their victims' lives. I loved the gold mine camps and the way the people came together for each other when it was needed. A much closer community than I thought it would have been.
This book has a bit of everything, like real life, as no-ones life just follows one path. There is heartache and laughter, death and birth, good and bad people. With stories of cattle drives, outlaws, the gold rush, fighting, and justice. Toby and Patrick's lives change so many times as they grow from boys to men. A perfect ending to a thrilling read.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.

[Lel Budge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set during Australia’s gold rush, this is the story of Toby O’Rourke.

Toby and his younger brother, Paddy see their parents murdered...leaving them to struggle in this harsh world alone...they are then conned by a neighbour and lose their home…..now Toby vows his revenge….

There are many adventures, setbacks and even a romance for Toby but he’s a young man, so how is he going to get his revenge...

This is an easy read, due to Bill Swiggs writing style, a simple story brilliantly told. A real boys own, ripping yarn….excellent stuff.

Thank you to The Author, the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC. This is my honest and unbiased review.

[Dania · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was something I picked from the prompt pick out something from a shelf with your eyes closed. Obviously I had to modify it because I had to pick from an entire library, so I just asked my boyfriend to help me find a random book on a random shelf.

I gotta admit, I was skeptical of this book because I have never heard of it before, and it was about Outback Australia back in the 1850s. This was way out of my comfort zone. But it turned out to be a very good book. The main character was fleshed out and the story started off strong. The author added so many moments that helped us get familiar and attached to the O'Rourke brothers. I am not surprised that this book has been a winner of a writing foundation in 2019. I don't really know much about the history of the gold mines in Australia to determine how accurate it is, but it shed some light on it.

However, I had to take one star away from my rating because of an unnecessary rape scene and how the author wrote women. The rape scene only served to show how protective the main character was of his love interest and how rough it was living in the Ballarat mines, but it had no other purpose. Not only that, but it devalues what other sexual assault survivors behave after it. No trauma, no lasting mental imprint, nothing. Also, it is creepy for a man to describe how full-breasted and shapely a 17 year old girl is. Scratch that, it sounds a lot worse and deserves to have more stars taken away.

So if you're fine with everything I said in the last paragraph (which I am judging you so hard for), then this book is the right one for you. If not, this book is still fine if you just ignore those parts and take the story as a whole.

[Farwa Khanzada · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, so this one was different from what I read. The story is set in 1851, when according to the book, a lot of people travelled to Australia in search of gold, I have read some stories about that before but not in that much.

The protagonist, Toby, was living with his parents and younger brother Paddy peacefully until one unfortunate day some bushrangers killed his parents brutally and hit Paddy on the head, which caused him to be mute, and steal everything from their house. Long story short, they also lose their cattle and house to some loan-shark type of man from their village.

Frank with his wife and two daughters, Annie and Betty, decided to leave everything behind in England and travelled to Australia in search of gold.

Both parties coincidentally came across their ways and decided to live together. Men worked on mine and women took care of them. With time, Annie and Toby fall in love, have a son and get married in the barren land. Toby starts working at another job to provide better for his new family. While Paddy and Frank kept working at dig. Despite the hard work over 2 years, they were unable to find any large amount of gold. At the end of book, they both join some kind of revolutionary army. Toby, with the help of some police officers, was successful in catching that bushranger who killed his parents and got the reward. In the end, they got their house back and lived happily.

Now this looks like a summary more than a review lol but the thing I liked the most was it felt like reading about someone's life. how hardships they faced and how they overcame them. It was a slow read but wasn't that bad.

[Debbie Lamb · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable yarn that weaves historical events around a family adventure. Great character development and sense of place. Even though you can pretty much guess the outcome, it’s still an adventure I was happy to be taken on.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

When it comes to Westerns, or books that, like this one, have that distinct Western vibe, stories of brotherhood are something that I'll always gravitate towards. Rather than being a fully fledged Western set out in the Great American West, Blood in the Dust offers us a rather nice change of pace, taking us to the dusty, harsh outback of Australia. This delightfully grim Aussie noir is an easy read, told with a crisp and brilliant writing style.

This is a beautifully poignant tale, one that's set against the shimmering backdrop of the Gold Rush. Swiggs uses his graceful yet brusque prose to highlight the brutal living conditions faced by the brothers O'Rourke. The grime and dirt that cake their bodies, the toiling for hours with so little reward, the brutality of bandits and highwaymen and the police who bully and cajole, nothing is shied away from, it's all presented in a clear, if slightly melodramatic manner.

This is a slow burning novel, one that begs to be savored. Nothing is gained from racing through this one, there's plenty of tension and pages that're choked with drama. It just takes a while to get going, like many stories in this genre it's about the journey, not the destination.

[Julie Eger · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Double Win!
I entered an online contest and won a hard copy of “Blood in the Dust” sent all the way from England in a package that included the Queen’s stamp! I didn’t just win a book, I won an experience! If you are a fan of historical fiction then dust off your page-turning finger as you delve into this family saga and mining tale—it’s pure gold. This is one of those stories you just can’t put down.
Every family has trials and the O’Rourke’s and Hockings have more than their fair share in this historical tale set in Victoria, Australia in 1853. This was a wonderful weekend read that transported me to a time and place where each decision hinged on honor or betrayal, survival or death. The characters popped to life and the good guys captured my heart. Unexpected twists and turns kept me captivated throughout. If you’re prospecting for a great historical story - I thought this one hit pay dirt and I felt as though I’d struck it rich!

[Jodi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dieses Buch erinnert sehr stark an McCarthy, nur mit ein wenig mehr Drama, Gefühl und Emotionen. Wahrscheinlich waren es genau diese McCarthy-Vibes, die mich dazu brachten, dieses Buch auf meine Wunschliste zu setzen.

Qualitativ und literarisch reicht Swiggs jedoch nicht an den berühmten Namen heran. Aber wahrscheinlich hat dieses Buch genau deswegen eine grössere Reichweite und spricht mehr Leser an. Swiggs ist eindeutig einfacher zu handhaben als McCarthy.

Für mich war das Buch vor allem zu Beginn viel zu emotional. Das ergibt sich mit der Zeit ein wenig, aber ich bin wohl doch eher der McCarthy-Leser. Dennoch bietet Swiggs einen guten Einblick in das damalige Leben im australischen Outback, das oft ohne Regeln vonstatten ging. Auch der Goldrausch wird aufgezeigt, und wie viele Leben er zerstört hat.

Swiggs führt uns vor Augen, wie wichtig es ist, Familie zu haben. Menschen, denen man vertrauen kann. Dass es sich lohnt, die Zähne zusammenzubeissen und harte Zeiten zu überstehen. Nebenher lernen wir einiges über die Geschichte Australiens. Schade nur, dass die Aborigines dabei leider viel zu kurz kommen.

[Lel Budge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set during Australia’s gold rush, this is the story of Toby O’Rourke.

Toby and his younger brother, Paddy see their parents murdered...leaving them to struggle in this harsh world alone...they are then conned by a neighbour and lose their home…..now Toby vows his revenge….

There are many adventures, setbacks and even a romance for Toby but he’s a young man, so how is he going to get his revenge...

This is an easy read, due to Bill Swiggs writing style, a simple story brilliantly told. A real boys own, ripping yarn….excellent stuff.

Thank you to The Author, the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC. This is my honest and unbiased review.

[Benjamin McCarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book I've read in a while. It generally takes me a long time to get through books such is my attention span (or lack thereof) but this was thoroughly enjoyable. Love the gritty, laborious toil experienced by Paddy and Toby throughout.

Seen some say it was a slow burn but I'd argue that it built the storyline well and is somewhat symbolic of the arduous task of traversing outback Australia. Didn't want it to end!

And as I understand, this was author Bill Swiggs debut? Loved it. Not bad for an impulse pick up whilst on a lunch break!

[Danny Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Would you look at that?' He swept his arm over the vista before them.
Toiling, sweating men seemed to fill every hill, every hollow and every gully. The clatter of pick and shovel on rock and the coarse voices of thousands of hopeful miners buzzed like a swarm of bees. There hardly seemed to be a piece of ground off the side of the road that did not have a hole sunk into it or a mullock heap piled on it."

[Meg Orton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: A copy of this novel was kindly sent to me by Jonathan Ball Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Between 1852 and 1861 a massive gold rush enticed thousands of immigrants from Europe, America, China and New Zealand to flock to the Australian Outback in the hopes of digging up the gold that would change their lives forever. They left their jobs both skilled and unskilled to dig in appalling conditions with a very slim chance of making a fortune. Meanwhile the Australian government was forced to reassess the new infrastructure that was building up around the diggings, to deal with the massive influx of people coming in to the country and to simultaneously cope with the shortages in labor outside of mining. More and more police were also required in order to maintain law and order on the roads as guards escorting gold bullion were being attacked and robbed by mercenaries and rogue bush-rangers. A sense of lawlessness and hopelessness hung over the small make-shift communities that suffered from overcrowding, illness and dangerous mining conditions.

In order to maintain control the government began issuing Miner’s Licenses, and would often go out to the numerous diggings in order to collect the tax needed to hold said licenses. If miners didn’t have their licenses or couldn’t pay for their existing ones they were arrested, and after a while the miners began protesting which led to several fatal clashes between the police and the mining communities. The Miner’s License was responsible for the entire ‘Gold Rush’ experience. It epitomized it and led to a mass migration, colonial democracy, immigration of British Trade unionism and a development of racially discriminating policies which ultimately led to the 1901 Immigration Restriction Act. *

In Bill Swiggs’ novel Toby and Patrick O’Rourke are young brothers living with their parents on a cattle ranch in the Australian outback. It’s 1853, and they live a simple and happy life. Despite terrible droughts and struggles with money they always manage to stay positive. Their father owns a massive herd of cattle which he plans to sell at the next auction a few towns away, and which will hopefully assist in the farm’s financial predicament. None of this ends up happening however as the family are attacked on their farm in broad daylight by a dangerous bush-ranger named Warrigal Anderson. This very shocking event leaves the boys orphaned and their farm in danger of being swallowed up by a ruthless local businessman who goes out of his way to sabotage the boys’ attempt to save their home.

On the other side of the ocean Frank Hocking and his wife Maree, and daughters Annie and Betty have boarded a ship from England to seek their fortune in Australia. After almost eight months at sea and a terrible tragedy the family find themselves on unfamiliar soil living among the hundreds of miners camping out in the dirt. On the road to the little makeshift town of tents called Ballarat they meet up with the O’Rourke brothers who have similar dreams of making it rich. The Hockings and O’Rourke’s find common ground in their personal tragedies and decide to join forces as they set up a new life for themselves among the desperate and lawless.

Swiggs’ describes life on the diggings with such raw abandon that the grime on the sweat stained bodies can almost be tasted. The twist of fate that brought these two unlikely families together ensures a sense of normalcy for those left behind as a romance blossoms between Toby and Annie, and they become united not just in friendship. Two years later however their whole world will once again be turned upside down when another tragedy befalls the family, and Toby is forced to come face to face with the dangerous Anderson who is still on the loose.

This is an incredibly poignant story for those wishing to know more about the Gold Rush experienced in Australia, in terms of the living conditions, daily bouts of violence and desperation that affected the ordinary citizens who bravely abandoned their old lives in the hopes of seeking something greater. At times Swiggs tends toward the melodramatic, and I would have much preferred a bit more factual information, however that being said, Swiggs’ sparked an interest in me and I spent a considerable amount of time researching this particular era in Australia’s history. I am also a huge fan of the western, as well as the human condition and this novel was a bit of both. A beautifully written original novel by an author I hope to read more from.

• Please note that most of this factual information was sourced from the New South Wales government website www.migrationheritage.nsw.gov.au

[Marjorie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't really my genre of novel and isn't something that I would have necessarily picked to read. The blurb is appealing and it gives a sense of a "sweeping saga" dealing with the trials and tribulations of the O'Rourke boys after the senseless murder of their parents by an outlaw. It's maybe not as sweeping as the author perhaps intended (or as the publishing house think) but it is a good, solid tale.

My problem with it was it took so long for anything to really get going. Initially the story is told from three perspectives - the O'Rourke brothers, the outlaw Anderson and his native guide Chilbi and the Hocking family. I really, really struggled with the early chapters of this book. Once the murder of the O'Rourke parents takes place it all becomes a bit flat and keeps digressing to following Anderson's party which I just wanted to skip past. The sections dealing with the Hockings' Family arriving were interesting but very short lived. To be honest they were what kept me reading whilst I waited for them to somehow to hook up with the O'Rourkes in the hope that things would improve.

It does get better from that point, but I did feel like the build up to it went on too long. The descriptions of the gold miner's life are vivid and you can almost feel the choking dust and grabbing mud. Sadly, the personal angle is rather clumsily dealt with and the burgeoning romance is ever so slightly cringy. However, this is overshadowed by the weaving in of an actual historical fact; the Eureka Rebellion of 1854.

The plot does move at a decent pace, once you get past the first 110 or so pages (so just under a third of the book). The characters are solid and believable with a good depth to them. The author also manages to bring in the plight of the Aboriginal people who were not only displaced by colonisation but were also decimated by diseases that the white man brought with him. This is done subtly and in such a way that you feel for Chilbi and his two brothers, the only survivors of their remote tribe, without beating you over the head with the atrocities that were perpetrated on the indigenous peoples.

Overall it is very much a slow burner of a book but it is a solid tale, told reasonably well.

THIS IS AN HONEST REVIEW OF A FREE COPY OF THE BOOK PROVIDED BY READERS FIRST.

[Dominique Fredericks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Victoria, Australia 1853 in the midst of the gold rush. Toby and younger brother Paddy find themselves orphaned and alone after their parents are brutally murdered in front of them at their homestead by bushrangers and then swindled out of their family home by a local businessman. As they try to survive and find their feet, they meet an English family, The Hockings who came to Australia to make a better life for themselves and end up forming an alliance. We follow the highs and the lows of the brothers’ adventure as they set out to right the wrongs done to them and to regain their family fortune as they vow to get back what is rightfully theirs.

I have been trying to step out of my comfort zone when it comes to reading recently and I have been really pleasantly surprised by all these gems that I would never have even thought about picking up before.
Blood In The Dust is the story about brotherhood and overcoming adversity. It is a story that emphasizes the importance of family and how family doesn’t need to be blood.


I enjoyed this fantastic piece of historical fiction, set in the midst of the Australian Gold Rush in the 1850s where immigrants left their countries and homes to try and strike it rich in the gold mines. There was a massive influx of people into the area and at the time men were leaving secure jobs hoping make a fortune. This in turn caused massive labour shortages. As you can imagine, the government was not very happy about this. I enjoyed reading up a bit about the gold rush in Australia at the time and about the riots that took place between the government and minors due to the exorbitant mining license fees.
The story alternates between the story of Toby, Paddy and the Hockings and then the story of the bushrangers. It’s easy to become attached to the characters, you feel their pain and sadness and you feel their joy. Overall this is a captivating and beautifully written novel, I can see why it has won an award.

If you are looking to branch out and read more historical fiction that has a little bit of everything then I would highly recommend this book.
Disclaimer: I was sent this free copy for review by Jonathan Ball Publishers. This does not influence my review or rating in any way. All views and opinions expressed are my own.

[Angela L · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can see why this book was the winner of the Wilbur & Niso Smith Foundation's Best Unpublished Manuscript 2018 as it's very much in the same style as some of Wilbur's work.
Toby lives with his parents in the Australian outback and life is good - until a rogue criminal, Anderson, shoots his parents in front of him and renders his younger brother, Paddy, mute.
To compound matters their greedy next door neighbour conspires to trick them out of their land/home as he wants their spring and it's essential water supply for himself.
The brothers quickly have to adjust to their new circumstances and decide to head for the gold fields in the hope of making their fortune.
On the way they assist Frank and his family and they all join forces to work together.
Life is tough in the gold fields and it certainly doesn't seem as though their financial salvation is going to be found in the ground.
However, whilst they're trying to scratch a living, Anderson is becoming a highly wanted man and the government is offering a huge reward for his capture.
Is Toby's destiny to come full circle?
This is a real page turner of a book with plenty of ups and downs. The characters are all really relatable and the author does an excellent job of portraying just how hard the early settlers had it in Australia (and how unfairly the native aborigines were treated too).
Classic adventure stuff - probably liable to have more appeal to a male readership as this genre generally tends to pitch in their direction. I'm no bloke though and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[John Pantelides · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the reviews on this book got a 5, some got a 2 and a 1 but the vast majority gave it a 3 or a 4. I think I'll also go with the majority on this one. If I could I'd give it 3.5 but as I can't I'll go for the generous option as it's a debut. What I liked was that it was well written, fast paced and its frequent (but not excessive) emotional ups and downs guarantee that it won't get monotonous. The main characters are also quite well developed and getting to know them throughout the book was something I enjoyed. Finally I like fiction books that have some sort of educational value. I didn't know much about the Gold Rush and life in the outback back in the day so I'm now glad that I know that little bit more. On the downside, I personally don't like stories that start with a negative backdrop, so the brutal murder of the 2 protagonists' parents at the beginning wasn't something I enjoyed. I also didn't enjoy the rape scene (not elaborating to avoid spoiling but thought it might be worth warning about). Finally, where were the chapters??? I know there were frequent breaks that started with a capital letter in bold type but it's not the same thing. This is obviously a personal view because I am a fan of (preferably short) chapters that adjust the pace. Overall it was something different and it was done well but a few of my personal dislikes were unintentionally touched upon. I definitely don't regret reading the book and I would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of fast paced historical adventure. Thank you to Readers First for the free copy

[Mani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blood in the Dust is a book set during the Australian Gold rush. When I first read the synopsis and the first impressions I was instantly drawn to the book. I love Australia and I love reading books that are set in the country.

This is a story about tragic events that happen to a family in Victoria, Australia in 1853. We follow the journey of Toby and Peter O’Rourke, two brothers who are trying to get their lives back on track after their parents are killed, and their home has been taken by a greedy business man.

I found this to be a beautifully well written. It was fast paced and very easy to read. It kept me wanting to read to the very end. There are some wonderful characters in this book, from the two brother to the family they meet and even the enemies. My favourite characters were Toby and Paddy, I felt sorry for them, but at the same time I was routing for them to have some good luck. But in particular I felt sorry for Paddy, who becomes mute after the attack on his family and himself at the start of the book.

I wouldn’t have necessarily picked this book up on my own but now that I have read it, I can truly say it was a great read. I’ve already recommended this one to some friends and have also discussed it with a member of staff at my local library who is going to try and get a copy for the library which would be so great. I highly recommend this book.

I would like to thank the publisher’s Zaffre Publishing’s and Reader First for my physical review copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Winner of Wilbur & Niso Smith Adventure Writing Prize for Best Unpublished Manuscript 2018

An Australian Adventure set during the Gold Rush.

Toby O’Rourke and brother Paddy witness their parents’ murder at the hands of a gang of bushrangers. Neighbouring businessman Pelham takes advantage of their misfortune by manoeuvring them out of their homestead and inheritance. Toby vows to right the wrongs done to the brothers.

Blood in the Dust opens with a gripping scene which quickly establishes the characters and story. Further in, various setbacks are encountered, as is love interest Annie, to keep the plot ticking along. But these events don’t quite live up to the promise of that first chapter. The bad guys are obviously bad from the moment we meet them, so much so that I wonder how Toby (his youth notwithstanding) is taken in by them.

Swiggs’s narrative style is easy to read and doesn’t overtax the intellect. This is an adventure story in the tradition of Wilbur Smith and Bryce Courtenay, and that is no bad thing, just don't expect any innovation or subversion of the genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher Bonnier Zaffre for the Advance Reader Copy.

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, a proper adventure story. It's about two brothers, Toby and Patrick (Paddy) and is set in the 1850s in Victoria, Australia. They live on the family farm until the day outlaws come, kill their parents, and injure Paddy badly. He recovers but is left mute. They need to sell the cattle to raise money to pay the loan on the farm, but are too trusting in who they hire. Left with nothing the brothers set off, along with many others, for the gold fields of Ballerat. Along the way they meet up and join forces with the Hocking family, fresh off the boat from England.

If this book followed the usual cliches they would find gold, get rich, and live happily ever after. But it doesn't and the story doesn't end there. There are plenty more adventures to come, mining accidents, rebellion against heavy handed troops, a wedding and a baby. And eventually tracking down the outlaw gang who murdered their parents.... coming full circle.

This is an excellent read for anyone who enjoys Clive Cussler or Wilbur Smith books.

[Ness · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolutely remarkable book and this deserves to win even more awards than it has already garnered.

It opens with a sense of impending dread. The reader just knows something awful is going to happen. I would almost encourage readers not to read the book jacket so that they can experience what happens as a genuine surprise. Either way, it’s both shocking and heartbreaking.

The novel follows brothers Toby and Paddy and their losses. The crude characters with whom they must deal are truly Dickensian. One can almost imagine Magwich in the goldfields of Ballarat with Toby and Paddy - everyone doing it tough in this hard new world.

I’m stunned I haven’t heard more about this author or this impending work. It’s so exciting to find a book if this calibre which truly captures not just story but time and place. It made me homesick for Australia with its beautiful turns of phrase describing the quality of the dust, the sunshine and the people of the Sunburnt Country.

I will be highly recommending this book.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a hard book to read. I actually had to put it down for a time because I knew some more heartache was coming and I wasn't ready for it. But the characters were so engaging and I was so desperate for a happy ending for them that I needed to carry on.

I cared for the main characters immediately, I was instantly sucked in and invested. I put the book down only because I couldn't bear to read something awful happening to them. And a lot of awful things do happen, this book knocks them down and drags them back up again. It holds no punches, and I cried for joy and relief when something good happened in the middle.

The ending was completely satisfying and, though maybe it would have been satisfying if we'd had one or two less of those punches, you could feel the characters' relief at coming to the end of their journey. You too will be overjoyed, and relieved.

Absolutely brilliant, but make sure you have something light hearted to follow it with, your heart will need a rest.

[Sharon Gay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sharon Frame Gay
5.0 out of 5 stars WOW! WHAT A PAGE TURNER!!!
Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2023
Verified Purchase
This award winning novel by Bill Swiggs is a gem. From the first page, I was drawn into the story about a family in Australia in 1853. When Toby and Paddy O'Rourke's parents are brutally murdered, they are forced to grow up fast. Toby, the eldest, feels the heavy burden of responsibility on his young shoulders. Paddy has been seriously injured and looks to his brother for guidance. The two fell prey to men who took advantage of them and set them on an adventurous journey. Toby and Paddy refuse to give up, and fight every day to carve out a life for themselves. In this fast paced book, Bill Swiggs takes you into Australia, gold mining camps, and wide open spaces. He introduces you to natives and their culture. There's plenty of grit in this book, and lots of action. I could not put it down and am hoping for a sequel! This would make a great movie, also. I highly recommend!

[Keishea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bill Swiggs' acclaimed novel is a captivating tale of survival and resilience. Set in Australia in 1853, the story follows Toby and Paddy O'Rourke as they navigate the unforgiving landscape following their parents' tragic murder. As the eldest, Toby assumes the weighty responsibility of caring for his injured brother, while Paddy relies on Toby for guidance and support.

The brothers' vulnerability makes them easy prey for opportunistic individuals, who exploit them and set them on a perilous path. Undaunted, Toby and Paddy demonstrate remarkable fortitude, fighting daily to forge a life for themselves. Bill Swiggs' masterful storytelling transports readers to the Australian frontier, gold mining camps, and Indigenous communities, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the region.

With its breakneck pace and abundance of action, this novel is impossible to put down. I highly recommend it and eagerly await a sequel, which would undoubtedly be just as enthralling. in my opinion this novel has all the ingredients of a successful film adaptation.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buy it ! I absolutely loved this book ! I am a fan of historical fiction and Blood in the Dust did not let me down. There are no chapters in the book, initially I thought this odd, but once I started reading I understood why. You can’t put it down! You just want to keep reading! The story is set in Australia in the 1850s. When people travelled to Australia for a better life and the prospect of striking it lucky finding gold. The story’s main characters are brothers Toby and Paddy. Their story unfolds involving murder, injustice, theft, romance and more.
The characters and events are so descriptive and vivid, you feel like your there and part of the action. I loved the story included Aborigines (good and bad) as well as settlers.
I throughly enjoyed Blood in the Dust and look forward to reading more from Bill Swiggs, hopefully a sequel, please ?
Just a note there is a rape and attempted rape which were rough and may trigger readers.

[Scott Vout · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first time with this author. I wanted to give it a 3.5 but of course, this is Goodreads and that is not allowed.

so first impressions, a poor mans Wilbur Smith. First thing i thought as i got into it, A lion feeds.
not an insult in any way, if you go on to have the success of wilbur smith then you will be considered a great author.

the story itself is good, the mains are credible for the most part. my biggest OCD moments occur near the end (spoiler alert) when Paddy gives away their position and then gets his voice back. those two instances were for me a bit amateurish. those scenes could have been done better. aside from that, i enjoyed the story. I don not know a lot of Australian history but i am going to believe this is a bit of historical fiction. the gold rush and army attack i am presuming did happen in real life.

i will be looking for more by this author, i think he is worth another read.

[Alfred Nobile · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fast paced read.
This was my first read by this author. A tale set in the early settlements of Australia in the 1800's. A tale of lawlessness and outlaws, or to give them there Australian name bushrangers. A tale of barely scrapping a living, of murder and deceit. But also hope and ambition.
Toby and Paddy O'Rourke find their parents murdered and Paddy seriously injured. And when a friendly neighbour swindles them out of their home and cattle, they find themselves having to find alternative ways to survive.
It is also the story of Frank and Maree Hocking and their two daughters.
All these people and their lives intertwine and they forge a life together, not without setbacks and hardship.
A tale that will appeal to readers of Wilber Smith. Only the setting is Australia not Africa. A well written fast paced read.

[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

In summary, solid but formulaic in places.

Swiggs gets the novel off to a great start. It’s in the blurb, so this is no spoiler - the reader is launched in to the story like a rollercoaster, a gentle pull-off, setting the scene of a happy, but hard, life in the Australian outback, then the pace rapidly picks up as life for Toby and Paddy is changed forever.

And then, the story just kind of bubbles along. It’s a nice story, well told, a pleasant read with nicely developed lead characters, but compared to the incredible opening, it feels a little pedestrian, until Swiggs weaves his tale in with the real-life Eureka Rebellion, where the story picks up the pace again. Some of the minor characters feel a little contrived; Maree’s emotions seem to change with the wind, she could have been drawn a lot better.

Overall, a good, solid, comfortable, but slightly flawed.

[James Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished Blood in the Dust, and enjoyed it thoroughly. The only thing I didn't like was the title of the book – who thought up that misleading shocker? Aside from that, it's a well-told story with an admirable hero and a good supporting cast, set in the Victorian Goldfields of the 1850s. Sure enough the Eureka Stockade gets a lively re-telling in the second half of the story, but as someone interested in Australia's 19th-century history I was hooked from the start. I especially liked author Bill Swiggs' unpretentious storytelling skills, as he never lets the pacing of the tale slow down and his keen eye for period detail adds authenticity to every page. I also admired the skilful way he weaved the Aboriginal characters' stories into the centre of the action. All in all a great debut from this new author, and I look forward to his next outing.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok


Toby and his brother Paddy lose everything when bandits kill their parents and a rich business man attempts to steal their lands. Many might fall at this point but Toby decides to fight back and looks for a way to restore their families land.

This novel shows us many different points of view so we get a well rounded account of all the events as they occur. We see Toby and Paddy's, a family arriving by boat to make their fortune in the gold mines, and the business mans, just to name a few.

In all honesty, I got a little bored about two thirds of the way through this book. I think its more to do with me not being very interested in war type of scenes rather than the book itself though so don't be put off by that.

[Simone Frost · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in 1800s Australia at the time of the Gold Rush. This is an adventure centred around two brothers, Paddy and Toby. They’ve faced some tragedy and hardship and meet another family who have also faced tragedy. Together they all support each other.

This type of story isn’t what I would normally read, I usually prefer thrillers or crime novels.

The opening of the book is quite dramatic and draws you in to the story. The characters are brilliantly developed and I found myself caring about what happened to them and hoping for the best for the brothers and their family.

Some events I had second guessed and found them unsurprising. I did find that some parts dragged on a little for me, but I still enjoyed the story and it was certainly different to my usual genre.