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Adventures of a Young Sailor
Prison Ship
In March 1801, a mere six weeks after Sam Witchall's ship wrecked off the Cornish coast, his hopes for getting home are dashed when he is framed for theft and sent to Australia for punishment. The 15,000 mile, eight month journey is a hard and horrible one, and when he and his good friend Richard finally arrive, they find themselves fighting for their lives in the Australian bush. This epic sequel to Powder Monkey is every bit as exciting and action packed as its predecessor.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
6 people are currently reading
119 people want to read
About the author
Paul Dowswell
143 books65 followersPaul Dowswell is a British writer of nonfiction and young adult novels who has written over 70 books for British publishers. He was a senior editor at Usborne Publishing, then went freelance in 1999.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 20, 2017
Dowswell, Paul Prison Ship, 300 p. Bloomsbury –
Sam Witchall survived the epic battle in Powder Monkey and has a new berth on a new ship. Unfortunately, He raises the ire and suspicion of the ship’s purser and the purser’s son, who frame him and his best friend Richard for cowardice in the midst of battle. The two are sent to Australia for punishment and continue to get themselves into trouble time after time, even though they have good people trying to help them.
I really enjoyed the descriptions of ship life and colony life, but I got tired of watching the boys continually make horrible mistakes and be saved from their own follies in a deux ex machina fashion. I haven’t read the first title, but if it is the same then I have a hard time being enthusiastic.
MS-ADVISABLE
Sam Witchall survived the epic battle in Powder Monkey and has a new berth on a new ship. Unfortunately, He raises the ire and suspicion of the ship’s purser and the purser’s son, who frame him and his best friend Richard for cowardice in the midst of battle. The two are sent to Australia for punishment and continue to get themselves into trouble time after time, even though they have good people trying to help them.
I really enjoyed the descriptions of ship life and colony life, but I got tired of watching the boys continually make horrible mistakes and be saved from their own follies in a deux ex machina fashion. I haven’t read the first title, but if it is the same then I have a hard time being enthusiastic.
MS-ADVISABLE
November 6, 2011
I don't remember much about Powder Monkey - the first book in this trilogy -, but what little I do remember I recall liking. Thankfully for me, I didn't have to re-read Powder Monkey in order to appreciate and understand Prison Ship. I wouldn't call it a stand-alone book, but what important events and characters that were in Book One are touched upon again in Prison Ship, so you'll either recall everything or you won't remember at all, but won't miss anything important because of it. Just remember that Sam was press-ganged, Powder Monkey ended with a ship sinking, and his best friend is Richard.
Prison Ship was really good - historically rich (you get to briefly meet Lord Nelson!!), exciting, likable characters, suspense, and just bloody enough. Paul Dowswell certainly takes the time to mention the carnage cannon shot inflicts, but he doesn't go into horrific detail like Michael Cadnum probably would. It's meaty without the excessive gore. And surprisingly the battles are pretty easy to follow. I have mentioned before the fine art of writing believable battle sequences - sea-battles are probably some of the hardest because you need a working knowledge of sea tactics and how a ship operated when it beat to quarters. But Paul Dowswell seems to pull it off fairly well - and in first person, too.
I think what was most disappointing was when Richard and Sam are shipped to Australia. The synopsis makes it sound like they have a long and brutal voyage over, but really the time they spend on the convict hulk and the transport ship is very short and quite uneventful. Actually, one could say that it is almost a pleasure cruise, compared to how it could have been. So don't expect anything spectacular and brutal during those parts. Or even when they first reach Australia, for that matter.
Their sentence in Sydney starts out pretty calm and easy. And it is only through stupid choices made by them that they land themselves into further trouble. It irks me to no end when characters run into trouble due to their own idiotic behavior - especially when they know what the consequences will be if they do something. Sam and Richard are perfectly aware what will happen, but they do it anyway because they are trying to impress a girl or they've been too high in their cups again. It was especially aggravating with them because overall Sam and Richard are intelligent boys, and they don't deserve a lot of what usually happens to them. But in this case . . . Most of the time I could not feel sorry for them.
Things do pick up, and situations grow brutal. Starvation, infected wounds, murder, wild animals, and even cannibalism! No, they don't run into cannibalistic natives - it's better than that! Let us just say that at one point Sam and Richard escape with two thugs, and one of them resorts to an alternative source of food. This will sound sick, I know, but I always rate a sea-faring story high when it has cannibalism. You can't have a good sea-faring story without cannibals of some kind. And this cannibal was awesome.
Over all, Prison Ship is quite good, though disappointing in a few areas and a little far-fetched in others (really, I thought the whole shark episode kind of random and odd. Maybe in an Iain Lawrence book, but not a Paul Dowswell book). Content-wise, there are only 2 s-words; they are very close to one another and toward the end. There really isn't any sexual content - a character will every once in a while made an alludement to something along those lines, but it isn't anything explicit.
I look forward to reading Battle Fleet.
Prison Ship was really good - historically rich (you get to briefly meet Lord Nelson!!), exciting, likable characters, suspense, and just bloody enough. Paul Dowswell certainly takes the time to mention the carnage cannon shot inflicts, but he doesn't go into horrific detail like Michael Cadnum probably would. It's meaty without the excessive gore. And surprisingly the battles are pretty easy to follow. I have mentioned before the fine art of writing believable battle sequences - sea-battles are probably some of the hardest because you need a working knowledge of sea tactics and how a ship operated when it beat to quarters. But Paul Dowswell seems to pull it off fairly well - and in first person, too.
I think what was most disappointing was when Richard and Sam are shipped to Australia. The synopsis makes it sound like they have a long and brutal voyage over, but really the time they spend on the convict hulk and the transport ship is very short and quite uneventful. Actually, one could say that it is almost a pleasure cruise, compared to how it could have been. So don't expect anything spectacular and brutal during those parts. Or even when they first reach Australia, for that matter.
Their sentence in Sydney starts out pretty calm and easy. And it is only through stupid choices made by them that they land themselves into further trouble. It irks me to no end when characters run into trouble due to their own idiotic behavior - especially when they know what the consequences will be if they do something. Sam and Richard are perfectly aware what will happen, but they do it anyway because they are trying to impress a girl or they've been too high in their cups again. It was especially aggravating with them because overall Sam and Richard are intelligent boys, and they don't deserve a lot of what usually happens to them. But in this case . . . Most of the time I could not feel sorry for them.
Things do pick up, and situations grow brutal. Starvation, infected wounds, murder, wild animals, and even cannibalism! No, they don't run into cannibalistic natives - it's better than that! Let us just say that at one point Sam and Richard escape with two thugs, and one of them resorts to an alternative source of food. This will sound sick, I know, but I always rate a sea-faring story high when it has cannibalism. You can't have a good sea-faring story without cannibals of some kind. And this cannibal was awesome.
Over all, Prison Ship is quite good, though disappointing in a few areas and a little far-fetched in others (really, I thought the whole shark episode kind of random and odd. Maybe in an Iain Lawrence book, but not a Paul Dowswell book). Content-wise, there are only 2 s-words; they are very close to one another and toward the end. There really isn't any sexual content - a character will every once in a while made an alludement to something along those lines, but it isn't anything explicit.
I look forward to reading Battle Fleet.
April 21, 2014
Prison Ship is a YA adventure story that predates mine (Tasman). They share similar adventures on their ships but their lives take different turns once they reach their destinations.
Dowswell's story is situated in 1800 in New South Wales (Sydney) and shares the village beginnings of what now is a wonderful city. He paints a vivid picture of The Rocks area and then takes Sam and his friend, both young sailors out of their temporary home and into the bush for harrowing, sometimes grisly adventures. As a writer who is dealing with similar issues, fifty years after Doswell's story frame, I found his facts and details interesting; he's unwittingly sent me back to do further research!
This book will appeal to young men seeking adventure stories from around 1800 and the surrounding years, an adventure on the high seas and in the Australian bush. It will also appeal to adult interested in that same historical period.
Dowswell's story is situated in 1800 in New South Wales (Sydney) and shares the village beginnings of what now is a wonderful city. He paints a vivid picture of The Rocks area and then takes Sam and his friend, both young sailors out of their temporary home and into the bush for harrowing, sometimes grisly adventures. As a writer who is dealing with similar issues, fifty years after Doswell's story frame, I found his facts and details interesting; he's unwittingly sent me back to do further research!
This book will appeal to young men seeking adventure stories from around 1800 and the surrounding years, an adventure on the high seas and in the Australian bush. It will also appeal to adult interested in that same historical period.
March 29, 2020
Second book in the adventures of Sam Witchall. Sam takes part in the battle of Copenhagen, but in the voyage to the battle he overhears some nefarious plans, and consequently finds himself framed and defamed. He is transported to a penal colony in Australia, and once again gets into many adventures.
Powder Monkey was an excellent book, that I enjoyed very much. This book was just as good in historical detail, and the betrayal added a lot to the narrative, but I felt it lacked something. Maybe it was taking the sailor away from the sea that was the problem. I am not sure. Nothing wrong with this book though, which was excellent in many ways. I just did not enjoy it quite as much as the first one.
Powder Monkey was an excellent book, that I enjoyed very much. This book was just as good in historical detail, and the betrayal added a lot to the narrative, but I felt it lacked something. Maybe it was taking the sailor away from the sea that was the problem. I am not sure. Nothing wrong with this book though, which was excellent in many ways. I just did not enjoy it quite as much as the first one.
December 11, 2008
Recommended for gr. 5-8. Nothing spectacular about this book, the story of a 13-year-old in the British navy in 1801. He is falsely accused of cowardice, sentenced to death by hanging, and then the sentence is commuted to transportation to Australia. He spends time in a prison ship, hence the title, and has adventures on arriving in Australia. It was not necessary to read the first book to understand this sequel. It will probably appeal to boys who like historical action adventure.
December 31, 2009
Fantastic!!! A really good read about a young kid called Samuel from England in 1801, who gets caught up in the wrong situation and ends up getting sent to New Holland. (Australia)
His adventures and trials are shown and portrayed with an eloquency and tenderness that is still prevalent in a young teenage boy.
I really enjoyed this and will definitely be reading more of Paul Dowswell's books.
His adventures and trials are shown and portrayed with an eloquency and tenderness that is still prevalent in a young teenage boy.
I really enjoyed this and will definitely be reading more of Paul Dowswell's books.
February 14, 2011
This book was brilliant, full of action and an easy story to follow. I would recommend this book for 10+ years old because there are some nasty and gory scenes. This is a must read for my likings as it is exciting and you want to know what happens next! That's why I rate it 5 star! THE BEST BOOK I HAVE READ!!!!
March 6, 2015
Richard and Sam are aboard the Elephant and want to go to war, but are framed of cowardliness. They are sentenced to be hanged, but instead they go to an iron gang. From there, they go on a trip to New South Wales, and life is looking good for them over there, but they always have a sense for trouble.
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July 15, 2012Easier to read than first in the series, Prison Ship. Great story about 14 year old boy who sails on British naval ship, is unfairly condemned to spend his life in New South Wales (Australia),and his adventures there.
February 21, 2008
Prison Ship is the sequel of Powder Monkey, and is equally exciting
July 20, 2008
it was a great sequal to the the first book. it was very exciting.
October 15, 2008
Age of sail goodness for the 12 and under set.
December 9, 2009
Definitely better than the first book.
September 21, 2010
I think that every person that loves historical fiction should read this book after they read powder monkey
September 12, 2010
Brilliant adventure book, with very good detail but it feels has if something is missing from the book, but overall a must read book.
February 16, 2012
Got halfway, I am ashamed of myself
March 10, 2014
A very underrated series.
March 19, 2016
Unfairly convicted of cowardice Sam and Richard are to be hung, when at the last second it is changed to being sent to Botany Bay.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews