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On Distant Shores
1847. Ballyclaven, Ireland. A terrible famine has ravaged the devastated land. With little food to eat, young Jonathan Flynn is struggling to stay alive after losing his family in the course of a single fateful night.
Life is already bad, but Jonathan’s pride and youthful temper make him a dangerous enemy to his ruthless landlord, Lord Cavanaugh, who wouldn’t rest until he sends the young lad to gallows. With the assistance of a kindly family priest Jonathan finds a temporary hideaway in the infamous Scartagg workhouse, only to realize that the sinister warden of the workhouse is just one of the many villains’ fate has thrown his way.
Jonathan boards a ship to Boston hoping to start a new life on distant shores, but fate has other plans for him. Jonathon’s dream of escaping to America becomes a horrendous journey of never ending physical and mental torture. It’s his will to survive and a burning desire for vengeance that keeps Jonathan alive. And revenge is a dish best served cold…
More than a century later, when old secrets surface, threatening to unravel Flynn family’s present, Jonathon’s descendant, Rory O’Flynn must decide if he should let sleeping dogs lie…or not.
Life is already bad, but Jonathan’s pride and youthful temper make him a dangerous enemy to his ruthless landlord, Lord Cavanaugh, who wouldn’t rest until he sends the young lad to gallows. With the assistance of a kindly family priest Jonathan finds a temporary hideaway in the infamous Scartagg workhouse, only to realize that the sinister warden of the workhouse is just one of the many villains’ fate has thrown his way.
Jonathan boards a ship to Boston hoping to start a new life on distant shores, but fate has other plans for him. Jonathon’s dream of escaping to America becomes a horrendous journey of never ending physical and mental torture. It’s his will to survive and a burning desire for vengeance that keeps Jonathan alive. And revenge is a dish best served cold…
More than a century later, when old secrets surface, threatening to unravel Flynn family’s present, Jonathon’s descendant, Rory O’Flynn must decide if he should let sleeping dogs lie…or not.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
361 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 4, 2021
55 people are currently reading
449 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 5, 2021
Snowden spins a riveting tale of destitution, stroke of luck, and revenge in this historical thrill ride.
It was 1847 in Bellyclaven, Ireland, when eighteen-year-old Jonathan Flynn lost his whole family to an unfortunate tragedy. A minor scuffle with a local landlord forces him to leave the country and escape to distant shores. More than 150 years later, the long-buried secrets of Jonathan’s carefully built past unravel, threatening to ruin the present of his descendants. Snowden’s assured prose paints a vivid contrast between the destitution and cruelty that led Jonathan’s escape to Canada and his seething desire for revenge even when he has realized his ambition of owing abundant wealth.
Jonathan’s empathetic nature along with his ruthless determination and roguish ways make him a memorable hero. The antagonists, all of them are thoroughly despicable and sketched with conviction. Snowden deftly weaves together 1850s Irish culture and themes of revenge, retribution, and salvation, elevating the fast-paced narrative.
The book has it all—love, lust, revenge, greed, ambition, the devastatingly painful tragedies, and heartening twists. The convincing portrayal of Jonathan’s rise to power captivates, and the fast-moving plot twists keep readers hooked right up until the satisfying finale.
This is a page-turner.
It was 1847 in Bellyclaven, Ireland, when eighteen-year-old Jonathan Flynn lost his whole family to an unfortunate tragedy. A minor scuffle with a local landlord forces him to leave the country and escape to distant shores. More than 150 years later, the long-buried secrets of Jonathan’s carefully built past unravel, threatening to ruin the present of his descendants. Snowden’s assured prose paints a vivid contrast between the destitution and cruelty that led Jonathan’s escape to Canada and his seething desire for revenge even when he has realized his ambition of owing abundant wealth.
Jonathan’s empathetic nature along with his ruthless determination and roguish ways make him a memorable hero. The antagonists, all of them are thoroughly despicable and sketched with conviction. Snowden deftly weaves together 1850s Irish culture and themes of revenge, retribution, and salvation, elevating the fast-paced narrative.
The book has it all—love, lust, revenge, greed, ambition, the devastatingly painful tragedies, and heartening twists. The convincing portrayal of Jonathan’s rise to power captivates, and the fast-moving plot twists keep readers hooked right up until the satisfying finale.
This is a page-turner.
June 18, 2021
You know that feeling when you open a book and read the first few pages and know right then that you have a good one? Well, this book is one of those. It’s a great story beginning with a couple trying to restore a small vacation cottage in Ireland. It continues with the story of a family trying to survive on that same land during the potato famine in Ireland.
I was going to call this a saga rather than a story. Not because it’s long but because it covers a long time period and even more so, it has so many elements. It has plenty of action, sadness, happiness, and some parts so realistic that it seems non-fiction now and then. Some romance and love done very tastefully yet enough to make my cheeks blush slightly:) and some cruelties committed that were enough to make my stomach churn and my tears to fall:(
I want you to think about this. You know how some people throw out a disparaging comment such as “oh anyone can write”? Realistically we all know that isn’t true. An author, a talented one, can place mere words on paper and in the composition of those words, can evoke the reader’s emotions. That’s what real writing is and that’s what you have here.
Wes Snowden has several other books published. All have good reviews, and each can stand alone. Check them out here: https://amzn.to/3gyMVuG
I was going to call this a saga rather than a story. Not because it’s long but because it covers a long time period and even more so, it has so many elements. It has plenty of action, sadness, happiness, and some parts so realistic that it seems non-fiction now and then. Some romance and love done very tastefully yet enough to make my cheeks blush slightly:) and some cruelties committed that were enough to make my stomach churn and my tears to fall:(
I want you to think about this. You know how some people throw out a disparaging comment such as “oh anyone can write”? Realistically we all know that isn’t true. An author, a talented one, can place mere words on paper and in the composition of those words, can evoke the reader’s emotions. That’s what real writing is and that’s what you have here.
Wes Snowden has several other books published. All have good reviews, and each can stand alone. Check them out here: https://amzn.to/3gyMVuG
June 16, 2021
Potatoes and Literacy Made All the Difference
This book is a story-within-a-story, beginning with a modern married couple visiting the homestead that once belonged to the husband’s ancestor in Ireland. The husband, Rory O'Flynn, an author with a bit of writer’s block, discovers things about that ancestor and a second storyline develops, taking readers back to examine the plight of his ancestor, Jonathon Flynn, beginning in the Irish Potato Famine.
That was a horrible time to be a poor Irish farmer leasing land from a wealthy landowner, as richly detailed by the author from actual history of the era. My sympathies were quickly aroused by the unfairness and needless cruelty endured by this poor young man, even though some incidents were made much worse due to his own inability to curb his tongue.
While Jonathon faced life-changing and tragic events, he also left unfinished business that Rory appears to have been fated to discover. Snowden's thrilling account of the past was mesmerizing, but the way he presents how the Irish potatoes of the past can serendipitously affect the present makes the story surprising and immensely satisfying.
I was honored to receive a review copy of this book. This is my own honest opinion: it's a great read!
This book is a story-within-a-story, beginning with a modern married couple visiting the homestead that once belonged to the husband’s ancestor in Ireland. The husband, Rory O'Flynn, an author with a bit of writer’s block, discovers things about that ancestor and a second storyline develops, taking readers back to examine the plight of his ancestor, Jonathon Flynn, beginning in the Irish Potato Famine.
That was a horrible time to be a poor Irish farmer leasing land from a wealthy landowner, as richly detailed by the author from actual history of the era. My sympathies were quickly aroused by the unfairness and needless cruelty endured by this poor young man, even though some incidents were made much worse due to his own inability to curb his tongue.
While Jonathon faced life-changing and tragic events, he also left unfinished business that Rory appears to have been fated to discover. Snowden's thrilling account of the past was mesmerizing, but the way he presents how the Irish potatoes of the past can serendipitously affect the present makes the story surprising and immensely satisfying.
I was honored to receive a review copy of this book. This is my own honest opinion: it's a great read!
May 4, 2021
Treachery, murder, love, and ambition mark Snowden’s page-turning latest, a tale of one man’s journey of revenge and redemption.
When Rory O’Flynn unexpectedly inherited a ten-acres property in Ireland, he had no idea he was going to be instrumental in unearthing his ancestors’ long-buried past: when Jonathan Flynn lost his whole family to tragic circumstances, it was just the beginning of a series of unfortunate incidents that followed the young Irish man. Trying to escape his dangerous enemies, Jonathan boards a ship to Boston, but fate has other plans for him.
Snowden’s cast is morally diverse, and the fast-moving narrative beautifully highlights the book’s underlying message of retribution and deliverance. The intricate worldbuilding and winding storyline with almost nonstop shocking twists keep the pages turning.
At its core, the novel is an exploration of one man’s journey of survival in the face of depravity and deprivation and his ability to rise above his birth station.
When Rory O’Flynn unexpectedly inherited a ten-acres property in Ireland, he had no idea he was going to be instrumental in unearthing his ancestors’ long-buried past: when Jonathan Flynn lost his whole family to tragic circumstances, it was just the beginning of a series of unfortunate incidents that followed the young Irish man. Trying to escape his dangerous enemies, Jonathan boards a ship to Boston, but fate has other plans for him.
Snowden’s cast is morally diverse, and the fast-moving narrative beautifully highlights the book’s underlying message of retribution and deliverance. The intricate worldbuilding and winding storyline with almost nonstop shocking twists keep the pages turning.
At its core, the novel is an exploration of one man’s journey of survival in the face of depravity and deprivation and his ability to rise above his birth station.
June 17, 2021
An epic saga of family secrets . . . tale told by a masterful storyteller!
Three things that are guaranteed to hold me in thrall when it comes to the books I read: a mystery, an Irish backdrop, and a hint of fey. On Distant Shores has the trifecta and enhances that with a writer who knows how to keep you engaged.
Snowden begins his tale in the time of the Irish Famine but quickly moves you to the present time in America. Before long, you're moving across oceans and across times as you follow the trajectory of a family who left "home" in search of a better life. And they found it. But at what cost?
Weaving the narrative around love and loss, determination and disappointment, murder and intrigue; Snowden keeps you glued to your seat, turning pages almost with no thought of anything else. A good solid read, that kept me engaged throughout, I highly recommend this book.
[I had the good luck to do a Beta read of the book pre-publication, though there was no obligation to review. The opinions herein are given freely and are entirely my own.]
Three things that are guaranteed to hold me in thrall when it comes to the books I read: a mystery, an Irish backdrop, and a hint of fey. On Distant Shores has the trifecta and enhances that with a writer who knows how to keep you engaged.
Snowden begins his tale in the time of the Irish Famine but quickly moves you to the present time in America. Before long, you're moving across oceans and across times as you follow the trajectory of a family who left "home" in search of a better life. And they found it. But at what cost?
Weaving the narrative around love and loss, determination and disappointment, murder and intrigue; Snowden keeps you glued to your seat, turning pages almost with no thought of anything else. A good solid read, that kept me engaged throughout, I highly recommend this book.
[I had the good luck to do a Beta read of the book pre-publication, though there was no obligation to review. The opinions herein are given freely and are entirely my own.]
April 2, 2022
Not a book for the faint of heart as this story covers so many of the trials faced by Jonathon Flynn in the terrible times of the Irish Famine. A wonderfully scripted story that is full of detail and imagery that one can feel the swell of the ocean as they cross from Ireland to the promised land. Tragedy claims so many lives on the death ships of the time. Jonathon is constantly faced with dilemmas that require him to make difficult choices for his survival and the survival of others. A heart warming and heart wrenching tale that one would not want to have to endure but Jonathon did endure and thrived. The shift between past and present added a lovely touch that left Rory Flynn with difficult decisions as well. A great read. I love Wes Snowden's writing style and his storytelling is truly epic. Thanks Wes for the pleasurable and not always pleasant read.
June 8, 2021
I won this Kindle book in a Goodreads Giveaway, but I wasn’t really enamored with it. The writing style just wasn’t my thing. I was excited at the prospect of reading a book in which the character goes back in time to experience/relive what his ancestor did, but the plot just seemed rather pedestrian to me.
October 13, 2021
Wish there was a sequel
For fans of Irish famine history this is a stirring book full of ups and downs, twists and turns from past and present. I found it hard to stop reading wondering what would happen next. I’m still wondering at the books end.
For fans of Irish famine history this is a stirring book full of ups and downs, twists and turns from past and present. I found it hard to stop reading wondering what would happen next. I’m still wondering at the books end.
September 9, 2022
Never look back
I admire attempts to describe the horrors of Ireland during the starvation, this is a really good story that touches on many things without too much detail that could switch off the reader.
The flow of the story is comfortable and the characters are well defined
I admire attempts to describe the horrors of Ireland during the starvation, this is a really good story that touches on many things without too much detail that could switch off the reader.
The flow of the story is comfortable and the characters are well defined
September 17, 2022
Absolutely Riveting
I almost didn’t make it to the second chapter, expecting the over worn theme of spirits and faeries. I am so glad I kept going. This book is fast paced, filled with real life dilemmas and moral showdowns. Thank you, Wes Snowden, for this captivating tale!
I almost didn’t make it to the second chapter, expecting the over worn theme of spirits and faeries. I am so glad I kept going. This book is fast paced, filled with real life dilemmas and moral showdowns. Thank you, Wes Snowden, for this captivating tale!
June 5, 2021
Wow! So good I couldn't put it down!
November 2, 2021
Read, Read, Read!
Liked the "back and forth" storytelling style. All the bad luck broke my heart. Strong characters. Thank you! Keep on and don't look back.
Liked the "back and forth" storytelling style. All the bad luck broke my heart. Strong characters. Thank you! Keep on and don't look back.
February 11, 2022
I was interested at first and think it could be a good story, but there was so much language I didn't like that I didn't care to finish reading the rest of it.
June 20, 2022
A good historical fiction, which tells a rags-to-riches story. Full of bravery, heartbreak, injustice and determination. Recommended read.
September 17, 2022
Love these epic story within a story type books..
November 26, 2024
Ballyclaven
An awesome saga of the eternal struggle of good and evil and the indomitable spirit of the immigrants seeking a better life.
An awesome saga of the eternal struggle of good and evil and the indomitable spirit of the immigrants seeking a better life.
December 14, 2022
A WONDERFUL MOVING STORY!!!!
I HIGHLY recommend it!
I HIGHLY recommend it!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews