The Colonial's Son

The Colonial Series #4

by Peter Watt

As the son of 'the Colonial', legendary Queen's Captain Ian Steele, Josiah Steele has big shoes to fill. Although his home in New South Wales is a world away, he dreams of one day travelling to England to study to be a commissioned officer in the Scottish Regiment.

After cutting his teeth in business on the rough and ready goldfields of Far North Queensland's Palmer River, he finally realises his dream and travels to England, where he is accepted into the Sandhurst military academy. While in London he makes surprising new acquaintances - and runs into a few old ones he'd rather have left behind.

From the Australian bush to the glittering palaces of London, from the arid lands of Afghanistan and the horrors of war to the newly established Germany dominated by Prussian ideas of militarism, Josiah Steele must now forge his own path.

Genres: Historical Fiction

352 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 26, 2021

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

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a genre that I normally dont read, but I was highly recommended you so I gave it a try. Im so glad I did . I really enjoyed it. The only disappointment for me is that it is the fourth in the series so to get a full undertstanding of the series I believe you have to read the first three.

You have a wonderful way with words as you seem to bring a human side to your stories. You have a way of allowing you to acknowledge some very interesting characters both good and bad , and it seems like you are getting a history lesson whilst reading it. You are an amazing storyteller.

[Unseen Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

Rating of 4.5.

One of Australia’s best historical fiction authors, Peter Watt, returns with The Colonial’s Son, the first book in a new series that follows on from his exceptional Colonial trilogy.

Sydney, 1875. After leaving the army and returning to Australia, former British army captain, Ian Steele, better known by the moniker his troops gave him, the Colonial, has settled down and started a successful business empire. Now the father of three children, Ian is hoping for a quiet life, but is still facing several problems, including the fact that his oldest son, Josiah Steele, is determined to follow in his footsteps and join the British army as an officer.

When an old friend from his army days requests his help, Ian takes Josiah to Queensland to visit the notorious goldfields near the Palmer River. There, Josiah gets his first taste for action as he and his father find themselves beset by bushrangers, hostile Indigenous tribes and warring Chinese criminal organisations. Despite experiencing the terrors and tragedies of combat, Josiah is more determined than ever to join the army and travels to England to enrol in a prestigious military academy. However, rather than gaining a formal training, he is immediately drafted into England’s latest war as a junior officer.

Travelling to Afghanistan, Josiah and his men engage in a series of bloody battles to hold onto the dangerous land for the empire. Gaining the attention of his commanders, Josiah is chosen for a different sort of mission and sent to the newly united Germany where an old friend may hold the answer to the future of British/German relations. Back in Australia, Ian Steele finds himself fighting a new enemy, one whose insidious ways could bring down everything he has struggled to build. Can Ian survive this latest threat, especially when it drives him to do the unthinkable, and will Josiah be able to live up to the impossible military legacy of the Colonial?

This was another exciting and very enjoyable novel from Watt, who has proven himself one of the best authors of Australian historical adventure novels. The Colonial’s Son is an amazing sequel to Watt’s prior series, and I really enjoyed seeing all the characters, both new and those from the prior series, engage in this latest series of adventures. I ended up getting through this entire novel in one day, and I had a wonderful time reading it.

To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2021/11/07/...

An abridged version of this review ran in the Canberra Weekly on 11 November 2021:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2021/11/15/...

For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/

[Joy Norman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the book. The authors style is very easy to read. He deals well with current situations at that time and transform you back to that time. The author is not afraid to state how things were and why. Also showed the strong bond between Australia and England the different forms of warfare and how armies from different areas had customs etc. In amongst all this not just politics, class system, espionage, custom and romance. Also the need if you are a n charge of a group people the great leaders where the ones who went all out to know their team and respond appropriately to get the very best result from his team . Great

[Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I seem to recall reading that this book is not part of the preceding 3 part Colonial series? Whether intended or not, the story really follows on from the last and continues the Colonial theme. This is 3.5 stars - a good read. Probably better than the previous 2. The baton has been handed on well to son Josiah and this was a good introductory read to his future adventures whilst also maintaining his father in the narrative. Not as good as the Duffy / McIntosh series but still well recommended.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

My least favourite of the series and I have to ask the question, was it necessary? There was so much jumping between characters and jumping forward in time without really getting an idea of the characters' motivations and feelings. And why introduce the Oriental character, Ling Lee (?) - it is implied that he will be with Josiah for life but we have no mention of him past the half way point. There was no closure on the storylines - so maybe there will be another book?

[Brendan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a little cliche and I tried not to like the 'Colonial's son' (Joshia) as he is silver spoon fed and put on a pedestal right from the word go but the early stages of the book when the story was based in Australia around the Palmer region gold rush gave a great insite into our pretty brutal history. I was hooked after that and enjoyed the rest of the book.

[Nigel Copeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A boy becomes a man

Another great story by this author hence the 5 stars. Starts off with battles in Australia. Eventually makes it to the UK to join up. The rest you will have to read to see if he survives.

[Lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another rollicking instalment in what has been a very entertaining series. I hope we hear more of what happens to the Steele family. I enjoy the values of the main characters and their integrity and caring natures are good to follow. It is great to read about different times and different places.

[Pete Loveday · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing series! I thoroughly enjoyed all the books in the Colonial series. The amazing research Peter Watt has achieved is a testament to his ability and resilience.
A highly recommended series of classic books.

[Dymocks Indooroopilly]

Following up on his Colonial trilogy, Watt is back with another great historical read! Both the Colonial and his son take centre stage across outback Australia, England, and Afghanistan in a page-turning adventure.

[Fiona Audain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ian Steele's son has proved to be his father's son, when they rescued a young woman from where her parents wagon had rolled. Time passes and Josiah is now a commissioned Second Leutenant in the army. And so another Steele gives us an adventure to read.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging series. Peter Watt pins a fine tale with interesting characters and a story line including some actual historical events.

[Ngaire Skelton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Follow On

I enjoyed this book as a follow to the Colonial. Once again encompassing world events. A good read after reading books 1&2 in the series

[Graeme · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Colonial's Son by Peter Watt is another exciting, well researched, exciting page turner.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic follow-up to what I thought was a weak third instalment in an otherwise great series. Watt is back in fine form.

[John Kounas]

As I expected a wonderful read!

Quality reading. Enjoy not only agree story but outstanding background describing the country, their culture and customs. Mr. Watts excellence!

[Mark Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this series of books. Hope they continue through WW1.

[Chris Klitzing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another terrific novel from Peter Watt and brings history back to life

[Susan Toovey]

7.3

[C Cummings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed it didn't realize it was the last of 4 books