The Castaways

Curse of the Jolly Stone #3

by Iain Lawrence

ADRIFT AT SEA, Tom Tin and his four convict companions are only too glad when they come upon a deserted ship. The boys clamber aboard, not knowing whether they've been saved or set on a course toward doom. But after rescuing two men stranded on a melting iceberg, Tom begins to suspect that these unsavory sailors are dangerous castaways from this very vessel. The more Tom questions the men, the more they dislike him. So, when Tom overhears them plotting to get rid of him, he knows they mean it. But the other boys don't feel threatened - at least not until the sailors attempt to sell them as slaves, a decision that ends with death for some . . . and with Tom sailing the ship home to England.

Soon Tom discovers that he has to cast away every ill-intentioned companion from his voyage home before he can truly be free.

Genres: Adventure, Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Fiction, Childrens, Pirates, Fantasy

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Tejas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like adventurous stories and I did not get the starting because, it was linking to the second book “The Cannibals” which is the book I have not read before this one but, “The Castaways” is a book by IAIN LAWRENCE it is about some friends that are in a ship with a King and, with slaves who are jailed they don’t have freedom. The friends are also captured but, they are not jailed. The king also had a little family he had a wife,child and the king himself.There are a lot of people in the ship. But, it had a good ending where the character had faced his fears also had made his sea as his home. I can also cite one event where the main character is pointing the gun at the king where he then gives the keys to free the slaves… By the way Tom Tim is a strong leader and a captain of the ship. He is also a criminal because, he has buried a diamond in England which he’s trying to get in the story.The sailors are trying to stop the captain to get his diamond back.I really like the book and if you guys want to find out what happened next you can read the book.

[Asad Aamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think "The Castaways" was an exceptional book. Since I read this book first rather then the other ones, it was quite confusing at first, but I gradually grasped on to what the whole story was about. The book was action packed and well written. The ending was extremely satisfying and that's the main reason I like this book. Tom Tim is the main character with his four companions. He finds a deserted ship since his broke down and ends up rescuing two sailors along the way. The story also explains how Tom Tim is a convicted criminal. He stole a rare stone which cursed him and now he has to face the unfortunate events that follow. This whole scenario really sets the book at a whole different level. The story is extremely appealing and it makes me want to read the other books to learn everything a little better. I recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure books. However, if you haven't read the other books in the series it will get a little confusing. That's why I suggest you read those first and then read this to avoid disorientation.

[Natasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a satisfying end to the series. I liked how the author gradually builds the story, rather than rushing to get to a pivotal point. However, I feel that the cliffhangers did more to spoil the story rather than you get to immediately turn the page. I felt that what happened to the characters did not seem unexpected. The descriptions. as usual, are sickening and amazing. I did feel that the story over a year time-frame was unrealistic, but it did not take away from the story. This series took me by surprise in regards to how invested I was in the characters, and the violence presented.

[Yami · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this, it was a long adventure , and the best part, anything can happen next, I love the kind of tales, when there is twists and turns of fate, when every thing go down very fast, and as quickly gets better if slightly, am very very satisfied with the ending, and how it tuned for Tom Tin and Midgly, and I wonder if they will every find what they are looking for, but by the end Ton DID the the handsome thing he ought to do.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was my own fault. I read the first in the series (The Convicts), and wanted to know how the tale ended. Mr. Lawrence keeps the story moving along, but basically I just didn't enjoy it much at all.
It just seemed filled with needless nastiness. Hope I learned my lesson!

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

A satisfying conclusion to this trilogy except I would hope for a 4th book to give us more adventures of these boys.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

The saga continues. Exciting adventure in a "Dickinson type era."

[Dehemi Fabio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Memorable

[Oliver Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the book because It was a great setting and the author described the book well. It had some suspense to it.

[Joey]

Tom Tim finds two sailors stranded on an iceberg. He decides to help them but Tom grows weary of the sailors he suspects they are plotting to get rid of him. Tom fears he will never get back to England where his diamond remains buried. Tom think the sailors are bad people because they are plotting to get rid of him.
In the this book Tom Tim faces a big problem after he decides to help two sailors. Tom Tim is the captain of the ship, and he is also a convicted criminal. He sails with four of his convicted companions. He is determined to get back to England where his diamond remains buried. The sailors that he saves are trying to stop him and take over his ship. One of the sailors is named Mr. Bezley. He has tattooed hands and an ice cold stare. The other saylor Mr. Moyler is a little on the strange side. They were stranded on an iceberg when Tom Tim found them and took them aboard his ship.
Tom Tim is a convicted criminal. He has done bad things in his life, like he stole the diamond and buried it in England. I know he is a criminal because he says “Tom and four of his convicted criminal sail to England to get his diamond that remains buried.” A convicted criminal is a person who has committed a crime. Tom Tim stole a diamond that is why he is a criminal. This proves he has done bad things in his life because if he hadn't stole the diamond he wouldn't be a criminal.
Tom Tim fears the sailors are plotting to get rid of him and his companions. Tom Tim is the captain of the ship and he is navigating his companions back to England. Tom Tim is a strong leader that cares for his companion but on the other hand he is also a convict criminal that has stolen precious things. Everyone should go read this book and find out if they got back to England safely or is the sailors took over the ship. Who doesn't like a book about a thief. This was a good book because the author made it so no one would know if they would ever get back to England.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed by Grandma Bev for TeensReadToo.com

THE CASTAWAYS is the third book of the trilogy including THE CONVICTS and THE CANNIBALS, and starts off with Tom Tin and his companions adrift at sea. They have escaped the punishment of being sent to Australia as convicts only to find themselves aboard a steamship that is running dangerously low on fuel and with no idea of where they are. They find a ship that is apparently deserted. Fearing that it may be the ghost ship Flying Dutchman, they clamber aboard anyway, perhaps on a course toward certain doom.

Then they locate two men stranded on an iceberg, and take them on board, but when Tom hears them plotting to get rid of him, he is just sure that they are castaways from the very ship they are on, and probably have killed all of the previous crew members.

In a riotous episode, the castaways take Tom and his companions prisoner and prepare to sell them as slaves. Tom and the kids manage to escape that fate and sail to England, where they meet with more adversity and imprisonment.

My only complaint with THE CASTAWAYS is that there are a number of references to episodes that happened in the previous two books, and if you haven't read them, you must use your imagination to get you up to speed on the story line.

A rollicking, fast-moving adventure that melds neatly with the facts of early shipping, pirates, the slave trade, and transporting convicts to Australia. There are characters you will love and a story that keeps you turning the pages to see what happens next, complete with a very satisfying, surprise ending.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

This continuation to the "Convicts" series (last one? Maybe, maybe not) features all sorts of harrowing--not to mention memorably disgusting--adventures takes young Tom Tin from certain death in the South Pacific to certain death in London....with several stops for inescapably fatal encounters along the way. Somehow, he scrapes his way through, as do most but not all of his companions.

Banks books have what should be a winning combination of Dickensian characters and exciting, sometimes but not invariably gruesome adventures---but they don't move very fast in my library, and my impression is (would be happy to be proven wrong) that the same is true everywhere. Even The Wreckers really only goes out because it's on reading lists.

The which being said, if you enjoy rousing nautical melodramas for younger readers, you really can't do better.

[Susannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was book number three in a series of three, so too bad I didn't start from the beginning, but I could fill in the blanks, so it was fine. This book made me want to read more books about pirates. It was good and I think I'll go get book one, which is title, The Convicts. The story follows the life of Tom Tin who is imprisoned on a convict ship heading to Australia. He escapes from the ship and from what I read in book three it sounds like he has some fine adventures. I look forward to hearing more about them.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I reviewed the first 2 books in this trilogy & don't have much to add here. I fell in love with Midgely in the 1st book, "The Convicts" and was happy to see we leave him & Tom Tin in good circumstances when their story ends.

Remember how Pinocchio became a real boy when he started to care about things outside himself? Same story here for Tom Tin altho Tom is never as unlikeable as Pinocchio. I really give little Midgely all the credit for changing Tom. He's the hero of this story to me & I will miss him.
<3

[B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y The last of the fabulous trilogy about Tom Tin and his gang of juvenile convicts as they get away from cannibals in the South Pacific and end up on a boat with two mysterious and horrid castaways.
This one is a bit more gruesome and scarier than the other two but 5th grade and up can handle it. Highly recommend to reluctant readers.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this series. I don't know why it has such poor reviews. Very adventurous and I loved the characters. I normally hate books that take place on sailing ships because they are boring, not this book. Very entertaining!

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! It had an exellent ending and I was finally able to read the end of Mr.Goodfellow, all I have now left to say is good job Tom! You have been able to pull through until the end and now are free to travel seas.

[Elizabeth Cisewski · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was exciting and adventurous. I loved all the turns in the book, all the traitors and stuff like that. It was a slower start than the second book, but it was still really good. Great finish to the series.

[Yael · Rating 3 out of 5]

an ok book.
completely stupid ending-_-

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continuation of a look at early to mid 1800's England and the shipping. Fictional but an eye opener.

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

My least favorite of the trilogy but still an enjoyable sea adventure tale.

[The Third Place A Teen Library]

F LAW cotjs bk.3

[KatieSuzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

By far the best of the three books. The end was exciting and it lasted awhile too, none of the usual puting all the good stuff in the last chapter. Almost 5 stars.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I may have enjoyed this more if I'd read the two before it: The Convicts and the Cannibals. I think I'll catch up later.

[Cyrus · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good ending to a good series. It is a little bizarre and and gory but is overall a great ending.

[Nadia Morales · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this was an excellent book that showcased survival skills, drama and that you cant abandon the people that cared most about you in life.

[Yousef Abouelseoud]

This book is awesome!

[Danielra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was crazy and awesome because it had a group of four stranded on a island. think of what they should do and trying to survive.