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Summary: Morgan's Run
Review: This book will appeal to readers who like a slow pace, an epic scope, and long passages of detailed exposition. I am not such a reader.Morgan's Run is the story of Richard Morgan, who begins his career in Bristol, ends up in prison, and is sent on a ship to help found a convict colony on an island off Australia. I read the book partly because of the claims of one professional reviewer that the book was largely about gunsmithing, the Brown Bess musket (and, I was hoping, associated tactics). It's not. The Brown Bess passage is merely one of the author's numerous info-dumps. Others involve topics, like saw-pits and sharpening sawteeth, less than fascinating to me. Characterization is a strength here, and helps to offset the book's slowness. Morgan is an appealing character, as is his friend Stephen Donovan. Secondary characters are also well drawn, though sometimes they get lost in the epic shuffle. The author portrays several nontraditional romantic relationships, which is nice to see in a genre that often ignores their existence; the portrayals, however, are not entirely free of stereotype. Women do not fare so well here, with even the eventual main love interest being drawn as rather stupid, and characters often express sentiments that seem misogynistic even for the 18th century. The plot is the main weakness here, because despite its intrinsic interest, it moves very slowly and incorporates little action. The section on the Alexander, the ship transporting the convicts to Australia, is by far the strongest. Setting is excellent in that the author has obviously done her research and has a firm grasp of her subject, but it intrudes via the aforementioned lumps of exposition. Language use is generally graceful, though with an anachronism here and there and the occasional authorial intrusion. I think this book will appeal to readers who enjoy this specific type of historical fiction. Persons needing action, crisis and drama in their novels may want to give it a miss.
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Summary: Too much graphic description of things best left unsaid...
Review: This book would have been great adventure with an admirable main character but I don't find it entertaining to read descriptions of how difficult it is to wipe one's butt in prison, or how one character had sex with sheep. I prefer some things to be hinted at rather than have to wade through a detailed description. After a while, the casual lewdness and perversity of some of the characters disgusted me and I could not finish the book.
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Summary: Can't Wait
Review: This is one of those books that you can't wait to finish so you know how it concludes -- but then you are sad because you don't have it to read anymore. McCullough says there will be sequels. I can't wait.
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Summary: Thought provoking
Review: This is the first book I have ever read by Colleen McCullough so I was able to open this book with no expectations. The novel was descriptive, precise, and extremely thought provoking. She is a wonderful writer. It was obvious to me (even before I knew anything of the writer) that much investigation had been done in preparation for this book. She entertained me enormously. I have read many reviews here that hint they were not especially pleased with Richard Morgan's last great love, I on the other hand beleive the choice was perfect. I also enjoyed her descriptive narratives about all the little things, such as making Brown Bess, and the art of sharpening saw blades. How can a book really take you back to the time period without giving a person a glimpse or two of the way things actually were? I cannot wait for the sequel to this novel. I have found out that the settlement on Norfolk Island did not last,which makes me wonder what direction she will take for the sequel. I am waiting impatiently for the next installment.
Rating:
Summary: A huge read
Review: This is the first of Colleen McCullough's books that I have read, and having visited Norfolk Island, I was interested in the history as well as the semi-fictional side to the novel. It is so thoroughly researched with so much historical detail, I must admit it is very hard going, and had I not had an interest in Norfolk Island to begin with, I don't know if I could have finished the whole book. However, once the main character starts to build a life for himself on the Island it becomes a far easier read and for me, held more interest.
Colleen McCullough is currently suffering failing eyesight and I sincerely hope she manages to write a sequel to this novel.
Rating:
Summary: A tough read but rewarding
Review: This was a dark but enlightening read as to life in parts of Britain in the 1700s, and also the journey to the first penal colony in Australia. Characters are well-developed, Richard Morgan can be a hero for us all. Had tried to read Robert Hugh's Fatal Shore but quit half way through. Will go back and try it again. Great book for history buffs.
Rating: 
Summary: History At Its Best
Review: What a wonderful way to learn history! Take a certain period, take a special group of people (the convicts), transport them around the globe, under horrible conditions. Then see what strong spirits and resourcefulness can accomplish. I found Richard Morgan to be that perfect central character--strong, focused, weak in self esteem, but strong in his faith and dedicated to survival. I truly look forward to continuation of his life and times, which the author promises us...GO, GIRL!
Rating:
Summary: Ho Hum
Review: What an unbelievably boring book! It's a bunch of facts and numbers and dates strung together - as if the author was bound and determined to use every bit of historical research that she had found. The main character is a stick - the story is supposed to show how he became a stronger and better man through adversity and hardship, but instead he is so perfect and aloof and godlike, he isn't interesting or sympathetic at all. I was very disappointed in this book, because I had really enjoyed her previous books. The Thorn Birds, An Indecent Obsession, A Creed for the Third Millenium all had far more interesting and believable characters, and storylines that were far more engrossing and weren't sacrificed to historical detail. I plowed my way through Morgan's Run, hoping the story would finally take off, but it never did.
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