A nice fat, satisfying, historical novel, telling of Captain Fitzroy’s voyages to the south with Charles Darwin, and their tempestuous friendship. It draws on logs and journals of the voyages to weave an enlightening tale of one of history’s great journeys. Strong characters, vivid descriptions and a fascinating story superbly told, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Sadly this will be his only book as he tragically died at the end of last year of lung cancer although never a smoker.
Comparison: Neal Stephenson, Alistair Macleod.
Similar this month: None but try George MacDonald Fraser.
| Primary Genre | Modern and Contemporary Fiction |
| Other Genres: | |
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This is an epic novel of sea-faring adventure set in the 19th century charting the life of Robert Fitzroy, the captain of the Beagle and his passenger Charles Darwin. It combines adventrure, emotion, ideas, humour and tragedy as well as illuminating the history of the 19th century. Fitzroy, the Christian Tory aristocrat, believed in the sanctity of the individual, but his beliefs destroyed his career. Darwin, the liberal minor cleric, doubts the truth of the Bible and develops his theory of evolution which is brutal and unforgiving in human terms. The two friends became bitter enemies as Darwin destroyed everything Fitzroy stood for.
This Thing of Darkness features in the following genres: Modern and Contemporary Fiction, Debut Books of the Month, Historical Fiction, eBooks of the Month, General Fiction, Fiction, Recommendations
This Thing of Darkness is available in Paperback, Hardback
This Thing of Darkness was written by Harry Thompson and published by Headline Book Publishing Ltd
This Thing of Darkness has 750 pages
£13.49
