Rating: 
Summary: Depressing but Interesting
Review: Richard Morgan is a man for all seasons. His is a master gunsmith, sawyer (wood cutter), tavern owner-operator, pipe-setter, etc... He is also a convict and in 1786 England its no fun being incarcerated in the gaols (jails). In some sort of grand social experiment, convicts are shipped to Australia to settle the land. Luckily Richard is included in this experiment because if it were not for him, the settlement would be a failure. Life is harsh, the work is back breaking, and indigenous population would like nothing better than to kill these invaders. Supplies are minimal and the settlers receive little help from mother England. The people left to settle this harsh land are tough, rough spoken, unyielding and it is because of this they persevere and survive.The main character is clearly defined and McCullough serves up one depressing characterization of this tragic figure. In first few chapters his wife dies, his child is molested then killed, he loses his life savings and is accused of theft. Naturally he is not guilty, however, his innocence does him no good in jail. So Richard is challenged throughout this story, he is tempted by wine, woman and song. Not only does he forgo rum but he gives up sex and fun. In one chapter he is described as Job and I would agree. Having never read a history of Australia, I found McCullough's recount fascinating and interesting. The tragedies the settlers had to endure are unbelievable. I like her style and the tone of the story. The people were rough spoken convicts and the language used reflects this style. It was a pleasure to read this book and the pages flew by quickly. The only thing I would have liked is a hero with a lighter personality. Richard Morgan is boorish and depressing. Overall, I recommend "Morgan's Run" to all historical fiction buffs and action adventure seekers.
Rating: 
Summary: From the author of THE THORN BIRDS.
Review: Richard Morgan is the kind of man that makes people sit up and pay attention. An honest, hard working man that has been duped by a dishonest group of people, he finds himself a convict, indentured for 7 years to the New World of Australia. We travel o're the globe with him and can't help but enjoy the straightforward and consistent manner that brings him respect from nearly all that he meets, including the officers aboard the ship he is transported upon. It is in the New World that he makes a name for himself and finds those things that complete a man's life. I was a great fan of THE THORN BIRDS so I picked up this book expecting more of the same. What I found instead was a book that is more technical and very well researched but lacking the emotion I was looking for. I would give this book a 3.5 if I could. There is also an abridged version on tape that might cut down on the technical details. All said and done it was a very good ending but too little too late. Kelsana 6/11/01
Rating:
Summary: How to build a new world . . .
Review: Richard Morgan, a Bristol publican's son and Jack-of-many-trades, is caught up in the devious machinations of the British class system. In circumstances exacerbated by economic disruption caused by the American War of Independence, he's convicted of a contrived crime. After spending time in British prisons and hulk ships, he's transported to New South Wales to complete his seven year sentence. Morgan is a gifted survivor. Closed upon himself, he maintains a precarious balance between despair and fatalistic acceptance. It's a narrow path, but he manages it successfully. With close attention to details, McCullough uses Richard's tortuous path to display her research into everything from the details of building the famous British "Brown Bess" musket through convict and guard relations. Morgan's trials and incarcerations give McCullough the canvas to portray the Georgian justice system. It's not a pretty picture, but his prosecution and detentions give the author time to build Morgan's emerging character. The loss of two children and a wife might have left a better man hopelessly melancholic, but McCullough uses the pieces of his shattered life to forge a new, stronger being. With the support received from uncles and unexpected friends, he emerges as an unwilling leader among the convicts. His abilities are recognized in the convict ships and settlements, places where artisans were at a premium. After time in Port Jackson [Sydney], he's sent to Norfolk Island where he truly blossoms. Given Norfolk Island's reputation as a convict hell-hole, this came as something of a surprise. Building on his artisan talents, Morgan's role takes a departure, becoming respected among convicts and marine guards alike. In sum, she paints the image of this man too boldly. His stature stands far above lesser mortals in surroundings where such prominence is unlikely. Many years after this story a debate raged in New South Wales over the status of redeemed convicts. No trace of that issue arises with Morgan, who, as a free man assumes a place in Norfolk society with amazing ease. He establishes a property straddling a stream - Morgan's Run. Writing historical fiction presents numerous problems. To establish firm credibility, there must be a realistic mixing real and fictional characters. Today's writers on the early days of Australia as a convict colony tend to elevate their characters above the normal run of society. They're uniformly innocent or dupes. Just once, i'd like to see a portrayal of a real villain transported to Port Jackson. McCullough follows the path set by many good historical novelists - a treasury of research transcribed into a wealth of information. In unskilled hands, such abundance can overwhelm the reader, erode the characters and subdue the plot line. McCullough is anything but unskilled, but in this book her story line is timid and the characters only short of stereotyped. Also, her Australian roots led her away from the consensus view of most writing on the convict colony. Not one of the felons expresses a strong desire to return to Britain. The novelty of the land is expressed clearly, but the homesickness most writers convey is lacking here. It's not even fatalism, just indifference. McCullough is a good read and anyone unfamiliar with the circumstances involved with the transportation of convicts will learn much from this book. As the first volume in a series, it's clear her research will bring forth new and entertaining circumstances. Morgan, only forty years of age at the end of this volume, will certainly find new fields to conquer. I look forward to the sequel, more for its information than from any interest in Morgan, who's bigger than life already.
Rating: 
Summary: Best book in eons!
Review: Thanks Colleen for leaving Rome and writing this wonderful rich story of the first fleet of convicts to come to to Australia. Rich ,deep background info is built in layers so that the storytelling is so descriptive everything is clear as can be in the readers minds eye.
Rating:
Summary: Tim Curry?!??! Oh, my God!!!
Review: THe book is brilliant AND historically correct. I love it and am nearly done with it (pp 475). But I just want to say that if Tim Curry is doing books-on-tape, RUN DON'T WALK to get it! Besides his many fantastic albums and acting roles, he's got the most expressive voice I've ever run across! (His version of "Cold Blue Steel, Sweet Fire" written by Joni Mitchell, provided me the first comprehension of what Ms. Mitchell was actually singing about.) If this is a books-on-tape thing, I have no doubt that Curry can and will utterly blow life into the very interesting plot. I have read all Colleen McCullough's books and she is quite an amazingly good writer (whoa, that end-of-the-world one was fantastic). But, gee, Tim Curry the actor/musician? Wow! Hey, this is just a 30-second commentary from me -- look for the real, thoughtful version later...
Rating:
Summary: Really Enjoyed it...
Review: The first Colleen McCullough book I read was "The First Man in Rome" and I absolutely fell in love with it. I read each subsequent "Masters of Rome" book trying to recapture that love but none of them quite hit the spot. Finally, my perseverance has been rewarded. The only reason I gave "Morgan's Run" four stars is that I'm reluctant to give any book five. I love a book that's packed with detail and Ms. McCullough obviously does an exhaustive amount of research. Richard Morgan was just a good person that you couldn't help but cheer on. Perhaps he is a little too enlightened and kind-hearted to be true but it's a novel, why not. I once more eagerly await Ms. McCullough's next book.
Rating: 
Summary: Good story/Boring read
Review: The jacket cover of Morgan's Run implies that this novel is as sweeping in scope and emotion as "The Thorn Birds". Although the story is wonderful, it's the telling that is stagnant. Instead of a compelling novel of intrigue, emotion and three dimentional characters, this book reads like a dry history chronicle. It tells a story, but lacks the insight to satisfy the reader. Maybe the problem is that the publishers promised a "Thorn Birds" but delivered a 19th century history primer.
Rating:
Summary: "Richard Morgan Went Through A lot"
Review: This book of Colleen McCullough's takes us on a long journey by one man who endured many a hardship in his life, yet his endurance was very strong. Richard Morgan, son of a Bristol tavern-keeper, devoted husband, and loving father, sober and hardworking craftsman. By the machinations of fate and the vagaries of the 18th century English judicial system, he is consigned as a convict to the famous "First Fleet," which set sail, bearing, as an experiment in penology, 582 male and 193 female felons sentenced to transportation, in May of 1787 for the continent that Captain Cook had discovered only a few years earlier. Richard Morgan was a convict who stood out, not only for his strength and his calm determination to let no man bully him, but also for his intellect, fair-mindedness, common sense, and willingness to help others. To these qualities must be added a certain innate dignity that hinted, even at the most terrible conditions, at a life marked by tragedies that would have broken most men. I enjoyed this book pretty well. Some of the parts tended to drag a little bit, but as a whole, it was a very worthwhile read.
Rating:
Summary: A real page turner
Review: This book was so compelling that I read all 600+ pages in less than four days. I didn't get much sleep. Instead, I found myself transported to another time and place. The depth of description and character development had me feeling as if I personally knew Richard Morgan. I felt truly concerned for the outcome of his adventures and outraged at the injustices he suffered. Collen McCullough has hinted that there will be more in the life of her hero, and I, for one, will be anxious to read the next installment. This is a must read for anyone who was thrilled by the immensity of The Thorn Birds.
Rating:
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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