Rating: 
Summary: A Great tale about Australia
Review: "The Touch" by Colleen McCullough is a really good. Ms. McCullough tells the story of sixteen year old Elizabeth Drummond, a young girl who finds herself marrying Alexender Kinross, a man that she barely knows. The years that follows are filled with pain. This is a great book that has real emotions that draws the reader in and keeps them there wanting to know what happens to Elizabeth and if she will ever find the happiness that she needs.
Rating:
Summary: A Great tale about Australia
Review: "The Touch" by Colleen McCullough is a really good. Ms. McCullough tells the story of sixteen year old Elizabeth Drummond, a young girl who finds herself marrying Alexender Kinross, a man that she barely knows. The years that follows are filled with pain. This is a great book that has real emotions that draws the reader in and keeps them there wanting to know what happens to Elizabeth and if she will ever find the happiness that she needs.
Rating:
Summary: The Touch
Review: Alexander Kinross is a proud Scot who, with his vast store of intelligence, leaves his home at age fifteen, travels around the world, and eventually arrives at the new continent of Australia (New South Wales) and founds a gold-mining town. He makes fortunes, but in order to secure his position in the world, he sends for a young Scottish bride, sixteen-year-old Elizabeth Drummond. Elizabeth was raised in a devout Protestant village where she lived shielded from the outside world, so the move from Scotland to Australia is a tremendous eye-opener, both physically and mentally, for the young girl. From the start, Elizabeth takes a disliking to Alexander, but she performs her duties as a wife. No matter how hard Alexander tries to please his young wife, she is unresponsive, so he turns to his mistress, the seductive Ruby Costevan, for sexual comfort. The Kinrosses live in a grand mansion in the town of Kinross, but Elizabeth is not pleased by the material things that Alexander supplies her. Rather, she seeks someone that she can truly love. "How can I look into those diabolical eyes and tell their owner that he is not the husband I would choose?"
The book continues with daily life and hardships, including the birth of Eleanor (Nell) who is eerily similar to Alexander and poor Anna whose short life is, it itself, a great tragedy. The book poignantly covers a span of about thirty years, chronicling the hopes, the joys, and the misfortunes of the Kinrosses and the people surrounding them. The main characters come alive with rich descriptions and frequent dialogue. Alexander, despite his penchant for material success, is a character to be pitied because he truly realizes his mistakes with Elizabeth years into the marriage, and by then, Elizabeth has already given her heart away to someone. Although Elizabeth sometimes strikes me as meek, she bears so much suffering before she finally attains true happiness near the end of the novel. If the reader does not find their lives interesting, there are also Nell, Anna, and Ruby's illegitimate son Lee whose stories can be a book in its own. Nell is too intelligent for her own good and strives to be a doctor, and Anna's life is cursed from the beginning. Lee is the handsome half-Chinese son whose heart is embroiled in a moral struggle.
There are some sections of the book that are downright dry and uninteresting. They are mainly the parts about historical events, but skipping the sections do not detract from the overall effect of the book.
The Touch is an emotional saga that focuses on the interwining of the Kinrosses and the Costevans. Some chapters are a bit verbose, but as a whole, I found this book to be an enjoyable read. There are cheerful moments, and there are heart-breaking moments. I hope the reader enjoys tracing their turbulent lives as much as I did.
Rating:
Summary: Pure Colleen McCullough
Review: Anyone who has read a Colleen McCullough book published in the last 20 years knows that they are full of rich details and well rounded characters. The Touch is no exception. There are no surprises here for her fans, only awe at her vast knowledge. This book is full of references and subtleties that any fan should recognize. Nell's geniuses as a baby parallels Caesar's young years. Andrew's uncanny ability to succeed and drive to conquer can also be compared to Caesar's dive and desire to be First Man in Rome. Ruby is a descendant of the hero and heroine form Morgan's Run. Even the in-depth technical descriptions can be no surprise. Whether on a Roman battle field (Master's of Rome Series), in the hull of a dilapidated ship hauling it's cargo of convicts to found a new country (Morgan's Run), Ms. McCullough never researches a subject halfway. The Touch is no less thorough with the evolution of the Labor Movement and the technologies of the day. Again we are made to wonder at such vast knowledge. The Touch is a wonderful story of human relationships. We never ask the characters to apologize for their shortcomings but we are taught to accept them, even admire them for their ability to adapt to the situations into which they are thrown. This book is a must read for all Colleen McCullough fans. I give it 4 out of 5 stars only because it is not Rome.
Rating: 
Summary: A Disappointment
Review: As an avid fan of THE THORN BIRDS, I guess I was hoping for too much when I purchased and read this novel. All I can say is that it was a disappointment. There was far too much detail about steam engines and gold mining, and not nearly enough detail about interpersonal relationships. Some parts of the book were quite unbelievable, such as Alex traveling all over the world (literally)as a very young man in the 1800's. I am not at all sure that is realistic. Also, the ending was horribly predictable and again, unrealistic. This could have been SO much better. I've decided to give up on Ms. McCullough's novels in the future... Yet it was not a total waste of time, there were parts that were quite interesting and readable. On the whole however, a disappointment.
Rating: 
Summary: AN EPIC NOVEL ADMIRABLY READ
Review: Australian writer Colleen McCullough (author of the memorable "Thorn Birds") has crafted another epic novel sure to win hearts. Her characters are once again compelling drawn, and commendably intriguing. Voice performer Jenny Sterlin gives admirable voice to this century spanning story. Protagonist Alexander Drummond is a complex individual and larger than life (perfect for the big screen). Never having known his real father he runs away from his home in Scotland to escape his cruel step-father. He was only fifteen, little knowing that the hurts of his childhood would drive him to become one of the wealthiest men in the world. Just prior to his 30th birthday fate takes him to Sidney, Australia, when that country is experiencing a gold rush. He strikes it rich once again, and builds an opulent mansion atop a mountain. He has begun a torrid affair with the rough but beautiful Ruby Costevan, madam of a local brothel. This is a woman Alexander deeply loves but knows he can never marry. Instead he dispatches a sum of money to one of his uncles in Scotland, asking that the man send a daughter in return. Enter young, lovely and obedient Elizabeth whom he quickly marries. It's a union bound to fail, bring only unhappiness to both and bearing heavily upon their offspring as well as Ruby's son. Colleen McCullough once again proves just what an extraordinary writer she is with "The Touch," a story all will be drawn into and few will forget. - Gail Cooke
Rating:
Summary: AN EPIC NOVEL ADMIRABLY READ
Review: Australian writer Colleen McCullough (author of the memorable "Thorn Birds") has crafted another epic novel sure to win hearts. Her characters are once again compelling drawn, and commendably intriguing. Voice performer Jenny Sterlin gives admirable voice to this century spanning story. Protagonist Alexander Drummond is a complex individual and larger than life (perfect for the big screen). Never having known his real father he runs away from his home in Scotland to escape his cruel step-father. He was only fifteen, little knowing that the hurts of his childhood would drive him to become one of the wealthiest men in the world. Just prior to his 30th birthday fate takes him to Sidney, Australia, when that country is experiencing a gold rush. He strikes it rich once again, and builds an opulent mansion atop a mountain. He has begun a torrid affair with the rough but beautiful Ruby Costevan, madam of a local brothel. This is a woman Alexander deeply loves but knows he can never marry. Instead he dispatches a sum of money to one of his uncles in Scotland, asking that the man send a daughter in return. Enter young, lovely and obedient Elizabeth whom he quickly marries. It's a union bound to fail, bring only unhappiness to both and bearing heavily upon their offspring as well as Ruby's son. Colleen McCullough once again proves just what an extraordinary writer she is with "The Touch," a story all will be drawn into and few will forget. - Gail Cooke
Rating:
Summary: McCullough has lost "The Touch".
Review: Colleen McCullough confuses me. I simply cannot fathom how the same author can write a literate, enthralling work such as "The Thornbirds", and a failed Barbara Bradford style "The Touch".
Of course, Ms. McCullough has been confusing me for most of her career. Like most readers, I first became aware of her through "The Thornbirds" which became one of my all-time favorite books over 25 years ago. After reading that monumental bestseller, I (like many other readers) looked for other works by McCullough. "Tim" was no "Thornbirds" but at least was literate. The "First Man in Rome" trilogy was well-written, well researched and densely plotted, but (at least for me) a bit hard to follow since so many character's names were so similar.
Looking at the list of McCullough's other titles, I realize I stopped reading her until last year's "Morgan's Run". That was a fairly enjoyable book, but certainly showed none of "The Thornbirds" brilliance.
Now comes "The Touch", touted on it's cover as another "Thornbirds", since it is a 2 generation family saga set in Australia. Well, ok, they do have that much in common. McCullough even goes so far as to plagiarise herself in one of the 2nd generation's characters. But, really, that is as far as the resemblance goes.
"The Touch" follows Scottish emigree Alexander Kinross, his "pig in a poke" bride Elizabeth, and his mistress Ruby Costevan, as well as their various offspring. The characterisation is rather thin; Elizabeth is repeatedly referred to as fey by the other characters, yet as written she never seems to give any indication of otherworldliness, Lee, Ruby's son, is too perfect, and the choices made by the protagonists often seem out-of-character. The plot is more tame romance than saga, & is more than a tad predictable. Greatest of sins in historical novels, the research is scattershot; page 33, which takes place in 1872, has Alexander saying "The cliffs are early Triassic sandstone laid atop Permian coal measures, under which lie the granites, shales & limestones of Devonian & Silurian times. The very tops of some of the mountains to the north are a thin layer of basalt poured out of some massive volcano-the Tertiary icing on the Triassic cake...!" All very impressive, except those names of geologic ages were not in use in 1872.
The greatest fault of "The Touch" is it's writing. McCullough seems to have lost the touch (pun intended) exhibited in "The Thornbirds". This book simply isn't engrossing, it isn't particularly intelligent, and it's characters never assume lives of their own in the readers minds. All of which makes me wonder if McCullough has been allowing an assistant or ghost-writer to do her writing for her in recent years.
Rating:
Summary: Splendid!
Review: Colleen McCullough's saga "The Touch" traces the adventures of Alexander Kinross as he leaves Scotland to make his fortune. Alexander travels to California during the end of the nineteenth century gold rush and earns a small fortune. He returns to Scotland to find a 'suitable' wife only to be rebuffed by one of the same men who forced him to leave. A restless man by nature, Alexander sets out again to retrace the steps of his namesake, Alexander the Great, believing that this will somehow empower Alexander Kinross with his own greatness. Eventually his travels lead him to Australia where mining is just starting to flourish. Here he establishes an extremely profitable goldmine and himself as the great man he believes he is. Yet Alexander is still tormented by his heritage and those that spurned him for it. He sends again to Scotland for a wife and this time sent a 'proper', young bride. However, Alexander's wife, Elizabeth, has to contend with the life Alexander has already built in Australia. A life which includes Alexander's mistress and her son as well as Alexander's obsession with his heritage and unquenched desire for a male heir. Alexander continues to amass wealth at an unfathomable rate for he has 'the touch' - the golden touch of his more apt namesake, Midas. But, like Midas, his touch when it comes to personal affairs is less than golden. This beautiful and sometimes heart wrenching love story is told with a great flourish of detail and emotional insight. Just as in her famous novel "The Thorn Birds", McCullough manages to bring passion to history and create a truly fascinating work.
Rating: 
Summary: Superheroes settle in Victorian Australia
Review: Having consumed the author's previous novels, including the Rome series, it is with great regret that I review this book. It was absolutely horrible. Character developement relied on Superhero prototypes for substance. Super infant speaks in complete sentences! Man able to taste and smell gold becomes rich! Exotic nursemaid able to leap tall buildings in a single bound! You get the idea. The story centers around Alexander, who at the mature age of 19, leaves behind an established career as a self taught engineer in Scotland to sniff out huge amounts of gold in California. Next, he makes his way East on a gold-laden pack mule,(what was that whole Honoria Brown section about?) and eventually returns to Scotland in triumph to seek out a child bride...yawn... He subsequently travels the world, following in the footsteps of his 'namesake' Alexander the Great,ending up in Australia at the ripe old age age of 28. Once there, he sets about creating his own gold rush with the help of the immigrant Chinese population. Oh, there's more. I just can't bear to recount it here.
This is just a sample of the ridiculous plot lines we are expected to follow. I can't even begin to discuss the relationship scenarios that go on. This novel would have worked better as a comic book!! It was embarrassing to read. I wonder if the author had a clause in her contract allowing her to publish without editorial approval. After a long and wonderful career, Colleen seems to have lost "The Touch".
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