Tommo and Hawk : The Potato Factory Trilogy

Bryce Courtenay has been on my list of favorite authors since I read "The Power of One." He does not disappoint in "Tommo and Hawk." The story of twin boys in Australia, this book enthralls with rich characters and a setting that draws the reader into the early days of European settlement of Australia and New Zealand. The story is filled with historical information, but it is the character development of the twins, their mother, and Maggie Pye that impels the reader through "just one more chapter." Though not as optomistic in tone or outcome as "The Power of One," "Tommo and Hawk" is even more fascinating. The twins, opposites in every respect except their love for each other, survive misadventures and struggle through until an inevitable, but sorrow-filled ending. Captivating reading -- five stars!

I have only read The Potato Factory and this book by BC, and really enjoyed them both. I have to say I found this book to be a bit better than The Potato Factory, mainly because of the humor that is injected. I love how God gets involved in conversations with either Tommo or Hawk - they made me laugh! I also really appreciated the detail which was put into different stories, for example the whale hunting story and the opium situation. I found the detail of the times and the issues of the times to be fascinating, and while I realize it is a 'story', I also believe that a lot of the subjects discussed are actual portrayals of situations that happened during that era (mid 1800's). I highly recommend this book, but only after you have read The Potato Factory, because Ikey is referred to a lot (as are other situations), and to truly appreciate this book, it will help to have read the prequel. Cheers.

Tommo & Hawk continues the story started in the Potato Factory. It further adds to the contention that Bryce Courtenay is the best storyteller since Hemmingway. His depiction of 19th century Tasmania is a triumph. Not only can you feel and almost smell what the characters are experiencing, but his tale is gripping. Whereas The Power of One and Tandia were more on the high brow end of the moral spectrum, the Potato Factory and this novel dig a little deeper into the underbelly of the British Empire. The result is a grittier, more visceral read, that is difficult to put down.

This novel - a sequel to 'The Potato Factory' (a great book, mind you!), is a rollicking tale of 2 unlikely brothers, with a lot of grisly adventure and the typical BC-style of lots of bad things happening that make you really care for the characters and then, gee, things seem to turn out OK in the end (but not without a lot of pain and suffering, thank you Charles Dickens).Nevertheless, I loved this book for all of the 650+ pages that Bryce decided to put into it... Being very critical, I would say that gee yep, this coulda been better and all (as I did not like all of the things that happenend in the end), but it was a great read from one of the best authors in the land of OZ (for this type of literature). He has a great style and command of words that makes you want to know what is going on with the characters, and is very conscious of what is going on at the time as well. No, this is not big time literary stuff, but it is simply GREAT entertainment that won't leave your head and will keep your mind off the othe worries of the world...

I have read the trilogy from the 'Potato Factory' to 'Solomon's Song. My only regret, I read 'Solomon's Song' before I read 'Thommo & Hawk'. The novel, like the others,is absolutely captivating & the reader really becomes part of the 'Abacus' come 'Solomon' family. I would have loved to see another sequel or two. Maybe Bryce has something in mind to continue the Solomon saga. The trilogy was the best I have ever read. Congratulations, Bryce.