Batavia Audiobook (Unabridged)

" It's a fantastic story. The style of the book is more tabloid than historical novel, but the author is forthright about the liberties taken in telling the tale, so it's up to the reader whether to proceed. Having done so, it's an entertaining read. The 'blokey' style sometimes crossed the line and made me cringe a little, but it's a great book for a long plane trip. "

" Well written story or a scary piece of history "

" Being Dutch, living in Surabaya and counting Australians among my new friends, who incidentally have started me on an exploration of Australian authors, I was absolutely enthralled by this book. What an amazing reconstruction of a bonechilling story. "

" This is one of the best books I've ever read. Gripping! I couldn't put it down. This will surely be made into a major motion picture and it will be an epic blockbuster on the order of Braveheart and the Titanic. "

" A very detailed recounting of the story of the Batavia, its sinking off the WA coast and the horrors the survivors encountered at the hands of the ship's mutineers. There were a few times when the use of Dutch words with their English translation in the same sentence, rather than as a footnote, interrupted the flow of the prose which was distracting. Also distracting was the use of third person and then first person diologue and most especially the use of modern phrases. "

" Not normally a fan of non fiction but found this absorbing, thrilling and muderous tale a fascinating expose of a period of history I might not have otherwise bothered with. "

" Wonderfully written book but a true artist. Very hard to put down and you find yourself craving to get back to it. An excellent read! "

" Terrific book about a little known part of Australian history. If you didn't know it was a true story you would question how all this could happen to one group of people. "

" A very satisfying book. I don't remember where I have read this tale before, but I thought before I started the book that I would find myself a bit impatient with its retelling. Not so. "

" Waaaaay too folksy and modern in his writing, sometimes very irritating, but a rollicking yarn all the same!!! "

" A tale that is hard to believe, it is so brutal. Very readable as usual for Peter Fitzsimmons, but it reads like he spoke it into a voice recorder. "

" Great book. Very well written by peter FitzSimons and tells a story about one of Australia's least known massacres. Chilling story about what really happened. Highly recommend. "

" A rollicking yarn which combines the fascinating story of the Dutch East India company with mutineers, murder and mayhem - all true history and just off the coast of Australia. "

" I found this book very compelling once I started it being able to relate to the topography of the area in which they were marooned. "

" Took a while to set the scene but I really enjoyed this book. Have been interested in the Batavia story since learning about it at Primary School and it was great to learn more about the times and context of the voyage. "

" Fitzsimons is a master storyteller! He brings history to life! "

" An amazing historical story that shouls be as well known to Aussie's as the Ned Kelly story. Full of tradegy, blood shed, heros and villians. Loved it! "

" An account of a shocking event in history which reveals the darkest side of human nature. "

" I have never read one of Peter Fitzsimons works before. After listening to this rollicking tale of shipwreck, betrayal, bloodthirsty violence that manages to evoke so many different emotions, I will certainly be seeking them out. "

" a very enjoyable book.. author did a great job of fleshing out the story of the Batavia. "

" Absorbing description of the rather macabre events of Batavia and those who sailed in her "

" Movie in the making. Director: Peter Weir. "