This Thing Of Darkness
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More About the Author
Product Description
David Roche, Product Director, Waterstones
'Adventure, discovery and a heaped spoonful of learning are all here in this highly enjoyable and rewarding read'
Bernard Cornwell, author of The Last Kingdom, The Pale Horseman, and the Richard Sharpe series
Perhaps the best historical novel I have read…A stunning achievement of imagination and story-telling. A masterpiece.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
29 of 29 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This Thing of Darkness is an engrossing account of two protagonists, Robert Fitzroy and Charles Darwin from their early days together on The Beagle, spanning over thirty years. Harry Thompson has created a fascinating book that evokes the spirit of their adventures, their regular debates and philosophy that led them to develop their scientific thinking further in their careers and the history of the people they encountered. Based on historical fact, the conversation and description is effectively blended in to make an enthralling read. I was amused to note the authors postcript on how he used words from Tony Blair in a monologue by an Argentinian dictator.
It's not a dry, boring biography but completely fascinating. I was enthralled from start to finish.
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is a wondeful book tracing the intertwining lives of Charles Darwin and Robert FitzRoy. It has everything. FitzRoy was the brilliant captain of the Beagle, who shared a cabin with Darwin for 5 years whilst his ship was charting out new maps of the South Atlantic for the Admiralty. Darwin's "discoveries" and heretical views challenged everything that Fitzroy believed in. The book covers religious arguments and bigotry. It tells of racial experiments when natives were brought to England to be "civilised" and then sent back. It also describes the effects of depression. At the end of his career Fitzroy studied weather patterns and was the father of modern metereology. His storm forecasts saved thousands of lives. A taste of things to come - Britain conceived the idea but the Americans actually took it up and developed it.
Altogether a great read. I could not put the book down on holiday. Friends who have also bought the book have been similarly enthused.
Altogether a great read. I could not put the book down on holiday. Friends who have also bought the book have been similarly enthused.
57 of 59 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is one of the few books that I would read again. At first glance, Harry Thompson may not seem the obvious choice to write a novel about Charles Darwin and Robert FitzRoy - his c.v. reads more like a Who's Who of British television comedy of the 1990's (he produced 'Have I Got News For You' Harry Enfield etc...). However this meticulously researched novel is both entertaining and intellectually satisfying. Thompson not only gives a faithful and utterly compelling account of the lives of FitzRoy and Darwin, but also tackles the biggest issue of all.
This is not just a novel of ideas, but also one of action in which the narrative is driven forward by the extraordinary events experienced by the crew of the HMS Beagle. My favourite aspect of this novel is the wonderful sense of place. Apparently Harry Thompson travelled to all of the places described in this novel and it shows. His descriptions of the desolate landscape of Tierra del Fuego are incredibly evocative.
This is a wonderful novel, but don't just take my word for it. I've met several people who have read this book and they all loved it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Cannot be recommended too strongly
Alas Harry Thompson is dead and so will not have the chance to repeat the triumph of what was his first novel the main part of which focuses on the voyage of the Beagle,... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mr. A. J. Downs
Epic
"This Thing of Darkness" is a phrase from Shakespeare's The Tempest, and refers to the savage / the native. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Z de MC
An engrossing history
This Thing Of Darkness is a fictionalised re-telling of the real life journey of Darwin and Fitzroy on the Beagle. Everyone's heard of Darwin. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mrs Black Cat
This Thing of Darkness by Harry Thompson
This is a fascinating fictionalised biography of Robert FitzRoy who captained the Beagle, the ship on which Darwin sailed and during which voyage he conceived his theory of natural... Read more
Published 3 months ago by A. M. Beattie
Rich and brilliant storytelling
I loved this book! Set between 1828 and 1865, it tells the moving story of Captain Robert Fitzroy, the brilliant young naval officer who captains the Beagle on which Darwin... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Roman Clodia
This Thing of Darkness
Bought after reading reviews on bookgrouponline.com where there were a lot of recommendations and although a long book it keeps your attention very well. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Nickl
This Thing of Darkness by Harry Thompson
I really enjoyed this book much to my surprise!
About Captain Robert Fitzroy, (a man plagued by what would be called today Bipolor disorder )commisioned by the government to... Read more
About Captain Robert Fitzroy, (a man plagued by what would be called today Bipolor disorder )commisioned by the government to... Read more
Published 6 months ago by P. A. Cunningham
Great book
This is one of the best books I have read in years, every person I have lent it to (and there have been many) all agreed.
Published 7 months ago by James
This Thing of Darkness - not Light Reading
This excellent and gripping book arrived very quickly and has been my recent bedtime read. It arrived quickly and safely. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Fred Shaub
Evolution of Harry Thompson's first novel - a great species
With eighty-eight reviews, it would be slightly arrogant to believe I have anything new to add to the conversation other than my approval, which I give with only a slight... Read more
Published 9 months ago by RR Waller
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