The White Rajah by Tom Williams

A fictionalised account of true events

In his early thirties, James Brooke retired from the East India Company’s army and is looking for adventure and opportunities in the East. In the 19th century, the Dutch rule trade in the China Sea, but Brooke sees a chance to open trade with Borneo (Malaysia) for the British. The Sultan is at war with rebels and persuades Brooke to lead an army against them. There follows – I can’t call it a battle – it is almost a siege, with the Sultan’s force refusing to engage if there is a risk of death to any of the men. (This was a time when there were still headhunters in Borneo and possibly cannibals.) It made for hilarious reading as Brooke struggled to maintain his sanity. Back he goes to the Sultan with the intention of quitting. To persuade him to stay, the Sultan offers him the lordship of Sarawak and later makes him Rajah.

That is just the beginning of James Brooke’s adventures. He has tribal issues to deal with and pirates who create carnage in peaceful villages.

In this action-packed book, the reader will discover a little-known culture. Love interest is provided by the narrator, who is Brooke’s lover and assistant, John Williamson (fictitious). He cringes at cruelty in war and acts the part of Brooke’s conscience.

I noticed that the author described Brooke as ‘tall’ and in the same paragraph ‘of medium height’. As critiques go, it is a minuscule one – the kind of mistake it is so easy to make. All in all, a splendid book, not terrible gruesome, well-researched and well-written. I enjoyed it.

****

Tom Williams used to write books for business. Now he writes novels set in the 19th century that are generally described as fiction but which are often more honest than the business books. (He writes contemporary fantasy as well, but that’s a dark part of his life, so you’ll have to explore that on your own – ideally with a friend and a protective amulet.)

His stories about James Burke (based on a real person) are exciting tales of high adventure and low cunning set around the Napoleonic Wars. The stories have given him the excuse to travel to Argentina, Egypt, and Spain and call it research.

Tom lives in London. His main interest is avoiding doing any honest work and this leaves him with time to ski, skate and dance tango, all of which (before covid) he thought he did quite well. In between he reads old books and spends far too much time looking at ancient weaponry.

Tom’s blogs appear regularly on his website, https://tomwilliamsauthor.co.uk where you can also find details of all his books. You can follow him on Twitter as @TomCW99 or Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTomWilliams).

The Flower Boat Girl by Larry Feign

I was reluctant to review this book because I know very little about Chinese history and I have never been attracted to it. I am so glad I stepped outside my comfort zone because this is an extraordinary story.

Set in China in the early 19^th century, this epic story revolves around Shek Yang, and the main man in her life, Cheng Yat. Shek Yang was bartered by her father as a child and scrapes a living as a prostitute on a dilapidated boat from the men in the nearby village. One day pirates raid the village when she happens to be there and she is carried off to become a slave. Despite her fighting hard enough to do him an injury, the pirate captain likes her spirit and forcefully makes her his wife. He is taciturn, rough and free with his blows. This is not a love match, but it is a delight to watch these two tough people learn to respect and trust each other.

There is more to Shek Yang than first meets the eye. She knows nothing about piracy or seafaring, but she has an instinctive knowledge of leadership and also knows a thing or two about manipulating men. After she forms a partnership with Cheng, both transcend their humble beginnings and plan to rule the China coast.

A bevy of other pirates and their leaders populate the book and they come in all different shapes, sizes and sorts – a poet among them. All are hard-core, not only fighting for plunder but intriguing against each other. To say it’s a cut-throat world is rather to state the obvious. The pages are packed with action, but the reader gets a breathing space while Shek Yang and Cheng Yat fight each other.

Kudos to the author for research. It can’t have been easy getting information on 19^th century pirates and actually getting in their skin the way he has. He has not softened his pirates. They are authentic and yet we can still cheer them on. I even came to like Cheng Yat.

Violence, sexuality and obscenities are part of the package, but I highly recommended it especially for readers who want something different.

*****