A NEW ZEALAND NOVEL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 77, 31 March 1892, Page 3

A NEW ZEALAND NOVEL.

Auckland Star : The reviewer flitting down to Mr Tom Cotrle's New Zealand novel, "Frank Melton's Luck," has the wind rather luken out of hi? -nils by the author himself in the preface. That gentleman states that his aim has been n realistic and truthful description of station life in Now Zealand together with a faithful depiction _of the historical incidents woven into the story ; and in this he has already been credibly informed that he has achieved success. When a man believes in hia success—and Air Cottle evidently does—there is littlo to be said. Ho is pleased, and it would bo ungracious to interfero with that pleasure. It must not be understood by thus that wo differ tromMr Cobtlo's kindly critice. "Frank Mcl ton's Luck " is an unasßUming readable story of station lifo, with some excitinc war incidents worked in. The characters of the book ire firmly drawn, and the author has a fncilo pen, a pleasant fancy, and shows every now and then a facility for descriptive writing and word pictures. Tho eamo sort of story has been told fairly often before, but Mr" Cotfcle tells it in a new way, and line one advantage over several authors wheso names are better known—that he has had acknowledge ot what he was writing ahout. Frank appears to us a sufficiently pleasant young fellow, and, all things considered, he ia au interesting one. He has a decidedly susceptible heart, and falls in love ns often as practicable bofore he meets hia special affinity, Fanny by name, on board the steamer on the way from Mauuk&U Heads to Woncoani. Sho turns out to be his ccuain, and the course of true love does not run by any means smooth. A perfectly outrageous cad named Groevenor is tho principal stumblingblock in Mr Frank's way. This young spiig of the aristocracy is most certainly as contemptible a personage as it haa been our privilege to come acroES. Mr Cottle is very successful over the character, but it was surely stretching n point to make tho young man talk the language of the lower classes. Even a baronet's son would scarcely tulk about the •' likes of us." A description of a cattle muster is very realistic and distinctly diverting. It is, moreover, very true to lifo, as many a cadet could tell. Poor Frank }_'ets unmercifully chafl'ed about hie croppers, and the usuul incidents of a muster when now chums nro about are graphically det-rribed. The description of the war at Patea und (.he death of Yon Tempsky are about the best specimens of tine descriptive writing in a book that is by no meune deficient in good descriptions. A capital idea if given of the Tharnee gold fever, and of the doings on tho Auckland Mining Exchange in the tfood old days. The book is throughout, in fact, full of vivid pictures of New Zealand life. Few of the conditions are changed so much or co long that it could not bo said that many of the characters, especially the minor ones so cleverly introduced, are veritable portraits. One thing is certain, Mr mottle has written a book that is faithful and true. It is aleo interesting and amusing, and equally so to the old eettler, his eons and daughters, or the new arrival who wishes to know what sort of place ho has come to. The book citn be obtained from all stationers and booksellers throughout New Zealand. Price, Is.