A NEW ZEALAND" NOVEL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 88, 13 April 1892, Page 3

A NEW ZEALAND" NO VEL.

Auckland Stah : The reviewer sitting down to Mr Torn Cottle's New Zealand novel, "Frank Melton's Luck," bus tho wind rather taken out of hie Bails by tho author himself in the preface. That gentleman statee that his aim has been a roalietic and truthful description of station life In New Zealand together with a faithful depiction of 'tho historical incidents woven into itlio story ; and in this ho has already been credibly informod that ho has achieved success. When a man • believes in his success—and Mr Cottle evidently does —there is little to bo said. Ha is pleased, and it would bo ungracious ito interfero with that pleasure. It niusb nob be understood by thia that we ditfor troin Mr Cottle's kindly critics. "Frank Melton's Luck " is an unassuming readable story of station life, with some oxcitine war incidents worked in. The characters of the .book are firmly drawn, and the author has a fucile pen, a pleasant fancy, and shows every now and then a facility for descriptive writing and word pictures. Tho same sort of story has boon told fairly often before, bub Mr" Cottlo tells it in a now way, and has one advantage over several authors whose names are better known—that he has had acknowlodgo of what he was writing ahout. Frank appears to ua a sufficiently pleaeaut young fellow, and, all things considered, he is an interesting one. Ho has a decidedly susceptible heart, and falls in love oe often as practicable before ho meets his special affinity, Fanny by name, on board the steamer on the way from Manukau Heads to Wangauni. She turns oub to be his cousin, and the course of true love does nob run by any means einooth. A porfectly outrageous cad named Grosvenor is the principal stumblingblock in Mr Frank's way. This young epiig of the aristocracy is most certainly as contemptible a porsonage as it has been our privilege to come across. Mr Cottle is very successful over the character, but it vrne surely stretching a point to make tho young man talk the language of the lower classes. Even a baroneb'e eon would scarcely talk about the "likes of us." A description of a cattle muster is very realistic and distinctly diverting. Ib is, moreover, very true to life, as many a cadet could tell. Poor Frank gets unmercifully chaffed about hia croppers, and the usual incidents of a muster when new chums are about are graphically described. Tho description of the war at Patea and tho death of Yon Tempsky are about tho best specimens of fine descriptive writing in a book that Iβ by no moans deficient in good descriptions. A capital idea is given of the Thames gold fever, and of the doings on the Auckland Mining Exchange in the good old days. The book Iβ throughout, in fact, full of vivid pictures of New Zealand life. Few of the conditions are changed so much or so long that it could not be said that many of the characters, espeoially the minor oues co cleverly introduced, are veritable portraits. One thing ie certain, Mr Cottle has written a book that ie faithful and true. It is also interesting and amusing, and equally so to the old settler, his aona and daughters, or the new arrival who wishes to know what sort of place ho has come.to. The book can be obtained from all stationers and booksellers throughout New Zealand. Price, Is.