R. M. Ballantyne - Books and biography

Published three years after the hugely popular 'The Coral Island', 'The Gorilla Hunters' is the sequel to the original tale by author R.M. Ballantyne. We are reunited with the young adventurers Ralph,...

Celebrations. Transport. Science lessons. Today, balloons are a casual part of everyday life, noticed but not really considered. Can you imagine a world in which balloons are the newest, most exciting...

Cliff Fort is a smallholding off of the Gulf of St. Lawrence in the Canadian outback. Drawing upon his extensive personal experience, Ballantyne paints a vivid picture of life at the fort and in the wilderness....

'Fast in the Ice' follows the tale of a group of Arctic explorers, whose ship 'Hope' is caught fast in the winter ice of the Arctic. The group must wait out the worst of the cold in the most inhospitable...

First published in 1867, 'Fighting the Flames' by R.M. Ballantyne is set against the backdrop of the busy and newly formed London Fire Brigade. Recent recruit Frank Wilders is proving himself to be something...

Black Ivory is a story about two English castaways that shockingly find themselves amidst a group of truly loathsome slave traders. Although the cast of this narrative is entirely fictional, the numerous...

Miles Milton is a stubborn and strong-willed young man, determined to join the army as soon as he can, much to his father's horror. The pair often clash over the matter and one day, following a particularly...

First published just 6 years after the eruption of Krakatoa, 'Blown to Bits' by Scottish author R.M. Ballantyne is set against the backdrop of this seismic environmental event. Nigel Roy is first mate...

Suddenly fatherless, young Bob Ledbury must find work so he can support himself and his mother. Struggling to find employment, Bob's life changes forever when he meets old Tom Lokins, who recognises the...

Fatherless young Charlie Brooke is a brave and kind character, who is always trying to help others. His mother is struggling to make ends meet, and when Charlie leaves school he must find a way to support...

Jack Robinson is a solitary but adventurous soul, with a lifetime of expeditions behind him. Now middle-aged and settled on a farm in Canada, Jack believes his adventuring days are over. But everything...

'The Lighthouse' is a gripping tale of the relationship between man and sea. Ballantyne spent three weeks holed up on Bell Rock researching and experiencing the life of a lighthouse, and its relationship...

A merchant and his two sons leave Sicily on a voyage, but they are soon interrupted by a pirate from Algiers. When he takes them captive, they must fight not only for their own survival but also to forget...

'A Double Rescue' is a short story that reads in stark contrast to the adventure writing, which Ballantyne is most notorious for. It is an evangelistic tale of a blithe young boy named Jack Matterby who...

When Cheenbuk met an Indian, all that prevented a fight between the two of them was Cheenbuk's limited knowledge of the Indian language. However, when their respective tribes got wind of their interaction,...

First published in 1882 'The Giant of the North' is an imaginative children's adventure tale from prolific Scottish author R.M. Ballantyne. Captain Vane, along with his son Benjamin and nephews Leo and...

When their ship is destroyed at sea, the Rigonda siblings soon find themselves stranded on a deserted coral island. They attack their new lives with gusto and learn essential survival skills. Just as...

This short story follows the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Thorogood as they navigate raising their six children. They end up moving to the Rocky Mountains, and with every twist and turn that their lives take,...

'Erling the Bold' is an historical Viking adventure story by prolific children's author R.M. Ballantyne. Erling is the son of King Haldor of Horlingdal. When the peace of their land is threatened, Erling...

'The Cannibal Islands' is a historical novel by prolific author R.M. Ballantyne. In it, he gives some background to the world-wide explorations of the famous Captain Cook. Ballantyne uses detailed descriptions...

First published in 1887, 'The Big Otter' by prolific author R.M. Ballantyne is one of many of his stories which draws on his own experiences of living and working in remote parts of Canada as a young...

The 'Rover of the Andes' follows a group of travelers as they navigate their way across the wilds of Argentina and Peru. With each surprise, acquaintance, and lesson that their adventure brings, we are...

Talented artist Frank Allfrey is forced to grow up fast when he is orphaned and sent to live with an aloof uncle, who cares little for his artistic passion. Instead, he sends Frank away to California...

First published in 1890, 'The Garret and the Garden' is an adventure story set in the criminal underworld of London by prolific author R.M. Ballantyne. Young Scot David Laidlaw has come to London to seek...

John Jarwin and his faithful dog Cuffy are adrift at sea, half-starved and half-drowned. Though all seems lost, a fateful wind carries the pair to a beach on a desert island, where they grow closer than...

Young Jeff Benson and his elder brother Jacob are left fatherless when their father dies unexpectedly. The tragic event changes the course of their lives forever – and Jeff sets his sights on a life at...

Originally published in 1848, 'Hudson Bay' was author R.M. Ballantyne's first published book. Rather than a story for children, for which he was later best-known, this is his account of his time working...

First published in 1858 'Handbook to the New Gold-Fields' is a fascinating guide by prolific author R.M. Ballantyne to the land of California following the initial gold rush there. In it he describes...

A departure from his usual style, 'Six Months at the Cape' is an adventurous account by author R.M. Ballantyne of a traveller's experiences in South Africa. Through a series of letters to a lady known...

A mysterious man known as the Sandal Wood trader pays a visit to a remote group of settlers living on a small island in the Pacific. Though he insists he is a harmless trader and nothing more, many of...