Product Description

There was once a village bred by evil. On the barren coast of Cornwall, England, lived a community who prayed for shipwrecks, a community who lured storm-tossed ships to crash upon the sharp rocks of their shore. They fed and clothed themselves with the loot salvaged from the wreckage; dead sailors' tools and trinkets became decorations for their homes. Most never questioned their murderous way of life.

Then, upon that pirates' shore crashed the ship The Isle of Skye. And the youngest of its crew members, 14-year-old John Spencer, survived the wreck. But would he escape the wreckers? This is his harrowing tale.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #44250 in Books
• Published on: 1999-11-09
• Released on: 1999-11-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

From Publishers Weekly
"With this minutely observed picture of maritime life in 1799 Cornwall, Lawrence gives a nod to Robert Louis Stevenson. A fast-paced, atmospheric yarn that will have adventure buffs glued to their seats," said PW in a starred review. Ages 10-up. (Nov.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 6-9AIn this novel set in 1799, 14-year-old John Spencer of London falls in love with life at sea on his first voyage as a passenger on his father's merchant sailing ship. He can't bear to think about plans for his desk-bound future in the family business. The young man's dreams and disappointments must be set aside when a furious storm claims the vessel and its crew. Washed onto a Cornish beach, John at first seems incredibly lucky, but soon finds that the ocean has delivered him into danger. The nearby village of Pendennis supports itself communally through the practice of "wrecking": tricking vessels onto the lethal coastal rocks, then looting the remains. However, the goods cannot be claimed if there are any survivors. As John uses his wits and his few sympathizers to plan an escape, he learns that his father may also be alive. He must overcome ever more perilous challenges if he is to save the man from a dreadful captivity. Though most of the exciting, fast-paced action occurs on land, this is really a sea story in the grand tradition of sailors' yarns, full of cliffhanging moments and well-drawn, colorful characters. The author expertly weaves maritime lingo and details into the narrative, creating an entertaining and engrossing nautical adventure.AStarr E. Smith, Marymount University Library, Arlington, VA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews
Although it lacks the epochal resonance of the 19th-century adventure yarnse.g., Treasure Islandthat inspired it, this old- fashioned thriller has enough action, plot twists, and eerie melodrama to satisfy young enthusiasts of the genre. Lawrence's first novel opens in 1799; a storm rages and a ship is lured onto the rocky Cornwall coast by those who live off the plunder of wrecked ships. John, who was sailing home after his first trading voyage with his merchant father, is apparently the only survivor. Hunted by the ruthless wreckers, he is protected by Simon Mawgan, whom he believes to be their secret leader, and befriended by Mawgan's niece, Mary. When John discovers that his father is alive and held prisoner, he must try to rescue him without knowing who can be trusted to help. Lawrence stirs up all the essential elements: page-turning prose, ghostly legends, grisly danger, a storm-tossed coast, and a rousing lightning-lit finale. He also includes well-defined characters, from greedy and black-hearted murderers to noble youngsters, and a powerfully charming man who may or may not be a friend. A rousing debut that may inspire readers to acquaint themselves with Stevenson's works. (Fiction. 10-15) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Customer Reviews

Thrilling adventure
Seventh grade English teacher here. I was looking for some extra reading to follow up a class read of Treasure Island. Although some of my students would have difficulty with the language in The Wreckers, I know many of them would love it. I was intrigued with the way Lawrence cast suspicion on all the characters so I didn't know who was trustworthy and who intended evil. In fact, I almost sneaked a peak at the end of the book because I was ao anxious to find out how the story ended. I'm planning to add this title to my classroom library.

Great story but...too much technical terminology
Fifth grade teacher here: I read this on recommendation from another adult and I admit that the plot is tense, exciting and makes you want to read more! HOWEVER, there are long passages where a person could be discouraged by amount of sailing and seafaring terms that are foreign to the rest of us. There are sections where I just checked out -- I couldn't pick up what exactly was going on because there was too much technical lexicon -- I don't know what jibs, mizzens and such are. Another curious aspect of the author's craft is how he gives juicy description to locations, but rushes through extraordinary plot events. The moors are given paragraphs of description, yet in a blink of an eye a person is murdered and the characters move on. It was unsettling and made me re-read sections again to be sure I'd gotten it. Try this book if you like sailing, pirates, old sea stories. Be prepared for the difficult vocabulary. Not a good read aloud for kids without a lot of words in their lexicon.

Has the feel of a classic.
"The Wreckers" is the first of a series of adventure books for "young people." I'm not a member of the "young people" set anymore, but I still found it an enjoyable read. The author sets the mood and sense of place very well. The locale and the action are easy to see in the reader's mind. In fact, the whole story provides excellent fodder for the imagination. But it's NOT pretty. This is some scary stuff. It could have been a little longer to explain things more thoroughly, but I can understand wanting to keep it clipped short to move things along. I suggest that if you buy it for your "young people" you sneak a peek at it yourself!