'The River of Dreams, is the epic saga of the dislocation of tens of thousands of people, to lands far away from all they have previously known; a result of the Industrial Revolution in the early 1800's. The story begins in 1832 and follows the fortunes of several families. Barnaby Essington, the second son of the Earl of Waldringham and his family, are encouraged to emigrate to the Swan River Colony. They will be financially assisted in their relocation, by his father, the Earl. Barnaby's brother Edmund, has an abiding hatred of his younger brother, involving Barnaby's wife Alice and is glad to see then go. It is different for the impoverished Marsh family, who lost their livelihood at the flax mill. Now homeless and destitute, they are thrown a lifeline, by becoming indentured servants to the Essington's. Sarah Royston, the spoiled, wilful daughter of the newly appointed Advocate General, Sir Gilbert Royston, will shock the colony with her scandalous activities. And what of the sad, beautiful aristocratic Isla, desperately in love with an indentured servant. From the outset the voyage is far from routine, when an unknown body is discovered in the hold, together with two young stowaways fleeing the crime ridden slums of London's docklands. If the emigrants thought the hardships on the voyage were harsh, life in the new colony will throw up even more challenges, including desperate encounters with the Aboriginals. Can such a disparate group survive the challenges and prosper?' (Publication summary)
