The Ghosts of August: Colonial Series Book 6

by Peter Watt

It is 1914, and the storm clouds of war are building on the horizon.

In Sydney, Josiah Steele is the new head of the family and grappling with his two very different sons - David, upstanding, decent and heir to the family enterprises; and Benjamin, wayward, restless and a magnet for trouble. To give Ben some responsibility, Josiah sends him on a trade mission straight into the territory of their soon-to-be enemy.

As war erupts across Europe, its repercussions are felt in the Pacific. Ben and David find themselves caught up in the first Australian action of World War I - the fight to take possession of German New Guinea.

But that is only the start. The brothers will see desperate action across Egypt, Palestine and the terrible killing fields of the Western Front, where the years of war, mud and bloody battlegrounds will forever change the Steele family ...


Praise for Peter Watt

'One of Australia's best historical fiction authors' Canberra Weekly

'An adventure reader's delight ... I was breathless as I read' Central Western Daily

Genres: Historical Fiction

416 pages, Paperback

Published October 29, 2024

About the author

Peter Watt's life experiences have included time as a soldier, articled clerk to a solicitor, prawn trawler deckhand, builder's labourer, pipe layer, real estate salesman, private investigator, police sergeant and adviser to the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary. He has lived and worked with Aborigines, Islanders, Vietnamese and Papua New Guineans.


He speaks, reads and writes Vietnamese and Pidgin - and has a reasonable grasp of the English language. He currently lives in Maclean, on the Clarence River in Northern NSW.

Good friends, fine food, fishing and the vast open spaces of outback Queensland are his main interests in life. He also enjoys SCUBA diving, military history, crosswords (but not the cryptic kind) and teaching.

He is a member of the Australian Institute of Management, the Australian Institute of Training and Development and the Australian Society of Authors.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree (University of Tasmania), Post Graduate Diploma of Training & Development (University of New England) and an Associate Diploma of Justice Administration (Sturt University).

Reviews

[Brendon Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ghosts of August, by Peter Watt: A Panoramic Vision of Australia’s Great War Experience. In the landscape of Australian historical fiction, Peter Watt stands as a towering figure whose works have consistently delivered compelling narratives against the backdrop of the nation’s rich and complex past. His latest offering: The Ghosts of August (the sixth instalment in his acclaimed Colonial series) continues this tradition with remarkable aplomb. Published in late 2024 by Macmillan Australia, this 401-page epic transports readers to the tumultuous period of World War I, where the latest generation of the Steele family confronts the unprecedented horrors of modern warfare while grappling with personal conflicts that mirror the larger global struggle.As a continuation of a multigenerational saga that began with: The Queen’s Colonial in 2018, this novel represents both a culmination of themes developed throughout the series and a bold new direction that reflects Australia’s evolving national identity during one of history’s most transformative conflicts. This review examines the novel’s strengths in characterisation, historical verisimilitude, and narrative technique, while also addressing areas where the work perhaps falls short of its considerable ambitions. Watt employs a multi-perspective narrative structure that has become his signature approach, allowing readers to experience the war through various lenses. The novel primarily follows two brothers—David and Ben Steele—whose divergent personalities and circumstances provide contrasting windows into Australia’s wartime experience. This dual-protagonist approach proves particularly effective in capturing the breadth of Australian involvement in the Great War, from the less-chronicled campaign in German New Guinea to the blood-soaked Western Front and the strategic operations in Palestine and Egypt. The novel’s pacing deserves special mention, too, and Watt masterfully balances action-packed battle sequences with more contemplative passages that explore the psychological toll of warfare. The narrative moves with cinematic fluidity between these modes, creating a reading experience that is both intellectually engaging and emotionally resonant. Particularly effective is his handling of time compression, allowing the novel to span several years of the conflict without losing momentum or sacrificing character development. One of the novel’s greatest strengths lies in Watt’s ability to create visceral, immersive battle sequences that avoid glorifying violence while acknowledging the strange exhilaration that combat can induce. His description of the Australian Light Horse charge at Beersheba, for instance, captures both the tactical brilliance and the terrible human cost of this historic engagement. Similarly, his portrayal of trench warfare on the Western Front evokes all the mud, blood, and desperation without resorting to sensationalism or gratuitous detail. The Steele brothers represent two archetypal Australian figures: David, the cultured and educated officer whose privileged background has prepared him for leadership but not for the moral compromises of war; and Ben, the rough-hewn adventurer whose physical courage and adaptability prove valuable assets in the chaotic environment of combat. Their relationship, strained by rivalry and further complicated by their mutual attraction to a German noblewoman, forms the emotional core of the novel. Watt excels at showing how war transforms these characters, stripping away their preconceptions and forcing them to confront aspects of themselves they had previously denied or repressed. David’s journey from idealistic patriot to battle-hardened veteran is particularly well-rendered, charting his disillusionment with imperial politics and his growing identification with the specifically Australian character of the forces under his command. The supporting cast includes an array of characters from various backgrounds; such as, Australian soldiers of diverse social classes, British officers, German adversaries, and civilians caught in the crossfire. Particularly noteworthy is the German antagonist Kurt Jäger, whose ruthless efficiency and complex motivations transcend simple villainy. Through these characters, Watt explores the war’s impact on different sectors of society and challenges simplistic notions of heroism and enmity. Where the characterisation occasionally falters is in the somewhat predictable development of the Steele brothers themselves. As noted in several reviews, they sometimes read as carbon copies of protagonists from Watt’s previous works, adhering to established patterns rather than emerging as fully individuated personalities. This sense of familiarity, while comforting for long-time readers of the series, somewhat diminishes the novel’s psychological depth and can make certain character arcs feel predetermined rather than organically developed. But the Ghosts of August shines brightest in its meticulous recreation of Australia’s multifaceted contribution to World War I. Moving beyond the well-trodden ground of Gallipoli (which receives relatively brief treatment), Watt illuminates lesser-known aspects of Australian military history, particularly the 1914 expedition to capture German New Guinea—Australia’s first military action of the war. The novel’s historical authenticity extends beyond military engagements to encompass the social and political dynamics of wartime Australia. Watt deftly incorporates period details about the conscription debates, the treatment of German-Australians, and the gradual emergence of a distinct national identity separate from British imperial loyalty. His research is evident but never obtrusive, with historical information seamlessly integrated into dialogue and narrative description rather than delivered through awkward exposition. Watt’s attention to the material culture of the period—from weapons and uniforms to everyday objects and customs—creates a tangible sense of time and place. His descriptions of the Light Horse equipment, for instance, demonstrate an intimate knowledge of military minutiae that enhances the narrative’s credibility without overwhelming the reader with technical specifications. While firmly rooted in its historical setting: The Ghosts of August explores themes that resonate powerfully with contemporary Australian concerns. The gradual disillusionment with British leadership reflects ongoing debates about Australia’s place in the global order and its relationship with traditional allies. The brothers’ divergent paths through the war offer different perspectives on Australian identity—one that looks outward toward international engagement and another that emphasises self-reliance and pragmatism. The novel’s examination of the psychological consequences of combat anticipates modern understandings of post-traumatic stress disorder and moral injury, and portrays with particular sensitivity how soldiers struggled to articulate and process their experiences in an era before such conditions were widely recognised or treated. This aspect of the novel creates a poignant connection between historical experiences and current concerns about veteran welfare and mental health. Perhaps most significantly, Watt explores how war simultaneously unified and divided Australian society. The novel depicts both the surge of nationalist feeling that accompanied Australia’s entry into the conflict and the bitter divisions over conscription, censorship, and the treatment of dissenters. These passages inevitably call to mind contemporary culture wars and debates over national values, suggesting that the search for a coherent Australian identity remains unresolved more than a century later. Watt’s prose style favours clarity and directness over rhetorical flourish, an approach well-suited to his subject matter. His descriptions of landscape are particularly effective, capturing the stark beauty of the Australian outback, the alien terrain of Palestine, and the devastated countryside of France with equal facility. The novel’s dialogue generally rings true to period speech patterns while remaining accessible to contemporary readers, though occasionally characters lapse into exposition that feels more intended for the reader’s benefit than as natural conversation. The author’s restraint in emotional scenes is noteworthy, and rather than indulging in sentimentality, Watt often employs understatement to convey profound feeling, allowing readers to infer the psychological states of characters from their actions and terse exchanges. This approach aligns with the stoic masculine culture of early 20th-century Australia while acknowledging the emotional costs of such repression. Despite its considerable achievements: The Ghosts of August is not without flaws. As mentioned earlier, the characterization of the Steele brothers occasionally feels derivative of previous protagonists in Watt’s oeuvre. This sense of familiarity extends to certain plot developments, which follow patterns established in earlier volumes of the Colonial series. The novel’s treatment of female characters, while improved from some of Watt’s earlier works, remains somewhat limited. Women primarily appear as love interests, grieving mothers, or nurses, with their experiences of the war largely filtered through their relationships with male characters. This represents a missed opportunity to explore how the conflict transformed gender roles and expectations in Australian society. Additionally, while Watt’s portrayal of combat is viscerally effective, his analysis of the war’s political dimensions sometimes lacks nuance. The novel occasionally falls back on conventional narratives about Australian soldiers being let down by British leadership without fully engaging with the complex strategic challenges faced by Allied commanders. This simplification, while emotionally satisfying, somewhat diminishes the historical complexity that the novel otherwise strives to represent. With all that said, The Ghosts of August stands as a significant achievement in Australian historical fiction. It’s a novel which balances narrative momentum with historical authenticity, personal drama with national mythology. Watt’s evident passion for Australian military history infuses every page, creating an immersive experience that educates as it entertains. While the novel may occasionally retreat to familiar character types and narrative patterns, these limitations are outweighed by its vivid recreation of a pivotal moment in Australia’s development as a nation. For readers new to Watt’s work: The Ghosts of August serves as an accessible entry point to his fictional universe, with enough context provided to make the story comprehensible without having read previous volumes. For long-time fans, it offers a satisfying continuation of the Steele family saga while breaking new ground in its exploration of World War I’s impact on Australian society. In an era when historical fiction is increasingly valued for its ability to illuminate neglected perspectives and challenge conventional narratives, Watt’s novel makes a valuable contribution to our understanding of Australia’s past and its relevance to contemporary national identity. The Ghosts of August reminds us that the ghosts of history continue to haunt the present, shaping our collective psychology in ways we are only beginning to comprehend.

[Roger Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

the making of the Anzac legend

Brilliant research and description of a war before I was born
The continuing story of our very brave light horsemen was of particular interest to me as my grandfather and his brother went to the Boer war in the Bushman’s corp of the light horse

[Unseen Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of The Ghosts of August from Pan Macmillan Australia to review.

Rating of 4.25.

Australia’s master of historical fiction, Peter Watt, continues to shine with the latest exciting book in his Colonial series, The Ghosts of August.

1914. The Queen’s Colonial, Ian Steele, is dead, but his family still serve the crown, especially as the threat of war spills across the globe. Ian’s oldest son, Josiah, is now head of the Steele family, and, like his father before him, he has two very different sons to worry about. His oldest son, David, is a canny and cultured young man with the world at his feet, while his youngest son Ben is a wild child, constantly finding trouble and solving it with his fists. However, despite their differences, both David and Ben are about to be caught up in the chaos of war.

Ben, sent away on a secret mission about the family’s boat, inadvertently finds himself trapped in German New Guinea when the war breaks out, where circumstances force him to become a desperate fugitive from the German troops stationed there. David, determined to do his bit, becomes an officer in the Australian army, and finds himself involved in Australia’s attempt to take control of German New Guinea, hoping to reunite with his brother.

However, with petty grievances and the love of a women between them, Ben and David find themselves on different paths as the war progresses. While David finds himself serving as an officer on the Western front, Ben signs up as an enlisted man in the deserts of Palestine. Both brothers will face danger and death the like of which the world has ever seen before, and the desperate battles will rock the Steele family to its very core.

The Ghosts of August was another awesome book from Watt that pits the latest generation of his central family against all the horrors of war, turmoil and history. A great addition to the Colonial series, The Ghosts of August was a very fun and action-packed read that cleverly tied into some fascinating periods of history.

To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2024/12/21/...

An abridged review of this book also ran in the Canberra Weekly on 28 November 2024:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2024/12/21/...

For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/

[Lachlan Drake · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was a gift from grandad, not really my type of book, but it was alright. It's a Wilbur Smith style book centred around World War I from an Australian perspective. I think it's part of a series that follows a family across generations (like Wilbur Smith).

It was interesting to read this kind of book with a focus on Australian history. Supposedly some of the battle scenes are based on the writings of Australian WWI veterans, so that's cool. I also like that it covers some lesser known battles in WWI, e.g. it doesn't cover Gallipoli but explores some early conflict in the Pacific against German colonial forces.

However, overall I found the story wasn't particularly captivating and the characters lacked any kind of depth. The main characters are basically just handsome, athletic, charismatic, strong, smart, rich men that everyone loves and they have no flaws. There's also no real character development throughout the book, even after they've experienced war on the front lines. The only women who are mentioned in the story are love interests for the men, and they don't play any other role. Even the sisters/daughters of the family are barely mentioned by name, while their husbands appear more directly in the story. The battle scenes, although (apparently) historically accurate, were a little confusing and not very exciting. I just wasn't drawn into the story all that much and wasn't very attached to the characters, so when they were in danger or died (spoiler alert) I didn't really care.

Apart from a mild criticism of conscription, the whole vibe of the book is that colonialism is awesome and every Australian should be really patriotic to England. Although we see soldiers dying or returning with injuries, there isn't much of an examination of the impacts of the war, or any deeper commentary on the subject matter.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter Watt’s historical novel, The Ghosts of August, covers the years from 1914 to 1916. The settings are Sydney, Rabaul in Papua New Guinea, France, Germany and the Middle East.

David and Ben Steele, brothers from a wealthy Sydney family, join the Australian army to fight in the First World War. David is sent to France and Ben to the Middle East. David was in Germany visiting a friend before the War began and Ben was in Rabaul pursuing the family’s interests there. Peter Watt is one of those writers in the Michener mould who entertain while enlightening, and for me, having lived in Papua New Guinea but never having been to Rabaul, I was especially interested in that part of the book.

The fighting scenes in the two theatres of war, France and the Middle East, are graphic and at the same time gripping. War in any form, of course, is horrible, disgusting, terrifying, but hand to hand close combat between young men who in other circumstances would have no animosity towards each other is dehumanising as well as heartbreaking. That is how a lot of that war was fought and Peter Watt is unflinching in his representation of it.

The perfect balance for the horrifying reality of the brothers’ experiences in fighting for their country is the telling of the individual stories of their personal lives as well as those of their family and friends and the women they loved. There is equal depth and power in all aspects of the book.

This quote stayed with me: “It was ironic to think that the Kaiser was a cousin of the British King and Russian Czar. This was truly a war between royal European families that was dragging millions of men to their deaths…”

Well done, Mr Watt.

Published by Pan Macmillan

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars out of five.

After the subpar third entry in Peter Watt's latest military/history saga, the two books that followed were great - and so is the World War One epic "The Ghosts of August", which seems to bring the curtain down on the Steele family and their friends, rivals and allies. Set in Sydney, Germany, Rabaul, France, Belgium, Egypt and Palestine, there are plenty of battles, some intrigue and romance, and dastardly villains to take care of.

If this is the last in the saga, Peter Watt has gone out on top. However, it would be a shame if these characters wander off into the literary ether. Either way, excited for whatever Peter Watt turns his hand to next.

[Sally Archer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful well researched and written book. So sad to know it's the last one.

[Graeme · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter Watt has provided his readers with another page turning awesome story. Thanks heaps Peter for the exciting thrills, romance and historical facts in Ghosts of August.

[Chris Klitzing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read from Peter Watt
I love the content that feels to reflect the reality of the dreadful Great War
I look forward to a sequel
Great read 😊😊

[Andrew Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another five star read from Peter Watt, sadly the end of the series,which I enjoyed very much