Hell Bay

by Sam Llewellyn

"Hell Bay" first published in 1980, is a story of romance and adventure set in the early 18th century, that sweeps from the Isles of Scilly and the violent seas that surround them to the gold fields of North Carolina.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

496 pages, Paperback

First published June 12, 1981

About the author

Sam Llewellyn is a British author of literature for children and adults.

Reviews

[Janice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent story but a bit of an arduous read. Nearly gave up half way, put it down for a couple of weeks, then decided to persevere as I wanted to know what the big reveal at the end was going to be. In hindsight I should have read the first third and then skipped to the last three chapters. Some great one liners and a writing style that would have an English teacher in seventh heaven.

[Pattie]

Unfinished

[Tony Fitzpatrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of those books I should have read years ago - I have seen it time and time again in the bookshop and other outlets on the Isles of Scilly over 23 years, where apparently over 100,000 copies have been sold since 1981. Written by a cousin of Robert Dorrien Smith, the lease holder of Tresco (and descendent of Augustus Smith, the "Emperor of Scilly" in the 19th century). It concerns an Irish Doctor, Nick Power, who in 1829 to escape a framed murder charge flees to America, and ends up shipwrecked on Scilly. He briefly becomes part of the local community, gets mixed up in smuggling and is forced to flee again, this time really getting to America, where he makes his fortune. He eventually returns to Scilly, where Smith is now installed as "Emperor", and reunites with his lost love. She however cheats on him with Smith, and he goes back to Ireland to face his accusers, discovering he is the bastard son of an Irish Lord, succeeding to the fortune, and vowing to use his experience to treat his tenants with kindness and compassion. The story is told through flashback to Power's childhood and the events in Dublin, and interspersed with the narrative of the story following his shipwreck.

If it wasn't (partially) set on Scilly I have am not sure I would have stuck with it, but I am glad I did. A little long (500 pages) and unbalanced, the last 10% of the book cover most of the plot action with everything settled in the last few pages. 19th century Scilly and the hardships people faced are however described very well. Smith is portrayed as a tyrant, but one who has the interests of the Islands at heart (although few of them appreciate it). The relationship between Nick Power and his best friend, Michael Fitzpatrick, goes through twists and turns, although eventually Fitzpatrick gets his just desserts for framing and cheating Power.

Hell Bay is on the west side of the island of Bryher, and can be very stormy in the winter, reputedly being a common place for shipwrecks to be washed up. I only ever see it in the calm Summer however when it tends to be very calm!

[Johnwiltshire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book in Mumford's on St Mary's, where I recently spent a 2-week holiday. And it certainly helps to have been to Scilly when you're reading it: I could so easily see Tresco and the other islands as I was reading.

So what of the book itself? I have 2 main criticisms of it. First, that it's very over-written in places, especially at the beginning, and I found it hard to get into, despite knowing all the places referred to.

Secondly, it's too long, especially the American section (same as Martin Chuzzlewit). Fifty pages or so could easily have been removed without doing any damage to the integrity of the story.

But it's historically accurate, and avoids the trap of books like Perfect, where you get passages along the lines of 'As I was playing on my BBC computer and drinking Watney's Pale Ale, I watched Blakes 7 on my Bugh black and white television...' You know the sort of thing!

For a great read, buy it and enjoy it - and whatever you do, go to Scilly!!

[Pete · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sprawling epic of a novel - ranging from the high society of Ireland to the Scilly Isles, to the gold bearing hills of the Rockies and back. Llewellyn has written a monster of a book. I loved the descriptions of the Scillies, and the attitudes and fears of a generation brought up in times of great social upheaval. The story trots along, never getting stale. If you like his other stuff, this is another Llewellyn cracker.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great story and had me totally captivated until the last chapter when it all seemed to get wrapped up to fast as if the author had run out of time and for me some of the endings were just too depressing.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pirates and shipwrecks and a mysterious Island with people who are not what they seem to be.....a rollicking good read. The icing on the cake: besides being a good storyteller, Llewellyn is a GOOD writer; his descriptions are effective without being tedious.