Echoes from the Past

The Brigandshaw Chronicles, Book 1

By: Peter Rimmer

Narrated by: Alex Bhat

Length: 16 hrs

Publisher's summary

Love, happiness, family. All he could ever wish for. Until it's violently ripped from him?

England 1887: Young Sebastian Brigandshaw and Emily Manderville share a secret love. Sebastian, born to opulence, and Emily, from a titled but now diminished family, dream of a life together...

But his autocratic father, driven by ambition and a thirst for aristocracy, seals their fate with a devil's pact. Emily is instead promised to Sebastian's immoral brother, tearing the lovers apart. She's lost to him.

And when banished to the distant British Cape colony, a new chapter unfolds for Sebastian. Stepping off a ship, bewildered and fearful, he forms an unexpected friendship with a Boer hunter. His destiny becoming more uncertain in an alluringly hostile country. And a destiny where the British meet the Boers in a fight to the death?

Echoes from the Past is the first instalment of the epic Brigandshaw Chronicles, chronicling the beginnings of the Brigandshaw family in Africa. This lost era of history marks the start of their enduring legacy.

©2015 Peter Rimmer (P)2022 Heather Stretch

Wonderful book!

Beautifully written book about the history of South Africa. It made me wish I could go back there! 

I learned a lot

I enjoyed the narration. I learned the story of the Boers and South Africa.

Mesmerizing

I really enjoyed this book. We don’t always realize just how bad people can behave against others. Greed is always that way.

Echoes of the past

I have listened to it twice and would listen to it again. A great story and history of Africa.

Fabulous African Saga

I liked everything about this book. Great writing, really caught the essence of an amazing time in African history. I can’t recommend this story enough, mesmerizing!

Outstanding

Reader among the best. Interesting history. i am looking forward to the next book.

Beautiful

A very enjoyable book with deep rich descriptions of Africa and those people and animals that call it home

early British history of Rhodesia and South Africe

First time author for me. Sweeping story of this history of southern Africa when the British came calling, colonizing the land taking it from the native Blacks and the Boers, the Dutch settlers who had come as far earlier as two hundred years to escape British rule and have religious freedom. you can tell already it was a formula for a big mess.

The history of how it all played out starting in the late 1800s was interesting. Trying to settle a land where there were many different types of animals that would just as soon eat you as anything else was different. The weather was inhospitable. But they all plowed ahead with the different groups seething silently, except for the occasional war, about things that were being taken away from them and blaming others for their troubles, with no one liking the British.

One thing that hit home to me were the parallels at how the United States and southern Africa had many similarities in how the British came and plundered, took what riches they could, and tried to determine a way a life for people that didn't really want it.

There was good description of the class life back in England and how the rich and powerful determined almost everything and those that weren't rich and powerful were trying their best to get there by any means.

One interesting aspect for me is that in my personal history my ancestor that came from England fought for the British in the Revolutionary War and after the war, probably having nothing to go back to England for, settled in America, married an American wife, and made his life in Connecticut and Massachusetts. He never went back and here these 4-5 generations my family line still exists. In this book you could sense the same thing happening, many of the Brits would make this home and never go back.

There are lots of books in this series continuing the saga of how it all unfolds. I don't know that I'm going to run right out and get the second book in the series, but I suspect at some point I will check out the next book.

Greed & love of power in South Africa.

Complex stories of British family relationships at the turn of the century involve the lust for power and wealth versus coveting the natural world. The Boar war in South Africa sets the stage for all the warring parties.

Enjoyed this saga

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to the others which aren't in audible. Disappointing and hope they will be available in the future.

It was interesting to hear about life in Africa