Brother Fish

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Brother Fish, published in 2004 is a story spanning four continents and eighty years. Meet Jacko McKenzie, native of Queen's Island in the Tasman Strait. It is 9 August 1986, and Jacko is meeting long-time friend and business partner James Pentecost Oldcorn (Jimmy, to you and I) at the Gallipoli bar in the ANZAC Hotel, Launceston, Tasmania, a routine they have followed religiously for 33 years, since their release from a prisoner of war (PoW) camp in Korea.

Jacko reminisces back to his youth on Queen's Island, of the poverty, being the son of a fisherman and a washerwoman, and the characters inhabiting his home town. One of the defining points of Jacko's life was his first encounter with Miss Nicole Lenoir-Jourdan, town librarian and indomitable justice of the peace. The librarian would go on to fundamentally influence Jacko's life, starting with additional lessons during his formative years, as a friend, and ultimately as a business partner.

A key feature of the novel is Jacko's recounting of his army days, first as an infantryman who did not see service in World War 2 (on account of joining up too late), and most importantly, those spent in Korea. Graphic descriptions of the war, the PoW camps, and conditions in Korea in general are a highlight. It was during this spell that Jacko met Jimmy, an American soldier, and care is taken to delve into the background of the latter.

Following their release, the lads return to Queen's Island, where predictably, Jimmy is a smash hit with the local girls. During the brief stopover in Launceston, Jacko meets Wendy, the daughter of a local doctor, and ex-fiance of one of Jacko's comrades, sadly fallen in Korea. Wendy goes on to become Mrs McKenzie, not without problems however!

Back on the island, Jacko is greeted as a veritable hero, and the opinion is shared by the military, who confer a Military Medal on him, at the Tasmanian Governor-General's residence no less.

A common thread throughout the novel, is music, specifically the mouth organ, at which Jacko and his entire family are rather adept at playing. Jimmy repeatedly reminds the reader that it is this music that quite possibly saved Jacko and himself from almost certain death in Korea.

As Jacko and Jimmy set about rebuilding their lives, ideally based on starting their own fishing business, they turn to the unflappable Miss Lenoir-Jourdan once more. Her own chequered past as a Russian emigre, first to Shanghai, and later on to Australia via Hong Kong, following a dramatic fallout with a Chinese Triad boss is described in detail, and ultimately rounds out the novel.

The novel explores the White Australia policy seeking to close Australian borders to specifically Chinese people, by way of Jimmy's problems encountered whilst trying to secure permanent residency in Australia. In similar vein, repeated mention is made of Australia's own dark racist history, with the aboriginal population being regarded as very much second class.

The story concludes with Jimmy and Jacko enjoying their pint in the ANZAC, before going to say their final goodbyes to an old and dear friend, who is dying.

This book is epic storytelling in the mould of Wilbur Smith meets Forrest Gump, with a dash of The Thornbirds thrown in. The imagery is vivid, and the language usage, imbued heavily with the local slang, adds colour and veracity. A brilliant read.