The early years of this century were the heroic years of Antarctic exploration and it is in this period that A Victim of the Aurora is set. The pity is that, unreal though the novel is, it defiles the historical events and characters from which it derives. Thomas Keneally has chosen to use clearly recognizable episodes from the past as a backdrop for homosexuality, murder, execution and other unworthy practices and qualities ascribed to characters who are imaginary, yet many of whom would seem easily identifiable to anyone with a vague general knowledge of polar exploration….

Today it is commonplace for writers to seek to destroy idols of the past. All sorts of ideas and motives are thought up for them and adjectives are judiciously chosen which will denigrate a person without the need to make a direct statement which could be refuted. Thomas Keneally achieves this result...