TY - BOOK AU - Ballantyne,R.M. TI - Blown to Bits; or, The Lonely Man of Rakata AV - PZ PY - 2005/// CY - Salt Lake City, UT PB - Project Gutenberg KW - Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction KW - Islands -- Juvenile fiction KW - Canoes and canoeing -- Juvenile fiction KW - Friendship -- Juvenile fiction KW - Pirates -- Juvenile fiction KW - Adventure and adventurers -- Juvenile fiction KW - Natural history -- Juvenile fiction KW - Hunting -- Juvenile fiction KW - Hermits -- Juvenile fiction KW - Murder -- Juvenile fiction KW - Malay Archipelago -- Juvenile fiction KW - Krakatoa (Indonesia) -- Juvenile fiction N1 - Release date is 2005-03-13; Produced by Michael Oltz, Suzanne Lybarger, Martin Pettit and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team; Original publication data not identified N2 - "Blown to Bits; or, The Lonely Man of Rakata" by R. M. Ballantyne is a novel written in the late 19th century. The story unfolds in the Malay Archipelago, primarily around the time of the volcanic eruption of Krakatoa in 1883, and focuses on the adventures of the main character, Nigel Roy, a young and somewhat inexperienced sailor. Set against the backdrop of maritime exploration, the narrative delves into themes of nature, adventure, and the discovery of unique cultures. At the start of the tale, we meet Nigel and his father, Captain Roy, aboard their brig, the "Sunshine", as they sail through the dark waters of the Indian Ocean. The father-son duo engages in light-hearted banter, revealing their contrasting perspectives on life at sea. Shortly after, a violent storm hits, leading to the ship needing repairs and ultimately guiding them to the Cocos-Keeling Islands. Here, the vibrant natural beauty of the islands captures Nigel's imagination while he interacts with the local inhabitants, including a charming orphan girl named Kathy. The opening chapters set up Nigel's character development and introduce the enchanting yet perilous world of the Malay Archipelago, foreshadowing the significant events related to Krakatoa that will shape their unfolding adventure. (This is an automatically generated summary.) UR - https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/15348 ER -