Into the Americas (A novel based on a true story)

This looks like it could be a good story. But I'm not into the F word in books or sexual descriptions. I wish there could be ratings on books as there are in movies as I would not have bought this version. I'm not going to bother finishing this rendition, but I am interested in the story of John Jewitt so I will find another, cleaner book on his life.

I had never heard of John Jewitt but as this book was based on a true story thought it would be worth reading. While there were points of interest, overall I found it repetitive and dragged on too long

I received this book from the author for an honest review.

It took me awhile to get through the book due to personal responsibilities that took presidence at times but I always found my way back; getting involved in this adventure filled historical that played of in the early 1800's. Based on true events I found the characters endearing and believable even touching.
The strong charcaters of John Jewitt, Thompson "Father" and Maquina made this story interesting and captivating. Live back then was hard and they had to fight constantly against nature but the strength of these people were simply remarkable.
The story line's vivid writing drew you in and you became part of the life they led, the struggles they faced and the journey of self discovery, finding balance in an unfamiliar world. Getting to know how to survive in a brutal world where only the strong lived.
Every scene flows beautifully into the other giving you a pleasurable read all the time. The writing was superb, the images realistic and the characters true to their own nature. Each person I met was unique carrying the story forward as part of the bigger thing...flowing with ease.
The love story that unfolded also brought another element of realism in so that you truly got a wonderful image of love that conquers all.
John Jewitt's character was really the anchor of the story. He brought two worlds together in a gentle ease so that co-existence were not a problem. At first a slave to the Indians John's resourcefulness showed Maquina what type of man he was causing only admiration and mutual respect in this unlikely bond. John expertly won the peoples heart by simply be himself - adapting to the lifestyle of the Mowachats.
Really a wonderful book that I can recommend to historical readers that loves a good adventure.

Into The Americas: A Novel Based on A True Story was written by Lance and James Morcan. It is a really good book and easy to read. It is based on the diary of John Jewitt from the 1780’s. Based on other research, the characters were filled out and the customs followed as best as possible. Lance and James Morcan do their research meticulously and in great depth. This makes their books so interesting.
John Jewitt went to sea on board The Boston with the reluctant permission of his family. They had other plans for him which were definitely not going to sea. They wanted him to stay home and take over the family blacksmith business. John, however, wanted to go to sea and was given the opportunity to be the assistant to the blacksmith on board the ship. John was quite excited and got along well with most of his shipmates. The one sailor he really didn’t get along with and neither did anyone else was Jonathan Thompson, the sailmaker. He was a difficult man; but beneath his rough exterior he was a good man.
While trading with the Mowachahts, one of the men raped one of the Indian maidens. The Mowachahts reacted harshly and murdered all the men on The Boston except John and Jonathan. The chief, Maquina, wanted John to fix the muskets and to make other weapons. Jonathan was alive only because he was confined to below decks at the time and was drunk. John saved Jonathan’s life by saying Jonathan was his Father. Reluctantly Maquina allowed them to live and they became slaves.
The book tells of their lives as slaves and how John Jewitt helped the Indians and Jonathan Thompson. John is married to an Indian maiden to make him have more roots in the company so he wouldn’t try to run away.
The book is excellent reading.

“Father-and-son Lance & James Morcan have created a rich, immersive and informative story of two men’s courageous voyage and capture in the Pacific Northwest during the early 19th century. Startling, assertive and intense, it’s perhaps one of the most captivating true-life survival tales of all time!”

In the opening chapter the reader is introduced to the main protagonist, John Jewitt, an apprentice blacksmith, who dreams of travelling abroad on one of the great brigs that dock in Kingston upon Hull. John’s dreams soon come true when Captain Salter of the Boston witnesses John’s smithy skills first hand and sees an opportunity for John to work in the ships armoury. Unknown to John a life of enslavement and captivity awaits him along with another crew member (Thompson) by the fierce Mowachaht tribe in the Pacific Northwest. John and Thompson are taken captive by Maquina (Chief of the Mowachahts) as the Mowachaht tribe kill all the crew members of the Boston. John witnesses the decapitated heads of 25 of his crew mates lined up and wonders if he and Thompson will end up dying in the same fashion, until he learns the only reason Maquina keeps them both alive is that their trademark working skills are considered most valuable to the tribes future trading. John learns the Mowachahts are fierce warriors capable of the most barbaric forms of savagery, yet on the other hand they are proud noble people that can be capable of great kindness. Maquina soon forces John to marry a beautiful maiden (Eu-Stochee) who in turn tries to bind John to her savaged land forever, but John soon fears that he will never see a civilized country again and thoughts of escape are still ripe on his and Thompsons mind even after several barbaric beatings and escape attempts backfire.

Will John and Thompson ever find a way out to freedom? And if so, at what cost? Or will they perish in their desperate attempts, as the odds are greatly stacked against them?

My Ranking: 5 Stars

The Morcan writing team of father and son never fail to amaze me with the diversity of subjects they tackle to produce the most intriguing novels. Lance Morcan has turned to the Pacific Northwest for his tale about the clash between the indigenous natives and European settlers in Canada from 1802-1805.
Captured by the Chief of the fierce Mowachaht tribe Maquina, John Jewitt, a blacksmith from Kingston on Hull seeking adventure on the high seas, enters a life of slavery. He falls in love with a beautiful Indian maiden Eu-stochee and marries her. Thus begins a struggle as to which culture he wants to be part of, which has been covered in other reviews.
The Morcans create a gripping tale of intrigue and high adventure from an historical fact of an unusual pairing that must surmount many obstacles and differences as John straddles the fence deciding whether to remain with the Mowachaht, or return to his former life, which will be a major culture shock for his bride if he is successful.
Will this lead to a sequel? I certainly hope so.

A good story based on the true events surrounding the captured life of John Jewitt and the fiction is inter-weaved amongst the facts. Almost fault free as far as typos and this is a good adventure yarn set in the Pacific North West in Canada 1802 to 1805. A very good portrayal of the Indians and their lifestyle and cruelty.
My only gripe with the writing style, is the characters can never seem to make up their minds if they like one another. The relationship between John and his Indian wife goes through about 8 about faces and becomes frustrating. Tighter editing (and by a third party) would fix this for future books from this Father/Son writing pair.

That said, it is well worth the 4 star review and I read this book over about 3 days and enjoyed it.

In the notes after the novel Into the Americas, the authors mention that John Jewitt's experiences on Vancouver Island in the very early 1800's were widely unknown. I had spent some weeks in Vancouver and visited the Native American museum in the area but never knew about John Jewitt. A quick internet search brought up his diaries and then there was information about the chief Maquina under that Native American history. So after being somewhat stunned at the first chapters of the book, I was eager to read it, knowing more about its historical background.

Even though this is an almost unbelievable ordeal of two white men, enslaved for two years by a Vancouver Island tribe, the authors anchored the story in facts about the Indians and their way of life so that I could soon see the events and the people involved. John Jewitt and Thompson both had beneficial skills to teach the Indians, and their relationship, both hostile and cooperating, was well developed along with the motives of the chief and his relatives. That John had "survived to tell" the events is an amazing thing. The authors amazingly could imagine details that felt convincing. The escape attempts seemed true to the landscape and the resources available. The tribal war was gory but the story was from the perspective of those enslaved to kill which made the scenes real rather than gratuitous.

Although some of the dialogue seemed couched in today's language, that translated. Thompson was a seasoned sailor with much salty reaction to his plight. John was not twenty-years-old, and his being forced into a marriage with a woman attractive to him was handled with insight.

This is a story of action however the action does come out of personalities. It was horrifying at times while the desperation and the despair of John and Thompson during their daily work mounted to a suspenseful telling. During this, tribal politics also came from a few key personalities. I liked reading about the chief and his first wife, Wakish, when he had other wives, and his challenger, Peshwar. That all made the ending even more dynamic, when the chief Maquina was held in the ship until the white men were released.
The notes were very helpful at the end. I had to wonder what was imagined and what were the facts that the authors had for their novel. I was satisfied with what was imparted about that and felt that this novel was an excellent historical, and one that needed to be written.

I found this book very satisfying to read. It had interesting information on the culture of the northwest Indian. I became fascinated with the "petrified" salmon delicacy. I even went so far as to look up information foe a raw aged salmon recipe or information. I was unable to find anything. This is just one of the many jewels of information in this story. I think the subject matter was fascinating and not one I have come across before on historical novels of the indians. I appreciated the attempt of the authors to not paint a rosy picture for either the Europeans or the natives. The story itself was entertaining and hard for me to put down at night. I hope to see more historical novels by these authors in the future!!

Want a great historical fiction read? Here it is! With well-paced action, a highly developed plot with unpredictable twists and turns, delightful, complex characters and short, readable chapters, "Into the Americas" is a novel no one at all should miss reading! Based upon the true story of John Jewitt, the Morcans weave a tale that will entrance readers as in 1802, young Jewitt, son to a first-rate blacksmith in Hull, England, signs on the ship "The Boston". He will be repairing the muskets that will be traded to West coast North American natives, the Mowachaht, for sea-otter pelts. And so begins a story that will keep readers on the edge of their seats as John Jewitt faces the ship's crew, highly skeptical Mowachacht Indians under the leadership of Maquina, escapes, captures and the love of his life.

It is 1802 and apprentice blacksmith John Jewitt is living in Kingston Upon Hull and working for his father.
His dreams of adventure and traveling to far off places becomes real when Captain John Salter asks him to join the crew aboard his brig, The Boston, which is setting sail to the Americas to trade muskets with the indigenous tribes who populate the new world, then sail on to China.

So begins Into The Americas, an historical fiction novel and a gripping adventure story.

With a great plot and storyline, plenty of exciting action, a diverse cast of colorful and believable characters and the authors well researched detail that brilliantly captures the atmosphere, customs, sights, sounds and surroundings of the period, you quickly become immersed into the world the authors have created for us.

This was a very enjoyable and entertaining read - I loved it- and look forward to reading more in the future from the talented father and son team of Lance and James Morcan.

Happy reading everyone!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Another success from Lance and James Morcan!
The characters were very real, being neither completely likeable or completely unlikeable. The presentation of life in that time period and in a native village was interesting to say yet least. I loved the combination of historical fact and fiction and was hooked from the first chapter. The description of the hardships, violence and joys of life in that time and place were compelling. As much as that time frame can be romanticized the reality of how harsh life could be was vividly presented, as were the simple pleasures of nature and family.
I found the internal struggle of John compelling. The internal war he faced between the life left behind and the new one he was forced into was fascinating to see unfold.
Loved it!

Based on the true story of John Jewitt, who was captured and enslaved by a First Nation tribe on Vancouver island, this is an entertaining and interesting read. If you like adventure stories, or reading about the original inhabitants of North America you will enjoy this. It has inspired me to read John Jewitt's own account, which is also available on Kindle. I could see it as a movie - and a more interesting one than the Revenant.

I really enjoyed the history in this novel. I hadn't heard of John before and it was fascinating to read his story, even or especially with some literary license thrown in. I really admire these authors and all of the research they do to increase our knowledge of those long ago times while still entertaining us. Another great read!

When I got book it looked interesting. It is way beyond that. The book ,while fiction, is based on the actual diary of the main character John Jewett. The research involved in Americas is very evident. Anyone interested in first Americans will enjoy this book and learn lot. I couldn't put this book down. The characters are like old friends telling stories old stories around a campfire. Be sure to read the author's notes. While I understand the license taken, I would not like the horrible crime attributed to my ancester. Since it was a real person I do think a more proper place for the acknowledgement would be in the front of the book in a prominent position. I do highly recommend this book.

The author combines an interesting story and the facts surrounding it to create a good read. This story tells us about a period of time in the history of Washington State/Vancouver area little known to those outside the region. The lives of the native people and their day-to-day existence plus those who traded with them, via sailing ships, shows the needs of each civilization and the problems caused by their interaction.

Into the Americas (A novel based on a true story) By Lance Morcan

Based on a true story (by the diary) of English blacksmith John Jewitt during his time aboard The Boston and during his time at Nootka Sound, on North America's Western seaboard (from 1802 to 1805).

Nineteen year old John Jewitt is one of only two survivors after his crew mates clash with the Mowachaht tribe in the Pacific Northwest. They are held as slaves by Maquina, the Mowachat Chief. They make several attempts to escape.

John falls in love with Eu-Stochee, a beautiful Indian. When John learns Eu-Stochee is pregnant he must choose between returning to civilization or staying with her and their newborn son.

A fascinating story of one young mans courageous voyage. Well written with attention to detail, we really get the feel of what young John went through. The characters are based on real people, which adds to the intense drama. The dialog and events are true to that era.

Overall I greatly enjoyed Into the Americas and highly recommend to readers of all genres, especially those who like history. I feel Young Adults will enjoy this read as well. A true five star read. I also like the cover, it is beautiful and represents the story with flare.

While there was some sexual content it was not the off putting graphic sex that takes away from the actual story. Likewise the violence was understandable considering the title of the story and the times in which it was portrayed.. I don't like to read about violent acts but the violence was included for understanding the times and circumstances and wasn't written as a way to grab attention Rather it was more like the author was saying "these are the things that likely happened in those circumstances".

It’s 1802 and Englishman John Jewitt has left his home and family to serve as an apprentice smith on the trader, The Boston. But when the ship reaches North America, John is taken as a slave in a bloody massacre between the ship’s crew and the native Americans. It is clear that Into the Americas has been extremely well researched, the main character’s ‘coming of age’ told with detached and stark brutality and supported with appropriate historical detail. I don’t usually like omniscient narration – it seems an old-fashioned perspective to me ‒ but in this case, where the story is an historical account based on true events, I think it works, the authors’ style reminiscent of a favourite uncle recounting a tale in front of the fire while occasionally reading excerpts from John’s handwritten journal. It is hard to tell that this is a collaborative project between two writers, with the narration a consistent voice throughout. With political and personal conflict, cultural clashes and more than a dash romance, Into the Americas is the kind of saga that will appeal those with an interest in American immigrant history.

This was a great book - If you like Historical Fiction; your sure to enjoy this one - For me it was a very different story. It was a true story; very well written; good charcter developement, good pace, lots of suspense......the closer to the end; the more suspense increased. Very, Very, Good read.

Yes, I said "housework crusher". Instead of working on things I needed to have done, I wanted to sit and read the book. It has been some time since I have been so involved in a book.This was such an interesting book. At times I wondered what else could happen. Don't forget to read the author's note at the end. That was interesting as well.

- I’m quite sure this word was not around in those days “happy camper.”

- For me it had too many pages it was not blah, blah blah but what I call filler pages. Condensed would have been nice.

Timeline 1802-1805.
The story evolved around John Jewitt (19, blacksmith) & his coming of age to see the world.
After boarding The Boston run by Captain John Salter & his crew John & Johnathan Thompson head for the Nootka village (NW Pacific region) that is home to the Mowachaht tribe. Unfortunate they are made slaves.

The sailor/traders trade muskets to the N/A in return for valuable furs.
Brutal bloody tribal wars, life for the 2 as a Mowachaht N/A & of course how the slaves are treated on a daily basis.

Acculturation &/or adaption are quite prevalent for both sides.

I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.

A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. Wow, a very well written true or false sea-faring adventure book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great sea-faring adventure movie, or mini TV series. Regardless; I will still rate with 5 stars.

Thank you for the free Goodreads; Sterling Gate Books; Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)

Absolutely loved this story. Constantly entertaining and amazingly descriptive. Recommend to anyone who likes historical fiction or historical fiction drama or historical Fiction native American books

Although the story was entertaining, I had a difficult time appreciating the story for the repetition in the novel. Important concepts were repeated over and over again, as if the reader couldn't retain information they'd encountered only a paragraph earlier. I felt like the authors was either working with such limited material, they felt the need for the repetition or that they didn't acknowledge the intelligence of the reader. I often found myself shouting "Alright, I get it! Move On!" as I struggled through the repetition. I was also upset by the constant mood changes of the character over what appeared in the novel to be a short amount of time. John and his native wife are intimate and then don't hardly speak for over a year and suddenly he wants to risk his wife to bring her along? I know that this is based on a true story and diary but I would have liked some more novel structure put into place. Aside from the repetition and flaky behavior of the main character, it was an interesting plot.

I chose to read this since it was a true story. I loved that the author included a chapter on truth verses fiction. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that John Jewitt settled a few miles away. Interesting story.

Historical novel ,very interesting and exciting to read . Shows how natives were treated by the people wanting to trade . The escapes they tried and the punishments they received were unbelievable. The story is very well written in facts and fiction.

I abosolutely loved this book! I had never heard of John Jewitt prior to reading the book. I love that they kept many of the facts true to history. The two main characters, John and "Father the Sailmaker", had were very complex. Sometimes I loved them, sometimes I didn't. It's suspenseful and based on a true story of survival. It's a great captivating read and I highly recommend it, even if its not your usual "genre".

The reader is drawn into a tale of adventure set in the age of sail. The book would be of particular interest to anyone, who enjoys books set in the period. Books with a hero! The period is recreated with skill. The story flows well, and is lots of fun. The Morcan team are wordsmiths of the Old School. This would be a nice gift, or just a good read.. Well, bravo and well done!

Based on true events and a gripping historical tale. If you like American history, or that of the new world, you will enjoy this book. I was sucked right into the "old" new world. I highly recommend it to lovers of the genre.

I rarely would read a book like this , but I am glad I did. It presents the life of Tecumseh as a series of myths and fantasies through his own thoughts, it strays from the actual historical facts [at least those that can be found] but maybe history should be read like this at times. The early 1800's were a time of myths, Paul Bunyan, Johnny Appleseed, Joseph Smith each perpetrated their own history through tales and myths. Daniel Boone,Davy Crockett and the Mountain Men, who knows what is true . The book is well written and a portal to Native American life on the brink of destruction. ps. I grew up in the early sixties, Richard Price's first book The Wanderers presents the early Sixties as memory and myths rather than a factual recitation it is much more informative than most histories as to what we undergoing.

good story but just not quite enough real historical fact, too much was added to make a better story. Just too many
unbelievable issues. How much powder, steel, gun parts, etc could really be carried on a ship with other trading items

Palm fronds in the Pacific Northwest? Tobacco leaves? Man eating sharks in cold coastal waters? Doubt author has ever been to Pacific Northwest or Nootka sound. Started with a good premise and then became apparent it was just a rehash of other tales.

Took a while to get into it but then it kept you motivated to find out what happens. It was fun to investigate the history behind the story after I finished ; but I recommend this only after reading the book or it will spoil the story. A fun read.

Unbelievable true story that was hurt by the author trying to make it into a cookie cutter novel. I am from the Pacific NW and there are no sharks in the waters off the west coast of Vancouver island waiting to devour seamen that fall overboard and etc.

Loving historical fiction and seeing all of the four star ratings, I was truly disappointed at the lack of sophisticated word usage and punctuation errors. The author's story was interesting but the writing style made the story less compelling than I had anticipated.

John Weekes is an NZME. News Service reporter based in Wellington.
Dream becomes a nightmare
5:30 AM Sunday Apr 15, 2012
•
Precious Mckenzie. Photo / Martin Sykes
A sporting great has fallen out with film-makers over the time it has taken to make a movie of his inspirational life and achievements.
Weightlifting Hall of Famer and five times world champion Precious McKenzie says the New Zealanders behind the project have bound him to a watertight contract and then taken too long to make the film.
"To me, it's like they're spitting in my face," he says.
Kiwi film-makers Lance and James Morcan say they're optimistic they can resolve McKenzie's concerns and that he will eventually support the $10 million movie, starring Kim Basinger and Nick Nolte.
American actor and stand-up comic Kevin Hart, 31, has been cast to play the weightlifter.
McKenzie was a promising weightlifter in his native South Africa. Fleeing the repressive apartheid regime, he won honours for Britain and then New Zealand.
After more than a decade in development, The Impossible Dream should begin filming in South Africa at the end of the year, Morcan says. But McKenzie says the same promises have been made before. He regrets signing a contract with the Morcans, because it prevents him telling his story to anyone else for the next decade.
"I'm 75 years old now. I can't wait for a film to be made when I'm 86 years old."
He said the contract was presented to him while his lawyer, Alex Witten-Hannah, was on holiday. "It is a contract that is binding despite it being very one-sided against Precious," Witten-Hannah says.
"Precious would be happy if they were to come up with the money and the stars because they haven't been able to do it."
McKenzie says his latest chat with Morcan ended with the film-maker hanging up on him.
"He said to me ... he'd go on with this movie with me or without me. The way he snubbed me, the way he cut off the phone, that was an insult." .

Despite continual promises Precious' story never came to the screen.

This is a very interesting novel based on a true story. The book moves along at a rapid pace with an interesting story. The writing style is enjoyable making it an "easy read." I am currently reading the original story from the diary written by John Jewitt and I must caution that this is an entertaining novel based on his story, but anyone that may believe they know his story from reading this book will be quite mistaken. This is actually a point well noted by the author.

Totally enjoyed this book ,once I started it I didn't want to put it down. Kept me interested to the end..Good historical book, plied with interesting details and drama...I would tell anyone to read this.

Simply Splendid. It’s hard sometimes to put into words how much you enjoy a book, but this story is amazing. Both Lance & James Morcan have captivated me with their writing, and taken me on an adventure that was certainly a joy to read. Captain Walsh and his men were certainly on edge trading with the Mowachaht Indian Tribe in North America. They were fully aware that things could turn quite volatile at any moment, so they were keen to trade their muskets for sea otter pelts, and get out of there as fast as possible. It’s probably a good thing that they did leave, as some of the muskets misfired when the tribe was out hunting the next day, and they were attacked by the Haachaht tribe. After losing 3 of his men Chief Maquina was furious, and vowed that there would certainly be retribution in the future for any European Traders that sold them faulty guns in the future. Being a Blacksmith didn’t excite 19-year-old John Jewitt. He wanted to sail the seas and see the world. He had the good fortune of meeting Captain John Salter of ‘The Boston’, quite a large sailing ship. The Captain is pretty impressed with Johns work as a Blacksmith and offers him a job on his ship, which John jumps at the chance. Initially it was a hard voyage for John when they set sail into a storm, and had to endure some pretty rough seas. So it took him a while to get his sea legs. However when it did settle down, everyone was impressed with his work and skill as a Smithy. They finally made it to North America to trade with the Mowachaht Indians, and the sailors could certainly feel the tension and hostility towards them. Trading did however go quite well for the first 6 days until one of the sailors raped one of the Indian women. Tensions certainly boiled over, and the Indians went berserk on board the ship. Highly outnumbered Captain Salter and 24 of his men didn’t stand a chance, and it didn’t take long for them to be killed. Only Thompson and John managed to survive, and Chief Maquina took them as slaves. John was too valuable to them to kill, and he was put to work as a Blacksmith, making tomahawks, knifes and fixing muskets. John was mesmerised by the beauty of one of the Indian women by the name of Eu-Stochee. He is floored when she lashes out at him with such aggression. It wasn’t until he heard that she was raped by one of the sailors that he understood her hostility towards him as another white man. He hoped that one day she would see he wasn’t like that, and he could get close to her. John starts to teach the Chiefs eldest son Toowin on how to be a blacksmith. John and Thompson can only hope that one day they will manage to escape. It’s hard to imagine the hell that John Jewitt went through, and it would have been hard enough living in the 1800’s, without being held as a prisoner for a couple of years. Both Authors have done a great job in creating this special book, and I would certainly recommend it.