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The Landscape of Desire (Kevin Rabalais, Scribe, $29.95 pb, ISBN 9781921215681, March) ****

An accomplished first novel, The Landscape of Desire revisits the Burke and Wills tragedy and brings to life the later expedition, led by Alfred Howitt, which was charged with establishing the fate of those men and rescuing them if possible. These two strands are full of action, drama, bravery and folly, yet author Rabalais introduces more material in the form of a mesmerising young actress who has become involved with both Burke and Wills. Yet another subplot involves the explorers King and Brahe who are also adrift in the outback. The author, born in New Orleans and currently selling books in Melbourne, controls his material skilfully, yet demands concentration from his readers as chapters move from one story to another in a sometimes challenging way. Best read in two or three sittings rather than in spare moments, it will reward anyone who enjoys the use of fact as a basis for well-wrought, poetic fiction. With its balance of elegant language, plot-driven action, contemplation and thematic seriousness, it is very likely to feature on 2008 literary awards shortlists.

Max Oliver has been a bookseller and avid reader for over 50 years

This review from Australian Bookseller & Publisher magazine is reproduced by kind permission of Thorpe-Bowker, a division of R R Bowker LLC. © Copyright 2008, Thorpe-Bowker