A Final Reckoning: A Tale of Bush Life in Australia was published by Blackie and Son in 1887. Reuben Dowell, wrongly accused of arson in his English village, emigrates to New South Wales and joins the colonial constabulary. The novel follows his career as a bush policeman — pursuing bushrangers (escaped convicts turned outlaws), navigating relations with Aboriginal peoples, and surviving the extremes of the Australian landscape.
The Australian setting was unusual for Henty, whose novels typically dealt with warfare and exploration. Here the drama is frontier law enforcement — the attempt to impose order on a vast, thinly populated landscape where distance itself is the primary obstacle to justice.
Collecting A Final Reckoning
First edition (Blackie and Son, London, 1887): Pictorial cloth.
Market values:
- Fine condition: $150–$400
- Very good: $60–$150
- Good: $20–$60
Projected values (2026–2036): Moderate appreciation.
Colonial Australia
Set in the Australian bush during the early colonial period, the novel follows a young Englishman falsely accused of crime who makes his way to Australia and builds a new life as a settler. Henty’s Australian novels are among his less well-known works, but they offer vivid depictions of bush life, encounters with Aboriginal peoples, and the harsh realities of colonial settlement. The themes of false accusation and redemption through courage are classic Henty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are all Henty books the same format? The basic formula is consistent: a brave, resourceful English boy (or occasionally girl) is placed in a major historical conflict, meets famous historical figures, performs acts of courage, and emerges with honour and prosperity. Within this formula, the settings vary enormously — from ancient Egypt to the Boer War — and Henty’s historical research gives each novel its own character.