''On the Java Ridge'' is a 2017 novel by Australian writer

Jock Serong Jock Serong is an Australian writer. Serong grew up in Melbourne’s bayside suburbs and completed his secondary education at Xavier College in Kew. From years 4-8 he attended Xavier’s Kostka Hall junior campus in Brighton. He graduated fro ...

Synopsis

The novel is set in the days leading up to a fictional 2018 Federal election, and its narrative moves from the point of view of a cabinet minister in

Canberra Canberra ( ; ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the Federation of Australia, federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's list of cities in Australia, largest in ...

to two

phinisi Literally, the word pinisi refers to a type of rigging (the configuration of masts, sails and ropes ('lines')) of Indonesian sailing vessels. A pinisi carries seven to eight sails on two masts, arranged like a gaff-ketch with what is called 'st ...

: one, the Java Ridge of the book's title, fitted for luxury surf tourism, the other an Indonesian fishing boat carrying

asylum seeker An asylum seeker is a person who leaves their country of residence, enters another country, and makes in that other country a formal application for the right of asylum according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 14. A per ...

Critical reception

Writing in ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' Adrian McKinty noted: "At times ''On the Java Ridge'' courts the didacticism of late period John le Carre when really Serong needs to channel someone such as Clive Cussler or Iain Banks to move the plot along. But this is only a minor quibble – how it all gets resolved in the third act is nicely done and I enjoyed jumping between the very different points of view that Serong uses to tell his taut and impressive third novel." In ''The Australian Book Review'' Miriam Cosic found Serong's writing to be "compelling, despite some quirks". She continued: "But as we know from real life, this generation of conservative Australian politicians, who uncharacteristically wear their religion on their sleeves, haven't given Serong much in the way of political or moral argument to work with."

Awards

* 2018 Staunch Book Prize, winner * 2018 Colin Roderick Award, winner * 2018 Indie Book Awards Book of the Year – Fiction, shortlisted

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:On the Java Ridge 2017 Australian novels