Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

Preview

£0.00 for first 30 days

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Brother Fish

By: Bryce Courtenay
Narrated by: Humphrey Bower
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £25.99

Buy Now for £25.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Summary

From the author of The Power of One comes an inspiring human drama and war story of three lives brought together and changed forever by the extraordinary events of recent history. Inspired by real events, Bryce Courtenay's new novel tells the story of three people from vastly differing backgrounds. All they have in common is a tough beginning in life. Jack McKenzie is a harmonica player, soldier, dreamer, and small-time professional fisherman from a tiny island in Bass Strait. Nicole Lenoir-Jourdan is a strong-willed woman hiding from an ambiguous past in Shanghai. Larger than life, Private Jimmy Oldcorn was once a street kid and leader of a New York gang. Together, they reap a vast and not always legitimate fortune from the sea. Narrated by celebrated, award-winning actor Humphrey Bower.
©2013 Christine Courtenay (P)2014 Bolinda Publishing Pty. Ltd
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Listeners also enjoyed...

Matthew Flinder's Cat cover art
The Potato Factory cover art
Four Fires cover art
The Persimmon Tree cover art
The Power of One cover art
Jack of Diamonds cover art
Jessica cover art
The Story of Danny Dunn cover art
Fortune Cookie cover art
April Fool's Day cover art
Smoky Joe's Cafe cover art
The Family Frying Pan cover art
Beach Music cover art
When the Lion Feeds cover art
A Falcon Flies cover art
Outback cover art

Critic reviews

  • 2005 Audie Award Nominee, Literary Fiction

What listeners say about Brother Fish

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    197
  • 4 Stars
    53
  • 3 Stars
    14
  • 2 Stars
    8
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    167
  • 4 Stars
    24
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    146
  • 4 Stars
    38
  • 3 Stars
    9
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Brother Fish bryce Courtenay

This is so worth the listen, really well read, and characterised well. As well as being quite an absorbing story, you learn a lot along the way, I'll be shopping for more of the same.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Bryce Courtney books are full of believable characters and story lines .

The concept of Brother Fish is so good and as always I don’t want the story to end.
Humphrey Bowers is such a great narrator and adds so much to all of Bryce Courtney books.
Bryce is one of my favourite story tellers

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent.

Excellent book. A great story, that is very well written and brilliantly read. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Gripping

As usual Humphrey Bower drew you in so well you were gripped from the outset. You do not know where this book is going at first however you have to keep listening. A story of courage, friendships and sorrow between three people from different worlds and class brought together and bonds formed that couldn’t ever be broken.
It’s one of the best I have listed to and worth every minute I gave it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Don't miss this one

I've listen to lots of great books, but this one is at the top with just a few others. I thought at first I'd made a mistake and selected a book solely about war - not so. It's a wonderful story that was totally engrossing and is brilliantly read. It was a real disappointment when I came to the end. Just don't miss this one.
By the way, I'm Jean not Rob - just in case you want a female critic.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

fabulous

Great story, from beginning to end. Long but worth it. I would definitely recommend

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A nominee for Best Book list.

One would be forgiven for thinking that this is an autobiography. I had to keep reminding myself that this is fiction, and yet the book has a definite sense of truth. There are harrowing images of the Korean war which must be first-hand descriptions of real experience. The prisoner of war experiences feel awfully truthful. Clearly a huge amount of research and many personal stories have been gathered to be welded together to construct a well crafted, very satisfying read. This is a book which will draw you in until you are thoroughly engrossed and reluctant to waste time sleeping when you could be listening. This is in no small part due to Humphrey Bower's outstanding ability to voice the characters. His range encompasses deep, dark African-American, Chinese both male and female, young and old, even an American-Chinese accent, not to mention shades of his native Australian and posh English. And for goodness sake he can sing in tune!
Bryce Courtenay has the ability to make his books very authentic. He can find the essence of what motivates the human heart and how people think and then show you what happens next. And he makes you want to find out.
The combination of narrator and author makes this an unmissable book. If you only buy one Audible book, make it this one.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding!!!!!

Exceptional story, highlighting many historical events and places, especially far east customs.... I very much enjoyed this audio book, Humphrey Bower who read this book was amazing.. many Thanks

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Brother Fish

The characters and narrative are gripping. I couldn't wait to learn more about them and how the story unfolded. Historically fascinating about the Korean War and Australia's part therein. A jolly good listen.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant!

Would you consider the audio edition of Brother Fish to be better than the print version?

I haven't read the book so can't comment.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Jacko and Jimmy equally.

Have you listened to any of Humphrey Bower’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Yes. He's always fantastic.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Both. There are some very moving parts.

Any additional comments?

If I'd known half of this 31 hour book was about the Korean War I probably wouldn't have selected it, and I would have missed an absolute treat. Brother Fish is an epic tale about friendship, loyalty and the power of the human spirit. Humphrey Bower is a superb narrator. Listening to him is like listening to a full cast of characters. Brother Fish is a great book and definitely one of my favourite listens.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!