The Ratters of Lightning Ridge: Kate's Capers in Cumborah; The Diamonds of Jaruk

摘要

BOOKS about gemstones and gemstone mining tend to fall into the camp of nonfiction, but works of fiction on these topics can offer a refreshing change. And that's the case with a newly published trilogy about Australian opal mining by Richard W. Holmes: The Ratters of Lightning Ridge, Kate's Capers in Cumborah, and The Diamonds of Jaruk (Palmland Publishing, 2007). Black-opal mining is synonymous with Lightning Ridge in the Australian outback. The Lightning Ridge area, home to virtually all the world's black opal reserves, produces most of the quality black opal that reaches today's gem markets. Holmes' three 90-page novelettes are based loosely on his personal experiences in Australia. During frequent visits to the Lightning Ridge opal fields, the author has met many opal miners, developed an understanding of opal occurrences and underground mining methods, gained an appreciation for Australian wildlife, and-most importantly from the standpoint of his trilogy-picked up a feel for the miners themselves.