The Results Have Come In . . .

Last Tuesday I asked the readers of this blog which their favorite Ballantyne book was. And you have answered! Our winner has taken a landslide victory, literally blasting away all competition. And, ladies and gentlemen, that book is . . . The Coral Island!

For those who know Ballantyne's books well, this should come as no surprise, because The Coral Island has been the most popularly recognized and regarded of his books for a very long time. It was this book that partially inspired Robert Louis Stevenson's famous Treasure Island, as well as a literary response from William Golding in his Lord of the Flies. This last book, by the way, is from a totally opposite point of view to Ballantyne's masterpiece, and basically proposes that boys, abandoned to themselves, will naturally devolve into pagan activities.

So, why has The Coral Island been such a favorite for so long? Well, the three main reasons are the romantic setting, masterful character development, and adventurous plot.

Setting

When a British merchant ship is wrecked on a deserted South Sea island, only three boys survive. Ralph Rover, the narrator, along with Jack Martin and Peterkin Gay must struggle to survive on the island's beautiful but dangerous landscape. Although the desert-island setting has been used by many famous authors, it still, in my opinion, holds a fascination to most readers. You get to see the characters struggle against the environment, develop together as a team, and use their unique knowledge to take dominion over the earth. These necessary elements are all present in R. M. Ballantyne's The Coral Island.

Characters

The three main characters placed into this story complement and complete the novel. Ralph Rover, the narrator, is a sturdy lad of a philosophical and studious nature. Jack Martin, his senior, is strong, capable, and extremely knowledgeable. The youngest, Peterkin Gay, is a dashing, whimsical fellow who makes up for his almost impudent nature by a generous disposition, and a readiness to do anything to help out his friends.

Plot

Although I don't want to give anything away, in case you haven't read the book, Ballantyne created additional flavor by the inclusion of bloodthirsty pirates, cannibalistic natives, and natural challenges. The adventure is lively, the humor quite hilarious, and the presentation of the gospel entirely earnest, and that, I think, is why The Coral Island has been a universal favorite.

Second place was taken by Hunted and Harried, which is an exciting tale of the Scottish Covenanters during The Killing Time. To see the rest of the results, I have included the finished poll below. Thanks for voting!