The Last Voyage of Martin Vallance

Name: The Last Voyage of Martin Vallance
Author: John Arthur Barry

Martin Vallance is a retired sea captain who has spent his life sailing the world's oceans. Now, in his twilight years, he decides to embark on one final voyage. He sets sail from his home port of Liverpool, England, and heads for the Caribbean. Along the way, he encounters a variety of people and experiences, from a mysterious stowaway to a dangerous storm. He also discovers a secret that could change his life forever. As Martin's journey progresses, he must confront his own mortality and make peace with his past. In the end, he discovers that life is about more than just the destination, but the journey itself.

By John Arthur Barry · First published 1911 · Genre: Adventure, Historical Fiction, Mystery · 7 chapters · 28,282 words

First lines

I had been at sea eight years. As a boy, innate love of romance and Marryat's novels had sent me there. Otherwise, there was no particular necessity for such a step. My father held the living of Compton-on-Tor in South Devon, and was rich enough to have given me a choice of professions. Nor in all those eight years did I once encounter the romance I had fondly imagined was the inevitable lot of the seafarer--the romance of incident. Indeed, a more humdrum, matter-of-fact life could scarcely be conceived, with its inevitable recurrence of headwinds and fair, gales and calms, long passages and short. Actually, so far as my memory serves me, throughout those years the most exciting matter that happened was the carrying away of an upper foretopsail-yard.

What this Textopian page supports

The Last Voyage of Martin Vallance is listed on Textopian as a novel by John Arthur Barry, dated 1911 CE.

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Work type: Novel
Author: John Arthur Barry
Date: 1911 CE
Language: English
Genres: Adventure, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Thriller
Length: 28,282 words
Structure: 7 chapters, 302 paragraphs
Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)

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Work identity for The Last Voyage of Martin Vallance by John Arthur Barry
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Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering The Last Voyage of Martin Vallance?
How does this novel by John Arthur Barry fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
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Similar titles

Genres

Adventure — The title implies a journey, and the plot follows the protagonist's voyage.
Historical Fiction — The book is set in a specific time period and includes elements of real-world history.
Mystery — The protagonist is trying to uncover the truth behind a mysterious event.
Romance — The protagonist's relationship with another character is a major plot point.