Roger McDonald - Mr Darwin's Shooter

Mr Darwin's Shooter, Roger McDonald's sixth book, and the winner of a number of Australian literary awards, including the National Fiction Award for 2000, is a mixed bag of wondrous, layered writing encased within a dull plot that is unsure where it wishes to go.

Syms Covington was Charles Darwin's 'shooter', during his second voyage on the Beagle. This title has a double meaning, in that Covington literally shot at and collected the vast specimen of bird and animal, insect and fish, from which Darwin drew upon when composing his scientific treatise, The Origin of the Species. Further to that, Covington acted as a manservant, a catch-all, a 'men's wife', an obedient dog. But never, ever a friend.

The novel is split into two distinct time periods, the first of which travels at a much faster pace, to link with the second by the book's end. We are shown the young man's life as a ship's boy, sweeping the decks and praying for his soul alongside John Phipps, a brooding, angry man who wanders the lands, scouring the poor towns and villages of England for young boys willing to leave their homes for a life on the sea and a soul with God. During this time, we are exposed to some of the more exotic locations throughout the world - or exotic to an Englishman, at any rate - and we are introduced to the man who would play such a large part in the life of Covington, and the mind of the 19th century - Charles Darwin.

The second timeline is set after the voyages, when The Origin of Species has been published and is already creating a stir. Covington lives in Australia, and is a rich, cantankerous middle-aged man. He befriends a young doctor, MacCracken, who attempts to discover the mystery behind the man.

Throughout the novel, there is a sense of religion fighting science. The narrator directly comments upon this at times, using it as a metaphorical device to explain the problems within Covington's soul. On a basic level, this metaphor works. We are able to understand the dichotomy of religion and science, because we are aware that, when it comes to natural selection and genetic heritage, Darwin has 'defeated' God. But on a deeper level - on the level that the novel sets itself, with all its grandiose posturing of man coming to terms with forces that threaten to undermine the foundation of 19th century belief - it fails. Covington is not a sufficiently 'three dimensional' character to show off the difficulties of such turbulent times, and it almost seems as though McDonald is aware of this. We read more pretty phrasings of bird plumage and cloud-assailed skies, and not enough about a man who is being internally ripped apart.

As is so often the case with novels that have themes too powerful for the author to handle, we are told, not shown, what is happening. We are told that Covington and Darwin are inextricably linked to one another through ties greater than science and religion combined, but what we are shown does not reveal this. Rather, we see a young Covington enamoured of this grand gent, we see an old Covington, bitter and angry. We see the small, petty details, and the grand sweepings of a time that is so inherently interesting - a time when religion was attacked, again, by the cold harsh reality of science - is relegated to the sidelines.

The concept itself is extremely interesting. There are shadows of a much greater novel on every page. McDonald is capable of astonishing visual imagery - he is a man with a clear love of nature and the beauty it is so capable of displaying. As a wordsmith, there is a great deal of confidence, with complex sentences, subtle and obtuse metaphors, and vast, grand passages of sustained verbal beauty. McDonald is clearly at home with a pen, but this redounds to his detriment, as the pretty words and stylish phrasings seem as so much make-up on an ugly child.

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