Tommy; a descendant of Irish Catholic convicts, he is technically the head of the family, although only two of the children were fathered by him.

A born "bushie" who fights in World War II as a corporal in the Australian army, he is captured after the fall of Singapore.

Back home, physically and psychologically damaged, he alternates between bouts of alcoholism, prison terms for petty theft and "going bush".

Bozonik aka Bozo, has boxing talent and, as a protégé of the town police sergeant, wins a bronze medal at the Rome Olympics.

He joins Nancy in the garbage collecting business, expanding it eventually into a major trucking and passenger transport concern.

Morrie and Sophie Suckfizzle, aka Moishe and Zofia Zuckfizzleski, a Jewish couple who survived the concentration camps in Poland and Germany.

Karpurika Raychaundhuri aka Mrs. Rika Ray, an Indian-born herbalist, ayurvedic healer and midwife who delivers Sarah's daughter, Lucy Tempelton Moloney.

Writing in The Canberra Times a reviewer noted: "Courtenay has once again proved himself a master of picturesque Australian speech, including a generous sprinkling of vulgarisms...Not only Aussie English can be learnt from this novel.

The author offers expert advice on how to cope with a bushfire threatening your home, how to recognise Australian birds and plants, how to fix a damaged TV set or a broken-down truck, how to win a boxing bout, not forgetting how to enrol in a medical course during pregnancy, and especially, as all the Maloneys were well aware, to take the spoon out of the sink before turning on the tap.

"[2] In The Advertiser a review of the book ends with: "Four Fires is unashamedly a story of the power of love and the triumph of the human spirit against the odds.