Customer Reviews

The Last of the Mohicans (The Classic Collection)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is Cooper's masterpiece, especially if you measure by popularity. His second installment in the Leatherstocking tales does quite a bit to deserve its reputation. This book was likely written to delve into the backstory of Natty Bumppo and Chingachgook, the characters that emerged as, by far, the most interesting ones in Cooper's first Leatherstocking tale ('The Pioneers').

Due to it's tight pacing, 'The Last of the Mohicans' is easily the best read of the five Leatherstocking Tales. It is also the most consistently plotted and paced book of the series because, as a tale of betrayal, flight, captivity, and frontier warfare, Cooper has a lot less time to indulge in his stately prose (although you'll still need to use a machete to cut through some mile-long sentences!).

'The Last of the Mohicans' has all the physical confrontation that makes for a great adventure story. There are plenty of battles and a pretty extraordinary level of violence considering the time the book was written (kids getting murdered, rotting corpses, and plenty of scalps a-flying). The novel isn't gleefully graphic, but Cooper makes no bones about the

tenuous hold people had on life on the frontier. Considering his usual penchant for rank sentimentality, he's surprisingly detached about the violence he depicts in this book. To me this is evidence that he definitely knew how to shut off the histrionics.

Another reason for the success of the book are the characters. Leatherstocking (going by Hawkeye here) is in his prime as a hero/scout. He is authoratative, brave, cunning, and always knows what to do. Chingachgook is powerful, unpredictable, and savage. However, he takes a backseat to his son Uncas. While Cooper gives Uncas little dialogue, Cooper gives us a very clear picture of what makes him a hero and what motivates him. Cooper's writing, overall, shows an uncharacteristic level of restraint in this regard.

A bigger surprise was the character of Cora. Generally, Cooper is incapable of handling female characterization without building a nauseating shrine to the 'gentle sex.' As a result, it is all the more refreshing to find Cora outspoken, resolute, and strong. During one sequence when several characters are imprisoned by the Iriquois, it is she - not her 'brave male protector' - who remembers to leave a trail in the forest so they can be rescued.

On the other side of the fence, Le Renard Subtile is the best villian of the series by a long shot. Even though you hate him, you can't help but sympathize with him to a certain degree. Cooper skillfully (and without preaching) uses the tragedy of Indian displacement as Magua's motivation. Though it's hard not to feel Magua's anger is justified on some level, Cooper prevents you from rooting for his villian and this creates some interesting tensions.

As with many of the Leatherstocking tales, victory is bittersweet and is necessarily a defeat for the wilderness Hawkeye loves. The fate of the Mohicans clearly foreshadows what Cooper (and the reader) knows will become of every Native American in this tale (or in real life). Comparing these charcters to their latter selves in 'The Pioneers' underscores this very emotionally.

You can definitely enjoy 'The Last of the Mohicans' all by itself and as a straight-up frontier advernture, but there is more to be found if you read it a little deeper. It is a book every American should read. NOTE: Please don't hold the dreadful Daniel Day Louis movie against this book; the two have little in common beyond their titles.

Set during the French and Indian War, THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS follows Cooper's renowned hero Natty Bumpo (known here at "Hawkeye" or "the scout") on an adventure to rescue a couple of well-bred daughters of America from a hostile Indian tribe and their treacherous leader Magua (or Renard Subtil). Compared to Cooper's other work, this one is a non-stop thrill ride, with plenty of intense and fast-paced action mingled in with his usual overly-verbose descriptive style. Because of that, this is my favorite of James Fenimore Cooper's novels, and I'd recommend it for any reader.

As a piece of historical fiction, this one again stands out as being superior to his other works. With the focal point of the setting being around the armies and officers of the French and British empires right smack in the middle of the French and Indian War (or Seven Years War if you're not from America), this story is grounded in a well-known historical perspective. Some of the events related in this novel also have strong backing in historical facts. From the individual battles described to the extremely messy and downright horrifying massacre after the surrender of General Munro to the French, Cooper's tale is based on real life occurrences.

Refreshingly, Cooper doesn't shy from portraying the Native Americans in THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS in a less than flattering manner. While described as complex and admirable in some instances, in others the Indians here are brutal, crazy, and downright savage. Even the "good Indians" here, in Chingachkook and Uncas, don't fail to retrieve the occasionally scalp when the opportunity presents itself. The strangeness and brutal-seeming practices of many Native American tribes are well-known historical facts, and it is nice to read a book that doesn't sugar-coat or justify Indian practices for the sake of political correctness.

While its not the easiest book in the world, this one should be enjoyable for nearly every type of reader. Highly recommended.

This was an excellent book that was different from the Hollywood version. Although I liked the movie, I was amazed to find out how much they changed the story. The book offers much more insight into the characters and explains the rest of the story. The narrator does a great job with different accents, languages and genders. Very enjoyable.

The Last of the Mohicans is full of adventure. It's about two daughters going to their dad's fort, but their guide is a traitor. Along the way, they meet some Indian friends. One is not an Indian but is a friend. When they get to their dad's fort, things just get worse. So if you like adventure, this is the book for you.

by Christian

First off, Cooper must be given deserved props for featuring Native Americans (both good and evil) as main characters in this 1820's novel. The growing United States had anything but a harmonious relationship with Native Americans at this time and for an author to write about such an unknown people in such a prominent way showed a lot of creative courage. Yes, the portrayal of the Indians was quite un-PC at times and, if you are sensitive to such issues, hard to read. The word "savage" is liberally used and many, if not all, of the actions the various Native Americans and their tribes undertake are described with imagery too close to that of animals, i.e. packs of dogs or hyenas. While Cooper's intentions are noble and the mere existence of the book speaks volumes, "The Last of the Mohicans" is very much a product of its time, and sadly, that time was not always the most enlightened.
That being said, the plot of the novel is pure action and adventure. Taking place during the French-Indian War, the story centers around two English sisters who are being escorted through hostile forests from one English Fort to another. The action begins when one of the girls' scouts- Magua, a Native American supposedly ostracized by his own tribe- attempts to betray the girls but is thwarted by the arrival of a scout named Hawkeye, i.e. Natty Bumppo, the main character of Cooper's previous novel. Joined by two Mohicans, a father and son, Hawkeye saves the girls and attempts to lead them to safety, only to be confronted by Magua and other attacking natives.
The action is practically non-stop. Hawkeye and the girls eventually reach safety, only to find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. The girls' are eventually kidnapped by Magua and others, leading to the lengthy climax which involves some Mission Impossible-style rescue missions and prolonged, quite violent, action. Unfortunately, while Cooper has concocted a complicated yet well executed plot, he frequently slows his plot's pace down with his overly complicated writing style and lengthy, lenghty sentences. Cooper is a smart writer, not really difficult, but the problem is that his style of overly descriptive writing works better when setting scenes (the early chapters when the sisters are walking through the forest waiting for danger, but not yet encountering it, are great!) than it does for creating exhilarating action.
This is a good book, and for historical reasons, possibly a great book. Reading this in the 21st century, however, it can be hard getting through some of the demeaning descriptions of the natives. Also, Cooper's prose is undeniably dated- very much of a certain literary era- and while this betters the book in some ways, it also deadens it in others. I recommend reading it, but don't expectness greatness. Just really goodness.

James Fennimore Cooper's five books known as "The Leatherstocking Tales" ( the Last of the Mohicans is the 2nd in the series) are some of the most exciting books I've ever read. I highly recommend

This edition is a crudely crafted piece of junk, an offense to serious readers (as well as to Fenimore Cooper). Buy from a quality publisher.

Widely known as a classic literary tale of adventure, The Last of the Mohicans is a story that contains strong Christian models of men and women that have since been long abandoned in today's western culture and even addresses the issue of the salvation of man as an underlying theme. The heroes and heroines are characters that reflect the image of what God intended men and women to be. The heroes are brave, selfless, and untamed while the heroines are gentle yet strong and possess a depth of beauty that dwells far beneath the surface of their skin. The author, James F. Cooper, inserts a popular Christian argument that continues to this day, "Will God save a good if he has not heard and accepted the Gospel?"

The heroes of Cooper's tale are the embodiment of courage, bravery, and selfless masculinity. The three leading men of this story are developed into heroes from the very beginning as they happen to come across a unit of British soldiers under attack, accompanied by the two beautiful daughters of a British Colonel. These three men, Chingachgook (the father), Uncas (the son), and Nathaniel (the scout), selflessly come to the aid of the travelers and without hesitation, risking life and limb for total strangers. The Mohicans and their companion are compelled by their nature to ensure the safety of the survivors of the attack by escorting them to their destination. The adventures that follow all provide a series of opportunities for the men to make decisions in which they must either preserve themselves, or risk their comfort and safety for the well-being of others. The Mohicans being considered outsiders to those they have aided, a strange friendship and understanding is formed between two very different cultures through the trials they willfully share with each other.

The daughters of Colonel Munro, Cora and Alice, are presented with a strong and noble femininity that is not in the least bit demeaning. They possess a soft and delicate nature that is captivating yet respected. This does not mean that they are by any means portrayed as being weak either, as is seen in the courage with which they endure their captivity under Magua, the villainous Huron chief. On more than one occasion Cora stands up to Magua in defiance of his vengeful nature and cruel actions. This is quite a feat considering that Magua is a warrior of great prowess who also commands his own following of Huron warriors. They follow the paths of the men with strength and resolve, seldom complaining and often times strengthening the resolve of their protectors by their mere presence. They endure one hardship after another, trusting in the knowledge, experience, and courage of their deliverers without losing the beauty of their inherent feminine nature.

The subtle argument over man's salvation in the eyes of God does not take up many pages, but is a powerful theme throughout the book when considering the accounts around which the argument is based. The argument takes place in the form of an interesting dialogue between Nathaniel, the scout, and a traveling minister who happened to be with the British caravan that was rescued. Nathaniel's side of the argument is that people such as the Mohicans, will be looked upon favorably by God for their selfless and noble actions. The minister, on the other hand, argues that if they do not hear and accept the Gospel, God will not save them regardless of their selfless nature and actions. The conversation is heated at times, but never disrespectful. Valid claims of truth are presented in such a way that both characters, as well as the reader, must agree upon. While neither characters come to an agreement on the matter as a whole, they share a humble respect for one another's beliefs.

Cooper's tale has provided readers with an excellent story that reflects the finer qualities of it's characters under adverse circumstances. While not necessarily intended, Cooper has provided and adventure of hardship and sacrifice that serves as a backdrop for the development of characters that possess God given qualities that we often read about in Scripture. Both the men and women are very different, yet each possess qualities that complement each other in a way that creates a beautiful story of Godly compassion. The truth on either side of the argument of who God's salvation is for is an argument that will continue beyond the pages of the book, but it presents some valid truths that are quite thought provoking, to say the least.

I really enjoyed this CD, it takes listening to a few chapters to get use to the writing style (very wordy). My grandson and I listened to it driving back and forth to school.

This book is still as good as it was when I was 17, the product came in good time and reasonable packaging