Customer Reviews

Sackett's Land

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

In Sackett's Land, we meet the first ancestor of the future Sackett clan to be immortalized in narrative. Englishman Barnabas Sackett gets in a bit of trouble in his homeland and sets off to the West to make a new home.

This is really what L'Amour is all about, not "the West," per se, but "the Frontier." Discovery of new lands and finding a life in the wide open spaces. Sackett sails over the ocean and lands in what will become America. His trials and struggles make for highly interesting reading and L'Amour's sense for detail gives one a true feeling for what it must have been like back then.

The most compelling of the series, and fine introduction to the First Family of frontier fiction.

While I believe that I have read most of the Sackett novels, this first one was always my favorite. It is definately the most unusual of the series, indeed, of anything that I've read by Louis L'Amour.

Set in 1599, it is the story of Barnabas Sackett, founder of the Sackett clan in the New World. The Sacketts were fenmen (swamp men) eeking out an existance farming the little good land available to them, fishing for eels, smuggling, or going off to fight in the wars. It was the combination of the chance finding of a cache of Roman gold, along with a fight with an arrogant aristocrat, that put young Barnabas on the road to "adventure."

Fleeing to London, he meets the contacts that he will need to set sail for a new world and a new life. The sword fights, pirates, and sea battles that follow are not what you expect in a "western", but they are quite good never-the-less. Upon surviving to reach America (after Roanoke, but before Jamestown) Barnabas rapidly sizes up the territory and the inhabitants and resolves to start his family there- far from kings and aristocrats. When he hears of the "far blue mountains" from the Indians that he is trading with, he makes up his mind to one day travel to them- and beyond.

No matter where you started with the Sackett books, go ahead and read this one now. For fans of L'Amour's work, especially The Walking Drum, you will be pleased.

Sackett's Land is a good and appropriate beginning for the entire saga. It may well stimulate you to read the whole history in order.

The book is important for yet another reason. It's style and depth are a window to what The Walking Drum has in store for you. Sackett's Land hints at what L'Amour was capable of beyond the pulp western market.

When we pick up a Louis L'Amour book of the standard pulp market size, we have a set of expectations. Good and evil will be clearly recognizable. Good will prevail. The story will be enjoyable and just instructive enough to make us feel that we grew from reading the book. Sackett's Land fulfills all these expectations.

Sackett's Land also holds an interesting place in popular literature. It is representation of a specific family (along with fellow travelers through life) and that family's initial transcontinental encounters. As one reads it, one is reminded of Edgar Rice Burroughs's stories of Lord Greystoke. In fact, as I was mentally remarking that Sackett's Land reminded me of Tarzan (books 1 and 2), I turned the page to find our protagonist marooned on the new continent. In this case, the new continent was the North America, not Africa, but the similarity was fun to notice.

Louis L'Amour was a man of his time, and while he could tap into Burrough's storytelling rhythms at times, L'Amour was ever more interested in depicting people as people, and a great respecter of human diversity. I believe descendants today of American Indians and Europeans can read Sackett's Land and enjoy thinking about their own American families.

This novel which introduced us to the intriguing saga of the Sackett family is by far the best of the series. Set in 17th century England and America, this book creates vivid images of life during a time when freedom was not a given right, but something you had to fight for. The courageous Barnabas Sackett flees to America to start a new life with nothing but the clothes on his back and a deep sense of pride. Struggling to survive in the wild untamed land of what is now the USA, Barnabas finds himself faced with escaping from vicious pirates, battling the elements of the weather, and often times being the first white man to come face to face with the American Indians of the region. L'Amour does a fine job at telling this adventurous tale which will keep you flipping the pages from start to finish.

While I believe that I have read most of the Sackett novels, this first one was always my favorite. It is definately the most unusual of the series, indeed, of anything that I've read by Louis L'Amour.

Set in 1599, it is the story of Barnabas Sackett, founder of the Sackett clan in the New World. The Sacketts were fenmen (swamp men) eeking out an existance farming the little good land available to them, fishing for eels, smuggling, or going off to fight in the wars. It was the combination of the chance finding of a cache of Roman gold, along with a fight with an arrogant aristocrat, that put young Barnabas on the road to "adventure."

Fleeing to London, he meets the contacts that he will need to set sail for a new world and a new life. The sword fights, pirates, and sea battles that follow are not what you expect in a "western", but they are quite good never-the-less. Upon surviving to reach America (after Roanoke, but before Jamestown) Barnabas rapidly sizes up the territory and the inhabitants and resolves to start his family there- far from kings and aristocrats. When he hears of the "far blue mountains" from the Indians that he is trading with, he makes up his mind to one day travel to them- and beyond.

This entry refers to the deluxe, leatherette, hard cover for the Louis Lamour Collection Library.

Hello my name is Michael Toomey and I have just got done reading a book called Sackett's Land. It is another wonderful book written by the great western author of all times LOUIS L'AMOUR. Unlike most of his books the book starts out in England In the Fins. Barnabas Sackett is the Sackett in this book. He is the first Sackett to go to the Americas. It all started out with Barnabas getting in a fight with some on and then all hell breaks loose. The man who he got in a fight with is a powerful man with a lot of influence in England. Barnabas and Jublain are chased all through England. On is trip through England he meats a lot of different people. The question is will Barnabas make it to America and if he does will he make it back or be killed by savages? Well you just got to read it don't you.

I would like to thank my English Teacher for giving me the chance do do this book review Thanks Mr. Powell

This a story of adventures that you can dream about. L'Amour does an outstanding job of describing the details of England and the new America. Barnabas Sackett finds gold coins and wants more out of life. It is exciting and uplifting. To see how he battles pirates and Indians and lives off the land. Not a western but an adventure story that is so well written you can't wait to read the next one to see how Barnabas turns out. I also listened to the audio tapes and they are great. The reader has an excellent voice.

This is an exciting book about a man named Barnabas Sackett. He discovered gold coin on a dike near his field.Then he went on his way to find a man that would know what kind of coins he had found. On his way back he ran into trouble and had to escape for they would soon find his home. He made some friends and decided it would be best if he tried to make money in America. Doing that he would also escape the man who persued him. He makes it to America, but he had to endure hard times on the voyage. If you would like to find out what other hardships Barnabas endures read the book.

When my Grandfather told me that I could have all of his Louis L'Amour books (24 in all and all of the "Sackett's") I was extremelly excited. I picked up this book ("Sackett's Land") and was immediately drawn into the world of Barnabas Sackett, I couldn't put it down and finished it in 2 hours. I great book and not a "Western" (so don't let that bother you). I guarantee that you will be enchanted with this one.

Louis L'Amour wrote over a hundred westerns. His best-known series are a set of stories about the Sacketts, a family of tough men and women. Many of the books are about the men coming out west and their adventures. They have integrity and stand up for truth and justice. They don't go looking for trouble, but when it comes to them, they don't back down.

"Sackett's Land" sets the stage for the rest of the stories. It doesn't take place in the west in the late 1800s, but starts in England as Barnabas Sackett has some troubles and heads for the New World in the 1600s. He has great adventures and does great things. There is lots of fighting, but instead of with guns it is more often with swords.

The story starts off quickly with Barnabas finding some old coins and trying to sell them. He encounters the nephew of an earl. The nephew ends up looking foolish; the nephew doesn't like being made a fool of so he decides to kill Barnabas. Barnabas runs, and along the way we are introduced to old England, England in the early 1600s. We meet people of all walks of life. Then the story moves to America and back to England.

This is a fun book. It is easy to read and entertaining. If you haven't read it, it is worth reading. If you have read it, do yourself a favor and read it again.