Set during the French and Indian Wars, The Deerslayer vividly captures the violence and rugged beauty of the American frontier. In the wilds of New York, where tensions rage between tribal Indians and white pioneers, a white hunter known as Deerslayer is initiated into the moral codes of wilderness society. When he and his loyal Mohican friend attempt the daring rescue of an Indian maiden, they are caught in the crossfire between a cunning enemy and two merciless white bounty hunters who kill for profit.
A fine combination of romance, adventure, and morality, this classic novel is an eloquent beginning for Cooper's great wilderness saga, the Leatherstocking Tales—and an unforgettable introduction to the famous character who has been said to embody the conscience of America: the noble woodsman Deerslayer.
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"I love this book. I think James Fenimore Cooper's books are pure Americana & often overlooked by those of us who are looking for classics for our soul's enrichment & just not because we want to say we read them."
— Kathie (4 out of 5 stars)
“James Fenimore Cooper was the first great American novelist.”
— A. B. Guthrie“Cooper is the greatest artist in the domain of romantic fiction in America.”
— Wilkie Collins“How did they sound—the people who, long ago, lived at or beyond the edge of the settled world? Raymond Todd answers this question as well as an audio performer can: by varying accents, pace, and inflection to convey both character types and individuals like Natty Bumpo and Chingachgook. The results are plausible and entertaining.”
— AudioFile“Packed with vivid description of action and locale, romance and yearning. Todd’s voice is extraordinary, rich and deep. We hear the personality of the characters, with all of their earnestness, shaped by awareness of their stations in life.”
— Kliatt" I admit, I did not read this book with the intention of deeper meanings. With that said I quite enjoyed this book as Cooper writes a simple story filled with details, and knowledge of frontier life. This is not the ACTION frontier, but seemingly more realistic where the heroes are great but not without faults, the enemies are both horrid and kind, and there is a wide range of characters. A good read for anyone who enjoys a realistic image of frontier living. "
— Christina, 2/15/2014" I hate you for all those hours of my life I'll never get back, James Fenimore Cooper. "
— Belinda, 2/1/2014" Outdated, and more than a little racist. "
— Josh, 1/27/2014" Okay, in the end, I was glad I read it, but #$%@! did his writing annoy me. JFC's a great story teller and the characters and lore of the leather-stocking tales keeps your interest, but it's about 700 pages longer than the story warrants, proof that there must not have been any quality editors on the frontier. "
— stuart, 1/25/2014" Deerslayer (Hawkeye) was a touch to altruistic and unbelievable as a character, for my tastes. As an adventure story, it is only ok because the plot sort of repeats itself. Basically, the same set of events are played out 2-3 times, and this gets old. "
— Travis7401, 1/24/2014" Only read 80 pages and they were brutal, because of the writing - not from the scalpings in the book. "
— John, 1/22/2014" I had forgotten how dense and prosaic the style of writing was and felt that I was wading through the American undergrowth without map or compass. Unfortunately I had extended this library loan for as long as I could so it will have to rest for now. One of the most difficult things in any book is the use of written vernacular in speech. If time has changed the way we say things it can make understanding what is being said very disruptive to the flow of the narrative, no matter how slow. "
— Huw, 1/20/2014" This book is the best of the series. "
— Kaleen, 1/19/2014" Ahh! I nice wordy book! :-) Love these kinds when I have the time to enjoy them. Don't read if you can't stand the obvious moralizing. "
— Lindsey, 1/16/2014" Not entirely interesting. In fact, the story dragged and I could barely understand what was happening. Plus there are so many different Indian names (it's a story about Indians, by the way), I didn't bother to memorize who was who. Not my favorite classic book. "
— Jemimah, 1/9/2014" **This book is not the same edition that I read. "
— Jessica, 12/13/2013James Fenimore Cooper (1789–1851), the first major American novelist, was the son of a wealthy landowner who founded Cooperstown, New York. He attended Yale and served in the navy before turning to writing, winning international fame with The Spy (1821). After The Pioneers (1823), public fascination with the character of Natty Bumppo led him to write a series of sequels that gradually unfold the entire life of the frontier scout.
Raymond Todd is an actor and director in the theater as well as a poet and documentary filmmaker. He plays jazz trombone for the Leatherstocking quartet, an ensemble that gets its name from one of his favorite Blackstone narrations, The Deerslayer. Todd lives in New York.