Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not all that great, Jun 20 2003
This novel is based on an incident during the winter of 1932, when a trapper in the NWT, Canada by the name of "Albert Johnson" led the RCMP on a epic cross-country chase through the Canadian arctic. Although a media sensation, the story soon faded to obscurity; only to be resurrected by Dick North, a small-town newspaper editor, in his book The Mad Trapper of Rat River, and the dubious Thomas P. Kelley in his The Rat River Trapper. Both published in 1972. Soon afterwards, Saskatoon-based Granicus Films began work on a movie based on the story, enlisting Rudy Wiebe as screenwriter. When the financial backing for the movie fell through, Wiebe reworked the screenplay into a novel. Although I have yet to read much of Wiebe's work, what I have read has impressed me much, so I was looking forward to reading his take on the Mad Trapper. It was not far into the book that my interest began to wane; it is not particularly well written, but what disappointed me more was fairly significant manner in which the plot was reworked for dramatic effect. The most obvious of these changes is the role that Constable Millen plays. Also the characterization of "Wop" May, whose role in tracking of the MAd Trapper was instrumental in its success, was somewhat questionable. Not surprisingly, this novel is not considered among Wiebe's best.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not all that great, Jun 20 2003
By K Scheffler - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Mad Trapper (Hardcover)
This novel is based on an incident during the winter of 1932, when a trapper in the NWT, Canada by the name of "Albert Johnson" led the RCMP on a epic cross-country chase through the Canadian arctic. Although a media sensation, the story soon faded to obscurity; only to be resurrected by Dick North, a small-town newspaper editor, in his book The Mad Trapper of Rat River, and the dubious Thomas P. Kelley in his The Rat River Trapper. Both published in 1972. Soon afterwards, Saskatoon-based Granicus Films began work on a movie based on the story, enlisting Rudy Wiebe as screenwriter. When the financial backing for the movie fell through, Wiebe reworked the screenplay into a novel. Although I have yet to read much of Wiebe's work, what I have read has impressed me much, so I was looking forward to reading his take on the Mad Trapper. It was not far into the book that my interest began to wane; it is not particularly well written, but what disappointed me more was fairly significant manner in which the plot was reworked for dramatic effect. The most obvious of these changes is the role that Constable Millen plays. Also the characterization of "Wop" May, whose role in tracking of the MAd Trapper was instrumental in its success, was somewhat questionable. Not surprisingly, this novel is not considered among Wiebe's best.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not a bad read, April 20 2011
By Shane - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Mad Trapper (Paperback)
The story was slightly entertaining, but if you are into the history of this amazing story you will find it not only lacking but incorrect in many facts. Some facts were misled to completely false for the a dramatic effect that was really not needed.
|
|
|