The Deerslayer: or, The First War-Path: Amazon.ca: James Fenimore Cooper, Leslie Fiedler: Books

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From Library Journal

This novel, Cooper's last contribution to his five-volume "Leatherstocking Tales," introduces Natty Bumppo as a young frontiersman in early 18th-century New York and keeps him busy rescuing white women from Indians. Since Cooper actually wrote this book last in his series, one would expect it to be competently written. However, it's impossible to listen to it without thinking of Mark Twain's savage essay "Fenimore Cooper's Literary Offenses," in which he calls The Deerslayer a "literary delirium tremens." Very apt. The book takes forever to go nowhere, and its dialog is a tortuous blend of stilted literary English and wholly imaginary frontier dialect. Such imperfections may be passed over on the printed page, but they are impossible to ignore when given voice. Narrator Raymond Todd reads descriptive passages just fine, but no one can make Cooper's dialog sound like real speech. This is better left to print editions. Kent Rasmussen, Thousand Oaks, CA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

“James Fenimore Cooper was the first great American novelist.”—A. B. Guthrie

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Customer Reviews

17 Reviews

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

Average Customer Review

3.5 out of 5 stars (17 customer reviews)

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4.0 out of 5 stars Holds Your Interest!, Oct 14 2006

By

James Gallen (St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A.) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Deerslayer (Paperback)

"The Deerslayer" is the sequentially first in the Leatherstocking series of America's first, great, professional novelist, James Fenimore Cooper. I read it in preparation for a trip to Cooperstown, New York and I am glad that I did. Set in upstate New York in the 1740s, it provides the reader with an idolized introduction to the society of white and red of this colonial frontier.

The criticisms that the dialogue and actions are totally unbelievable, while justified, do not detract from the story. While the simple, faith-filled actions of the "Feeble Minded Hetty" and the dialogue between Deerslayer and Chingachgook seem highly improbable, the do hold the readers' interest. While I am generally not one to pick up readily on character development, this novel is an exception. The contrast between Deerslayer and Chingachgook, the romance between Chingachgook and Wah-ta-Wah, the romantic web among Judith, Hurry Harry and Deerslayer, and the varying responses to changes in circumstance coming from sisters Judith and Hetty all contribute to the persistent popularity of this work.

Despite all the criticisms directed against Cooper as to form, the one thing that cannot be denied is that this book is very difficult to put down. I found myself always wondering what would come next and what would happen to the characters whom I had come to know. Whether you are looking for an insight into early American literature or just a good story, your search should lead to "The Deerslayer".

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4.0 out of 5 stars Natty: The early years.........., May 27 2003

By

nto62 (Corona, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Deerslayer (Paperback)

Cooper's final Leatherstocking Tale, The Deerslayer, depicts young Natty Bumppo on his first warpath with lifelong friend-to-be, Chingachgook. The story centers around a lake used as the chronologically subsequent setting for Cooper's first Leatherstocking Tale, The Pioneers. Tom Hutter lives on the lake with his daughters and it is here that Deerslayer (Bumppo) intends to meet Chingachgook to rescue Chingachgook's betrothed from a band of roving Iroquois. A desperate battle for control of the lake and it's immediate environs ensues and consumes the remainder of the story.

Throughout this ultimate Leatherstocking Tale, Cooper provides Natty much to postulate upon. Seemingly desiring a comprehensive finality to the philosophy of Bumppo, Cooper has Natty "speechify" in The Deerslayer more so than in any other book, though the character could hardly be considered laconic in any. Though the reason for this is obvious and expected (it is, after all, Cooper's last book of the series), it still detracts a tad from the pace of the story as Natty picks some highly inappropriate moments within the plot to elaborate his position. And, thus, somewhat incongruently, Cooper is forced to award accumulated wisdom to Bummpo at the beginning of his career rather than have him achieve it through chronological accrual.

All things considered, however, The Deerslayer is not remarkably less fun than any other Leatherstalking Tale and deserves a similar rating. Thus, I award The Deerslayer 4+ stars and the entire Leatherstocking Tales series, one of the better examples of historical fiction of the romantic style, the ultimate rating of 5. It was well worth my time.

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4.0 out of 5 stars better for kids than adults, Jun 30 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Deerslayer (Mass Market Paperback)

I just reread this book after 35 years. I loved it as a 15 year old and enjoyed it as an adult. The negatives? The hubrus of Cooper, the successful author, shows up in the form of undeveloped characters and a wandering plot. The positives are the rolicking adventure and the way it makes me remember where I was and what I was doing the first time I read it. If you are under 16 read this on first and the rest just get better. Over 16 read them in the order they were written and try not to be too disappointed in with this later effort.

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Most recent customer reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Not Cooper's Best Effort....
Had "Deerslayer" been James Fenimore Cooper's first "Leatherstocking" tale -- who knows? Maybe it would have been his last! Read more

Published on Oct 4 2001 by Jonathan B. Sims

1.0 out of 5 stars Worst piece of early American literature ever written.
Deerslayer is an absolutely terrible novel written by a rich swelled ego (Fenimore Cooper). There is no depth and no direction. It is a waste of paper and ink. Read more

Published on April 30 2001