Last of the Mohicans - the book

[MatrixGamer]

I just got done reading James Fenimore Cooper's book the other day. I'd never actually read any of his stuff before. I only knew what Mark Twain said when bad mouthing it. Thought it would be a good idea to see what it really said.

Well... Can't say it was the best book I've ever read. Interesting though. All the tropes of Indians and brave frontiers men are there along with a lot of religious weirdness. Neat to see where all these stereotypes come from. Cooper did to the "Western" what Sir Walter Scott did to Highlanders.

It is interesting how the 1992 movie follows the story Cooper wrote - except that they totally change who the hero is and who lives and dies. Cora is the one killed by Magua. Duncan lives and marries Alice. The Scotsman lives and Hawkeye is absolutely not the romantic hero.

The writing is turgid so I can't recommend the read. I see that even more clearly now because I started reading Herman Melville's book "Typee" SOOO much better written. I'd recommend people stay with the movies. They're great!

The last of the Mohicans will return for me though - I'm going to run a story telling game version of it at the Seven Years War Association convention in South Bend IN the first weekend of April. This is a great little con if you've never been.

What do you think about Cooper's books? Have they given you any inspiration?

Chris Engle

[Plynkes]

I didn't really enjoy Last of the Mohicans. It was dull and stupid. This is a rare occasion where the film is much better than the book.

I read another one and enjoyed it a little more, can't remember whether it was The Pathfinder or The Deerslayer, though. It had a house on a sort of raft on a lake, if that helps. I was so into the genre at the time that I sort of forced myself to enjoy it, if that makes any sense: doing my best to enjoy the story in my imagination despite the writing, rather than because of it.


On the whole I like Melville much more.

[Silent Invader]

The film inspired me but the book ..... ugh!  Fortunately I saw the film first. 

[Malamute]

I remember the BBC series shown back in the late 60's/early 70s that was filmed in the lake District. That was my first encounter with last of the Mohicans.

I very much enjoyed the 1992 film, which inspired me to revist the book, which I struggled to read. I have one of the other books;The Deerslayer which belonged to my grandfather, but I have not read it and probably never will.

[matakishi]

Book's shit. BBC series and 90s film are great. I have the BBC series on DVD and it's still good to watch.

[pocoloco]

I read Pathfinder when I was 10 years old. Been fascinated by Native Americans ever since... should start at some point painting FIW minis that I have for some nice skirmish setting.

[NurgleHH]

First I saw the german Version of the Pathfinder-Stories (4 Parts) in the german television. They were first shown in 1969 as a 4-part-series. Then I saw this great movie in 1992 in the cinema - it is a great movie. But on DVD it s not as impresive as in cinema.
Never read the book, I'm not a fan of "ancient" writers. My teachers tortured me with goethe, schiller and the rest of the "great german writers" and drove me into Lovecraft, Poe and Cornwell.

[NickNascati]

The 1992 version ranks for me as one of the all time great films, it never fails to inspire me.  I agree about the difficulty reading "ancient" authors, though i'd love to read at least a couple of the Leatherstocking tales.

[Plynkes]

The problem is not the age of the work. I've read plenty of 19th Century literature and enjoyed it.

The problem is Fenimore Cooper.

[NickNascati]

I dont know, Ive tried to read the Unabridged "Count of Monte Cristo", as well as "Don Quixote", and could not get very far into either.

[NurgleHH]

I think "don quixote" is the failed trial to make a long version of a short story. I tried this book and never reached the middle. And the movies of DQ are also borring. Maybe the problem is, that I'm not spanish.

[Red Orc]

... I'm not a fan of "ancient" writers. My teachers tortured me with goethe, schiller and the rest of the "great german writers" and drove me into Lovecraft, Poe and Cornwell.

Fenimore Cooper and Poe were contemporaries, though. So it isn't the 'ancientness' or otherwise that bothers you.

[General Lee]

the book idd is pretty poor. Love the film!

[NurgleHH]

Fenimore Cooper and Poe were contemporaries, though. So it isn't the 'ancientness' or otherwise that bothers you.

Maybe you are right...

[Big Martin]

Being quite an advanced reader, I've had the book since I was quite young in the early 60s. Despite many attempts, I've never got beyomd the first few pages, even as an adult. I much preferred the likes of Treasure Island or King Solomon's Mines, which I also got given at a similar age.
Don Quixote is OK. I managed an abridged form of it back in the 60s and have read it in full since. It's not the period of the writer it's the ability which turns me on or off.