|
|
(Larger Image)
|
Danger Rides the River: A Frontier Story (Five Star First Edition Western Series)
by Les Savage
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Five Star (ME) (2002-08)
ISBN: 0786235438
EAN: 9780786235438
Dewy Decimal #: 813.54
Hardcover: 408 pages
Edition: Library edition
SKU: H6001
Condition: Very Good
|
Customer Reviews
|
Colourful and vivid historical novel
Rating  (3)
Date: 2004-07-15
It is good to see this work at long last available in the form its author Les Savage intended .Savage -whose tragically early death at age 35 robbed the Western of a potentially highly significant writer -originally wrote the tale as a long short story , or short novel if you will ,and in this form it was published by the Zane Gray "Western Magazine" in 1953 .Savage declared his intention to expand the tale into a full length novel and -as so many times in his brief career -was bedevilled by editorial interference and the resulting work when published was nothing like his original vision.The book is set on the Mississippi between 1809 and 1812 .Its protagonist is Owen Naylor a young keeler (one who works a pole on the boats transporting goods along the river ) A rugged and determined individual he sees steam as the wave of the future and strives with might and main to develop a working steam engine to ply the river and expand trade .He is opposed by both a rival consortium and by those keelers who see steam as a threat to their living . The first group are not above hiring the latter to engage in acts of sabotage and there are several lively and vividly described scenes of hand to hand combat and pitched battles .
His troubles do not end there however as among his partners in the venture is Charlotte a young woman with whom he is deeply in love but who has married the charming if shallow and hidebound Louis in order to escape poverty ,rather than for love and who reciprocates Owen's feelings . The novel builds to a climax laden with death and violence agaist the background of the war of 1812 and ends with the promise of a new dawn This is not a deep or profound book but it is lively and colourful with vividly described action scenes interspersed with some fine descriptions of landscape Recommended to lovers of the historical romance and frontier tale
|
|
|
|
|