John Richardson (1)

A slog. As the military narrative unfolds, regularly and somewhat confusingly punctuated with flashbacks, we gradually recognise a romantic, indeed operatic, drama of betrayal and revenge. Greatly in debt to Sir Walter Scott, with a dauntingly elevated level of diction. “Consigned to a mere repose of limb, in which the eye and heart shared not, the inferior soldiery pressed their rude couches with frames debilitated by much abstinence and watching” is only part of a typical sentence. Of show more scholarly interest only, in my estimation. show less

I read this book relatively long ago, and it was for a college class, ie, I had to. I'll be frank and say I would never have read this otherwise, but it is in no way a bad read. Just a rather banal one. Comparisons with "Last of the Mohicans" could be made, to the latter's advantage, no doubt, but the subject matter is very similar, if such is your cup of tea.
In any case, I suppose it's a good historical relation of life in the British/Canadian forts along the border with the United States, show more and of the Anglo-American wars. show less

A good rip roaring read, lots of blood, guts and scalps! Not for the faint hearted. Some of the plot points on second inspection might be hard to believe, but fun nonetheless.

Terribly boring; I gave up.