Rating: 
Summary: Flawed But Still a Classic
Review: Set in upstate New York in colonial times, Cooper here tells the story of the stolid colonial scout Hawkeye, nee Natty Bumppo (don't ask), who, with his two Indian companions Chingachgook (the Big Snake) and his son Uncas (apparently newly come to manhood), stumble on a party of British soldiers conducting two fair maidens to their father, the commander of British Fort William Henry during the French and Indian War. Under the watchful eyes of the young British officer who has the girls in his charge and led by a Huron scout, Magua, the party appears, to the indomitable Hawkeye, to be at greater risk than they realize as they trek through the wilderness toward the safety of the girls' father's garrison. And, indeed, Hawkeye's judgement is soon proved right as the scout Magua treacherously betrays the hapless girls in repayment, it seems, for a stint of corporal punishment inflicted on him previously by their absent parent. Since the Hurons, Magua's native tribe, are culturally akin to the Iroquois who are the herditary enemies of the Algonquin Delawares, from whom Chingachgook and his son hail and among whom Hawkeye has made his home and friendships, a natural antagonism has arisen almost at once between Hawkeye's party and the Huron and this proves salutary, when danger finally strikes. The tale quickly becomes a matter of flight and pursuit through thickly overgrown primeval forests, over rough mountains and across broad open lakes as the beleagured travelers first elude and then flee the dreaded Iroquois (allies of the French) who have joined the renegade Huron in an effort to seize the two girls. After a brief respite within the safety of William Henry however, the tables are once again turned as Magua's perfidy puts the girls once more at risk. And now the story shifts to a manic pursuit of the fleeing Magua who means to carry off his human prey in order to finally have his revenge on the girls' father, on the British and on the Europeans, generally, whose presence in his native country he blames (not altogether unjustifiably) for his myriad travails. Written in the fine tradition of the 19th century romance (which, of course, is what this book is), Cooper picked up where Sir Walter Scott (the venerable founder of this particular novelistic tradition) left off, creating a rich historical tale of adventure, nobility and marvelously sketched characters set against a brilliantly detailed natural landscape. If his characters are less keenly drawn than Scott's they are no less memorable for, in the quiet nobility of the scout Hawkeye lies the strong, silent hero of the wilderness which was to become the archetypical protagonist of the American western. And the Indians, Chingachgook and Uncas, are the very prototypes of the noble savage, so much used and over-used today. This is a tale of action first and foremost without much plot but so well told that you barely notice, as our heroes flee and pursue their enemies in turn until the very quickness of the prose seems to mirror and embody the speed of the action. Nor is this book only to be read for its rapid-fire rendition of flight and pursuit, for it touches the reader on another level as well, as the bold young Uncas moves out ahead of his comrades to place himself at risk for the others and the woman he loves. Although we never see Uncas at anything but a distance and never get to know the man he is supposed to be, he is yet a symbol of that people of whom he is the last chiefly descendant, the Delaware Mohicans. Nobly born into the finest of Mohican bloodlines, Uncas faces his final trial with heroic energy and resolve in order to defeat the nefarious and twisted Magua. Yet this struggle is also the final footnote in the story of a people, marking the closing chapter for all those Indians who, with the Mohicans, have seen, in Cooper's words, the morning of their nation and the inevitable nightfall which must follow. The book is a bit short on characterization and plotting and the prose is heavy for modern tastes, but the action is richly visualized in the flow of the narrative and the images are compelling. In the end, despite its flaws, this book of Cooper's is, in fact, the classic we have been told it is. -- S. W. Mirsky
Rating:
Summary: Still one of the Classics
Review: Set in upstate New York in colonial times, Cooper here tells the tale of the stolid colonial scout Hawkeye, nee Natty Bumppo (don't ask), who, with his two Indian companions Chingachgook (the Big Snake) and his son Uncas (apparently newly come to manhood), stumble on a party of British soldiers conducting two fair maidens to their father, the commander of British Fort William Henry during the French and Indian War. Under the watchful eyes of the young British officer who has the girls in his charge and led by a Huron scout, Magua, the party appears, to the indomitable Hawkeye, to be at greater risk than they realize as they trek through the wilderness toward the safety of the girls' father's garrison. And, indeed, Hawkeye's judgement is soon proved right as the scout Magua treacherously betrays the hapless girls in repayment, it seems, for a stint of corporal punishment inflicted on him previously by their absent parent. Since the Hurons, Magua's native tribe, are culturally akin to the Iroquois who are the herditary enemies of the Algonquin Delawares, from whom Chingachgook and his son hail and among whom Hawkeye has made his home and friendships, a natural antagonism arises almost at once between Hawkeye's party and the Huron and this proves salutary, when danger finally strikes. The tale quickly becomes a matter of flight and pursuit through thickly overgrown primeval forests, over rough mountains and across broad open lakes as the beleagured travelers first elude and then flee the dreaded Iroquois (allies of the French) who have joined the renegade Huron in an effort to seize the two girls. After a brief respite within the safety of William Henry however, the tables are once again turned as Magua's perfidy puts the girls once more at risk. And now the story shifts to a manic pursuit of the fleeing Magua who means to carry off his human prey in order to finally have his revenge on the girls' father, on the British and on the Europeans, generally, whose presence in his native country he blames (not altogether unjustifiably) for his myriad travails. Written in the fine tradition of the 19th century romance (which, of course, is what this book is), Cooper picked up where Sir Walter Scott (the venerable founder of this novelistic tradition) left off, creating a rich historical tale of adventure, nobility and marvelously sketched characters set against a brilliantly detailed natural landscape. If his characters are less keenly drawn than Scott's they are no less memorable for, in the quiet nobility of the scout Hawkeye lies the strong, silent hero of the wilderness which has become the archetypical protagonist in our own American westerns. And the Indians, Chingachgook and Uncas, are the very prototypes of the noble savage, so much used, and over-used, today. This is a tale of action first and foremost without much plot but so well told that you barely notice, as our heroes flee and pursue their enemies in turn -- until the very quickness of the prose seems to mirror and embody the speed of the action. Nor is this book only to be read for its rapid-fire rendition of flight and pursuit, for it touches the reader on another level as well, as the bold young Uncas moves out ahead of his comrades to place himself at risk for the others and the woman he loves. Although we never see Uncas at anything but a distance and never get to know the man he is supposed to be, he is yet a symbol of that people of whom he is the last chiefly descendant, the Delaware Mohicans. Nobly born into the finest of Mohican bloodlines, Uncas faces his final trial with heroic energy and resolve in order to defeat the nefarious and twisted Magua. Yet this struggle is also the final footnote in the story of a people, marking the closing chapter for all those Indians who, with the Mohicans, have, in Cooper's own words, seen the morning of their nation and the inevitable nightfall which must follow. If you give this book a chance and bear with some of the heavy nineteenth century prose, it will prove out in the end. An exciting and worthwhile read.
Rating: 
Summary: A true classic
Review: I never really had any intention of ever reading this booking, having assumed that it was romanticized nonesense, but after watching the movie, and, for some reason, enjoying it, I decided that the time had come: I had to read the book.So I did. At first, I'll admit, the going was a little slow, as the writing is somewhat fanciful and the dialogue stilted, but this awkwardness became less of an issue the more I became enthralled by the story. Having seen the movie in advance, it was interesting to see how much the movie had in fact diverged from the story. Actually, aside from many of the characters, the setting, and the general premise of the story, the movie is quite different from the book. So much so, that it is safe to say that the movie has totally failed to capture the true spirit of the novel, and is little more than the typical Hollywood historical romance. The most unfortunate aspect of the movie, however, is how the "patriotic" element was incorporated--this is simply not in the book. I do have to say that the movie in its own right is good, but it utterly fails as an adaptation. The is no doubt that Last of the Mohicans is a classic. It is a book that I know will be reread a number of times before my time comes, and I'm sure with each reading, new meaning and insight will be found in its pages.
Rating:
Summary: An American Classic
Review: I first read "Last of the Mohicans" many years ago. Recently, I was doing research on the Beaver Wars of the 17th century and learned a great deal about the history of the early colonies and the relationships between the various Native American nations and tribal groups. It's fascinating stuff, to say the least. After completing the research (which resulted in a two volume set of books entitled "Iroquois Wars" available on Amazon.com), I re-read Cooper's "Last of the Mohicans" with a more careful eye. Clearly, Cooper knew his stuff. He captures the true spirit of the American frontier spot on. He retains a mournful sensitivity toward the plight of the dwindling eastern woodland tribes while offering none of the absurd modern political correctness that makes every Indian wise, generous, and kind, and every European colonist vicious, greedy, and ignorant. While subject to the occasional novelist's hyperbole, Cooper also draws an accurate picture of Native military tactics and rituals. The various harangues and conversations he creates could have been lifted directly from the pages of the Jesuit Relations or other primary sources in which actual conversations were recorded by those who understood the various Algonquian and Iroquoian tongues. In short, I highly recommend "Last of the Mohicans" to anyone who enjoys historical novels or those with a particular interest in frontier history, the American colonial wars, or the native tribes of the eastern woodlands. The book truly is an American classic. (P.S., don't bother with the recent movie of the same name--it bears only passing resemblance to this book).
Rating:
Summary: Captures the ruggedness of the American wilderness
Review: I first read The Last of the Mohicans in 1973 and have reread it periodically over the years. Although Mark Twain is often given credit for being the first quintessential American author, I would vote for James Fenimore Cooper. This is a magnificent book that captures the ruggedness of the American wilderness and creates the American Hero, Hawkeye- the loner who rejects the institutions and the relationships that most men need and who stand alone for what is right. This motif has been picked up in countless American heros ranging from Hammetts Sam Spade to John Wayne. Although written in a style that may be difficult for the contemporary reader to grasp, it is, nevertheless, a beautifully written novel. Cooper has a way of describing the savage beauty of the American wilderness that is unequaled in literature. An example of this is his description of the forest swallowing up the European armies only to spit them out in ragged pieces- armies larger than those that often dispose of the scepters of the mother countries were seen to bury themselves in these forest, whence they rarely returned but in skeleton bands that were haggard with care or dejected by defeat. Raised in western Oregon and spending much of my youth in the Oregon wilderness, I know exactly what Cooper describes. There is a terrible beauty about the wilderness that both invites and destroys. It is a beauty that draws on into its inner recesses can quickly turn into terror as the weather turns foul, ones sense of direction is lost and the forest seems to close in around one fights off the feeling of terror and loneliness. It gives an rush that city folks cannot even imagine. The story is set in the geo-political struggle between the France and England for control of colonial empires both in the Americans and India. It is a story of savagery, slaughter, betrayal and courage. Of course, this book would offend the sensibilities of politically correct. Yes, Indians are describes as savages and yes, they massacre innocent women and children. Yes, Europeans get better press; but Cooper, like Melville, addresses the race issue. Hero's and villains are been on both sides of the conflict. This is a great book and should be on your must read list of American literature.
Rating:
Summary: A review for Last of the Mohicans
Review: I thought the Last of the Mohicans was a good book and a bad book. I thought it was agood book because of all the suspense throughtout the book. I also liked the book because of how James Cooper described the characters and there surroundings.
I didn't like the book because of how James Cooper phrased things. If you don't read well it would be hard to understand. If you were going to read the Last of the Mohicans you would want to have a old dictionary with you to understand some of the words. One more good thing is that he uses no profanity in this book.
Rating: 
Summary: A tough story to sort out.
Review: I know this book is a classic, and James Fenimore Cooper sought to fatten these pages with epic sagas of Indian and White-Men wars, placing special emphasis on the pride of every Indian tribe and their greatly diverse natures. He succeeded. The proud and somewhat glorious adventures of these doomed warriors is on every page. The Indian tribes are richly described in their bravery and cunning at war, their knowledge of the land they love and know so much better than the White Man. In the wilderness of the 16th century, we have the Mohicans and the Mingos at war with each other and the white man. It is significant to the author to point out the last of the great Mohican tribe as a symbolic reference that, during this time frame, one tribe at least was near extinction, an omen and future yet to befall the rest of the "owners" of a country much loved and revered by the Indian. What becomes tough for the reader to sort out is this: Some tribes are referred to by three different names - or more, and within these tribes, some Indians themselves by many names. Adventure and fighting are abundant of course, and James Fenimore Cooper even adds a bit of romance and intrigue as a quest for two loved ones underlies much of the story. I am sorry to say I was lost in trying to keep it all straight, and the book put me to sleep more often than not. Still, if you are an adventure lover and particularly interested in 16th century sagas, you may thrill to these pages. If not, it's a pretty good sleeping pill.
Rating:
Summary: MUSIC to the mind of this musician
Review: I have been enjoying Steinbeck, Dickens, Plato, Shakespeare and just about everything else since I was small enough to listen to daddy read. Huck Fin, Buck, Kino...they are all my heroes. I read this one out loud to my parents - all of it unabriged - and did not have any trouble despite my fourteen year old mind. The manner Cooper uses to draw you into the story is fascinating...and strange in a world where no one has the patience to enjoy the manner of man that through his writings was discribing himself and trying to earn bread for his table that night. (Which is better than a lot of people can say.) Cooper's heroes are full of themselves. They are truly "men without a cross" as he, and they, say of themselves. Through the beautiful, melodius eloquence Cooper discribes the men that are much the same as Jonathan Seagull, Jesus Christ, Legolas and even Don Quixote. I respect him for the way that his characters DO what they believe and not wait for someone to back them up. Uncas prooved that well enough - in love or not. Most of us love The Lord Of The Rings movies, they too kill for the same reason. To save something they believe to be of worth (Read the book, they butchered the movie)I think that everyone would like to have the words honestly said over you that were said over Le Cerf Agile and Cora.
TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHO THE MAN BEHIND THE COOPER MASK REALLY IS. you will then enjoy the adventure of a man's mind greater than any other.
Rating: 
Summary: Not quite what I expected
Review: This read a lot fresher than I expected from a book which is now almost 200 years old. The most surprising and intringuing aspect was its temporal scope: the events of all 400 pages occur within just a few days. This means the pace of the story-telling is relaxed, even when the action is not, affording loads of detail and creating very effective suspense (reminiscent of Hemingway's _For Whom the Bell Tolls_). For the most part, this immersion keeps the reader fully interested, but sometimes it becomes tedious, e.g., the Homeric burial rites at the end. The most memorable scenes are those relating the shocking horrors perpetrated by American Natives, dubious tellings which obviously should now be taken with several grains of salt.
Rating:
Summary: The Best!!!!!!!!!
Review: The Last of the Mohicans is a great book. I read it 3 months ago. I saw the movie and that's cool too.
It's about two ladies and a guy are going to their father. Onthe way there attacked. Then Hawkeye and two other indians save them. They take them to their father,but are attacked many mor times on the way.
It's full of action and fighting. It's awsome.
You shoud read it. It's great!
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