Carry the Wind

Rating:
Summary: Mountain Men Come Alive!
Review: Carry The Wind introduces the reader to grizzled mountain man Titus "Scratch" Bass who befriends young Josiah Paddock. Johnston weaves a detailed saga of the encounters of these two in the rough western country of 1831 North America. The novel is fantastically researched and character development is sensational. Johnston's knowledge of mountain man survival and Native American customs and language borders on scholarly and is worth the read for this fact alone.

I really enjoyed being transported to the era of the mountain men, quite a drift away from tradional Westerns. My only negative comment is that the novel seems to drag at times, especially when Bass and Paddock are travelling between plot lines, and as such is a bit too long-winded. Perhaps Johnston intended for the reader to feel the slowness and isolation of the mountain men when travelling from Point A to B. Regardless, Carry The Wind is an excellent work, especially considering this was Johnston's first work (the author sadly passed away last year).

I plan on reading Johnston's "mountain men" works as well as his other titles as well. Overall, Carry The Wind is a great historical read if you have the time and interest in this period of American History.

Rating:
Summary: Mountain Men Come Alive!
Review: Carry The Wind introduces the reader to grizzled mountain man Titus "Scratch" Bass who befriends young Josiah Paddock. Johnston weaves a detailed saga of the encounters of these two in the rough western country of 1831 North America. The novel is fantastically researched and character development is sensational. Johnston's knowledge of mountain man survival and Native American customs and language borders on scholarly and is worth the read for this fact alone.

I really enjoyed being transported to the era of the mountain men, quite a drift away from tradional Westerns. My only negative comment is that the novel seems to drag at times, especially when Bass and Paddock are travelling between plot lines, and as such is a bit too long-winded. Perhaps Johnston intended for the reader to feel the slowness and isolation of the mountain men when travelling from Point A to B. Regardless, Carry The Wind is an excellent work, especially considering this was Johnston's first work (the author sadly passed away last year).

I plan on reading Johnston's "mountain men" works as well as his other titles as well. Overall, Carry The Wind is a great historical read if you have the time and interest in this period of American History.

Rating:
Summary: Carry The Wind
Review: Equal to any if not the best book I have ever read. A unique gift and presentation by the author.

Rating:
Summary: Long-winded, but good
Review: Why do authors feel compelled to stretch out their books to inordinate lengths? There are some books -- "War and Peace" -- that deserve long, lengthy treatment. Others are just padded -- and that applies to "Carry the Wind." The novel is 700 pages long. It would be better if the author had cut it back to 400-450 pages.

Well, amidst this over-wordy novel is a good story and a lot of authentic information about the days of the Mountain Men -- ca. 1832 -- perhaps the most heroic and adventurous, although unwashed, characters in American history. The novel is worth reading for its description of buffalo hunts, Indian fights and homely crafts like moccasin making, beaver skinning, etc. I especially enjoyed the author's description of the Battle of Pierre's Hole, a real event.

The plot of "Carry the Wind" is pretty basic. Young man (Josiah Paddock) gets in trouble and runs away to the mountains where he meets old trapper (only 38 years old!) "Scratch" also known as Titus Bass. Old trapper initiates young man into the ways of the Mountain Men. The ending is pretty exciting although too drawn out by half. I admire the author more for his research and dedication to authenticity than I do his merits as a novelist.

Rating:
Summary: Long-winded, but good
Review: Why do authors feel compelled to stretch out their books to inordinate lengths? There are some books -- "War and Peace" -- that deserve long, lengthy treatment. Others are just padded -- and that applies to "Carry the Wind." The novel is 700 pages long. It would be better if the author had cut it back to 400-450 pages.

Well, amidst this over-wordy novel is a good story and a lot of authentic information about the days of the Mountain Men -- ca. 1832 -- perhaps the most heroic and adventurous, although unwashed, characters in American history. The novel is worth reading for its description of buffalo hunts, Indian fights and homely crafts like moccasin making, beaver skinning, etc. I especially enjoyed the author's description of the Battle of Pierre's Hole, a real event.

The plot of "Carry the Wind" is pretty basic. Young man (Josiah Paddock) gets in trouble and runs away to the mountains where he meets old trapper (only 38 years old!) "Scratch" also known as Titus Bass. Old trapper initiates young man into the ways of the Mountain Men. The ending is pretty exciting although too drawn out by half. I admire the author more for his research and dedication to authenticity than I do his merits as a novelist.