Buckskin Brigades
Pulp Western where the white fur traders are the bad guys.
The book starts out with a random diary entry from the Lewis & Clark Expedition, which expedition was sent by the President to explore the newly purchased Louisiana territories. The author's implied question of course is how can you buy something that is already owned by the native peoples of the continent?
Through a pulp and sometimes sarcastic style, we have caricatures of men who are greedy, sly, deceptive and all around nasty people to be around. Their only concern is how to use our hero, Yellow Hair, as a chip in the game of furs and trading as the Nor'westers struggle against the Hudson Bay Company.
I would have liked to have seen more information on Yellow Hair's origins. His father, a late survivor of the politicos back East, made friends with and consulted with the Pikuni tribes and upon his death, his son, Michael, was raised by the Pikunis as Yellow Hair.
Yellow Hair is an impetuous youth, who desires a woman (a sits-beside-me woman) and has some struggles with the council of tribes. His eventual foray into the world of white fur traders makes for some compelling literature.
Spoiler: My favorite scenes include when Bright Star comes across a skeleton with yellow hair and thinks this is proof that Yellow Hair is dead. She does love him, though doesn't show it, and is quite despondent. Will she kill herself? Will she marry the man she's been chosen to marry?
End Spoiler.
The battle scenes are the most compelling. Trapped, surrounded by cannon and men with guns, Yellow Hair calls his enemies cowards, come and get me you Redcoats! The typical pulp hero.
Bottom Line: An interesting look at the beginning of the Western expanse in the Canadian/American north, a struggle for survival and some pretty funny cultural clashes. We have the greedy frontiersman, the dandy, the toady, and enough caricature and fighting to satisfy any Western reader. Recommended.
Other Pulp Westerns:
A Century of Great Western Stories-An Anthology of Western Fiction
Wild Westerns: Stories from the Grand Old Pulps
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Reviews with images
Great book by L. Ron Hubbard. Read this one to be amazed on how a writer can be so diversified.
Great book and a way into the future from the past. Understanding the Native American's maybe our solution to how to handle ourselves and Earth.I am so glad to have the Kindle version now because I love the dictionaries included.
