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Fiction. Western. Thriller. Historical Fiction. HTML:ā??For sheer adventure Lā??Amour is in top form.ā?ā??Kirkus Reviews Here is the kind of authentically detailed epic novel that has become Louis Lā??Amourā??s hallmark. It is the compelling story of U.S. Air Force Major Joe Mack, a man born out of time. When his experimental aircraft is forced down in Russia and he escapes a Soviet prison camp, he must call upon the ancient skills of his Indian forebears to survive the vast Siberian wilderness. Only one route lies open to Mack: the path of his ancestors, overland to the Bering Strait and across the sea to America. But in pursuit is a legendary tracker, the Yakut native Alekhin, who knows every square foot of the icy frontierā??and who knows that to trap his quarry he mus… (more)
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Hard to put down, this one will remain on my shelves for a future reread.
What I liked about the book was that it was funny. The book was not good because I thought it was going to have more adventure in it. I liked how the author put his words in the book it was good. The book cover was good but I think it should be snowier in it. The book was good and bad because it was weird when a bear was there in his face when he woke up. I liked the words in the book they all made sense at the end. Bob Miller was a cool key person in the book and he was funny in it too. Clearly you can see why I like this book and what it is about.
The book is excellent, if you like reading about a self-made guy who tries to get through all his problems mainly by himself. It shows how he thinks, reacts and got educated to be one of the
On the other hand, it is sometimes a little bit unrealistic and tends to transmits the wrong message through Joe Mack: Hope and strategic thinking is always good, but you can't get anywhere only on your own. This is the really hard way that nearly nobody can make. You have to talk to people. You have to communicate. Exchange some ideas, say what you honestly think, ask for help when you need it. This is how you can get somewhere without having a hard life. Why is it always so hard to talk and honestly discuss things? Why do so many people prefer doing things on their own and isolate themselves? An example for somebody who has some problems moving on on its own would be the old Russia (Soviet Union) in this book.
Major Joe Mac, of the US Air Force is a pilot and a Sioux Indian. While test flying an experimental aircraft over the Baring Straight, he is forced to crash in the drink and is captured by the Soviets. He escapes only to be trapped in Siberia. The rest of the book is the Soviets trying to recapture him and constantly failing.
The Russians have forced his plane down. They capture him and take him to a secret prison in Siberia. He is taken before Col. Zamatev, a hard line GRU officer who plans to force information from Joe
The Russians realize that Joe Mack has valuable information about modern jet planes. The prison is in a little known area of Siberia and Zamatev tells Joe Mack that no one knows where he is so there won't be an effort to search for him.
Joe Mack is part Sioux, part Cheyenne. He is also a decathlon athlete of near Olympic caliber. He's also a proud man and resolved not to give in. He is able to find an object that permits him to pole vault over the prison fence. Then he begins on an heroic effort to cross Russia and escape.
He has no weapons or food or winter clothing so the odds are against him. In addition, Zamatev assigns Alekhin, a Yakut Siberian to trail Joe. The Yakut, as he is called, is an enforcer at the prison and a good tracker who has taken Joe Mack's escape personally.
I had read this story in the past and enjoyed it again. Reading about Joe Mack's survival in the freezing cold mountainous region reminded me somewhat of Jack London. Joe Mack is able to make a bow and arrow and he survives on his innate skills. When the Russians send a helicopter after him, that segment of the story reminded me of the movie, Rambo.
Overall, the nonstop action was entertaining and his relationship to the people he meets during his escape was interesting to follow. The writing is realistic, so much so that when I read about the Russian winter setting in, I made sure the windows of my house were closed tightly and the heat was turned up.
Why I picked this book up: I read this as a youth, heās one of my favorite authors and I wanted to reread it.
Thoughts: I loved his description of land, Native American used his skills, being the tracked by Soviets. The survival and
Why I finished this read: Interesting and too good to end early. I did not remember how it ended and finished the reread.
Stars rating: 4.5 of 5 stars.