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The Sky Pilot
Grosset & Dunlap, 1899; by Ralph Connor; illus. by Louis Rhead
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1899
13 people are currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
Ralph Connor
124 books7 followersUniversity of Toronto educated Charles William Gordon, ordained as a Presbyterian minister in 1890. Under the pseudonym Ralph Connor, he published more than thirty novels, including
The Man from Glengarry
(1901) and
Glengarry School Days
(1902). These novels made him an internationally best-selling author.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 5, 2023
I've wanted to read this book for years. After all Grace Livingston Hill mentions it in a few of her books.
Here were my two main issues with it:
~ While always written out as "blanked" or "banked-blank" It still infers a lot of language in this story. It's a personal preference, but I just prefer it to be left out altogether.
~ The style is very dated. And I don't mean in the loveable vintage way, but in a style that is harder to follow. It's more like this books is four or five episodes of a series, but without much to pull it together.
What I loved:
~ The descriptions! Connor had a way with words and I could have read page after page of his descriptions.
~ Showing how anyone can be changed by the gospel. Although, the gospel was never spelled out loud.
As is typical of novels of this time
Here were my two main issues with it:
~ While always written out as "blanked" or "banked-blank" It still infers a lot of language in this story. It's a personal preference, but I just prefer it to be left out altogether.
~ The style is very dated. And I don't mean in the loveable vintage way, but in a style that is harder to follow. It's more like this books is four or five episodes of a series, but without much to pull it together.
What I loved:
~ The descriptions! Connor had a way with words and I could have read page after page of his descriptions.
~ Showing how anyone can be changed by the gospel. Although, the gospel was never spelled out loud.
As is typical of novels of this time
November 10, 2019
I loved it. Trying to pronounce the Scottish bits was particularly fun. But here's the best part: The main character was based upon my great grandfather - William Reid Blackie. He emigrated from Glasgow, was a Presbyterian circuit preacher in upstate New York, and became a missionary in the Yukon territory among loggers and other rough types. He is buried in our family plot in Hillsdale, New York, among my grandfather, grandmother, and most recently my mom.
May 29, 2024
From the Sky Pilot series, I read "Gwen: An Idyll of the Canon" printed as its own small book. I found it in a second-hand shop and bought it for its antique illustrations and fine printing, having no knowledge of Ralph Connor.
It's a religious and moralistic story about a young girl who loves to ride horses and roam the canyon near her home. I liked the descriptions of the main character Gwen, but from the author's POV, I think she was written to prove a point about the so-called dangers of wild and uncouth behavior. The corrective to this is her eventual conversion to god. I really don't like missionary or evangelical work so I generally found the whole thing distasteful. I also found the storyline a tad confusing because the characters in the book seem to very much appreciate Gwen as she is, pre-conversion. I wonder if perhaps there is an underlying Christian message there about loving and not judging others?
The book also has some majorly triggering stereotypes of Native people. So it's pretty yuck overall, but perhaps interesting as a document of its time. Connor was a Scottish church leader and his family settled western Canada in the late nineteenth century, so this is the resulting colonizer lit about the great Canadian wilderness that we get. I didn't care much for Connor's descriptions of nature, but I did quite enjoy the vernacular dialogue between the townspeople in the opening chapter. My copy has SO many beautiful illustrations of rabbits.
It's a religious and moralistic story about a young girl who loves to ride horses and roam the canyon near her home. I liked the descriptions of the main character Gwen, but from the author's POV, I think she was written to prove a point about the so-called dangers of wild and uncouth behavior. The corrective to this is her eventual conversion to god. I really don't like missionary or evangelical work so I generally found the whole thing distasteful. I also found the storyline a tad confusing because the characters in the book seem to very much appreciate Gwen as she is, pre-conversion. I wonder if perhaps there is an underlying Christian message there about loving and not judging others?
The book also has some majorly triggering stereotypes of Native people. So it's pretty yuck overall, but perhaps interesting as a document of its time. Connor was a Scottish church leader and his family settled western Canada in the late nineteenth century, so this is the resulting colonizer lit about the great Canadian wilderness that we get. I didn't care much for Connor's descriptions of nature, but I did quite enjoy the vernacular dialogue between the townspeople in the opening chapter. My copy has SO many beautiful illustrations of rabbits.
November 17, 2022
It was flat
A predictable plot and 1-D charters with.a dull ending. I felt cheated a little with this book. Not this author.
A predictable plot and 1-D charters with.a dull ending. I felt cheated a little with this book. Not this author.
May 18, 2022
I seem to be a bit of an outlier on this one. It struck me as moralistic and formulaic as a story, with overdone nature notes inbetween. I won't look for any more of his work.
March 15, 2021
What a great author Ralph Connor is...This story is a refreshing break from the modern day reads out there today...Clean, sweet, and full of excitement...I loved the part about the little girl "Gwen"...What a spitfire she was!...If only the world today could be more like the Sky Pilot, and all of the rough and tough men he influenced throughout the story...He brought out the best in all of them...Great read*...
March 5, 2022
Heartfelt Tale of Life Before Technology
This was an encouraging, uplifting, blessing of a story. Ralph Connor's writing style is warm and inviting. One can almost see the spacious skies and purple mountain's majesty of a glorious America that once was and will not be again until the Lord returns and sets things aright. What a lovely and memorable book that I shall read again.
This was an encouraging, uplifting, blessing of a story. Ralph Connor's writing style is warm and inviting. One can almost see the spacious skies and purple mountain's majesty of a glorious America that once was and will not be again until the Lord returns and sets things aright. What a lovely and memorable book that I shall read again.
September 15, 2025
I'm not surprised Ralph Connor was so popular during his lifetime because he wrote some really gripping adventures. This wasn't one of his best books, but the tale of a young minister coming to Western Canada to care for the spiritual needs of a pack of wild cowboys, and eventually winning them over with his loving kindness and sincerity, was a gentle, heartwarming read.
November 4, 2024
Some delightful parts and amazing imagery.
A few characters seemed incomplete.
A few characters seemed incomplete.
January 15, 2025
A wonderful tale of the old west in southern Alberta!
Some rough ‘n tough cowboys learn humility in a surprising way, making unsuspecting friendships. A treasure!
Some rough ‘n tough cowboys learn humility in a surprising way, making unsuspecting friendships. A treasure!
August 17, 2019
At first I thought this book was kinda boring and stupid but around the third or fourth chapter I began to see where the author was going with it. It turned out to be an enjoyable light read. Sky Pilot would probably appeal more to boys then to girls. Has all the earmarks of a typical Lamplighter story
March 21, 2012
Read my review at my blog.
October 30, 2013
A well written and interesting book, clean and suitable for all ages. Half way through I thought it was an excellent read but I was a little disappointed with the ending. Still, a very good book.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews