What do you think?
Rate this book
Skye's West #3
The Far Tribes
There are many legends of great mountain men, hunters and trappers who manage to survive on their own in the harsh landscapes and forests of the West. The frontier is full of adversity, from blood-hungry natives to the vicious beasts of the mountains, and the one name that all men of the frontier praise and whisper as if in prayer is Barnaby Skye. Elkanah Morse came west from Lowell, Massachusetts with one goal in to study the ways of the far tribes. But entrance into their world is not easy. Only one man is capable of bringing him to the natives safely, only one man who knows exactly what to bring for trade. But Skye's advice is not enough. When rumors begin to spill that Morse is being held captive by one of the most vicious tribes in the mountains, Barnaby Skye feels compelled to take to the mountains and rescue the man . . . but he must face his most brutal battle yet.
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
41 people want to read
About the author
Richard S. Wheeler
124 books66 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
There are other authors with this name. One writes Marine Corps history. Another, Civil War history. Another writes in the political sciences.
Richard S. (Shaw) Wheeler was born in Milwaukee in 1935 and grew up in nearby Wauwatosa.
There are other authors with this name. One writes Marine Corps history. Another, Civil War history. Another writes in the political sciences.
Richard S. (Shaw) Wheeler was born in Milwaukee in 1935 and grew up in nearby Wauwatosa.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 28, 2020
This is not one of Wheeler's best Skye's West books. In this one Mr. Skye is mostly incompetent. He goes on an eleven day drunk, twice all of his possessions are stolen, and his wife's tribe has to rescue his hind end. Not hero material.
February 14, 2016
Not Just a Cowboy Book Writer: A Review of The Far Tribes, by Richard S. Wheeler
Richard S. Wheeler comes to mind as obscure and underrated. Bookstores shelve his novels in the Western section, although he’s actually a superior historical fiction writer. This novel, The Far Tribes, tells the story of frontier scout Barnaby Skye and the expedition he leads to a remote area of mountain wilderness where the First Nations peoples – the far tribes - have had minimal contact with Europeans. The members of the expedition include Skye’s two Aboriginal wives, an inventor from Massachusetts and his family, a U.S. army officer, and a bookbinder/journalist from Hartford, Connecticut.
One can enjoy this book firstly because of its insights regarding the interactions between European explorers and the First Nations. The inventor, Elkanah Morse, specializes in labour-saving devices and among Europeans, his inventions have brought him great acclaim. He therefore heads into the wilderness believing that items such as collapsible tents and manufactured arrows will be a great hit with the Aboriginal people. The reception his inventions actually receive illustrates the chasm separating Western “civilization” and Aboriginal values, which in factual history resulted in a culture clash from hell. Secondly, each character has a different reaction to his or new surroundings. One character, for example, who functioned perfectly well in her old setting, shows herself to be a spoiled, helpless wretch who proves a danger to the group during the crisis, when an attack leaves them with few injuries but in a dire predicament: with all their supplies gone, they’re abandoned literally in their underwear, out in the wilderness. Their struggle to survive makes for compelling reading.
The Far Tribes matches up well with other books by Richard S. Wheeler that I’ve enjoyed, such as Sierra and Badlands. If you’re looking for a fresh look at frontier America, pick one up.
Richard S. Wheeler comes to mind as obscure and underrated. Bookstores shelve his novels in the Western section, although he’s actually a superior historical fiction writer. This novel, The Far Tribes, tells the story of frontier scout Barnaby Skye and the expedition he leads to a remote area of mountain wilderness where the First Nations peoples – the far tribes - have had minimal contact with Europeans. The members of the expedition include Skye’s two Aboriginal wives, an inventor from Massachusetts and his family, a U.S. army officer, and a bookbinder/journalist from Hartford, Connecticut.
One can enjoy this book firstly because of its insights regarding the interactions between European explorers and the First Nations. The inventor, Elkanah Morse, specializes in labour-saving devices and among Europeans, his inventions have brought him great acclaim. He therefore heads into the wilderness believing that items such as collapsible tents and manufactured arrows will be a great hit with the Aboriginal people. The reception his inventions actually receive illustrates the chasm separating Western “civilization” and Aboriginal values, which in factual history resulted in a culture clash from hell. Secondly, each character has a different reaction to his or new surroundings. One character, for example, who functioned perfectly well in her old setting, shows herself to be a spoiled, helpless wretch who proves a danger to the group during the crisis, when an attack leaves them with few injuries but in a dire predicament: with all their supplies gone, they’re abandoned literally in their underwear, out in the wilderness. Their struggle to survive makes for compelling reading.
The Far Tribes matches up well with other books by Richard S. Wheeler that I’ve enjoyed, such as Sierra and Badlands. If you’re looking for a fresh look at frontier America, pick one up.
October 31, 2019
Six-Word Review: Stereotypical frontier horse opera time waster.
I got this book because the author recently died in Livingston Montana and was eulogized as one of the best "Western" authors Montana has ever produced. I couldn't agree less.
His florid style notwithstanding, I managed to endure the first 25 pages of increasingly overwrought prose before starting to scan the rest of the book, to find out if my guesses as to what would happen were accurate. With a few differences, they were basically correct. Even scanning instead of reading was boring.
I obviously cannot recommend this book unless you are on a deserted island with nothing else to read.
I got this book because the author recently died in Livingston Montana and was eulogized as one of the best "Western" authors Montana has ever produced. I couldn't agree less.
His florid style notwithstanding, I managed to endure the first 25 pages of increasingly overwrought prose before starting to scan the rest of the book, to find out if my guesses as to what would happen were accurate. With a few differences, they were basically correct. Even scanning instead of reading was boring.
I obviously cannot recommend this book unless you are on a deserted island with nothing else to read.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews