The Forest Runners

The Young Trailers #2

by Joseph Alexander Altsheler

"This story, while independent in itself, continues the fortunes of the two boys who were the central characters of The Young Trailers."

Genres: Historical Fiction, Classics, Fiction

228 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1908

About the author

Joseph Alexander Altsheler was an American newspaper reporter, editor and author of popular juvenile historical fiction. He was a prolific writer, and produced fifty-one novels and at least fifty-three short stories. Thirty-two of his novels were part of his seven series:

The Civil War Series (8 volumes)
The French and Indian War Series (6 volumes)
The Gold Series (2 volumes)
The Great West Series (2 volumes)
The Texan Series (3 volumes)
The World War Series (3 volumes)
The Young Trailers Series (8 volumes)

Although each of the thirty-two novels constitutes an independent story, Altsheler suggested a reading order for each series (i.e., he numbered the volumes). The remaining nineteen novels can be read in any order. [Note, however, that A Knight of Philadelphia was later expanded through the addition of nineteen chapters and some minor tweaks to become Mr. Altsheler's novel In Hostile Red.]

The short stories, of course, can be read in any order. However, some readers might prefer to read them in the order in which they were published. The short story list below is displayed in chronological order with the publication dates shown alongside the titles.

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the longest short book I’ve ever read. It’s listed at just over 200 pages but I felt like I was reading this for days. I must have spent 12 hours on it. And it was never boring, even though the plot is kind of meandering.

There’s a big battle at the end that is basically the climax, but really it’s just a story about some absurdly talented white guys that outsmart the Indians again and again and again and again. And by the way they’re white, and being white is awesome! That’s the other message of the book. It’s super racist. Which gets awkward at times and is why I gave it 4 stars. It’s a book I wish I could recommend to my kids, but unfortunately I don’t want them reading books that might make them think native Americans are soulless evil people and we definitely shouldn’t feel uncomfortable with colonizing their homes and wiping them out.

[Randy Garry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical fiction. Well told about natives versus the whites in the 1700’s in Kentucky area. Written in 1908, it shows quite a contrast between the way things were said back then vs. now. No gentle language back then, the “Indians” were just plain savages. Ouch! I will read more books by this author.

[Jeff Chase · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book two of the Young Trailers story. When I was in 6th grade, Miss Marilyn Strike (one of the best teachers I ever had) introduced the series to us. She read us the first and third volumes, but our library didn't have this volume. So it was a treat to read it years later. The character development of the five main characters was greatly improved in this volume. Henry Ware, the hero of the series, is a little too perfect, but when I was a kid I didn't realize it. This series dealt with an alliance between different Indian tribes to attack the white settlers in pre-Revolutionary War Kentucky, and the efforts of our five stalwarts to prevent it.

The prose is a little purple, and I don't think Henry Ware ever misses a shot, but I still found it entertaining 40-some years later.

[refgoddess · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this in the free e-books and thought I'd give it a re-read. In my pre-teen years I read every Altsheler book I could find. I had a mad crush on Paul. I thrilled to the wilderness adventures. Now I am appalled by the racism and lurid purple prose. What did I see in this? The romance of life on an island in the wilderness? The comradeship? The tough guy with heart of gold syndrome? I read on, looking for a clue, hoping that my younger self was not hopelessly warped for life by this ethnocentric pseudo- history.

[Scott Lord · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this first when I was eight and loved it intensely. I read and re-read the entire series many times as well as other Altsheler books. I wanted to live in those times and have those adventures. Great books!

[Gary Land · Rating 4 out of 5]

I continue to enjoy revisiting a favorite author of my childhood. One is always concerned when reading an old favorite is whether it will disappoint or hold well. Altsheler still holds up.