The Coachman

by Roger A. Smith

Philadelphia, 1837. On six occasions, twelve-year-old tomboy Rian Krieger has escorted self-emancipated fugitives to the next station on their flight from enslavement. When Rian’s father, factory owner Otto Krieger, learns that she is a conductor on the Underground Railroad, he renews his plans to send her to a finishing school in Switzerland. This is a fate Rian cannot abide, as it means she would have to wear a dress all the time.

The Workshop of the World. Philadelphia bustles with commerce. The siren song of increased prosperity prompts Otto to make bold decisions. Then, the Panic of 1837 descends, strangling businesses and straining the social and economic fabric of the city. Otto’s factory and home are at risk of foreclosure.

Otto’s problems are potentially resolved when two visitors from Tsarist Russia enter his factory. Rian must Can the Russians’ mission help her solve her Switzerland dilemma as well?

342 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 31, 2023

Reviews

[Sadie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Rian Krieger series. As a historical fiction fan, this book was engaging and kept me on my toes! A central topic in the book is the creation and development of locomotives and steam engines, which isn’t the most interesting to me, so some parts were dull. That being said, there is a focus on the Underground Railroad, the tension between Irish and Black families in the 1800s, and a trans main character, so it’s pretty damn cool.

[Mary Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Come aboard! Sit Back and enjoy The Coachman, Roger Smith’s second book about Rian Kreiger’s Journey. It is such a captivating story that just keeps getting deeper and wider. As we travel with this new book we are transported through much of the actual history of 1837 Philadelphia, America and beyond. This is a rich tale about a smart and daring young girl struggling to figure out who she is through interactions with family, neighbors and friends. These folks set the stage for escorting us through triumphs: creation of steam engine trains, steam fire engines, stronger rails, and changing politics, as well as troubles: an economic downturn, slave catching, and women and free blacks struggling to be able to vote.

Through Rian we see first hand, a young girl asserting her strength and
ability. Going through self-discovery as all young people do was especially
challenging for her because who she felt she was did not match others’ expectations.

“What she wouldn’t say even to Conor was that she would rather look like a boy—a boy who was so unremarkable that he was almost invisible—than a silly-looking girl. And a silly-looking girl was what Rian saw every time she wore a dress and looked in a mirror—a girl in a garment that might as well have been a court jester’s outfit.”

Roger Smith is weaving a tapestry of believable characters relating in
ways that help to teach us the real history in 1837 including
the Underground Railroad, women’s emancipation, blacks deterred from voting, the Irish looked down upon, the rights of women, etc. I love how the author teaches us about so many things, how they work, and why they came about during that time period. I found it so exciting reading this second book in the Rian Krieger Series because of the anticipation of learning more about each person’s character and history. I can’t wait for book 3.

[Maureen Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2 continues the saga of the first book, set at a time in the United States when enslavement oppressed and terrorized people in the South, but also in the North, where slave catchers tracked down, kidnapped, and returned to slavery those who had managed to escape. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 made this immoral bounty hunting practice lucrative. Rian Krieger, our 13 year-old heroine, understands the travesty intuitively, and risks the ire of her devoted father, Otto, by serving as one of the "conductors" of the Underground Railroad (Book one) . In Book two, "The Coachman," Otto learns what Rian has risked, and plans protectively to send her away to Switzerland to a boarding school for young ladies. Of course, she vehemently opposes this plan. Rian constructs an intricate plot to evade this fate by secretly accompanying her uncle to Russia, where some forward thinking Russian patriots are working to convince the Tsar to build a railroad from Moscow to St. Petersburg using Krieger Locomotive factory techniques and personnel. When she is discovered to have stowed away on the ship to Russia, her Uncle Adrian disguises her as their (male) coachman, which delights Rian, a decidedly non-girly girl. In Russia, they are faced with old fashioned ideas and customs, but the ever-resouceful Rian manages to work her magic in clever and surprising ways. Adventure abounds! "The Coachman" also highlights lesser known elements of US history, such as the ongoing role of New England ship captains in the Triangle slave trade, and the role played by self-emancipated Blacks in helping fleeing enslaved people escape further north. This book series is captivating and worthwhile for readers young and old, and shines a much-needed light on some of the darker corners of our past.

[Joan Talmadge · Rating 5 out of 5]

After being captivated by Book 1, The Conductor, I was delighted to continue Rian Krieger’s journey with her in Book 2. Now 13, and undaunted as ever, Rian is determined to continue her exciting but dangerous participation in the Underground Railroad, much to her father’s chagrin.

With her usual cunning, Rian manages to stow away on a ship and talk her uncle into taking her to Russia with him on his business trip. All this to avoid being sent by her father to a boarding school for girls in Switzerland.

Rian revels in her new identity as a young coachman as she and her uncle and cousin end up living at the Winter Palace for a time. The intrigue and mystery continue with the burning of the Winter Palace and Rian’s being brought by the Tsar to be his son’s companion.

Roger Smith deftly interweaves fiction with nonfiction as he makes history come alive. And his skillful character development engenders a fondness for the characters, especially Rian’s father Otto, the self-emancipated slave Jules Freeman, and Rian’s Irish cousin Seamus.

Like I feel with a riveting Netflix series, I anxiously await the release of Book 3!

[James G. Kitendaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Coachman—the second volume in Roger Smith’s planned nine-book series—builds and accelerates to a stunning, exciting climax that leaves the reader breathless! The book continues the story of Rian Krieger, a 12-year-old girl growing up in Philadelphia in the 1830s. Smith has a gift for character and narrative, and the book – and the series-- are benefitted by the fact that he is not only a writer (and a talented one, at that) but also a professional historian. His background gives the story real depth and detail (unlike many historical novels that focus on the narrative with just an occasional reference to period or custom). I highly recommend The Coachman (and of course, its predecessor The Conductor) to all discerning readers. You’re in for a real treat!

[Chris Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading The Conductor, I could not wait to get my hands on The Coachman, and it was everything I had hoped it would be and more! Simply put, Roger Smith is a master of his craft. He meticulously weaves historical details into a compelling story with vivid and relatable characters. In addition to becoming invested in these characters, I learned so much about early 19th century Philadelphia that I could not have learned from a history book. Though a historical novel, this book is relevant and timely. I have genuinely grown fond of the characters and cannot wait to read about the next chapter in Rian Krieger’s journey.

[Tom DeVol · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Coachman is a wonderful book describing the events of a family in mid-19th Philadelphia and their friends and enemies. The focus is on Rian, a teenager, who does not like being a girl. Other characters of note are her German American father, an industrialist, and their friend and business associate, who was originally enslaved. The book is replete with action, intrigue, and historical curiosities. Among its many virtues is that it, along with its predecessor, the Conductor, has increased my sensitivity to the slave trade and what it is like to be transgender.

[Brooke Carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you enjoy impeccably researched historical novels, with well-developed characters, interesting plots, and beautiful prose, this is the series for you! The Coachman is the second of 3 books written, out of 9 planned. I've stayed up too late at night recently devouring the first three! I highly recommend them.

[Becky Fischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book with intrigue and suspense. Similar to book 1 in this series, the character development is strong and many characters, such as Rian and Seamus, have become even more real and likable. Rian has been a conductor and a coachman, what’s next!?