The Crater Or, Vulcan's Peak; a Tale of the Pacific

by James Fenimore Cooper

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Genres: Adventure, Fiction, American, Novels, Classics

274 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1847

About the author

James Fenimore Cooper was a popular and prolific American writer. He is best known for his historical novel The Last of the Mohicans, one of the Leatherstocking Tales stories, and he also wrote political fiction, maritime fiction, travelogues, and essays on the American politics of the time. His daughter Susan Fenimore Cooper was also a writer.

Series:
* The Leatherstocking Tales
* The Littlepage Manuscripts
* Afloat and Ashore
* Homeward Bound

Reviews

[Henry Avila · Rating 4 out of 5]

This adventure another variation of the original classic, Robinson Crusoe 1719 like every other lost on a deserted island , written a century after ( 1847 ) but set in the late 1700's, 1796 to be precise, (enough of the numbers) the question can someone survive alone... make that truthfully two? James Fenimore Cooper known today for The Last of the Mohicans one of five Leatherstocking Tales was a former sailor in the U.S. Navy his love of the sea can't be hidden or his knowledge either, it's a pleasure as he describes how a sailing boat of the 19th century goes about with well trained crew members working together harmoniously and in all types of weather, manage the complex maneuvers perfectly. Amidst natives not friendly and envious of the newcomers wealth, a rough storm threatening to tear apart the intrepid Rancocus and be shipwrecked in the isolated South Pacific, able Captain Crutchely will prevent such an occurrence he Mark Woolston, wrongly believes. So apparently with one friend Bob Betts on board through perseverance and luck are the only people to float and inhale at the same time. The two young crewmen somehow find an island above the ocean, dry land, later bring a few new friends from on board, four legged animals to be honest, pigs, goats and cows free them for nature...but not too long I suppose if you understand the dire situation. The abandon ship stuck in white waters, rocks just below the surface doesn't sink however, firmly stuck in the shallows. The good thing is plenty of food on the vessel they are well provided in this area, yet the volcanic peak is ominously smoking but not from cigarettes on the little island . Of course numerous new colonist follow them, soon a settlement grows quickly a little town rises , an American outpost thousands of miles from America .The fun part begins as a barren land becomes a profusion of green with trees , grasslands, crops everywhere and thrives, a beautiful oasis established where before was an ugly reef, then the natives attack, pirates also and the prosperous territory becomes disenchanted...Mark the founder and leader of the colony is ousted, who can figure. Mysterious Island by Jules Verne written over twenty years later if you read that, this is a lesser known item. The novel is rather more than a good read as the author's philosophy sometimes gets in the way of the narrative still the story continues to a surprise ending.

[Katherine Austin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great story about a young American sailor shipwrecked on a rocky reef in the Pacific Ocean in the late 1700's. Using ingenuity he manages to make a beautiful homestead there and eventually is joined by others from home and a colony arises. There are many exciting adventures including attacks by the local island tribes, pirates, volcanoes, earthquakes and social unrest.

[Thomas P. Harkenrider · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining story

As is typical of stories from Me Cooper, I found the text to be quite wordy. The plot was good, however, it subliminally it followed Jules Verne 's Mysterious Island. I will admit that I am not sure published their prose first; I read Mysterious Island first.

[Peter Wesson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story.

The story was interesting and worth reading. Some of the wordings confusing and sentences were often too long so as to loose track of what the author was trying to say. Not being familiar with nautical terms could also cause some confusion.

[Lasturian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Esta fue mi primer novela. Quisiera volver a comprarme este libro.

[Alicia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cooper, el del "Último Mohicano".

Siglo XIX, Marcos se queda atrapado en un arrecife del Pacífico junto a un compañero de navío. Intentan la agricultura y les va muy bien. En una tormenta, el compi se aleja sin querer en un barco que habían estado construyendo los dos. Tras muchos años, se vuelve a encontrar con él ya que le ha estado buscando con su familia. También, se reencontrará con otros náufragos compañeros de navío ya dados por perdidos. Hay islas de nativos cerca. Algunos peligrosos, pero a los que logran vencer. Marcos se quiere quedar a vivir en el arrecife, aunque este esté sobre un volcán. Siguiendo el modelo de colonialismo británico, se adueña del lugar, lleva población al mismo, prospera con los barcos, el comercio, incluso la caza de ballenas. Finalmente, algunos colonos le quieren echar de gobernador con la democracia en la mano, y también de sus propiedades. Vuelve a EE.UU. con su familia y amigos cercanos en lo que el tribunal decide, y cuando regresa a la isla, el volcán la ha inundado y los colonos han muerto.

Es un libro de aventuras. El prota "bueno" (influencia del puritanismo), asombrado por la Naturaleza/el Paraíso, pero que quiere "civilizarlo" igualmente. Lenguaje difícil, escenas muy rápidas, parece el "draft" del libro, sobre todo, la segunda parte. No se profundiza en las relaciones de los personajes, ni en sus motivaciones, ni nada. Sólo están los "buenos" (los colonos) y los "malos" (los indígenas tanto buenos como malos porque los primeros también se pueden revelar contra ellos ya que son unos "salvajes"). Quizás esto último lo representa a propósito el autor así.

[Marieluise Niehus · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was ok for the first 3/4 of the book, then got bored. But I read to the end. The end is somewhat of a surprise. Interestingly, there is not even ONE dialogue in the story. Also, although there is some socio-political commentary in it,he tries to keep it amicable, even the confrontations coming up are quite benign. Surely not a story he would get away with nowadays I guess.