Блуждающий огонь

by James Fenimore Cooper, Джеймс Фенимор Купер

Джеймс Фенимор Купер (1789—1851) — американский писатель, чьи произведения еще при жизни автора завоевали огромную популярность как в США, так и в Европе. В его книгах рассказывается о героизме отважных покорителей Дикого Запада, осваивающих девственную природу Америки, о трагической судьбе коренных жителей континента — индейцах, гибнущих под натиском наступающей на них цивилизации. Действие романа «Блуждающий Огонь», представленного в данном томе, разворачивается в Средиземноморье, на живописном побережье Италии, где столкнулись интересы послереволюционном Франции и «владычицы морей» — Англии. На этом историческом фоне и ведется рассказ о приключениях отв

Genres: Adventure, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Classics, American, Novels

300 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1842

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

[Game0ftomes · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Wing-and-Wing is a historical novel set during the Napoleonic Wars, following the adventures of Raoul Yvard, a daring French privateer captain. As he navigates the Mediterranean, evading British warships, he becomes entangled in a romantic subplot involving the devout Italian noblewoman Ghita. The novel blends naval action, political intrigue, and moral dilemmas, but its slow pacing and heavy-handed religious themes may deter some readers.
While Cooper’s maritime knowledge is evident, the novel lacks the excitement of his Leatherstocking Tales. The characters are somewhat one-dimensional, and the dialogue can feel stilted. However, fans of nautical fiction may still appreciate the detailed depictions of sea battles and ship maneuvers. Overall, The Wing-and-Wing is an average Cooper novel—worth a read for enthusiasts but unlikely to convert new fans.

[Luka Onee-san · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, sweet and funny. I love adventures!

[Callsign222 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very good, but not excellent (as was "Last of the Mohicans") book by Cooper. It is apparent that Patrick O'Brian must have received some amount of inspiration from this 1842 book, with it's hijinks and capers of the high seas up and down the Italian western coast. The protagonists are for the most part strongly cast, except for the woman of the book who is a slab sided religious bore. Apart from her, Yvard is the dashing and romantic French captain, steadfast to la Republique to the last, Ithuel Bolt is the Yankee sailor full of individualism and resourcefulness, and the English are, well, the English. All the action is great, it's the lulls in-between that scrape along. More action, less talking. Maybe it's a 21st century gap thing.

All in all, a delightful nautical read, but one that just misses the mark of 4 stars by a hairsbreadth.

The New Hampshire Itheul Bolt makes me proud. Just sayin'. Etooelle, you sailor-man you.

[rinabeana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed this book. The writing wasn't quite as obtuse as the Leatherstocking Tales, and I do love a good pirate story. (Okay, so Yvard wasn't a pirate, but privateer is close enough!) There were some hysterical passages dealing with the English/French/Italian language barrier. The only fault I found with the book was that I didn't particularly care for the ending.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book written in 1847-ish.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, a good story. A little long winded, but that's to be expected in the time and genre. The characters are easily likeable, plus I learned some vessel jargon, which might come in handy for me later on. Raoul is one of those classic maritime hero characters you can't help but enjoy, if not fully love.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a long read, but considering that when it was written there were no pictures, tv, etc., & everything had to be described.

It starts out slow, giving lots of background, about half way thru the action gets intense. This is a really sad love story, and it includes God's love for the bad guy (hero).

[Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty good read. For readers of the Patrick O'Brian series, this book will feel familiar. Cooper's characters have less depth, but they make up for it in swagger and transparent motives. Hardly great literature, but in a way puts Melville and Hawthorne in some perspective.

[Sully Augustine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Meh! I abandoned it after a few chapters. Life is too short to waste on second rate sea stories.

[Nancy Stinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very technical. A better read if you’re knowledgeable of sailing.

[Albertovna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Последняя прочитанная мною Книга в 2019 году оказалась, "Блуждающий огонь" 1842 год by Фенимор Купер.
Не Гарри Поттер, не успела дочитать.
Как символично, я бы сказала (про конец года, и про книгу).
Может это что-то, да значит.
Само название говорит о себе немного, не уловимый корабль, манящий, дающий надежду, и отнимающий ее...
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Кто читал Купера?
"Блуждающий огонь", почему-то долго читала. Хоть и страниц не много. Классика йомайо.
Не скрою, я очень люблю книги про корсаров ( пиратов), разбойников, про корабли, про море, про путешествия в море, и выживания в море или океане.
Ну и естественно мне понравилась эта книга.
Немного от меня:🙃
Эта история про Корсара по имени Рауль, который влюбился в итальянку благородной крови. Он капитан корабля "Блуждающий огонь" или "Крыло и Крыло". Корабль с невероятно красивыми парусами, быстрый и маленький военный люгер.
Я бы такой хотела написать маслом 😌
Но я пока подумаю.
Рекомендую тем, кто любит классику, и корсаров.
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[Stephanie Ricker · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought I had already thoroughly read and adored everything Cooper ever wrote, but somehow I apparently missed this chunk of awesome. A dashing tale of French privateers upon the high seas by the author of The Last of the Mohicans? Where have you been all of my life?

Update: You would *think* that one couldn't possibly go wrong with a tale of French privateers on the high seas, written by the author of The Leatherstocking Tales. And, sadly, you would be wrong. Wing was quite dull, involving long digressions by petty Italian officials and a hopelessly dreary heroine, if I may use the term loosely. She spent the majority of the novel trying to convert the aforementioned French privateer to Catholicism. I smelled a martyr, and figured she would either kick the bucket or end up in a convent by the end of the novel. Spoiler alert: the French privateer kicks the bucket in most anticlimactic fashion (darn it, Raoul), and isn't even permitted to die in peace, as the heroine harasses him about the state of his soul right up until he dies. She then...*drumroll*...goes into a convent. Sigh. When the most interesting things about your characters are their names, you have a problem, Cooper.