Last Frontier Books

Michael Reynolds is fleeing the police in Hungary, near the Austrian border. Indeed he was commissioned by colonel Peter Mackintosh to reach a certain Jennings in Budapest before the forthcoming International Scientific Conference. When the police eventually catch Reynolds, the latter claims that his name is Johann Buhl, businessman and resident of Vienna and that he was invited to Hungary by the Economic Ministry. Subsequently, he is taken to the Andrassy Ut, headquarters of the AVO, the Hungarian Secret Police by Colonel Szendrô. But Reynolds knows that no one has ever escaped from the AVO Headqquarters, from the torture chambers in Stalin Street. If he is ever to escape, it will have to be from inside Szendrô's car within the next hour.
In "The Last Frontier", published in 1959, just three years after the crushing of the October Revolution by the Russian troops, the reader can relive the early days of the Cold War through this twisty and original spy story.

I really enjoyed `When 8 Bells Toll,' and thought that `The Guns of Navarone' was pretty decent. `Last Frontier' on the other hand was a pretty lack luster effort by MacLean. The book just jumps right into the middle of the action, without preamble or the opportunity to be introduced to the protagonist. For the first sixty or so pages I was wondering when the flash back would occur and inform the reader why Reynolds (the protagonist) was in the situation he was in. In the end however, this book was not really about anything other than two things. One, a stream of action sequences that feels a bit tame by today's standards (after all, this book was written 50 years ago). And secondly, MacLean uses this book as an opportunity to lecture the reader on world events of his day. MacLean really goes off on a peace tirade over and over again here. Its kind of funny to be reading this so far removed from its time and look back at how Communism and the Cold War were being seen by the west.

The worst thing about this book is that it really felt like just a bunch of action sequences strung together with out careful plotting. The good guys constantly get out of scrapes in what can only be viewed as ludicrous maneuvering on the part of MacLean. Time after time, Reynolds and his band get into terrible trouble only to be rescued from the clutches of the most terrible police force ever created. I was wondering towards the end why this band of fellows just didn't head into Russia and end the cold war Rambo style.

I would not recommend this book to anyone. Even a MacLean fan. Maybe I would point someone interested in this time period only to be startled a bit by Communist references, but that would be all.

A very fast paced novel by the Alistair MaClean. An epic adventure about a british spy Micheal Reynolds who battles his way through communists gaining an insight into the lives' of those suffering behind the iron curtain. Not only does he learn of the fears they are subjected to but also how they deal with it. He aslo comes across a hero whose philosophical ways makes the reader amazed and admire him. Alistair MaClean keeps the reader hung unto the book till the last page with his sarcasm and cool and analytical style of writing with a mixture of British wit.

"The Last Frontier", also published as "The Secret Ways", is Alistair MacLean's well-written novel about a British secret agent on a mission inside Hungary at the height of the Cold War. Many readers have forgotten how hard-fought the Cold War was for the United States and its Western Allies; very few ever knew how much more desperate it was for the inhabitants of Eastern Europe under the thumb of the Soviet Union in the late 1950's.

Michael Reynolds, MacLean's protagonist, is neither a James Bond nor a superman. He doesn't even have any fancy technology. He is well trained and resourceful. His biggest advantages against a cruel and efficient Hungarian Secret Service are an ability to make commonsense decisions under pressure and the heroic help of dedicated friends in the Hungarian underground. The plot has the twists, turns, and betrayals in which MacLean specialized. MacLean's characters are often cynical and without illusion about the causes they serve, yet they are sympathetic and interesting people. The suspense is good to the last page as Reynolds scrambles to complete his mission and escape to the West.

This book is highly recommended to fans of Cold War spy fiction and to fans of Alistair MacLean.

The place is Hungary, a few years after the revolution, that put grey men on every corner of the once beloved and peaceful land. Michael Reynolds is a british agent, sent to Hungary by his suppereors on a quest to free a known scientist from the cludges of the evil rulors of Hungary, who want him for themselves. On his way, he is assisted by freedomfighters, lead by the tough and unforgiven leader Janchy, who has fled the camps in Siberia, where he was imprisonned for his love of freedom. The henchmen of the Hungarians are cruel and vicious, but the one man I loved in the book, was the Count. He was from Polen, where he had once recided together with his six children and his beautiful wife, until the soldiers came. The Count barely got away, but when he says in the book, that his family is in a safer place, there is no doubt what he means. His family was killed, and his own exit in the book is both heartbreaking and couragous. A marvelous book from an exelent writer, who sadly is not with us any more.

Tom Bodett has a wonderful story telling ability that is comparable with
Garrison Keillor. He capture the problems and growing oains of the
adolescent boy in this coming of age book.

"Tom Bodett combines rugged Alaskan adventure with a warm and funny story of a boy who may not be as lonely as he thinks."

I was not impressed with the book. It really could have easily taken place in California- it really didn't show what it is like to live in Alaska (this is coming from a teen living in a small town in Alaska, mind you). The "wilderness adventure" was never shown except for some fishing and hunting that was briefly touched upon.

Tom Bodett has written some awesome books, but this is a flop of his. It was not that humorous, and was rather dry.

The first story in NORMAN TUTTLE ON THE LAST FRONTIER has Norman falling out of a fishing boat into icy Alaskan waters. "There is probably no good time to be in a situation like this," author Tom Bodett writes, "but being in this situation at age thirteen has got to be the worst of them. You're too old to cry and too young to swear, and you don't even have much of a life to go flashing past." This sets the tone for the collection of short stories about the life and adventures of Norman Tuttle, eldest son of an Alaskan fisherman, as he faces the challenges of growing up.

NORMAN TUTTLE ON THE LAST FRONTIER is a hilarious account of a boy growing up on the last frontiers of civilization and adolescence. Some tales are unique to the setting, like those about Norman helping on his father's fishing boat. Others are common to young people anywhere in North America, such as the stories about bullies, friendship, or first loves.

Tom Bodett makes an unusual choice in placing Norman in a loving, two-parent home. His close relationship with his father is especially noteworthy. Most young people in literature come from families that are missing a parent or experiencing some sort of trauma, such as a recent death or alcoholism. NORMAN TUTTLE ON THE LAST FRONTIER proves that there is plenty of drama available in a young person's life without resorting to trauma. The strongest stories in this collection are pitch-perfect renderings of perfectly mundane moments in a young person's life.

There are two standout stories in this collection of humorous tales. "Thanksgiving Cheer" is about the first Thanksgiving when Norman is allowed to sit at the grown-up table. Sent to the basement to look after his younger siblings and cousins, Norman ends up pounding a screwdriver into his father's workbench. His father, unaware that Norman has disobeyed one of the cardinal rules of the house --- to stay out of the tools --- invites Norman to join the adults. Norman knows he should enjoy being included as an adult member of the family, but all he can think about is how to repair the damage in the basement before his parents find out.

Another great story is "A Bump in the Road." Norman, who is recently grounded and seething against the unfairness of the world, reacts to his father's annoying tendency to say, "Bumpity-bump-bump-bump!" whenever they hit a rough spot on the road. The simple set-up and Bodett's direct use of language make the story an ideal way to explore the dynamics and feelings behind adolescent outbursts.

Never condescending, NORMAN TUTTLE ON THE LAST FRONTIER can be enjoyed both by people experiencing these things for the first time and those who remember going through them. In a world full of teen trauma novels, this book is a refreshing breath of positive realism. I look forward to what Tom Bodett will offer next.

--- Reviewed by Sarah A. Wood

As 'coming of age' stories go, I consider Stephen King's "The Body"/"Stand By Me" the gold standard. Norman Tuttle is short of that standard. Still, it is a very worthwhile read. As a 57-year-old adult, I identified with most of the anecdotes that Mr. Bodett included in this fast-paced read. I am certain, without a doubt, that young readers will enjoy this book as well. Young or old, you will enjoy this book. Like "The Body," Norman Tuttle would make an excellent film that would draw a wide range of viewers.

It surprises me that Bershire Traveler ever considered this "BOOK" for publication. A sort of egotistical and anecdotal diatribe filled with the requisite historical inserts, Johnson's book is a lot more about unrestrained, self aggrandizing feminine machismo than it is about the Yukon wild...There's a great deal of gossipy prattle and genuine misadventure borne of inexperience...one woman injures herself in an alcoholic adventure, another gets a hook stuck in her ear, one breaks her fishing pole, their boats and equipment are blown away (sure, it can happen to anybody--but look--one of the prerequisites to preparing for the trip was to see how much alcohol they could pack)..They dump garbage in the river--they exhibit little if anything in the way of woods savvy.Also,oddly enough there is a lot of juvenile bathroom humor and sex jokes, believe it or not. It's not that it's outdated--fine river books are timeless--it's just that it's badly conceived and executed.
You have to give credit where credit is due, however--This book demonstrates on no uncertain terms that almost ANYBODY can float the Yukon.

The trip down the Yukon is a dream and to find out more about what it would "take" to do such a trip I purchased this book.
I have done better with chat groups that folks have done this trip recently.
Of course, women, and people from Texas would endorse this as Beth and her co-harts are from Texas. To much sexual diggings and la-la-la chats between hunger and wet/muddy camps.
The planing was creative enough to make it real. But 20 something years ago, this book may have been a primer. But it is way to out dated to be of any good today.
Search on the internet on "Canoes" and "Yukon River". Thousands have done this and the commercialism today is not the same as the wilderness of yesterday's.
I'm to old now to enjoy Las Vagas Yukon style....

Fueled by a passion for canoeing and the great outdoors Beth Johnson and three female friends paddled 2,000 miles on the Yukon River through Canada's Yukon Territory, across the breath of Alaska, to the Bering Sea. "Yukon Wild" Beth's book about the all female crew's three-month adventure is beautifully written, thoughtful and very funny. My favorite humorous passages include Beth's description of the campsite David, another Yukon canoeist, selected for the group.
"Garden spot, David," we smirked sarcastically, sinking to mid-shin in the mud at the water's edge and tossing gear up the four-foot cutbank.
"That's nothing," he laughed, "wait till you get up here." The entire bank was like Jello that had just been taken out of the refrigerator. Within minutes, the circle we had tromped around the fire was a slurping mud-hole, seemingly bottomless."
I also laughed out loud at Beth's description of Evelyn's difficulty finding villages along the bank as the mile wide river distorted things. Beth wrote, "Today, she (Evelyn) steered us right into a sandbar-talking all the while about how the big building in the center must be the community hall-before she realized she was looking at three gulls and a swan."
Beth reports the inevitable relationship friction such as the "War of the Zipper" with wisdom and humor.
Her descriptions of the people, terrain and the wildlife are so vivid I felt as if I was with them. Her book also rekindled my own wonderful memories of past canoe-camping adventures.
"Yukon Wild" chronicles the history of the Yukon River and its tributaries such as the 1890s gold rush along the Bonanza and Klondike and the present lives of the people who live along the river.
The Bering Sea and the book's end come way too soon.

What does it take to paddle 2,000 miles in unfamiliar territory? I found out by reading this book. It takes a lot of planning and dedication, but one of the most obvious requirements is a good sense of humor. This is obviously vital when you must share a tent with someone for over 70 days. Too many wildnerness books seem to stretch the truth - overestimating the size of the waves and the nature of the real dangers. Yukon Wild has the ring of truth, and it's a a lot of fun to read!

I lived in the Yukon in the eighties and have just gotten around to reading Yukon Wild. I found it to be a very good read. The historical facts that Beth included were right on the mark and helps the reader get a feel for the communities that these women were visiting in.These women should be commended for such an undertaking. Beth never understated the relationship problems encountered and quite clearly showed the love for life that they all shared.I know what the Yukon and Alaska was like in the eighties - these gals had guts!!!

This book clearly seems directed at the young adult market (library binding, lots of color photos, etc.), but there is good information to be gleaned on women in space no matter what your age. I can think of no other book that collects brief bios of women--and not just Americans--who've either made it to space or been instrumental in getting other women there. If you're a fan of the space program, this is a nice little book to add to your collection.

Herbert George Wells (1866-1946) is best remembered for his pioneering works in the field of science-fiction, most notably The Time Machine (1895), The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896), The Invisible Man (1897), and The War of the Worlds (1898). In point of fact, Mr. Wells fiction took him into speculation of how scientific discoveries would affect the future. In particular, his 1908 book, The War in the Air, was full of fascinating forward thinking.

In this 1913 book (published in 1914), the author takes speculation he had read about the possibility of releasing energy from atoms, and writes about a future of atomic power and atomic weapons. The atomic weapons of this book make relatively small, but on-going (for centuries!) explosions. Plus, apparently at the time they knew little about the effects of radiation on living organisms. But, nonetheless, this is the very first story ever written about a nuclear war!

So far so good. Unfortunately, by this time, H.G.'s fiction writing ability was in steep decline, and the best of his fiction was long behind him. The Last War: A World Set Free focuses less on the war than it does on humanity's embracing of socialism. Indeed, the book is less a work of science-fiction, than a polemic for socialism.

So, am I saying that this book was no good, and you should avoid it? Well, I'm afraid that I am. In this story, Wells does not show a good grasp of where the world was headed, as the following quotation will show, "For long decades the combative side in human affairs had been monstrously exaggerated by the accidents of political separation." In point of fact, militarism, hatred, and murder stretch in an unbroken line from the Nazi Storm Troopers of yesteryear, to the suicide bombers of today.

And, to make matters worse, this book is surprisingly boring for a book about nuclear war. Overall, I did not enjoy this book, and I do not recommend it. (I do, though, recommend Wells' The War in the Air.)

By the time British author H.G. Wells got around to writing "The Last War," in 1914, the general public already recognized he was a master of science fiction. "The Time Machine," "The Invisible Man," "The War of the Worlds," and "The Island of Dr. Moreau" had all come out some twenty years before he penned this slim book about global atomic war and the subsequent restructuring of human civilization. Most readers today only remember Wells as an amazingly prescient science fiction author. He was, however, so much more. For example, he wrote a number of non-fiction pieces, perhaps the most important being his two-volume work "The Outline of History". First published in 1920 and an instant success with the public, Wells went on to revise his historical opus on several occasions--a sign of its enduring popularity. Moreover, and many people familiar with the author's name don't remember this little tidbit, Wells was an avowed socialist. I'd go so far as to call him a communist, especially after reading "The Last War". This look at nuclear cataclysm is less a triumph of science fiction and more a pamphlet used by Wells to espouse his socialist/communist belief system. I loathe communism.

I don't, however, necessarily hate this book. The story starts out on a very powerful note, with Wells distilling the technological prowess and advancement of the human race down to a single chapter. According to the author, it is man's destiny to somehow harness a science that will replicate the power and intensity of the sun. Nuclear power! The breakthrough comes soon enough when a young man named Holsten figures out how to release the inner power of the atom in 1933. Benefits galore spring from the wonders of atomic power. Goodbye horse and buggy and steamships, hello atomic powered cars, airplanes, and ships. Mankind realizes a new age in transportation, industry, and myriad other facets of human existence as the atom becomes the centerpiece of technology. Unfortunately, humanity also starts building new weapons incorporating the new technology. Coupled with the capitalist system's failure to adapt to the demise of the industrial age, social unrest and general hostility flare up. Then the wars start, destructive wars involving millions upon millions of soldiers going head to head across the entire world. It's only a matter of time before the atomic bombs start dropping.

Wells complicates things (and increases the deadly carnage) by making his atomic bombs devices that soldiers can throw by hand as well as drop by plane. Even worse, the warheads don't simply level cities; they continue to detonate for years afterwards, burrowing deep into the ground and spewing huge amounts of flame and radiation. Millions, if not billions, die in these atomic fires. Paris goes up in flames, as do Berlin, London, and most other big metropolitan centers around the world. Entire armies vanish off the face of the earth as the war turns into genocidal madness. In one instance, bombs dropped on the dams in Holland unleash floodwaters that kill hundreds of thousands in a few hours. Unleashing the power of the sun leaves civilization tottering on the brink of utter annihilation until a spark of sanity saves us at the last second. The remaining leaders of the world gather to create a single global government that will oversee the banning of atomic weapons and war. Too, this body promises to use technology to elevate mankind to a better existence. Those leaders still devoted to war quickly fall prey to the peacemakers, and the world government receives the support of the earth's war weary population.

"The Last War," manages to put forth some gripping scenes of war despite its annoying socialist/communist message. Wells describes the destruction of Paris in gripping, memorable detail, down to the effects the explosion and radiation have on the human body. The destruction of the dams and the watery aftermath are pretty darn exciting as well. Most entertaining is the author's description of how the bombs work. He invents an element, Carolinum, to fuel his atomic devices. The core of the bomb reacts when introduced to open air, so a soldier or pilot must pull out a plug before throwing or dropping the warhead on enemy troops and cities. You certainly wouldn't want to drop that blazing sucker in your lap while flying a plane! The design of the bomb is absolute malarkey, but it's still amazing that Wells could visualize such devices and their ultimate use as a weapon as early as 1914. Scientists knew a bit about radiation and the power hidden in the atom before and during this time, but the real breakthroughs came in the 1930s, exactly the time in which Wells foresaw the beginning of the nuclear age.

Sadly, the good parts of "The Last War" disappear under an avalanche of socialist agitprop. Wells can't resist slamming the capitalist system early on in the book, blaming it for creating conditions that lead to all-out nuclear conflict. Then there's the single world government stuff in the middle of the book. The really, REALLY scary stuff shows up in the final chapter. Set in a future far removed from the horrors of atomic war, Wells shows us the advances civilization has made without the threat of conflict hanging over its head. What's wrong with that? Nothing, except most of it resembles Soviet dogma of the 1920s through the 1950s. He talks about changing the very structures of the human mind and body as well as radical feminism that denies biological differences, among other things. Wells obviously believed in the malleability of the human mind and body, and that governments should work to bring about this new reality. That's exactly what Lenin, Stalin, and the rest of the killers over in the Soviet Union tried to do. They failed miserably. Give "The Last War" a chance, but beware of the Stalinist propaganda contained within.

"The Last War" is a novel by H.G. Wells which chronicles the end of civilization by atomic weapons. Like the alien invader theme (also pioneered by Wells), this premise has been used to death in countless books and films and reduced to cliche, but in 1914, when the novel was first published, the idea was completely new. Thirty-one years before Hiroshima and Nagasaki, H.G. Wells wrote the first novel about the effects of nuclear war.

This edition of "The Last War" contains an informative introduction by Greg Bear, describing the social conditions that led to the book's publication, and a lot of background information about Wells himself.

It could be said that "The Last War" is one of the only books where nuclear war proves to be a positive experience. Society is swept away, purged by fire, and a new civilization rises from the ashes of the old. This all happens in a relatively short time. Wells would use this theme again in "The Shape of Things To Come" (1933).

"The Last War" is notable for its prophetic qualities (never mind that the atomic bombs are thrown by hand), but in parts the book can be rather dry. The story doesn't move at the same pace as "The War of the Worlds" or "The Time Machine", for example. Since the end of World War Two and the beginning of the Cold War, the glut of post-nuclear scenarios that followed have been more willing to portray the full horror that such a conflict would bring. In "The Last War" there is a feeling of detatchment, the sense one gets from reading a history book. The book deals more with events than characters.

In summing up, H.G. Wells had no idea he was starting a genre that would become popular for years to come. The post-nuclear world is a place many writers have liked to visit and describe in detail. Wells saw it first.

Book is really mediocre. I only finished it to see how Custer died this time. Go read Little Big Man instead if your looking for a Custer novelization. Heck see the movie too.

Who would have thought? A story recounting George Armstrong Custer and the Battle of the Little Bighorn is about as exciting as a worn 7th-grade text book. Initially, the idea seemed appealing. A novelization of this infamous battle in the vein and tradition of Michael Shaara's brilliant "The Killer Angels." But there's just one problem - author Edwin Hoyt's interpretation of these historical characters (Custer, Sitting Bull, Elizabeth Custer, Frederick Benteen, Marcus Reno, etc..) displays the life spark of a department store mannequin. No hyperbole here, but that's not a plus. This novel plods along to the inevitable climax on those slopes of Montana and we never get to know these characters. Their motivations, their weaknesses, their thoughts - it's a mystery in "The Last Stand." Perhaps I'm being a bit harsh. No book about this subject matter will ever match the power of the Evan S. Connell's classic "Son of the Morning Star." So why do I keep buying this drivel? Why do I continue to torture myself by reading book after book on this battle? Because it's a supremely entertaining story. "The Last Stand" does not do this historical story justice. In fact, I'm not sure if I have ever read a book as agonizingly monotonous as this one in reference to this event. Hoyt chooses to recount Custer's undocumented affairs with women in New York - including a graphic sexual encounter which takes up two pages - rather than detail the the Rosebud battle between General Crook and Crazy Horse. Crazy Horse, by the way, is only mentioned two or three times in this entire book. I guess Hoyt would rather dote on a laughable myth, which is suspect at best, about Custer's supposed Indian child. Oh Yellow Hair! A tragic child caught between two worlds! And finally the battle itself. It takes up about two pages of this sterile account and suddenly - our tale has been told. If you hold out for a thrilling conclusion, a moment of supreme realization - "Yes, that's how it happend!" - you're not going to find it in "The Last Stand." From a technical standpoint, Hoyt's interpretation of the final battle (and there have been many) is essentially accurate. If he just could have added some color, a dash of detail, the residue of drama, the caterwaul of desperation. I suppose if your only exposure to Custer and the Little Big Horn battle comes from a black and white Saturday afternoon matinee starring Errol Flynn and Anthony Quinn, this book may interest you. But for any reader even remotely knowledgable on this subject matter, "The Last Stand" rings with the scrawny chord of a rusty bugle.

I have read all the books S. Walker has published to date and this one is not worth the time and/or effort. Save your money and go to a movie.