The Valley of Silent Men by James Oliver Curwood

The Valley of Silent Men Reviews

• 
  Hannah

  An old friend of a book. :) This is one of Curwood’s best, an outdoors romance with a strong hero and a warm-hearted, brave heroine. One of his tales of the Three Rivers country.
• 
  Larry Piper

  Oh.my.God! This is silly, and also appalling. What ever was I thinking? I blame it all on my spouse's grandfather, who introduced me to James Oliver Curwood some 49 years ago, when we had just begun courting.
  
  So, Jim Kent, a Mountie, lies in bed. He thinks he's dying, so confesses to having murdered someone or other so as to get the guy the Mounties had fingered, Sandy McGregor, set free. An amazingly beautiful young woman visits Kent, briefly, and he is immediately smitten by her long raven tresses and her violet-flamed eyes. Also her tiny feet.
  
  Well, it turns out Kent was lying and he didn't kill someone or other. But his testimony convicts him. But...the ravishing young woman, Marette Radisson, comes to the jail and frees him. They flee up the river into the north. They are separated when their boat crashes on the rapids, and each presumes the other is done for. But each persists on to the "Valley of the Silent Men" so as to commune with the soul of the "lost" one. And so forth.
  
  The sexism in this is appalling. Yeah, I know it was written in 1920, but even for that time it seems appalling to me. The silly, self-indulgent romantic fantasies of the main character are appalling. But, back in the dark ages, I was attracted to the works of James Oliver Curwood, chuckling at the rampant sexism and self-indulgent romantic fantasies. I'm appalled at what I once was.
  
• 
  denudatio_pulpae

  "— Pocałuj mnie, Jeems! Pocałuj …"
  
  Sierżant James Kent w obliczu nieuleczalnej śmiertelnej choroby, postanawia ocalić od stryczka niewinnego człowieka oskarżonego o morderstwo. Sprawa zaczyna się jednak komplikować kiedy okazuje się, że nie jest aż tak śmiertelnie chory, jak przypuszczał lekarz. Właściwie to nie jest wcale chory, a chwilowo jedyna śmierć jaka mu grozi to szubienica za zabójstwo człowieka, do którego zresztą sam się przyznał. Wtedy do akcji wkracza tajemnicza piękność, Szara Gąska Marette. Po chwili na scenie pojawi się kolejny trup, a wtedy sytuacja wymknie się spod kontroli.
  
  Bardziej romansidełko, całkiem przyjemne, chociaż dla mnie mało wiarygodne. Wolę dzikie ostępy, niedźwiedzie i wilki.
  7/10
  
• 
  Fonch

  Dedicated to my grandfather Alfonso Velasco Fernández.
  Ladies, and gentlemen before I go to bed I would like to write another review. I was unhappy that the day I wrote this review on Instagram I would write two more, but in the end I could only write one.
  If you read my review of "The Ghost Kings" by Henry Rider Haggard
  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... (Professor
  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... do not hesitate to read his fiction books, and non-fiction, and visit his blog Divulciencia, and I write to each other, and he has told me what I had written that, many of Henry Rider Haggard's novels are very esoteric) you will have seen that the three favorite writers of my grandfather was Henry Rider Haggard
  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., P.C. Wren
  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., and this author whose novel I am going to review and I must state that, in my forty years of life is the first time I read him.
  I refer to James Oliver Curwood it is possible that people sound for the adaptation made by the French director Jean Jacques-Annaud
  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... (the one who adapted films like in "Search of Fire"
  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... better the film than the novel, "The Name of the Rose" by Umberto Eco
  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1..., and "Enemy at the Gates"
  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...) from a novel by James Oliver Curwood called "The Bear"
  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... .
  This writer very much in the line of Jack London
  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... described to us an idyllic Canada, and mythical so much that my grandfather fearing a hypothetical third world war thought that the most promising destinations to avoid it would be Bolivia, or Canada. This story will be 208 pages, but everything that is told in it is burned into the reader's mind, so I doubt very much that he can forget it. It has a fascinating beginning, or start, telling us what Canada was like before progress came, and the railroad (as if it were a western of golden Hollywood
  https://www.goodreads.com/genres/west...) (I from Canada had read few novels, but I have always been fascinated by those types of novels set in Canada, particularly by its evangelization at the hands of French Jesuits. and members of other orders I think of the novel "hidden hand" by Manuel Alfonseca
  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... where he compared the three models of colonization of North America: English, French, and Spanish. A novel that I liked better than the "Mission" directed by Roland Joffe, with a script by Robert Bolt
  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... (like the script of "The crucible" by Arthur Miller
  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...) and with Robert de Niro, and Jeremy Irons in the main roles. The novel I'm referring to is called "Black Robe" by Brian Moore (people will know him for his novel critical of modernism that ensued the Second Vatican Council "Catholics"
  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...). From "Black Mantle" was made an adaptation directed by Bruce Beresford, which unfortunately was not as successful as "The Mission" although I liked it better. "Manto Negro" is a wonderful novel, which came to tie with "Operation Quatuor" by Manuel Alfonseca
  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3..., "Apocalypse on the Day of the Lord" by @jorgesaezcriado
  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... , and " Eifelheim" by Michael Flynn
  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4... in that successful year 2018, which was the year I read the best books. There was another beautiful novel published years ago by @herdereditorial unfortunately I only got the first volume "Incredible Truth" by the English Catholic writer Georgiana Fullerton
  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show.... I don't know if I recommended this story to my friend @martalujanescritora
  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... it was about a French nobleman who went to French Canada, and fell in love with a Russian princess who was supposed to have been the wife of Tsarevich Alexios son of Peter I the Great of Russia, and his main enemy, because Peter defended Europeanism. and Alexius Russian Orthodoxy. Today that you finished looking for the title to write this review I just realized that I only read the first volume . It is a pity that the other works of Georgiana Fullerton are unpublished in Spanish).
  
  This novel like those cited has also left a great imprint on me the beginning where we are told the presentation of the feat that will star Jaime Kent is extraordinary for the description of Northern Canada of Athabaska Landing (with that Trinity of Rivers Athabask, Slave, and McKenzie), of those nights, and eternal days and the exploits of other characters such as Campbell O'Doon who came to face the RCMP of Canada, and to earn their respect. The duel of Follete, and Lamordeur in the Death Chute to win the love of a woman, and ended with the death of one of them, and the story of an English aristocrat who ended up being the leader of the Dog Rib, and who married an Indian. The narrator tells us that this story pales in comparison to that of Jaime Kent, which could not be more addictive, since it begins with the protagonist himself on the verge of death. Dr. Cardigan says his aorta has been ruptured by a bullet shot by a half-blood, and he has a few days to live. Jaime Kent is one of the best members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police of the North West section, and one of the best men in Kedsty a kind of ruthless Chief of Police halfway between Javert
  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3..., and the Sam Gerrard of the mythical series, and film The Fugitive. . Then on his deathbed Jaime Kent confesses that the real author of the death of John Barkley has been him (this man was not only murdered, but was previously savagely tortured), and not the prisoner Sandy McTrigger, and this he confesses in front of his friends Kedsty (his boss), his Irish partner Buck O'Connor, and his friend and childhood companion the priest, and Catholic missionary Layonne in addition to those already mentioned is a beautiful young woman, and stenographer. The reaction of the members will be very different implacable in the case of Kedsty, who due to the thoroughness of the details will be convinced of Kent's guilt. Instead, both O'Connor and Layonne will show disbelief, and stupor. In any case, the missionary will be very happy that his friend will donate his possessions to him since he is not Catholic Kent will not confess to him. On the other hand, O'Connor does not believe it arrives, and will visit Kent several times, make inquiries and tell him about the beautiful young woman who was with them, and tells him that he is staying at Kedsty's mansion (something very surprising), and also tells him that Kedsty is very nervous, and that he has gotten rid of O'Connor by sending him on a mission to Fort Simpson (which is on the other side of Canada, and you can only go by boat). Apart from that, one of Kent's allies is the assistant of the doctor Mercer who will provide him with more information about the young woman, who will also go to visit Kent himself. Kent had hitherto assumed his destiny with courage, but then the young woman named Marette comes to visit him, and says that she comes from the North from a mythical place called The Valley of the Silent Men, and sparks fly in this encounter. She insists on telling him that she is lying, and does not believe that he killed John Barkley, and that she knows who the real murderer is, and the two say goodbye with a kiss. It's not very normal that I went through this, but therein lies the magic, and the charm of the book. Of course each is fascinated by the other, despite the age difference between the couple. Well, Marette (who is nothing like the one on the cover, but they will not tell me that she is not pretty), but Curwood gets that, although Marette was not beautiful (which she is) with her actions we all love her. In such a way that as in Robin Hood Prince of thieves "Worth dying for"
  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5.... I must admit that Marette is one of the most wonderful female characters I have ever met, and I would enter the list of the perfect women made by my friend Professor Manuel Alfonseca, and the writer @juliedavisstudio Julie Davis .
  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... There is a moment when she is compared to the Goddess Nitka. What I can say is that the protagonist happens a bit like the protagonist of Balzac's "Piel de Zapa"
  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9...
  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., who no longer wants to die, and begins to make inquiries about the young woman, and asks Mercer for help, who through an Indian Moie makes the inquiries, and corresponding investigations, but the Indian is attacked by some henchmen who leave him half dead. Of course as Jaime Kent does not die (he did not explain why here I will try to give as few details as possible of the plot provided the necessary ones, so that the story arouses your interest, and you read it)). It has already been said that Kedsty was suspicious of Kent, and he is firmly convinced of Kent's guilt, that he has recanted, and changed his guilty plea to one of innocence. So he is placed under house arrest with Mercer (apparently addicted to Kent), because Cardigan has to go to another part of Canada to treat another patient. In the end he will try to escape, and will be betrayed, and then he will ask for help from Dirty Fingers, a man that Kent knows 100% will understand him, and will help him. I can't tell the story of Dirty Finger, Ben Tatman, and his wife Mary, but it's moving (that's why the book deserves to be read, and explains the harsh life the settlers suffered before the emergence of modernity in Canada). The escape will come by other means, and will reunite him with Marette Radisson. I can't tell you about Kent's escape, but Marette's character gets even more adorable. He takes Kent to Kedsty's mansion, but tells him that Kedsty will not hurt him. It seems that the young woman has Kedsty in a fist, and although she does not like it, even Kedsty would like to kill her, but she has to resign herself. Marette endures everything for a noble cause, and will increasingly be in love with Kent, and vice versa. However, there will be a time when they have to flee, and the escape by the Death Chute will be spectacular. Curwood is telling you with brushstrokes what has happened, and when we give for dead to one of the characters only faith will make one of them arrive at the Valley of the Silent Men near the city of Dawson in the Yukon that was where the beautiful movie Far Country with James Stewart took place, Corinne Calvette, Walter Brennan, Ruth Roman, and John McIntyre directed by Anthony Mann. There Curwood masterfully completes a brilliant, well-deserved happy ending, and truly explains what has happened, and the links between all the characters. The reader is satisfied that the story ends well, and feels sorry that there are not more novels as pure, as white, and beautiful as this one. In 208 pages Curwood writes a memorable novel in which none of the subplots fail. With wonderful characters, a wonderful and moving story, and an overwhelming setting. Maybe it's too perfect, and lacks something to put on it (5/5), but I don't rule out doing it. Because the biggest defect that I see in this wonder is not having dared to put it (5/5). All in all for my first James Oliver Curwood novel I can only call it outstanding high. I can only say, that I now understand why my grandfather likes this writer so much. Only for Marette this novel deserves reading. It is very difficult to find a character (not only female) more perfect, and beautiful than Marette. Any man would like to marry her for real. Anyway, I still have to read Curwood "The burning forest"
  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1..., and "The man from Alaska"
  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1..., but as they are as good as it is without a doubt Curwood will be the great winner of the year 2023. Maybe it must have been a little longer, it's that I read it in two loose moments. My grade is (4'5/5), but it is very likely that I will raise it to (5/5). Really give it a chance because you're going to love it, and I've kept quiet about a lot of things, so as not to blow up the plot, because doing so would be as monstrous as revealing who the murderer of a detective novel is. It would be like killing a mockingbird
  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2.... My followers, and @goodreads users are warned.
• 
  Julia

  Another entertaining novel by James Oliver Curwood. There is absolutely a similar method in many of his novels... rugged, noble, and educated young man, living in the frigid North Canadian wilderness, falls in love with a beautiful and mysterious young woman with perfectly amazing hair. She is sweet, brave, and full of secrets which she won't reveal until he promises to follow through on a risky-sounding plan she wants him to carry out, with no questions asked. But they are always exciting, full of mystery, danger, daring, fighting, romance, and loyal hearts.

  The Valley of Silent Men opens with a deathbed confession by a North Canadian police officer to a murder that an innocent man is about to hang for. A beautiful and mysterious young woman knows something about the murder, but has deep reasons to keep it hidden from all except the Chief of Police, who has reasons of his own for it to stay a secret. Intrigue, loyal friends helping each other out in ingenious ways, a fight for your life through the horrifying, death-dealing, boulder strewn mighty rapids, and of course, the sweet, mushy romance.

  I read this novel as a free audio download from LibriVox.org. It was read extremely well.
• 
  Steve Voiles

  Written in 1918 as popular fiction—it is interesting to read from a historical view. It reads like a romance, as intended, but a romance set in the far Canadian north before those territories were easily accessible. The romance is constant like a backwoods soap opera, but the structure of mystery itself is very interesting as are the details of the time. A comment on the innocence of the time mixed with the bald sexism that causes our hero to be drawn to a women because of her strength and independence and yet view her as fragile and dependent once the romantic notion is in place. You could view this as a failing of the author's logic, but I tend to interpret it as a psychological quirk that has something to say about patriarchy and its effect on both sexes.
  
  If you can handle the soap opera aspects the structure of the mystery is quite inspired leading to the resolution of many threads of the story only in the final chapter. I enjoyed it as an example of popular fiction from the early 20th century.
  
• 
  MarilynLovesNature

  It's hard to rate this book. It kept me in suspense until the very end. I loved the setting in wild nature and the descriptions of it. I also loved the fact that the two main characters were so attached to and appreciative of the (somewhat) unspoiled nature. Some of the romantic descriptions were a little too repetitive, though quite expressive of the main characters strong feelings. Also at times it felt that the author was adding a lot of descriptions to draw out the suspense, so that I wanted to skip ahead to see what was going to happen next. Some parts were a little hard to believe if in real life, but I think that was part of what made it entertaining. As a whole, I give it a four and a half, but for pure entertainment I would give it a five.
• 
  Hanna

  It was remarkably difficult to get into this book--I blame it on the combination of the awful formatting of my particular physical copy and the very confusing prologue. But once the story got moving, it was very interesting, and captivated me until the end.
  
  Setting: Often called the "Northland", was settled by Indians and Frenchmen and some English--so somewhere in Canada. "The Law" is what governs this sparsely inhabited land, and "The Law" is decided by the Royal Northwest Mounted Police (of which the main character, James Kent, is a part). Many forts and rivers are named, and place for which this book is named, The Valley of Silent Men, is particularly further north, and an almost unreachable place. Montreal is mentioned as a specific, civilized place. The Earth and nature take a prominent position in this story (as in, it's portrayed as a god, using words such as "worship"), and the untamed wilderness is described in extensive and poetic detail. As far as the era of the story, there is significantly less focus. An automobile is mentioned, so the story is likely somewhat contemporaneous to 1920 (year of publication).
  
  Characters: I didn't grow an attachment to any of the characters individually; I found Kent to be something of a jerk, mainly because of his idolatrous worship of Earth, combined with his willingness to take God's name in vain. Marette is a bit too secretive for me to grow too fond of her, but she's not terrible. Kedsty is quite a mystery character, and written very well. I didn't like him by any means, but as far as his character ... yes, it is excellent.
  
  Other minor characters, like Fingers, McTrigger, Mooie, and O'Conner, are just that: very minor. Some get more "screen time", but are actually not important to the core of the plot. Others are actually essential to the plot, but are barely developed, and only are part of the "big reveal" at the end. Not much character development, at least for me, that is endearing.
  
  Plot: I suppose this book is primarily a romance, but it's the utter mystery that captivated me. The romance is written quite romantically (i.e., poetically), but actually not how I prefer romance, because it's so heavily focused on physical appearances. The mystery, meanwhile--it is actually maddening in the way that the reader is left utterly in the dark until the end of the book; in fact, we don't even know everything that Kent knows until very late in the story. It's reminiscent of Agatha Christie, although it's not a murder mystery, per se. For almost the whole book I was so confused, and my bewilderment made it a quick read. But in the end, I was entirely satisfied. There aren't any loose/unexplained ends that I remember.
  
  Recommended for readers who enjoy heavily poetically written romance around a confounding mystery plot.
• 
  Mila

  Sportska knjiga, Beograd, 1954.
• 
  Gu Kun

  He loved her.
• 
  Jeff Carpenter

  Another good one from Curwood. A little heavy on the romance for my tastes but an enjoyable read overall.
• 
  Data

  A story of white men trying to kill each other in Canada. This whole story is a violent orgy of testosterone, including the girl.
• 
  Bookworm

  Kind of a disappointment. There was too much "sensational" romance in it for me, even though the plot line was interesting. Maybe the next one will be better.:)
• 
  laurel

  Too romantic for my taste. And so much unnecessary drama.
• 
  Eveline Evans

  Another great book by James Oliver Curwood.