The Pilot

A Tale of the Sea

By: James Fenimore Cooper

Narrated by: Nick Sullivan

The hero of The Pilot - modeled on John Paul Jones - leads the American Navy in dangerous raids on the English coast. James Fenimore Cooper's fourth novel, published in 1823, helped start the genre of sea novels. Cooper's other major works include the renowned Leatherstocking Tales: The Pioneers, The Last of the Mohicans, The Prarie, The Pathfinder, and The Deerslayer.

Public Domain (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

‘All hands on deck!!!’ for the American Revolution is underway!

This historical novel of James Fenimore Cooper has captured my thoughts and imagination as he skillfully depicts engaging characters as they navigate on land and sea along the eastern coastline of England to accomplish their agenda while striving to avoid the attention of the British navy and military forces. The author gives voice to his characters in an exchange of words and a dialogue which characterizes an era gone by. He is a master teller of historical fiction. I have enjoyed looking up the meaning and definition of words and nautical terms and places referenced throughout the tale. The narrator, Nick Sullivan, has done a masterful job of giving a voice to the characters. Some of my favorites are the voices and lines given for ‘Long Tom Coffin’ , the coxswain and harpooneer; the midshipman, Mister Merry, so young yet so capable; the old Colonel Howard, so loyal to the crown; the recruiting officer, Captain Borroughchiffe, and his exchange with Tom Coffin; and the mysterious Pilot, expert navigator; and the 3 women and love interests, Katherine, Cecelia, and Alice; and Lt. Griffith’s skill and command of the frigate combined with the Pilot’s knowledge of the coastal shorelines as they together navigated in the dark and under treacherous conditions at sea, I loved the positive attitude of Lt. Barnstable and the humorous exchanges with his coxswain, Tom Coffin. The structure of sentences by J.F.Cooper are amazing. He is a master of the English language.
JB

amazing story, but led not leed for leadline,

great descriptive life at sea.. I love the detail of life at sea and ship handling for the time period. 3 stars on the performance because I nearly destroyed my steering wheel in reflexive consternation each time the narrator said leedLine...and leed..... instead of ledline and led for leadline. It is made of lead. bonus points for leward instead of lee ward for leeward .

A historically significant, slow tale, read by someone who doesn't know the terminology

Interesting, since this novel helped define the genre of sea stories, it is, nevertheless, a dull tale in need of a good editor.

The narrator does a fair job with voices and inflection, but so mangles the ship and sailing terms I was literally laughing.

Love the exquisite mastery of language.

Having been acquainted with JFC only by film over the past many decades; “The Pilot” is the first of his works I have ever read, finished just now, via this audiobook production. I judge it to be one of the most thrilling and enjoyable books I’ve read to date; truly a classic of English language storytelling. It’s such a pleasure to read / listen to such language rarely heard nowadays; words rarely used in modern speech or print; but that still beckon with meaning in all their richness of expression. The narration rendered here took a few chapters to get used to; but soon became quite enjoyable and appropriate to the purpose. Five stars across the board.

The Literary Offenses

I should have listened to Mark Twain. Cooper’s narrative and verbiage is insufferable. The whale scene put into the narrative in the middle of a naval battle is a stark example.