3 out of 4 stars
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Bob Longmont is just not comfortable with the fast-paced life of the twentieth century. As the descendant of the fabled mountain-man Alan ‘Bearclaw’ Longmont, he constantly dreams of a life spent close to Mother Nature. While on a camping trip, he encounters a time warp that will allow him to go back a century, armed with nothing more than basic survival skills. You have to read Gateway to the Past by Charles W. Hankins to know what happens as a result of his leap in time.
Instead of detailing the mechanism of the time warp, the author puts emphasis mainly on the fictional part. The major theme of the book is the contrast and conflict between different ways of life. The novel shows the socio-economical and political differences between the nineteenth and the twentieth century, and sometimes the cultural differences between Red Indians and White people. Bob has the unique responsibility to adapt to all the different lifestyles and to maintain the balance.
Character development is a strong feature of the book. Hankins masterfully expresses Bob’s inner turmoil as he is unable to decide whether to fulfill his duty for his family or to live his life to the fullest. How can he willingly shun an opportunity to become a part of the history? The novel narrates the story of an ordinary man having extraordinary potentials, and shows how constant learning and honing of his skills can make him into a legend. Far exceeding the label of the main protagonist, Bob becomes the hero of his own story. Apart from Bob, the novel is dominated by several morally and physically strong characters of both genders.
In addition, Hankins repeatedly shows the power of family bonds, be it the Longmont family or the Indian tribes. Their strength comes not only from the superb tracking and hunting skills but also because the entire family is always there to get each other's back. The book teaches several moral values such as respect for women and tolerance for different ways of life, as well as emphasizes the importance of freedom in one’s life.
A sense of humor is maintained all throughout, suggested by the playful banter between the otherwise rugged legendary characters. The way these strong and frightening men cower in front of their women is downright funny. Also, the idea of Bob attending his great-great-great-grandparents’ wedding made me laugh.
All in all, this is a fast and engaging read that kept me guessing till the end. Whenever I tried to predict something, it presented me with a more exciting turn of events. The entire novel is laced with adventures and action scenes, adding to its thrill.
My complaints about this book are mostly technical. There were a handful of editing errors, mainly in the form of misspelled, missing or repeated words, and missing punctuations. Chapter breaks were uneven, with the seventh chapter spanning almost one-third of the entire book. Repeated use of certain phrases such as “you see”, “damn lawyers” and “Hee hee hee” was a bit of a put-downer. In some places, the author puts side notes within parentheses and mentions their references at the end of the book. I believe these notes could have been included in an index instead of interrupting the narration.
Considering the above-mentioned points, I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. I had to deduct one point because of the editing errors. The book might not be suitable for younger readers as it contains a considerable amount of blood, gore, and violent scenes. Nevertheless, readers who like historical fictions, time-travel stories, and adventurous tales about Red Indians will immensely enjoy Gateway to the Past.
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Gateway to the past
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