I liked it; it was good
This book only just recently came out, on January 15, and I was delighted to be requested to write a review for it. I adored the first two books of this series, and was eager to read this book as well.
Read: Jan. 16, 2024
Genre: Historical Fiction
Audience: General
Book contains: loss of property, period typical racism, war/violence, political unrest, economic panic
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Once again, Jubilee Walker is set to marry the love of his life, Nelly Boswell, and his adventure tourism business is looking up. However, now that Yellowstone has been designated a National Park, Jay Cooke’s railroad plan comes knocking on Jubil’s door. Will a spur-of-the-moment deal win Jubil success and wealth, or lose him everything he holds dear?
I’m becoming less surprised by how much I’m enjoying this series, given my complete lack of prior experience in historical fiction like these. It was a delightful story that taught me a bunch about American history, some of which I knew in passing, others which were completely foreign to me. This book takes a logical next step in the variance of conflicts, and while it includes man against nature and man against man, there are many more political conflicts in this book than the other two—and it felt completely natural. Given Nelly’s established character, it was obvious she would make waves, and the natural progression of Jubil’s stance in Indigenous (still referred to as “Indian” within the historical context of this book) affairs, women’s independence, and the preservation of nature over commerce, it was only to be expected.
The Northern Pacific Railroad, like the other books, is told in third person perspective, following Jubilee Walker, our main character. His head is one of logic and empathy, which makes him an ideal protagonist to follow. Throughout the book are maps showing the routes that the characters take, allowing the reader to follow along easily.
Once again, I took on this entire book in a single day—I just couldn’t put it down! The flow is excellent, and the action scenes kept my adrenalin pumping while I did an easy workout on the stationary bike as I was reading.
I still find it easy to relate to Jubil as a main character. He’s much more business savvy than I am, though I hope to aspire to what he has accomplished in these books, and he’s taking risks that I wouldn’t dream of, but in that way, I look up to him. His logical way of thinking and readiness to see both sides of any disagreement speak to me, as I handle life in much the same way. He’s genial with almost everyone around him, and while this leads him astray at times, for the most part it’s a great advantage for him.
While his relationship of “will they, won’t they” with Nelly is a bit tedious, it’s an invigorating storyline to follow. I was always wondering whether they’d finally tie the knot or if their wholly independent lives and passions would keep getting in the way. Jubil’s relationships with his business partners Abe Warner and Eli and Ike Boswell suffers a bit because of his reckless venture, but I never had any concerns in the long run, as they were all such a closely-knit bunch.
I once again enjoyed Piper’s writing style, which breaks down the history and scenes in a way that are easy to digest, even for people who know nothing of the history or settings beforehand. His action scenes and descriptions of the natural world are vivid and allow for reader visualisation—which is only enhanced if you yourself know of the scenes he is writing about. My only complaint overall about the quality was that there were a few more typos in this book than the other two, though those can easily be glossed over as you’re reading.
While the pacing was good, there were a lot more ups and downs in this book than the others. A few scenes dragged on just a bit for me, but otherwise it was tight and flowed well from plot point to plot point.
Once again and excellent read and an excellent addition to the Jubilee Walker series! I highly recommend this series to fans of historical fiction, but also those who are curious about American history in general, or what life was like back then. Can’t wait for book 4!
Jubilee Walker Series Book 1: The Powell Expeditions by Tim Piper
Jubilee Walker Series Book 2: The Yellowstone Campaign by Tim Piper
Jubilee Walker Series Book 3: The Northern Pacific Railroad by Tim Piper
Jubilee Walker Series Book 4: The Montana Gold Mine by Tim Piper
Brian’s Saga Book 1: Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
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