The Shadow of the North by Joseph A. Altsheler is a novel set in North America during the French and Indian War. The story revolves around the adventures of Tayoga, a young warrior of the Onondaga tribe, and his two white friends, Robert Lennox and David Willet. Tayoga joins forces with the British and American colonists against the French and their Native American allies. The novel is filled with action and adventure, as the trio battles against hostile forces, navigates treacherous wilderness, and gathers information crucial to the success of the war effort. Throughout their journey, the characters’ experience personal growth, forming deep bonds of friendship and understanding across cultural divides. The novel portrays the fierce struggle for control of the North American continent, exploring the complex relationships between the different nations and cultures involved in the conflict.
Joseph A. Altsheler was born on April 29, 1862, in Three Springs, Hart County, Kentucky, to Joseph and Louise Altsheler. He was a newspaper reporter, editor, and author of popular juvenile historical fiction. He wrote fifty novels and at least fifty-three short stories. Seven of his novels were in sequence. He worked as an editor at the Louisville Courier-Journal in 1885. In 1892, he started to work for New York World and then as the editor of the World's tri-weekly magazine. He wrote children’s stories due to a lack of suitable stories. On May 30, 1880, Altsheler married Sarah Boles and had a son named Sidney. In 1914, during World War I Altsheler and his family were in Germany and they were forced to remain there. Altsheler died at the age of 57, on June 5, 1919, in New York. His wife, Sarah Boles died after 30 years. Their bodies are buried at the Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky. Although each of the thirty-two novels constitutes an independent story, Altsheler suggested reading in sequence for each series (that is, he numbered the volumes). You can read the remaining eighteen novels in any order.
