“The Cowboy and the Cossack” by Clair Huffaker – The Wild East

Describing The Cowboy and the Cossack as a western doesn't really do it justice… as a matter of fact, there may not really be an official genre for this type of novel. And that, in my opinion, makes it at least worth checking out. 

Written by Clair Huffaker, The Cowboy and the Cossack takes place in the Far East as fifteen cowboys with a giant herd prepare to cross thousands of miles of Siberian wilderness. To help them out, a group of Cossacks, elite Russian warriors, are sent to escort them.

As they begin their march, the cruel winter becomes only one of their problems. First, there is an intense clash of cultures, not only for a lack of communication, but also for a disparity in fundamental beliefs, especially between the leader of the cowboys, Shad, and the commander of the Cossacks, Rostov. On top of that, they have to contend against the fearsome Tartar army who would very much like to exterminate them all. 

This may very well be one of the most exciting novels I have read for a number of reasons. First off, it’s packed with intensity, regardless of whether they are simply marching through the white hell or slashing a path across the Tartar horde.The characters are not just memorable, they feel larger-than-life, something which especially manifests itself in the two leaders, two unstoppable forces capable of wrecking the universe.

The clash of cultures is also quite interesting to watch, amplified by the fact that these are Russians and Americans working together before the two countries really started to hate each other. There’s even one of those feel-good parts to this story as both the cowboys and the Cossacks learn to overlook their differences, at least long enough to square off against a common enemy that heavily outnumbers them. 

From a technical perspective the story is written brilliantly; the action is described in vivid detail, moments without action have a constant feeling of suspense looming over them, the dialog is very sharp and believable, the pacing is quite well-managed as it maintains a more or less constant rhythm...

I literally don’t have a single complaint about this book. And I’m not even a fan of western literature or movies. In the end, reading from what other people have to say about it, I can pretty much conclude that regardless of what types of novels you prefer reading, you will be sucked into the brutal and snowy inferno of the unforgiving Siberian wilderness. 

 

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Clair Huffaker (September 26, 1926 – April 3, 1990) Clair Huffaker was an author of American origin whose forte was without a doubt Western literature. He served in the United States Navy during the Second World War II, and almost fifteen years after the end of the war he published his first novel, Cowboy.