Wood Rangers: The Trappers of Sonora

"Wood Rangers: The Trappers of Sonora" by Captain Mayne Reid is a historical novel written in the mid-19th century. The story is set against the backdrop of early 19th century Spain during the French invasion and follows characters navigating the tumultuous social conditions of the time, including noble families and coast guards. The narrative begins with the doomed romance of Count Don Juan and his wife, Dona Luisa, and unfolds to reveal themes of loyalty, loss, and adventure, set within the precarious coastal town of Elanchovi. At the start of the narrative, we meet the picturesque village of Elanchovi, home to simple fishermen and dominated by the grand, yet dilapidated chateau of the Mediana family, which becomes a focal point of the unfolding drama. The Count has left his wife in the chateau for war, only to meet a premature death, which casts a shadow over Dona Luisa's life. Meanwhile, the opening chapters introduce Pepe, a coast guard known for his apparent laziness, who finds himself embroiled in a web of intrigue and possible treachery involving smugglers and the French army. As the story progresses, the village's troubles and secrets unfold, leading to a blending of personal and political conflict that promises to affect the lives of all its inhabitants. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Thomas Mayne Reid was a British novelist who fought in the Mexican–American War (1846–1848). His many works on American life describe colonial policy in the American colonies, the horrors of slave labour, and the lives of American Indians. "Captain" Reid wrote adventure novels akin to those by Frederick Marryat (1792-1848), and Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894). They were set mainly in the American West, Mexico, South Africa, the Himalayas, and Jamaica. He was an admirer of Lord Byron. His novel Quadroon (1856), an anti-slavery work, was later adapted as a play entitled The Octoroon (1859) by Dion Boucicault and produced in New York.