The Last Mammoth

by Manly Wade Wellman

Sam Ward was yearning for adventure when a Cherokee man arrived from a distant village with a tale of a monstrous hairy creature threatening his land. The formerly peaceful beast went rogue upon the death of its mate, and the chief of the Twilight People sent Otter to ask for help. Sam's quest quickly turns dangerous with new challenges and new enemies, but using their wits, skills, and courage, Sam and Otter finally face Giluhda, last of the living mammoths.

157 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1953

Reviews

[Hugo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was considerably better than I anticipated, expecting only a competent pulp read (cowboys and indians hunting a woolly mammoth, how could you go wrong?). But Wellman crams his tale full of details and verisimilitude: period detail, American Indians portrayed (in a book written in the 1950s) as people of tradition and dignity, and world-building trivia (if you ever need to know how to jury rig a blacksmith's in the wilderness, this is the book for you!). The plot is by no means simple either, with plenty of action, friendship and rivalry, twists and turns. Surprisingly good fun, and more developed than expected.