A Barnaby Skye Timeline - Happy 20th Annivesary!

As I wrote a few months ago, I'm a big fan of Richard S. Wheeler's Skye's West/Barnaby Skye novels. I've long sought to work out the chronology of these books, and June of 2009 seemed to be an ideal time to discuss the topic publicly. The first of the series, Sun River was released in "July 1989." In book publishing, the listed month of release is normally the month that follows that in which the book actually hits the shelves. So it was twenty years ago this month that Barnaby Skye made his debut in bookstores.

The first eight books about the mountain man and his family were released through 1994, as original mass-market paperbacks. The series was known as "Skye's West." Wheeler then took a break from the character, but in 1996 began a new series, now known as "Barnaby Skye novels." These were first published in hardcover, and began by detailing Skye's arrival in the Rocky Mountains and his early days there. This series has continued up to the present, with its ninth volume, the seventeenth overall, seeing release in 2009. Over the years, the characters have overtaken the events of the first eight books, so that Skye is an old man in the latest (he's 64, which isn't so old in the 21st Century, just ask Ronnie James Dio, who turns 67 in a few weeks, yet is still fronting his version of Black Sabbath on a long tour. But spending decades in the wilderness has aged Sky considerably).

This much is know for sure about Barnaby Sky. He was born in 1806 in London, to a well-to-do merchant family. He was 13 in 1819 when a Royal Navy pressgang caught him and dragged him off to a harsh life at sea. Seven years later, in 1826, a roughly 20 year old Skye jumped ship at Fort Vancouver (modern Portland, Oregon) and made his way inland, seeking to escape British justice. He succeeded in reaching American territory, and gradually adapted to life as a mountain man, while marrying into the Absaroka (Crow) and Shoshoni tribes.

Skye met Many Quills woman of the Crow soon after arriving in the mountains. She was born about 1811, and was 15 when she met Barnaby. He named her Victoria, and they had many adventures together, as their family grew to include the unique blue roan, Jawbone (an evil horse that never-the-less loved Barnaby and Victoria). Victoria eventually convinced Barnaby to take a second wife. She helped arrange his marriage to Mary, of the Shoshoni, a niece of Sacagawea. Mary was much younger than her new husband and fellow wife, and was probably born around 1830, though this is hard to pinpoint. The precise timeline of events becomes hazy in the second series, which I'll demonstrate below, as I indicate the year in which each of the novels is supposed to occur. Before that, it should be mentioned that Barnaby and Mary have a son together, Dirk, who is also known as North Star. He's an infant in some novels, and a child at school in Missouri in some others.

Skye's West (in order of publication):

Sun River - 1855, introduces Barnaby Skye, Victoria, Mary, Dirk, and Jawbone. All but Dirk are present in all eight of the first series. The Skye family has been guiding parties through the west for some years already.

Bannack - 1863, sequentially the last of the first series. Skye and Jawbone are getting old, and Dirk is away at school.

The Far Tribes - 1852, Dirk is an infant.

Yellowstone - 1850, Barnaby and Mary are recently married, and she is pregnant with Dirk by the end.

Bitterroot - 1853, Dirk is a toddler.

Sundance - 1856, Dirk is a child.

Wind River - 1854, Dirk is a toddler.

Santa Fe - 1851, Dirk is an infant.


Barnaby Skye Novels (in order of publication):

Rendezvous - 1826, Barnaby jumps ship, reaches the mountains, and meets Victoria.

Dark Passage - 1831, Barnaby and Victoria have been married for several years.

Going Home - 1832, Barnaby and Victoria are the only recurring characters.

Downriver - 1838, Barnaby and Victoria are the only recurring characters.

The Deliverance - 1841, Barnaby and Victoria are the only recurring characters.

The Fire Arrow - 1853, Barnaby and Victoria meet the new born colt, Jawbone. He is present in the following books.

The Canyon of Bones - 1857, Barnaby meets and marries Mary at the start, Mary is pregnant with Dirk by the finish.

Virgin River - 1858, Dirk is an infant, and the Skye family have built a reputation as guides.

North Star - 1870, Dirk is a young adult, and Barnaby is an old man.

The Owl Hunt - not yet published, this and at least one more novel are to feature Dirk "North Star" Skye as the lead character.

How can these dates be reconciled? Ultimately, it doesn't especially matter, as the indications of the year that appear in each story can easily be ignored. But I find games like this entertaining, so I'll have ago at it anyway. The first stage is easy. Barnaby's adventures begin in 1826, and continue up through 1841, when he's 35. That covers Rendezvous straight through The Deliverance. The Fire Arrow can then be moved forward to 1845 or so. In my imagination, Mary joins the clan about 1848, and Dirk is born in 1851. The original series can then follow in the same years for which they are listed, with The Canyon of Bones and Virgin River being slotted in before Bannack (pretend the wedding in The Canyon of Bones was a flashback ;-)). The timeline would then conclude with North Star, The Owl Hunt and any future additions.

That leaves the overall story arc as follows:

Rendezvous - 1826
Dark Passage - 1831
Going Home - 1832
Downriver - 1838
The Deliverance - 1841
The Fire Arrow - 1845
Yellowstone - 1850
Santa Fe - 1851
The Far Tribes - 1852
Bitterroot - 1853
Wind River - 1854
Sun River - 1855
Sun Dance - 1856
The Canyon of Bones - 1857
Virgin River - 1858
Bannack - 1863
North Star - 1870
The Owl Hunt - ?

Do I suggest reading the books in this order? Not at all! As with many series, the characters and their development are best realized and understood if the books are read in the order in which they are written. Several volumes are officially out of print, but all can be rather easily found at online or brick & mortar used book outlets, or via libraries. I heartily recommend that anyone interested in Native American or Old West fiction make the minor effort required to sample some of these novels. I'm sure that those who do will quickly join me in toasting Barnaby Skye on his 20th birthday in print!