The book is set in the 1750s during the French and Indian War. It tells the story of the Mohican chief Chingachgook, his son Uncas, and their friend, the white man Natty Bumppo, also known as Hawkeye. The three men are caught in the middle of the war between the French and the British, and they must fight for their lives against both sides. The book is full of action and adventure, and it is considered one of the classic novels of the American frontier.