(pb; 1955)
From the back cover:
"Clay Bell was a onetime drifter who'd grown weary of long trails and settled on the sweetest land he'd ever seen. For six years he fought Indians, rustlers and the wilderness itself to make the B-Bar ranch the prize of the Deep Creek Range. But now all that Clay has worked for is threatened. Jud Devitt, a ruthless speculator from the East, wants Bell's rich timberland -- and he doesn't care how he gets it. Backing Devitt are tame judges, crooked politicians and fifty of the toughest lumberjacks in the country. But Devitt's tried to stack the deck against the wrong man. Devitt doesn't know how to lose. Bell figures he's just the one to teach him."
Review:
Guns is another L'Amour gem of genre novel, sporting all the traits associated with the author's other works: it is a lean, smart, exciting and hard-to-set-down Western, with deftly sketched-out (later fleshed-out) characters, cut-to-it action and prose, and a reader-pleasing finale that delivers on the promise of its earlier excellence. Like so many of L'Amour's other books, Guns is worth owning, the gold standard of Western genre writing.
(pb; 1953)
From the back cover:
"He was a big man, wide-shouldered, with the lean, hard-boned face of a desert rider. There was no softness in him. His toughness was ingrained and deep, without cruelty, yet quick, hard and dangerous. Whatever gentleness that might lie within him was guarded and deep.
"He had been sitting motionless and still on his buckskin for more than an hour. Patience was the price of survival, he knew that, and often the first to move was the first to die.
"His name was Hondo and he could almost smell the trouble coming. Somewhere holed up in an arroyo were renegade Apaches, waiting."
Review:
Hondo is a short, raw-write movie novelization (like Arthur C. Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey), entertaining with flashes of dialogue-framed information about the Old West, and characters whose close-to-the-surface emotions impel this excellent, truly-a-classic Western: landmark and worth owning, this.
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The film was released stateside on April 5, 1954. The movie is based on L'Amour's story "The Gift of Cochise", not the aforementioned novel, which is a novelization of the film.
Hondo was directed by John Farrow, from James Edward Grant's screenplay.
John Wayne played Hondo Lane. Geraldine Page played Angie Lowe. Lee Aaker played Johnny Lowe.
Ward Bond played Buffalo Baker. Michael Pate played Vittorio - Chiracahua Apache Chief. James Arness played Lennie - Army Indian Scout.
Leo Gordon played Ed Lowe. Tom Irish played Lt. McKay. Rodolfo Acosta played Silva.
(pb; 2011: three hundred and ninety-seventh book in the Longarm series)
From the back cover:
"Babe Younger - cousin to the infamous Cole Younger - has shot his last bank manager. Thanks to the testimony of eyewitness Josephine Pritchard, the outlaw has been duly executed at the end of a hangman's rope. But in a touching display of loyalty to their leader, his gang has vowed vengeance against the beautiful Miss Pritchard.
"Now it's up to Deputy U.S. Marshall Custis Long to thwart the gang's ill intentions toward the lovely lady. If Longarm has his way, every one of them will be reunited with their leader - in a special ring of hell reserved for cutthroats and cowards. Of course, it is a single man against an entire gang - and if Custis doesn't watch his back he might be the one not getting any older. . ."
Review:
Doomed Beauty is a Western, action and sex pulp story that merges the august tone of Louis L'Amour's classic genre works with earthier sentiments.
The Longarm series clearly has a formula, but it's a fun, focused and waste-no-words recipe. There's enough history and character development to keep the key characters interesting, and the action and pace is swift and blunt, like a genre Western should be.
Doomed Beauty is a good, disposable pulp read, one worth checking out. I wouldn't buy it for more than the fifty cents I paid for it, but that's me - I only own a few favorite books, as I like too many authors to store all their works.
(pb; 1963)
From the back cover:
"Catlow heard the legend of the Mexican gold. Catlow hijacked the mule train carrying it. Catlow knew the U.S. Law and the entire Mexican Army was at his backside. Catlow didn't give a damn. He knew all the answers - except how to get through Seri Indian country rich and alive."
Review:
Lean, rough and exciting, Catlow is a burn-through read, with L'Amour's love of the action loaded Old West, briefly stated cowboy philosophy and worth-liking-or-loathing characters at the forefront.
L'Amour upped the pleasure ante by indirectly linking Catlow to some of his other works: his multibook series The Sacketts and another novel, The Daybreakers (one of Catlow's secondary characters, Rosita Calderon, is cousin to Daybreakers's Druscilla Alvarado).
Excellent, amiable genre novel, this, from one of my favorite Western authors - one worth owning.
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Released in stateside theaters on October 1, 1971, the film version was directed by Sam Wanaker, from a screenplay by Scott Finch and James Griffith (billed as J.J. Griffith).
Yul Brunner played Catlow. Richard Crenna played Cowan. Leonard Nimoy played Miller. Daliah Lavi played Rosita. Jo Ann Pflug played Christina. Jeff Corey played Merridew.
Michael Delano played Rio. Julián Mateos played Recalde. David Ladd played Caxton. Robert Logan, billed as Bob Logan, played Oley. John Clark played Keleher.
(pb; 1996: story anthology)
Overall review:
Old school, clean-cut Western tales, with stout-hearted heroes and attractive, equally admirable women. Decent work from an stylistically-iconic writer, with a few exceptional stories.
Review, story by story:
“Beyond the Chapparal”: A “cow town lawyer” (Jim Rossiter) takes on a bunch of cattle rustlers, whose leader (Lonnie Parker) has also stolen Rossiter's woman's heart. Quintessential Western, sharp and exciting.
“A Husband For Janey”: Tandy Meadows, an 18-year old Texas boy, wanders onto a rich gold claim – and into a possible marriage. Light-hearted, romantic story, worth reading.
“West of Dodge”: Twist-filled work about a gunfighter (Kilkenny) who becomes an unwilling participant in a town war, which may have roots in his past. Great stuff.
“The Passing of Rope Nose”: Decent entry about ten thousand dollars, a Ranger and brick-dumb outlaws.
“To Make A Stand”: Hurley, a farmer, flees after shooting a thief (who took his horse) – for he's incurred the vengeful wrath of the thief's four brothers. Gripping, believable tale.
“That Man From Bitter Sands”: After being robbed and shot by two thieves, a gold miner tracks them, in a crafty, semi-funny and dangerous fashion. Good, traditional Western, with some dark undertones.
“Let The Cards Decide”: Henry Duval, an ex-card sharp and gun for hire, and his friends play to free a woman from a bad marriage. Fun, good-natured and clever.
“Riches Beyond Dream”: Predictable but warm-hearted tale about a woman (Kirby Ann) who inherits supposedly worthless property from her great-uncle Tom.
“West of Dry Creek”: Decent story about a cowpuncher (Beaure Hatch) who rescues a woman from a villain who means to steal her land. Nothing special, not bad.
“Marshall of Canyon Gap”: A marshal with a potentially deadly secret is forced to confront his past and his immediate future when a stranger rides into town. Excellent, classic story.
“Home Is The Hunter”: Bill Tanneman, an emotionally-reserved gunfighter, sets out to restore a child's home – and justice – after a cowardly land baron has her father killed. Another excellent, involving story.
“Rain on the Halfmoon”: A quick-draw cowboy (Jim Thorne) saves his wife from kidnappers. Solid entry.
“Stage To Willowspring”: Romance, treachery, gabbed-out rumors and reputations highlight this stagecoach story with a cool twist. Good tale.
“To Hang Me High”: Ryan Tyler, a young man, defends the reputation of a woman he loves (Rosa Killeen), and finds himself a hunted man because of it. Worthwhile story, with a predictable twist.
For another review of West of Dodge, check out The Louis L'Amour Project.
