What do you think?
Rate this book
Trail Drive #1
The Goodnight Trail
Former Texas Rangers Benton McCaleb, Will Elliot, and Brazos Gifford ride with Charles Goodnight as he rounds up thousands of ornery, unbranded cattle for the long drive to Colorado. From the Trinity River brakes to Denver, they’ll battle endless miles of flooded rivers, parched desert, and whiskey-crazed Comanches. And come face-to-face with Judge Roy Bean and legendary gunslingers like Clay Allison. For McCaleb and his hard-riding crew, the drive is a fierce struggle against the perils of an untamed land. A fight to the finish where the brave reach glory—or die hard.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 15, 1992
59 people are currently reading
266 people want to read
About the author
Ralph Compton
247 books84 followersRalph Compton (April 11, 1934—September 16, 1998) was an American writer of western fiction.
A native of St. Clair County, Alabama, Compton began his writing career with a notable work, The Goodnight Trail, which was chosen as a finalist for the Western Writers of America "Medicine Pipe Bearer Award" bestowed upon the "Best Debut Novel". He was also the author of the Sundown Rider series and the Border Empire series. In the last decade of his life, he authored more than two dozen novels, some of which made it onto the USA Today bestseller list for fiction.
Ralph Compton died in Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 64. Since his passing, Signet Books has continued the author's legacy, releasing new novels, written by authors such as Joseph A. West and David Robbins, under Compton's byline.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/ralphc...
A native of St. Clair County, Alabama, Compton began his writing career with a notable work, The Goodnight Trail, which was chosen as a finalist for the Western Writers of America "Medicine Pipe Bearer Award" bestowed upon the "Best Debut Novel". He was also the author of the Sundown Rider series and the Border Empire series. In the last decade of his life, he authored more than two dozen novels, some of which made it onto the USA Today bestseller list for fiction.
Ralph Compton died in Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 64. Since his passing, Signet Books has continued the author's legacy, releasing new novels, written by authors such as Joseph A. West and David Robbins, under Compton's byline.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/ralphc...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
August 1, 2012
Western, anyone? Oh yeah, this is my first!
Not counting Annie Proloux’s short story, Brokeback Mountain, this is the first Western novel that I read from cover to cover. Western is the genre that I find the least interesting. I think the reason is that there are no cowboys here in Manila and horses are being used either to bring tourists around some historical sites or to race with other top breed horses for some kind of equestrian sport where the rich and famous bet and win a lot of money.
This first book of the Goodnight Trail series was based on historical facts. This was the main reason why I picked this book over other western novels by let’s say Zane Grey or Louis L’Amour. In the course of my reading fiction, I would like to be well-rounded and try to always maintain some kind of variety. So, why not try Western? I got some western fictions already. I bought them at bargain prices and mostly by impulse. I mean, they were cheap so I bought them but when I got home, I read their blurbs and maybe tried a page or two, but I always ended up closing and putting them at the bottom of my to-be-read (tbr) stacks of books.
As this book transferred from my tbr to read folder, obviously, this did not suffer that kind of fate. This is different because this is not only western but also a historical fiction. The author, Ralph Compton (1934-1998), was of course a famous American (a Texan) western novelist and the “Goodnight” in the title was not because the cowboys did their horseback trips during night but because there was really a cowboy named Charlie Goodnight and he was this legendary rancher who blazed the Goodnight (otherwise known as the Western) trail from north Texas to Denver sometime in the 19th century. He also served as a local militia, fought against Comanche (a Plains Indian tribe) raiders. This was how he looked like according to Wiki:
To make my friend Jzhun happy today, here is how the real heterosexual American Old West sound effect that he likes very much:
Hiya! Tigidig-tigidig! Hiya!
Not counting Annie Proloux’s short story, Brokeback Mountain, this is the first Western novel that I read from cover to cover. Western is the genre that I find the least interesting. I think the reason is that there are no cowboys here in Manila and horses are being used either to bring tourists around some historical sites or to race with other top breed horses for some kind of equestrian sport where the rich and famous bet and win a lot of money.
This first book of the Goodnight Trail series was based on historical facts. This was the main reason why I picked this book over other western novels by let’s say Zane Grey or Louis L’Amour. In the course of my reading fiction, I would like to be well-rounded and try to always maintain some kind of variety. So, why not try Western? I got some western fictions already. I bought them at bargain prices and mostly by impulse. I mean, they were cheap so I bought them but when I got home, I read their blurbs and maybe tried a page or two, but I always ended up closing and putting them at the bottom of my to-be-read (tbr) stacks of books.
As this book transferred from my tbr to read folder, obviously, this did not suffer that kind of fate. This is different because this is not only western but also a historical fiction. The author, Ralph Compton (1934-1998), was of course a famous American (a Texan) western novelist and the “Goodnight” in the title was not because the cowboys did their horseback trips during night but because there was really a cowboy named Charlie Goodnight and he was this legendary rancher who blazed the Goodnight (otherwise known as the Western) trail from north Texas to Denver sometime in the 19th century. He also served as a local militia, fought against Comanche (a Plains Indian tribe) raiders. This was how he looked like according to Wiki:
So, this novel was actually based on that real person, a cowboy Charlie Goodnight and Texas rangers who in the book were named as Benton McCaleb, Will Elliot and Brazos Gifford and they rounded up thousands of ornery, unbranded cattles for a long drive to Colorado. Then they moved to Denver and battled endless miles of flooded rivers, parched desert and whiskey-crazed Indians. It is non-stop action but not the bang-bang, car-chase type of actions but engaging encounters and fights against Indians and how to survive against the fury of nature. There are other historical characters mentioned in the book such as Judge Roy Bean and the legendary gunslingers like Clay Allison but I had no urge to google them so I just assumed that they are as famous as Charles Goodnight. Proof that Charles was famous? He has his statue outside of the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum at the West Texas A&M University campus:
[image error]If all western fiction is like this, I think I will have a second and third helping soon. Maybe I should look for those based on historical facts so I can discover more of the American Old West frontier. Now, my idea of western is not limited with those two gay lovers cavorting on top of Wyoming mountain.
To make my friend Jzhun happy today, here is how the real heterosexual American Old West sound effect that he likes very much:
Hiya! Tigidig-tigidig! Hiya!
July 5, 2019
This author was recommended to me some years ago and I remember picking this up in the final days of Borders 90% off liquidation sale.
Book 1 of the 'Trail' series, and I believe it was the authors first published book. That probably explains the faults I found with it. The writing was adequate but bordering on annoying in a few places. Some repetition of the same phrases over an over again got on my nerves a bit. But, my main gripe was that the author appeared to be trying to cram every western trope into one book. Cattle drives, fighting off Indians, fighting off Mexican bandits, taking on an Indian scout, greed and corrupt cattlemen landowners and lawmen, a pretty girl who has to be rescued, gambling turning into a fight in the saloon and the inevitable showdown gunfight in the street. I think holding up the bank/stage/train were the only common ones that were missing.
With so much happening it's a fast moving book that just goes from one incident to the next. While I prefer that over books that move like molasses on a frosty day, this one was a bit much. A decent light read if you are into westerns but not up to the standard of some of the greats of the genre. Given the authors popularity I am assuming that his books improve from this first one and I may try another one at a later date. Overall, 2.5 stars I think.
The blurb on the back of the book bills it as 'historically accurate'. I looked up Charles Goodnight and the Goodnight Trail and found that the basic facts are indeed correct. Kudos to the author for getting a little bit of educational material in there.
Book 1 of the 'Trail' series, and I believe it was the authors first published book. That probably explains the faults I found with it. The writing was adequate but bordering on annoying in a few places. Some repetition of the same phrases over an over again got on my nerves a bit. But, my main gripe was that the author appeared to be trying to cram every western trope into one book. Cattle drives, fighting off Indians, fighting off Mexican bandits, taking on an Indian scout, greed and corrupt cattlemen landowners and lawmen, a pretty girl who has to be rescued, gambling turning into a fight in the saloon and the inevitable showdown gunfight in the street. I think holding up the bank/stage/train were the only common ones that were missing.
With so much happening it's a fast moving book that just goes from one incident to the next. While I prefer that over books that move like molasses on a frosty day, this one was a bit much. A decent light read if you are into westerns but not up to the standard of some of the greats of the genre. Given the authors popularity I am assuming that his books improve from this first one and I may try another one at a later date. Overall, 2.5 stars I think.
The blurb on the back of the book bills it as 'historically accurate'. I looked up Charles Goodnight and the Goodnight Trail and found that the basic facts are indeed correct. Kudos to the author for getting a little bit of educational material in there.
July 23, 2016
I got bored. Very poor writing when the word McCaleb appears on..every..single..page--on page 321 it appeared 10 times. ugh.
June 19, 2019
This is one of those books that when you think it can’t possibly have more to one character something else comes around the bend.
I did wish it went into more details as to how the actual trail drive went and more about Charles Goodnight. The latter could be because I picked it up expecting it to focus on Mr. Goodnight.
Overall a great read! I feel like I would have stayed up half the night to finish it if I needed to.
I did wish it went into more details as to how the actual trail drive went and more about Charles Goodnight. The latter could be because I picked it up expecting it to focus on Mr. Goodnight.
Overall a great read! I feel like I would have stayed up half the night to finish it if I needed to.
May 8, 2010
Yet another action packed trail drive wester. However, I question Compton's use of language in some parts. What on earth is a ".53 caliber Schroeder" (p. 168) that is then refered to as a "needle gun" in any further mention? The only reference I can find to this is in this novel. If anyone else writing a review has an answer, I would love to know.
July 17, 2012
Good audio book to listen to on the trip to Gettysburg. This was Book I in the "Trail Drive Series." I'll have to try some of these stories in print and see if they read as good as Elmer Kelton. My favorite character was "Goose", a Lipan Apache scout saved by the drovers from the Comanche. He carries a big knife!
March 5, 2015
Got better as it went on... but there was never any real sense of danger or anxiety. Sure there was a climactic point in the story, but no real "fear" that Bent wouldn't get out of it... He's probably too awesome of a cowboy, literally nothing is too complicated or dangerous for him to get out of it.
March 7, 2013
First real Western I have ever read, and it had its good and bad moments. Book's first half dragged, then picked up. The latter half of the book was better, but skipped around in time too much, losing its flow. Altogether, not a bad book.
April 14, 2010
This is one in a series of semi historical fiction about establishing the cattle drive trails. Everyone should read a cowboy story now and then
November 15, 2018
Good oater with more historical accuracy than most.
June 28, 2022
Agree with the review below that this novel attempts to cram every "western trope" into its pages. Still, for all that a pleasant read. I'm doing this as an audio book. I live in the mountains of Colorado and travel long distances regularly and Westerns while away the hours. The views I travel provide an amazing visual backdrop for books like this including familiar places I've lived and traveled in Northern New Mexico and into Colorado.
Don't expect the likes of Louis L'Amour. In fact, books like this help define what makes L'Amour so very special.
Specific to this entry in the series (I'm getting these through my HooplaDigital subscription):
I started this series on book 2. It's fun to drop into the story then go back to book 1 and learn the back story. (thanks Quentin Tarantino). At some point during this book (spoiler alert) Loving forged on on his own, got attacked, and so on...and then all of a sudden Rebecca is...wait what? I don't know if I zoned out or what but it was like the book was playing on a random mode. I need to go back and replay.
Which brings me back to the point the other reviewer left...there's just too much going on and too many back-to-back adventures.
For another series like this look up Smoke Jensen by William W. Johnstone. Pleasant reads. Not L'Amour.
Don't expect the likes of Louis L'Amour. In fact, books like this help define what makes L'Amour so very special.
Specific to this entry in the series (I'm getting these through my HooplaDigital subscription):
I started this series on book 2. It's fun to drop into the story then go back to book 1 and learn the back story. (thanks Quentin Tarantino). At some point during this book (spoiler alert) Loving forged on on his own, got attacked, and so on...and then all of a sudden Rebecca is...wait what? I don't know if I zoned out or what but it was like the book was playing on a random mode. I need to go back and replay.
Which brings me back to the point the other reviewer left...there's just too much going on and too many back-to-back adventures.
For another series like this look up Smoke Jensen by William W. Johnstone. Pleasant reads. Not L'Amour.
June 17, 2025
This was my first book with Ralph Compton spelled out on the cover and I wanted to start with the numero uno O.G. Overall I thought this was a great book and I'd recommend it to anyone, especially if they're curious to learn more about the real life dangers on a pioneer cattle drive immediately after the civil war. My enjoyment of this was back-and-forth between 3 and 4 stars, coinciding most favorably with the action scenes. Ultimately it had a very satisfying ending (spoiler?) which bumped me to 4 stars overall. Bonus points for the entertaining history lesson woven-in on Charles Goodnight.
January 4, 2025
Trail Drive #1
The Goodnight Trail
Ralph Compton, Scott Sowers (Reading)
No one could consider this great literature but it is the first in a 34-book series. Charles Goodnight was a real Texas Ranger Scout who discovered the Palo Duro Ravine during his travels and when he left the Rangers rounded up a few thousand wild Texas Longhorns and corralled them in that natural stockade.
This tale interested me because I’ve read of him before and been to Palo Duro.
The Goodnight Trail
Ralph Compton, Scott Sowers (Reading)
No one could consider this great literature but it is the first in a 34-book series. Charles Goodnight was a real Texas Ranger Scout who discovered the Palo Duro Ravine during his travels and when he left the Rangers rounded up a few thousand wild Texas Longhorns and corralled them in that natural stockade.
This tale interested me because I’ve read of him before and been to Palo Duro.
May 10, 2019
good book, not great. billed as a Louis Lamour, not quite. If you are looking for a LaMour like author, this is not the guy. it is a very good western, but the love story, which is the most important thread, is the least engaging part of the book. I will read more of this author, its good, but it does not live up to the hype I have heard.
January 6, 2020
This book contains so many offensive stereotypes, tropes, and cliches... there's only a couple of offensive things that it doesn't include. This was my western book for the popsugar 2020 challenge, so I guess this genre is not for me. Or I just didn't pick a good one. Or this genre is probably not for me.
July 13, 2022
This was just not that interesting. I was listening to the audiobook version, and every floor creak or bird call distracted me from the uneventful track. Ralph skipped over integral plot sections for who knows what reason. He'd build up a large delema and then simply skip over it with a few gun shots and a dead body for luck.
March 31, 2019
Seems like the audiobook was missing a chapter towards the end. Although the version said unabridged.
January 10, 2020
In my mind 3 stars is average. This book is average. I was entertained, but not amazed. I do plan on reading additional Ralph Compton books.
September 22, 2020
Great western. Had a little bit of everything.
October 27, 2020
Mix of Fact and Fiction. I enjoyed it more the first time through.
August 14, 2021
A great historical novel. Compton weaves several big names in Western history to make a great novel. Fun read.
February 4, 2022
This is one in a series of semi historical fiction about establishing the cattle drive trails. Everyone should read a cowboy story now and then
August 11, 2023
Cookie cutter characters and western. Go with Johnstone or Brandvolt. This was disappointing.
January 17, 2024
Pretty shit.
June 1, 2024
audio performance by Scott Sowers
May 25, 2025
2.5
Picked this up from a thrift store as a “blind-date with a book.” It was a slow first half and then a more interesting but rapid fire second half.
Picked this up from a thrift store as a “blind-date with a book.” It was a slow first half and then a more interesting but rapid fire second half.
March 2, 2021
My review is specifically for the audiobook, which is severely abridged. The writing was simple and quaint, and reminded me of a western from the 1950's. But the abridged audiobook (3 discs) started off strong, began to waver, and then became totally disjointed and rushed.
July 11, 2012
Great western based on historical events.
August 23, 2013
Very good, but the abridged audio version made a few leaps that had me scratching my head a bit.
September 15, 2014
GREAT BOOK, EXCELLENT SERIES, HIGHLY RECOMMEND
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews