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The Road to Reckoning
A novel that hits right to the heart of fans of Cold Mountain and True Grit. Set in 1837, this is the remarkably poignant story of 12-year-old orphan Thomas Walker and his treacherous journey home through the wide open lands of America.
‘I, to this day, hold to only one truth: if a man chooses to carry a gun he will get shot.
My father agreed to carry twelve.’
Young Tom Walker cannot believe his luck when his father allows him to accompany him on the road, selling Samuel Colt’s newly-invented revolver. They will leave behind the depression and disease that is gripping 1830’s New York to travel the country together.
Still only twelve years old, Tom is convinced that he is now a man. Fate, it seems, thinks so too …
On the road west the towns get smaller, the forests wilder, and the path more unforgiving. A devastating encounter cuts their journey tragically short, and leaves Tom all alone in the wilderness.
Struggling to see a way home, he finds his only hope: ageing ranger Henry Stands, who is heading back east. Tom’s resolve to survive initiates an unlikely partnership that will be tested by the dangers of the road ahead, where outlaws prowl.
‘I, to this day, hold to only one truth: if a man chooses to carry a gun he will get shot.
My father agreed to carry twelve.’
Young Tom Walker cannot believe his luck when his father allows him to accompany him on the road, selling Samuel Colt’s newly-invented revolver. They will leave behind the depression and disease that is gripping 1830’s New York to travel the country together.
Still only twelve years old, Tom is convinced that he is now a man. Fate, it seems, thinks so too …
On the road west the towns get smaller, the forests wilder, and the path more unforgiving. A devastating encounter cuts their journey tragically short, and leaves Tom all alone in the wilderness.
Struggling to see a way home, he finds his only hope: ageing ranger Henry Stands, who is heading back east. Tom’s resolve to survive initiates an unlikely partnership that will be tested by the dangers of the road ahead, where outlaws prowl.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published January 30, 2014
11 people are currently reading
1063 people want to read
About the author
Robert Lautner
8 books36 followersRobert Lautner was born in Middlesex in 1970. Before becoming a writer he owned his own comic-book store, worked as a wine merchant, photographic consultant and recruitment consultant. He now lives on the Pembrokeshire coast in a wooden cabin with his wife and children.
Robert Lautner is the pen name of the author, Mark Keating. His latest work is Quint, a JAWS novel, writing as Robert Lautner.
Robert Lautner is the pen name of the author, Mark Keating. His latest work is Quint, a JAWS novel, writing as Robert Lautner.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
February 20, 2014
3.5 A wonderful return to the old time western, this takes place in the 1830's and starts in Pennsylvania. twelve year old Thomas and his father are left alone after the death of his mother when they meet Mister Colt, the man who wants to change the West with his new Colt firearm. Henry's father agrees to travel West and to sell this firearm, earning a commission on every sale. AS Thomas says, they never make it.
So this wonderful story of a father and son turns into a story of revenge, of friendship when Thomas makes the acquaintance of ex-ranger Henry Sands and about the return home.
An engaging narrative, plenty of humor and many heartfelt moments arf to be found in this debut novel.
One of my first jobs was with Colt Industries steel division and the history of the Colt firearm was what drew me to this novel.
So this wonderful story of a father and son turns into a story of revenge, of friendship when Thomas makes the acquaintance of ex-ranger Henry Sands and about the return home.
An engaging narrative, plenty of humor and many heartfelt moments arf to be found in this debut novel.
One of my first jobs was with Colt Industries steel division and the history of the Colt firearm was what drew me to this novel.
Want to read
August 22, 2014DECLINED?????????????
surely you are mistaken, netgalley....
surely you are mistaken, netgalley....
Read
September 27, 2014DNF'd at 50%
I'm not rating this one because I don't think it's a horrible book. I just can't get interested in it right now.
I think this one is a case of it's not you it's me.
I'm not rating this one because I don't think it's a horrible book. I just can't get interested in it right now.
I think this one is a case of it's not you it's me.
February 5, 2014
Believe me when I say that you haven't read a narrative voice like this in a long time, so get the heck out there and read it.
This is like the carpaccio of westerns-- no fat at all. Economical in the telling but with a knock-you-down punch. Not a genre I usually read but I was really glad I did. One of the most interesting (as in "different") books I've read in a long time.
This is like the carpaccio of westerns-- no fat at all. Economical in the telling but with a knock-you-down punch. Not a genre I usually read but I was really glad I did. One of the most interesting (as in "different") books I've read in a long time.
March 20, 2018
Coming-of-age Western set in "frontier" parts of Pennsylvania in the early 1800s. The story reminded me a bit of True Grit, but had its own distinct story to tell. It took me a couple of chapters to get into it, but soon I found it hard to put down. Great characters, spare writing to give it that Western feel, and a story that's both gritty and emotional. This would be a great book for those just beginning to explore the Western genre.
April 2, 2014
Road To Reckoning by Robert Lautner
This story takes place in 1837. Twelve year old Thomas Walker
resides in New York. His father, a salesman by trade, catches wind of a new invention by a Samuel Colt. Calling it the "Improved Revolving Gun", the Patent Arms Manufacturing Company signs on the marketer as commission work. Excited to lift the financial burden off his family, the duo begin to travel west bringing along a wooden replica and a dozen of the original guns. As the journey becomes farther from home, danger and risk generates a focus on their campaign. The road to fortune becomes paved with treacherous jeopardy. The duo soon fall prey to the wickedness and evil of violent bullies. Thomas finds himself alone, and requiring the impossible task of venturing on his way home. An unlikely savior in the form of a rum drinking, hell-raising, ex-militia ranger crosses paths with the young boy. The pair create a mission of their own full of vengeance, bloodshed, and survival that only the Wild West can conjure.
Robert Lautner's Road To Reckoning is a historical fiction ride through nineteenth-century America. The reader is invited to participate in a westward expedition full of wonderfully written gritty characters, and unprotected paths that burden a tense purpose upon the plot. The descriptions of the environment enriches the plot and provides the abrasiveness needed as the background for the inhabitants. Each chapter contributes a cliff hanging quality that ministers a craving for the next portion of fiction. These combinations result in a constant western frontier feel that doesn't slow down. Fans of this brand will revel in the talent Lautner obviously has, however this particular novel comes with a strong recommendation for readers of all genres. The tone is set with the opening quotation, "the Lord made man. But Sam Colt made them equal", then proceeds to provide all the ingredients that is required for an entertaining book you truly can't put down.
March 11, 2015
I thought I would give this a try since it is an almost western written by an Englishman. It felt pretty authentic to me. The narrator was an older man telling the story of his youthful trek to the west to sell Henry Colt's first gun to the settlers. The west being in this instance Pennsylvania or Indiana. The writing was of that vague not quite concrete type, sort of a reproduction of the style of that time. The characters were vivid. The places and happenings were very vivid also. Worth the read and I would try this author again.
February 12, 2014
Robert Lautner is from Middlesex, a leafy little corner of England. You wouldn't know it from reading this. It reads like a bonefide American classic, akin to True Grit or Lonesome Dove. The atmosphere that Lautner has created is a fine representation of the period, and of the place, and it is a genuinely passable effort at an Englishman writing a western.
Thomas Walker, twelve, of New York, sees and experiences some horrific things on his journey west to sell Colt's revolver with his father. We experience the tale through his eyes, looking back on all that happened in the later part of his life, through the lens of the civil war, and the death brought about by mechanised and industrialised weaponry. Walker as an old man, has many regrets from his youth and it can be seen reflected in his wry and twisting narrative. He explores his relationship from his father and what constitutes the truly masculine male. His father is a coward, Henry Stands is his idealised view of manliness, where his father surrenders and dies at the hands of bandits, Stands is stoic in his resolve, heroic in his own way, and totally unshakeable.
What we see is a tale filled with emotional conflict. Walker idolises Stands to the point that he almost wishes he had Stands for a father, the man haunts his dreams and he is held out as an example of 'the actual'. But, at the same time, the older Walker has turned his back of violence, he has lost his sons in the civil war, and in his later years he reminisces about his time with Stands with a sort of wistful longingness, tinged with shame and regret. It is a truly fascinating read.
There are some real spit-and-sawdust moments in here, too: saloon fights, camping tales, an incident in a mine that was a little bit chilling and all of those things served to create a tale that was reminiscent of 1950s English books for boys; think Biggles. This point leads me to the but, in that some of these moments were a little too clichéd for my liking, and felt like the author had sat down and thought 'if I was going to write a Western, I'd do this'. The saloon fight panned out in exactly the same way as expected, the chapter in the mine was a sort of peculiar caricature that didn't really fit with the rest of the story, and the end result of the scene was all a little too contrived. The author didn't know quite how to deal with it at the end of the novel and it was just sort of glossed over and brushed to one side. Of course, there is something to be said for the art of the narrative, and the older narrator telling the tale of his boyhood with a sort of hyperbolic exaggeration. I found it difficult to tell whether that was the case, or whether there were moments where the author just didn't quite get the tone and timbre right. I'd like to say it was the former, but I think the latter is probably more likely.
All of that said, I would recommend this to anyone interested in Westerns or in a good historical yarn. Suspend your disbelief and all will be well. It's a three from me.
Thomas Walker, twelve, of New York, sees and experiences some horrific things on his journey west to sell Colt's revolver with his father. We experience the tale through his eyes, looking back on all that happened in the later part of his life, through the lens of the civil war, and the death brought about by mechanised and industrialised weaponry. Walker as an old man, has many regrets from his youth and it can be seen reflected in his wry and twisting narrative. He explores his relationship from his father and what constitutes the truly masculine male. His father is a coward, Henry Stands is his idealised view of manliness, where his father surrenders and dies at the hands of bandits, Stands is stoic in his resolve, heroic in his own way, and totally unshakeable.
What we see is a tale filled with emotional conflict. Walker idolises Stands to the point that he almost wishes he had Stands for a father, the man haunts his dreams and he is held out as an example of 'the actual'. But, at the same time, the older Walker has turned his back of violence, he has lost his sons in the civil war, and in his later years he reminisces about his time with Stands with a sort of wistful longingness, tinged with shame and regret. It is a truly fascinating read.
There are some real spit-and-sawdust moments in here, too: saloon fights, camping tales, an incident in a mine that was a little bit chilling and all of those things served to create a tale that was reminiscent of 1950s English books for boys; think Biggles. This point leads me to the but, in that some of these moments were a little too clichéd for my liking, and felt like the author had sat down and thought 'if I was going to write a Western, I'd do this'. The saloon fight panned out in exactly the same way as expected, the chapter in the mine was a sort of peculiar caricature that didn't really fit with the rest of the story, and the end result of the scene was all a little too contrived. The author didn't know quite how to deal with it at the end of the novel and it was just sort of glossed over and brushed to one side. Of course, there is something to be said for the art of the narrative, and the older narrator telling the tale of his boyhood with a sort of hyperbolic exaggeration. I found it difficult to tell whether that was the case, or whether there were moments where the author just didn't quite get the tone and timbre right. I'd like to say it was the former, but I think the latter is probably more likely.
All of that said, I would recommend this to anyone interested in Westerns or in a good historical yarn. Suspend your disbelief and all will be well. It's a three from me.
August 12, 2016
http://historicalreadings.blogspot.co...
ARC from publisher via NetGalley. My opinions are my own.
Though set in 1837 northern Pennsylvania, this is in the spirit of a true western, during a time when much of rural Pennsylvania was still wild and lawless. Twelve year old Thomas Walker sets out from New York City with his father to sell a new Colt revolver but they hardly make it beyond Milton, PA, just shy of central Pennsylvania, before his father is murdered by a lawless and violent man. In his efforts to return home, Thomas makes his way along the road with a reluctant guide, former Indiana Ranger and War of 1812 Veteran, Henry Stands. Just as they are beginning to bond, danger threatens them.
I was surprised to discover the author is British and still lives in the UK because the American “West” really comes alive so easily with an authentic narrative. That is saying something coming from a born-and-bred Pennsylvanian with a love of local history. Although the short, adventurous plot makes this a fast paced page turner, it’s also quite literary and the character development, in particular Henry Stands, is what really makes this novel shine. Very enjoyable read and I look forward to what the author will have to offer in the future.
ARC from publisher via NetGalley. My opinions are my own.
Though set in 1837 northern Pennsylvania, this is in the spirit of a true western, during a time when much of rural Pennsylvania was still wild and lawless. Twelve year old Thomas Walker sets out from New York City with his father to sell a new Colt revolver but they hardly make it beyond Milton, PA, just shy of central Pennsylvania, before his father is murdered by a lawless and violent man. In his efforts to return home, Thomas makes his way along the road with a reluctant guide, former Indiana Ranger and War of 1812 Veteran, Henry Stands. Just as they are beginning to bond, danger threatens them.
I was surprised to discover the author is British and still lives in the UK because the American “West” really comes alive so easily with an authentic narrative. That is saying something coming from a born-and-bred Pennsylvanian with a love of local history. Although the short, adventurous plot makes this a fast paced page turner, it’s also quite literary and the character development, in particular Henry Stands, is what really makes this novel shine. Very enjoyable read and I look forward to what the author will have to offer in the future.
June 14, 2018
Englishman writes a Western... and 100% pulls it off! Lautner’s storytelling in on point, conjuring up wonderful imagery in an old man’s reflective tale of his 12yr old coming of age adventure- quite literally a rite of passage. I often sum up with three things you can expect in these mini reviews (that I rate as some of the best features) so for this one I will leave you with cannibals, Indians and a faithful old horse called Jude Brown.
February 1, 2014
A remarkable first novel far outside the vein of my regular reading. Dickensian and, obviously, reminiscent of True Grit, this book will appeal to a wide variety of readers. A unique new voice in fiction!
April 23, 2017
4 1/2 stars. The narrative and voice in this book is absolutely amazing. It brings to mind other stories like True Grit or the Sister Brothers in the best ways possible. Lautner brings the emotional pull out of this story like very few writers can, making you actually feel what the character's feel. The atmosphere and characters of Henry Stands and Thomas Walker stay with you long after the story ends. This is a gritty and heart-felt tale like very few in the genre!
April 20, 2019
This is a good one
This story has been told before. Many times. A young boy struggling in a terrifying world saved reluctantly by a gruff and hard bitten man. This is well written, thoughtful and fresh in spite of its familiarity. I’d recommend it to middle grade and higher readers.
This story has been told before. Many times. A young boy struggling in a terrifying world saved reluctantly by a gruff and hard bitten man. This is well written, thoughtful and fresh in spite of its familiarity. I’d recommend it to middle grade and higher readers.
May 17, 2015
I'd give this 4.5 stars.
Full disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
"I, to this day, hold to only one truth: if a man chooses to carry a gun he will get shot. My father agreed to carry twelve."
Thomas Walker is 12 years in 1837. An only child, he has lived a sheltered life, never leaving New York City, and following the death of his mother, he is homeschooled by his aunt and doesn't get the opportunity to interact with children his age. But when his mild-mannered, spectacles-selling father takes a traveling salesman job for Samuel Colt, selling his revolutionary new "Improved Revolving Gun," he decides to take Thomas on the road with him, much to his aunt's chagrin—and Thomas' delight.
"Even at twelve I knew that I would have no limit of things to do out beyond the mountains. My own thoughts of danger were less important than having the opportunity to be away from my aunt's lavender chiffon and her yardstick rule, which I never saw measure anything except how much blame my knuckles could take."
Not long after Thomas' father made his first sale, a run-in with a group of robbers turns their travel adventure to tragedy. Orphaned and alone, with no money and few possessions save a wooden model of the Colt revolver, he can think only of getting back home to New York and the comfort and security of his only living relative, his aunt. He then encounters Henry Stands, a cantankerous, larger-than-life former Indiana Ranger, who has little use for people except when they can provide him food, ammunition, and rum.
Stands, on his way to a Philadelphia prison to see if they need help tracking down escaped prisoners, is reluctantly pressed into helping Thomas find his way home. He cares little for coddling the boy, and wants only to leave him in the first town they come across. Thomas, though intimidated by Stands' surliness, finds security in his not-quite-fatherly presence, and fears that he will abandon him on the road. The two forge a strange alliance, one that grows a bit stronger after the two encounter the band of robbers who killed Thomas' father. Yet Stands isn't completely enamored of being the boy's protector, and Thomas wants desperately for Stands to treat him less as an obligation and more as a child.
As the pair make their way back to New York, their partnership—and their lives—are tested several times. Both realize there is more to their traveling partner than meets the eye, and while they have different desires for the resolution of their journey, it is a journey that shapes them both.
I really enjoyed this book a great deal. I thought Robert Lautner perfectly embodied the voice of a 12-year-old boy caught between bravado and vulnerability, and Thomas as narrator was tremendously effective. The book surprised me at times and was more than simply a story about an unlikely pair on an important journey—it was also a commentary on how the Colt revolver, and guns in general, shaped America in the mid-19th century and beyond. The characters were more complex than met the eye, and Lautner knows how to tell a good story.
Some of the blurbs I've seen about Road to Reckoning equate it with True Grit, and while there may be some similarities between the two, I think the comparison actually sells this book a bit short. Henry Stands is more Lonesome Dove's Gus than Rooster Cogburn, and Thomas is a more vulnerable character than Mattie Ross, but no less appealing. This is a different story about a different kind of partnership, and it is a compelling and entertaining one.
"When I first met Henry Stands I imagined he was a man of few friends. When I last knew of him I was sure he had even fewer. But, it could be said, just as true, that he had fewer enemies because of it. And as I get older I can see the wisdom of that."
Full disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
"I, to this day, hold to only one truth: if a man chooses to carry a gun he will get shot. My father agreed to carry twelve."
Thomas Walker is 12 years in 1837. An only child, he has lived a sheltered life, never leaving New York City, and following the death of his mother, he is homeschooled by his aunt and doesn't get the opportunity to interact with children his age. But when his mild-mannered, spectacles-selling father takes a traveling salesman job for Samuel Colt, selling his revolutionary new "Improved Revolving Gun," he decides to take Thomas on the road with him, much to his aunt's chagrin—and Thomas' delight.
"Even at twelve I knew that I would have no limit of things to do out beyond the mountains. My own thoughts of danger were less important than having the opportunity to be away from my aunt's lavender chiffon and her yardstick rule, which I never saw measure anything except how much blame my knuckles could take."
Not long after Thomas' father made his first sale, a run-in with a group of robbers turns their travel adventure to tragedy. Orphaned and alone, with no money and few possessions save a wooden model of the Colt revolver, he can think only of getting back home to New York and the comfort and security of his only living relative, his aunt. He then encounters Henry Stands, a cantankerous, larger-than-life former Indiana Ranger, who has little use for people except when they can provide him food, ammunition, and rum.
Stands, on his way to a Philadelphia prison to see if they need help tracking down escaped prisoners, is reluctantly pressed into helping Thomas find his way home. He cares little for coddling the boy, and wants only to leave him in the first town they come across. Thomas, though intimidated by Stands' surliness, finds security in his not-quite-fatherly presence, and fears that he will abandon him on the road. The two forge a strange alliance, one that grows a bit stronger after the two encounter the band of robbers who killed Thomas' father. Yet Stands isn't completely enamored of being the boy's protector, and Thomas wants desperately for Stands to treat him less as an obligation and more as a child.
As the pair make their way back to New York, their partnership—and their lives—are tested several times. Both realize there is more to their traveling partner than meets the eye, and while they have different desires for the resolution of their journey, it is a journey that shapes them both.
I really enjoyed this book a great deal. I thought Robert Lautner perfectly embodied the voice of a 12-year-old boy caught between bravado and vulnerability, and Thomas as narrator was tremendously effective. The book surprised me at times and was more than simply a story about an unlikely pair on an important journey—it was also a commentary on how the Colt revolver, and guns in general, shaped America in the mid-19th century and beyond. The characters were more complex than met the eye, and Lautner knows how to tell a good story.
Some of the blurbs I've seen about Road to Reckoning equate it with True Grit, and while there may be some similarities between the two, I think the comparison actually sells this book a bit short. Henry Stands is more Lonesome Dove's Gus than Rooster Cogburn, and Thomas is a more vulnerable character than Mattie Ross, but no less appealing. This is a different story about a different kind of partnership, and it is a compelling and entertaining one.
"When I first met Henry Stands I imagined he was a man of few friends. When I last knew of him I was sure he had even fewer. But, it could be said, just as true, that he had fewer enemies because of it. And as I get older I can see the wisdom of that."
February 4, 2014
*I received this ebook from the publisher Touchstone in exchange for an honest review.
Thomas Walker is 12 when his father decides to venture out West to sell Samuel Colt’s Improved Revolving Gun. But a mere three days into the journey, Walker’s father is shot dead, and Thomas is left to find his way home with nothing but a gelding, a wagon, and a wooden model gun for protection. He encounters Henry Stands, a former ranger who reluctantly takes on responsibility for Thomas as they make their way back East. Told from the adult Thomas’s recollections, Road to Reckoning is part dime store novel and part coming-of-age tale.
Road to Reckoning was my first “wow” novel of 2014. Thomas Walker’s perspective as he tells his story is perfect. Lautner’s choice to have an older Thomas narrate his tale allows for poignant moments of recollection, such as when he talks about journeying out with his father and the anticipation he felt:
Every word he spoke would be to me.
It is a fault of nature that fathers do not realize that when the son is young the father is like Jesus to him, and like with Our Lord, the time of his ministry when they crave his words is short and fleeting.
These observations aren’t often enough to become laborious, but they fit well in the telling. At the same time, Thomas also recognizes that his father doesn’t belong in the West, and his brief time there is evidence of that. Thomas can’t help but grudgingly look up to Henry Stands. Henry Stands, with his foreign gun the Native Americans think is magic, swaggers into this story and into Thomas’s life with a charisma that becomes the stuff of legends. Though he’d just as soon be without the burden of a young boy, he also recognizes his duty, leading to one of the best scenes in the book, when Stands faces down a group of men with nothing but a wooden pistol:
What you may make of a man approaching abomination with a wooden pistol in his hands is your faith’s decision. If you are young I hope it does not inspire too much. If you are older you may think Henry Stands foolish, or worse, bitten by madness, or you may yet feel something rising in your chest at the thought of yourself about to stand down four armed men with nothing but your valor and self as your only true weapon. I have given you only a wooden toy.
Though most of the comparisons call True Grit and The Sisters Brothers companion reads, much of Road to Reckoning reminded me of Huck and Jim’s journey in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Just as Huck and Jim are an unlikely pair who do fine with one another as long as they’re on the Mississippi, Thomas and Henry’s tenuous alliance seems sure until others interfere.
A product of the West*, Road to Reckoning fits its setting well while also tempting readers with its story of danger and derring do and the after effects on the young man at the heart of it all.
Thomas Walker is 12 when his father decides to venture out West to sell Samuel Colt’s Improved Revolving Gun. But a mere three days into the journey, Walker’s father is shot dead, and Thomas is left to find his way home with nothing but a gelding, a wagon, and a wooden model gun for protection. He encounters Henry Stands, a former ranger who reluctantly takes on responsibility for Thomas as they make their way back East. Told from the adult Thomas’s recollections, Road to Reckoning is part dime store novel and part coming-of-age tale.
Road to Reckoning was my first “wow” novel of 2014. Thomas Walker’s perspective as he tells his story is perfect. Lautner’s choice to have an older Thomas narrate his tale allows for poignant moments of recollection, such as when he talks about journeying out with his father and the anticipation he felt:
Every word he spoke would be to me.
It is a fault of nature that fathers do not realize that when the son is young the father is like Jesus to him, and like with Our Lord, the time of his ministry when they crave his words is short and fleeting.
These observations aren’t often enough to become laborious, but they fit well in the telling. At the same time, Thomas also recognizes that his father doesn’t belong in the West, and his brief time there is evidence of that. Thomas can’t help but grudgingly look up to Henry Stands. Henry Stands, with his foreign gun the Native Americans think is magic, swaggers into this story and into Thomas’s life with a charisma that becomes the stuff of legends. Though he’d just as soon be without the burden of a young boy, he also recognizes his duty, leading to one of the best scenes in the book, when Stands faces down a group of men with nothing but a wooden pistol:
What you may make of a man approaching abomination with a wooden pistol in his hands is your faith’s decision. If you are young I hope it does not inspire too much. If you are older you may think Henry Stands foolish, or worse, bitten by madness, or you may yet feel something rising in your chest at the thought of yourself about to stand down four armed men with nothing but your valor and self as your only true weapon. I have given you only a wooden toy.
Though most of the comparisons call True Grit and The Sisters Brothers companion reads, much of Road to Reckoning reminded me of Huck and Jim’s journey in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Just as Huck and Jim are an unlikely pair who do fine with one another as long as they’re on the Mississippi, Thomas and Henry’s tenuous alliance seems sure until others interfere.
A product of the West*, Road to Reckoning fits its setting well while also tempting readers with its story of danger and derring do and the after effects on the young man at the heart of it all.
October 9, 2015
I enjoyed this book very much. It is extremely well written and a gripping story.
The story is narrated by an older Thomas Walker, telling the story of a journey he made the age of twelve in 1837. Eventually left alone on the trail, it is the story of his perilous journey home and of the things and people he encounters. To say more would act as more of a spoiler than I would have wanted before reading the book, but the tale, though simple-seeming, is a truly gripping one with a cast of beautifully drawn characters, a building atmosphere of menace with some very exciting episodes, and a vivid picture of life at the time.
Much of this is due to the narrative voice of Thomas, which is exceptionally well done. I am no expert, but the language and period detail seemed utterly convincing to me and I was drawn in completely, both into the historical background and into Thomas's internal world. The book has quietly incisive things to say about goodness and wickedness (both sometimes found in unexpected places), courage and cowardice, the nature of guilt, bluster and genuineness, how society works (including the role of guns) and other things, much of which has real relevance today. The narrative is full of small observations like this on the ladies of a recently-founded town: "We did not have a carriage so we were low to them. They had forgotten that their town was built by lumber and sweat."
It is the language of the narrative which really distinguished this book for me. To give you slightly more of a flavour, Thomas writes this when confronted by a bullying robber on the trail: "He waited for me. And like all violent, laughing children (for that is still what his kind are even in their grown-up mind) they have nothing better to do than wait for you. In their reasoning there is nothing more diverting or entertaining than your misery. As children and as men they do not kiss good-bye to their families to go out for pleasant company or a drink and meal or for diversion. They go out to spread their misery. Good societies ostracize these felons eventually. But I was now aware that I was in the very lands that these men make their streets and homes when the good has had enough of them."
If you like that, you will like the book, I think. Personally, I loved it. I found it gripping, touching and very rewarding, and I recommend it very warmly.
The story is narrated by an older Thomas Walker, telling the story of a journey he made the age of twelve in 1837. Eventually left alone on the trail, it is the story of his perilous journey home and of the things and people he encounters. To say more would act as more of a spoiler than I would have wanted before reading the book, but the tale, though simple-seeming, is a truly gripping one with a cast of beautifully drawn characters, a building atmosphere of menace with some very exciting episodes, and a vivid picture of life at the time.
Much of this is due to the narrative voice of Thomas, which is exceptionally well done. I am no expert, but the language and period detail seemed utterly convincing to me and I was drawn in completely, both into the historical background and into Thomas's internal world. The book has quietly incisive things to say about goodness and wickedness (both sometimes found in unexpected places), courage and cowardice, the nature of guilt, bluster and genuineness, how society works (including the role of guns) and other things, much of which has real relevance today. The narrative is full of small observations like this on the ladies of a recently-founded town: "We did not have a carriage so we were low to them. They had forgotten that their town was built by lumber and sweat."
It is the language of the narrative which really distinguished this book for me. To give you slightly more of a flavour, Thomas writes this when confronted by a bullying robber on the trail: "He waited for me. And like all violent, laughing children (for that is still what his kind are even in their grown-up mind) they have nothing better to do than wait for you. In their reasoning there is nothing more diverting or entertaining than your misery. As children and as men they do not kiss good-bye to their families to go out for pleasant company or a drink and meal or for diversion. They go out to spread their misery. Good societies ostracize these felons eventually. But I was now aware that I was in the very lands that these men make their streets and homes when the good has had enough of them."
If you like that, you will like the book, I think. Personally, I loved it. I found it gripping, touching and very rewarding, and I recommend it very warmly.
March 20, 2016
Now this I enjoyed. A real rough, gritty western set in the early 1800s, when men were of few words, looked after themselves and lived by the gun. Not that I'm an American or an expert on this time period, but I really felt like he'd captured the voice and the spirit of the time.
Thomas Walker, young lad from New York, goes on a journey with his father to sell this new fangled pistol, a colt, to shop owners across the country. Merryly trotting out with the horse and cart, assuming of the goodness of people. However, they don't factor on meeting with meat-head bully Thomas Heywood and his three croonies, who sneak up on the father and son at night for their evening camp, shooting the father in the back for no good reason, stealing all the money and leaving the lad alone in the forest. With his trusty old nag, Thomas heads back to the last frontier town where they made a sale, with no other idea of where to go for help. He happens to arrive as Henry Stands has rolled into town to get supplies. He's heading east to get work tracking down escaped prisoners. Henry is an old ranger who doesn't talk much, likes his own company, and as the store owner says, likes the sounds of guns. Although he doesn't want to help Thomas travel east to get back to New York, he is eventually persuaded, and begrudingly travels with the lad. And so begins their odd friendship, their journey across frontier America, experiencing the bad and the good - the hypocritical Christians in the town, the slightly more disturbing types living alone in the old abandoned mining villages; and all the time with the threat of those four guys, those four horsemen.
It may sound as though it has the potential of being a bit cheesey, of making Henry Stands see the benefits of becoming more human bla bla bla; but this is gritty and very true to the characters and the time. It's not apologetic for anything, and doesn't paint anything in black and white. The gun culture is a good thing to have at times; and other times you can see how utterley inhuman it is. But those were times when you could justify a right to bear arms. These days???? The character Henry Stands was fantastic. And that ending, how can it end with a question mark over him - nooo; I want to know!
Great win on goodreads =)
Thomas Walker, young lad from New York, goes on a journey with his father to sell this new fangled pistol, a colt, to shop owners across the country. Merryly trotting out with the horse and cart, assuming of the goodness of people. However, they don't factor on meeting with meat-head bully Thomas Heywood and his three croonies, who sneak up on the father and son at night for their evening camp, shooting the father in the back for no good reason, stealing all the money and leaving the lad alone in the forest. With his trusty old nag, Thomas heads back to the last frontier town where they made a sale, with no other idea of where to go for help. He happens to arrive as Henry Stands has rolled into town to get supplies. He's heading east to get work tracking down escaped prisoners. Henry is an old ranger who doesn't talk much, likes his own company, and as the store owner says, likes the sounds of guns. Although he doesn't want to help Thomas travel east to get back to New York, he is eventually persuaded, and begrudingly travels with the lad. And so begins their odd friendship, their journey across frontier America, experiencing the bad and the good - the hypocritical Christians in the town, the slightly more disturbing types living alone in the old abandoned mining villages; and all the time with the threat of those four guys, those four horsemen.
It may sound as though it has the potential of being a bit cheesey, of making Henry Stands see the benefits of becoming more human bla bla bla; but this is gritty and very true to the characters and the time. It's not apologetic for anything, and doesn't paint anything in black and white. The gun culture is a good thing to have at times; and other times you can see how utterley inhuman it is. But those were times when you could justify a right to bear arms. These days???? The character Henry Stands was fantastic. And that ending, how can it end with a question mark over him - nooo; I want to know!
Great win on goodreads =)
April 30, 2014
Young Thomas Walker is living with his aunt while his father goes about New York selling spectacles. His mother has died and his aunt is trying to educate him as she thinks is best. The country is experiencing some financial difficulties so the commissions are not coming as they once were and so his father takes a chance on selling something new. Very new - a gun with a revolving barrel from an inventor by the name of Samuel Colt. They set off to take orders for this gun will not be produced one at a time but rather factory produced which will make it much more affordable.
The world though is not quite ready for this invention, nor is it necessarily a safe place as Thomas soon finds out when he finds himself with only a wooden replica of the revolver and his horse. Now he just wants to get back to his Aunt's house and to get the money that Mr. Colt owes his father for the orders they took and the guns they sold. How will a 12 year old boy navigate his way back home? It sounds impossible but Thomas is lucky to find if not a friend, then a companion to make the way easier.
When I was reading this book I truly enjoyed it. It's very much out of my usual reading world and it did take me a bit to get used to the cadence of the writing. Once I did I found myself caught up in the story. Now as I sit here and type this review I do realize that much of the story is quite implausible and reality really needs be suspended to allow the tale to proceed. If you allow this to happen and don't think too hard on what's really going on you too will find the story engaging if a bit dark. I was rooting for Thomas - the story is told from his point of view as he looks backwards in time with some foreshadowing of what is to come. All in all a solid read.
The world though is not quite ready for this invention, nor is it necessarily a safe place as Thomas soon finds out when he finds himself with only a wooden replica of the revolver and his horse. Now he just wants to get back to his Aunt's house and to get the money that Mr. Colt owes his father for the orders they took and the guns they sold. How will a 12 year old boy navigate his way back home? It sounds impossible but Thomas is lucky to find if not a friend, then a companion to make the way easier.
When I was reading this book I truly enjoyed it. It's very much out of my usual reading world and it did take me a bit to get used to the cadence of the writing. Once I did I found myself caught up in the story. Now as I sit here and type this review I do realize that much of the story is quite implausible and reality really needs be suspended to allow the tale to proceed. If you allow this to happen and don't think too hard on what's really going on you too will find the story engaging if a bit dark. I was rooting for Thomas - the story is told from his point of view as he looks backwards in time with some foreshadowing of what is to come. All in all a solid read.
January 21, 2014
“Road to Reckoning” by Robert Lautner, published by Touchstone Books.
Category – Western Publication Date – February 04, 2014.
If you are looking for a good western that borders on Fiction/Literature you should really try “Road to Reckoning”. If you liked the movie or book “True Grit” you will really enjoy this novel. The characters resemble, in some way, the main characters in “True Grit”. Thomas Walker, a twelve year old boy, can be likened to Mattie, and Henry Stands is a mirror image of Rooster Cogburn.
Thomas is living in New York with his Aunt and Father. His Father is a salesman and sells “spectacles”. He happens on Samuel Colt who convinces him to sell his new revolver. Thomas and his father head west, attempting to take orders for the new revolver.
They do not get very far when they are confronted by several men looking for trouble. Thomas’s father is murdered and he is left to find his way back to his Aunt. Thomas meets up with Henry Stands who first refuses to help him but Thomas is persistent and Henry agrees to escort him to New York. The same men who killed Thomas’s father realize that they made a mistake in letting Thomas live and now are looking for him. There is a confrontation that does not bear well for Thomas and Henry. Although they get away they have become separated and have little in the way of food, clothes, or armament.
Henry has one of the more poignant lines when he tells Thomas, “Well, they have stolen from me. I will say they do not have long to live.”
A book that can be read by anyone and provides real entertainment, excitement, and a look at the ���wild west” as it may have been at this time in history.
Category – Western Publication Date – February 04, 2014.
If you are looking for a good western that borders on Fiction/Literature you should really try “Road to Reckoning”. If you liked the movie or book “True Grit” you will really enjoy this novel. The characters resemble, in some way, the main characters in “True Grit”. Thomas Walker, a twelve year old boy, can be likened to Mattie, and Henry Stands is a mirror image of Rooster Cogburn.
Thomas is living in New York with his Aunt and Father. His Father is a salesman and sells “spectacles”. He happens on Samuel Colt who convinces him to sell his new revolver. Thomas and his father head west, attempting to take orders for the new revolver.
They do not get very far when they are confronted by several men looking for trouble. Thomas’s father is murdered and he is left to find his way back to his Aunt. Thomas meets up with Henry Stands who first refuses to help him but Thomas is persistent and Henry agrees to escort him to New York. The same men who killed Thomas’s father realize that they made a mistake in letting Thomas live and now are looking for him. There is a confrontation that does not bear well for Thomas and Henry. Although they get away they have become separated and have little in the way of food, clothes, or armament.
Henry has one of the more poignant lines when he tells Thomas, “Well, they have stolen from me. I will say they do not have long to live.”
A book that can be read by anyone and provides real entertainment, excitement, and a look at the ���wild west” as it may have been at this time in history.
March 13, 2014
I won this book in a First-Reads Giveaway
I am going to come straight out with it, I was disappointed with this book. I know it's a proof copy but i hated the cover, so we didn't get off to the best of starts. When I read the summary of the book I thought it promised an engaging storyline with twist and turns all the way through. When I recieved the book I realised that it was too short to have all the twists and turns, which is fine, I am the last person to comment on the length of the book.
However I sat down to read the book and was yawning about 15 minutes later. There was little evidence of an engaging storyline and the language used made it difficult to get into, although again that could be my fault for not being able to read old fashioned language very well.
Set in pre- Civil War America the book follows Thomas and his father as they attempt to sell a new technological advancement to the citizens of America. But after losing his father and never making it as far as they were meant to go, Thomas strikes up an unlikely friendship with an ex-ranger.
I must confess that my favourite character ended being the horse, with Mr Stands as a close second. I thought that Thomas seemed very immature for a 12 year old, although admittedly he did go through a lot.
So overall I was disappointed with this book but do not regret reading it, because it has helped to guide me in the direction of the sort of books that I should be reading.
I am going to come straight out with it, I was disappointed with this book. I know it's a proof copy but i hated the cover, so we didn't get off to the best of starts. When I read the summary of the book I thought it promised an engaging storyline with twist and turns all the way through. When I recieved the book I realised that it was too short to have all the twists and turns, which is fine, I am the last person to comment on the length of the book.
However I sat down to read the book and was yawning about 15 minutes later. There was little evidence of an engaging storyline and the language used made it difficult to get into, although again that could be my fault for not being able to read old fashioned language very well.
Set in pre- Civil War America the book follows Thomas and his father as they attempt to sell a new technological advancement to the citizens of America. But after losing his father and never making it as far as they were meant to go, Thomas strikes up an unlikely friendship with an ex-ranger.
I must confess that my favourite character ended being the horse, with Mr Stands as a close second. I thought that Thomas seemed very immature for a 12 year old, although admittedly he did go through a lot.
So overall I was disappointed with this book but do not regret reading it, because it has helped to guide me in the direction of the sort of books that I should be reading.
November 12, 2013
Give me more from this author. Robert Lautner has crafted a compelling tale of a young boy who lives through a lifetime of experiences in a week. Thomas, not yet in his teen years, has lost his mother to smallpox. His father is trying to make a living selling spectacles in New York during the depression of the early eighteen hundreds. In the hopes of making a better living his father takes a job as a salesman for the recently patented Colt revolver. Thomas and his father head into the sparsely settled hills of central Pennsylvania on the road west. The trip is cut short when they run across a band of outlaws who kill Thomas's father. All their belongings, including their firearm samples are stolen, with the exception of a wooden replica of the Colt revolver. Thomas, left on his own, tries to find his way back to New York where his aunt lives. His bad fortune turns when he runs across Henry Stands, a grizzled, mountain of a man. He has no truck for babysitting a twelve year old green horn, but Thomas can be just as stubborn in his quest to get home. The two must find their way east through many trials, including a showdown with the outlaws who killed Thomas's father. This is a very engaging tale that quickly draws you in and keeps your interest from start to finish.
February 11, 2014
I received an Advance Reader's copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway.
I was excited to read this book when I saw that it was being compared to True Grit, which I absolutely love. In terms of plot, the two books do have a lot in common (1800s United States, preteen kid sets out to avenge father's murder, teams up with surly older man who tries to ditch her/him throughout the book). However, try as I did to like Road to Reckoning, I just couldn't.
Part of my problem with Road to Reckoning is that I didn't find any of the characters likable. I have enjoyed other books without liking the protagonist or any of the other main characters, but those books had other hooks for me. Road to Reckoning did not. The attempts to create suspense were weak in my opinion and I found myself just not really caring what happened next. This combined with characters I did not care for made it very difficult for me to enjoy the book overall.
My advice to those who are interested in reading Road to Reckoning would be not to pick it up based solely on comparisons to True Grit or the plot description on the back. Read a few pages first and see if the writing style and/or characters are appealing to you. If not, you may want to pass on this one.
I was excited to read this book when I saw that it was being compared to True Grit, which I absolutely love. In terms of plot, the two books do have a lot in common (1800s United States, preteen kid sets out to avenge father's murder, teams up with surly older man who tries to ditch her/him throughout the book). However, try as I did to like Road to Reckoning, I just couldn't.
Part of my problem with Road to Reckoning is that I didn't find any of the characters likable. I have enjoyed other books without liking the protagonist or any of the other main characters, but those books had other hooks for me. Road to Reckoning did not. The attempts to create suspense were weak in my opinion and I found myself just not really caring what happened next. This combined with characters I did not care for made it very difficult for me to enjoy the book overall.
My advice to those who are interested in reading Road to Reckoning would be not to pick it up based solely on comparisons to True Grit or the plot description on the back. Read a few pages first and see if the writing style and/or characters are appealing to you. If not, you may want to pass on this one.
November 22, 2013
One to watch for 2014, this is a dramatic story centred around an unlikely friendship. Thomas Walker is left alone in the wilderness of North America after his father, a travelling gun salesman, is murdered by a group of robbers. His attempts to seek justice, and to return home are aided by a ranger Henry Sands; a character who wouldn't be out of place in the writing of Elmore Leonard. The use of an adult Thomas as narrator allows the reader to be clearly shown everything that the twelve year old boy saw; even if it has taken becoming an adult to allow him to understand certain matters himself. It is unusual for the eastern wilds of period America to be put under the spotlight, and this novel does so charmingly. One for any fans of great westerns, or simply anyone looking for a story of murder, revenge and friendship born of mutual respect.
August 10, 2015
This is a proper old-fashioned adventure yarn and I loved it. Populated by a cast of strong characters, vividly realised, you can taste the Wild West on every page.
There aren't many of my books that my husband will read, but I've sneaked this one onto his pile - I reckon he will enjoy it. Looking forward to whatever Robert Lautner writes next.
There aren't many of my books that my husband will read, but I've sneaked this one onto his pile - I reckon he will enjoy it. Looking forward to whatever Robert Lautner writes next.
December 27, 2015
I hate to say it, but this would make a great movie. What a fine change of pace from my usual reading.
March 2, 2024
Utterly compelling - and Henry Stands: what a cracking character!
April 25, 2023
Pro
Fast read
Moves along fairly well
Engages the reader
Well researched for the historical content
Cons
Plot and happenings obviously reflect many other novels and some movies. You will recognize True Grit, The Hobbit, The Cowboys (movie), Unforgiven ( movie), John Wayne, and others.
Speech and writing style is wooden and fake sounding. For some reason when authors use this time frame for their stories they have people talk in stilted and wooden, largely artificial ways. There are very few contractions used in this book. That makes it very artificial. As well as annoying.
Lot's of anti gun talk but they solve their problems by shooting people. I can stand that characters contradict themselves but the book is a bit too preachy on the gun thing.
The kid is not at all an engaging character. Henry is an ok character but is obviously pattered after characters of other writers and movie makers.
When the drunken stable guy kicks the kid he is worthless trash. When Henry slaps the kid down he's still okey doke.
The thing with the golem guy in the cave is a laughable and a useless chapter.
The bad guys are underdeveloped. They also do some illogical things. They would have killed the kid to begin with. If not, they wouldn't have suddenly changed their minds and started hunting him.
Fast read
Moves along fairly well
Engages the reader
Well researched for the historical content
Cons
Plot and happenings obviously reflect many other novels and some movies. You will recognize True Grit, The Hobbit, The Cowboys (movie), Unforgiven ( movie), John Wayne, and others.
Speech and writing style is wooden and fake sounding. For some reason when authors use this time frame for their stories they have people talk in stilted and wooden, largely artificial ways. There are very few contractions used in this book. That makes it very artificial. As well as annoying.
Lot's of anti gun talk but they solve their problems by shooting people. I can stand that characters contradict themselves but the book is a bit too preachy on the gun thing.
The kid is not at all an engaging character. Henry is an ok character but is obviously pattered after characters of other writers and movie makers.
When the drunken stable guy kicks the kid he is worthless trash. When Henry slaps the kid down he's still okey doke.
The thing with the golem guy in the cave is a laughable and a useless chapter.
The bad guys are underdeveloped. They also do some illogical things. They would have killed the kid to begin with. If not, they wouldn't have suddenly changed their minds and started hunting him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2022
Samuel Colt has invented the revolver, and 12 year old Thomas Walker from New York cannot believe his luck when he is allowed to accompany his father on a sales trip to sell the new guns. However tragedy will strike on this trip and Thomas is left to fight for himself and to return home to his aunt.
This book is a first person narrative account of this trip. The characterisations are strong, and Thomas will meet various characters, but most particularly an old ranger called Henry Sands who does not want to take Thomas home, but who does like to shoot guns.
There is a lot of great historical detail in this story, and some social comment which is not in your face, but very powerful for that. The writer has one a great job here in producing a tale that is thoroughly engaging, in no way cliched, and faithful to a particular time and place.
This book is a first person narrative account of this trip. The characterisations are strong, and Thomas will meet various characters, but most particularly an old ranger called Henry Sands who does not want to take Thomas home, but who does like to shoot guns.
There is a lot of great historical detail in this story, and some social comment which is not in your face, but very powerful for that. The writer has one a great job here in producing a tale that is thoroughly engaging, in no way cliched, and faithful to a particular time and place.
March 21, 2014
I received my copy for free in a Goodreads Giveaway
This review contains spoilers. As the book is superb, I recommend you do not read my review unless the summary in the following paragraph does not entice you at all, and you think I am unlikely to persuade you to read The Road to Reckoning.
The Road to Reckoning by Robert Lautner follows a young boy through Eastern USA early in the nineteenth century. The boy, Tom Walker, is written with remarkable characterisation. He adventures with his father seeking financial reward and to escape 1830’s New York’s economic and health problems. Tom’s circumstances change; he must find his way alone.
This review contains spoilers. As the book is superb, I recommend you do not read my review unless the summary in the following paragraph does not entice you at all, and you think I am unlikely to persuade you to read The Road to Reckoning.
The Road to Reckoning by Robert Lautner follows a young boy through Eastern USA early in the nineteenth century. The boy, Tom Walker, is written with remarkable characterisation. He adventures with his father seeking financial reward and to escape 1830’s New York’s economic and health problems. Tom’s circumstances change; he must find his way alone.
August 26, 2017
I bought this book for $1. I am glad I didn't pay "new book price" for it. Because it is a thin book, short story and not the sort of stuff I normally read.
However, once I got used to the writers style, I got right into it and really wanted to know how it ended. I had this book in my bag for smooth bus rides or lonely work-breaks and it was a good book for such occasions.
The main character describes a certain ecent of his life and I think I would have liked the book to be longer. But instead of dragging on this 1 event in the life, I would have liked to read about the characters full life (written in the same style).
4 stars, as it got better towards the end (and because I can't give 3,5 stars).
However, once I got used to the writers style, I got right into it and really wanted to know how it ended. I had this book in my bag for smooth bus rides or lonely work-breaks and it was a good book for such occasions.
The main character describes a certain ecent of his life and I think I would have liked the book to be longer. But instead of dragging on this 1 event in the life, I would have liked to read about the characters full life (written in the same style).
4 stars, as it got better towards the end (and because I can't give 3,5 stars).
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