The Watcher

by Robert Hugh Benson

When a priest confesses to a friend you have to believe it means something. The act of taking a life is no small matter, and the priest understands this in a very vivid way. Hear this confession narrated by Glenn Hascall.

Audible Audio

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Mrsgr. Robert Hugh Benson AFSC KC*SG KGCHS was an English Catholic priest and writer. First an Anglican pastor, he was received into the Catholic Church in 1903 and ordained therein the next year. He was also a prolific writer of fiction, writing the notable dystopian novel Lord of the World, as well as Come Rack! Come Rope!.

His output encompassed historical, horror and science fiction, contemporary fiction, children's stories, plays, apologetics, devotional works and articles. He continued his writing career at the same time as he progressed through the hierarchy to become a Chamberlain to Pope Pius X in 1911, and gain the title of Monsignor before his death a few years later.

Reviews

[Akrabar · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful story

[Forked Radish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Larkicide on a lark—lamentable.

[Jeff Tankersley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 1985 pocket western, "The Watcher" has a spotty and edgy start as we follow a duplicitous range boss named Cyrus Danford and his large posse on the trail of a man named Job Cameron, otherwise known as "the Watcher." Cameron is an Irishman who was accepted by and married into the Blackfoot Indian tribe and has three kids, now in their teens. We get our first plot twist in the opening pages when we all learn that the Watcher is dead.

North Dakota native Robert Kammen's writing style is naturally immersive and the plot character-driven, with a number of interesting and authentically unique characters: the Cameron kids Luke, Mary, and Elizah; the injured outlaw Santee, the aged Blackfoot chief Tonaga, the evil Danford and his ranch hands, the paid gunslingers, the easy-path-taking Sheriff and deputy, and Cameron's brother and sister-in-law Nellie.

Verdict: A good western that reminded me of Wayne Overholser's work. Immersive and character-driven with relatable personal conflicts, grounded enough to stay real and interesting.

Jeff's Rating: 3 / 5 (Good)
movie rating if made into a movie: PG-13

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

While this was a a fair western novel-- the author quickly seemed to have lost his focus. Rather than being a tale of a white man protecting a valley that was sacred to the Blackfeet-- the author shifted his focus and kills off "the watcher" early on. Then, a number of intertwined stories take over and the story completely loses focus.

There were two things beyond the loss of focus that bothered me. A scene where Santee had Luke toss a stick in the air and then shot it a number of times-- a feat that is nearly impossible and really only seen in Lone Ranger movies and comic books.

Then, the author attempted to have the Watcher's children speak in Biblical (King James) English... but seemed unaware of the actual difference between Thee and Thou.

Not a bad western, but not a good one, either. Very mediocre.