Shadow of a Star

by Elmer Kelton

5 3/4"x8 1/2" 279 page hardcover historical fiction novel published by Bobbs Merrill in 1965

Genres: Westerns

160 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published February 1, 2004

About the author

Elmer Kelton (1926-2009) was award-winning author of more than forty novels, including The Time It Never Rained, Other Men’s Horses, Texas Standoff and Hard Trail to Follow. He grew up on a ranch near Crane, Texas, and earned a journalism degree from the University of Texas. His first novel, Hot Iron, was published in 1956. Among his awards have been seven Spurs from Western Writers of America and four Western Heritage awards from the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. His novel The Good Old Boys was made into a television film starring Tommy Lee Jones. In addition to his novels, Kelton worked as an agricultural journalist for 42 years. He served in the infantry in World War II. He died in 2009.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/elmerk...

Reviews

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick, suspenseful, well-written.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shadow of a Star (1959) is early Elmer Kelton. Jim-Bob McClain is a very young deputy sheriff forced to grow up very fast, facing rustlers, bank robbers, and a lynch mob. The working west is very realistically portrayed, as it usually is in Kelton novels. Like the two books preceding this one, its writing, setting, and to a lesser extent the characterization are all above par. This descends a bit to formula at the end but is a satisfying read with lots of good plot twists at the end.

[Teddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elmer is a great author. He understands his subject. It is easy and entertaining to read.

[Craig Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kelton is now one of my go to western genre novelists. He tells a rousing good story and I enjoy his characters, villains and heroes.

[JD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and a good read.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Western. This 1959 western by author Elmer Kelton starts like a run of the mill story about two young bucks (Jim-Bob and Chum) butting heads over the ranchers pretty daughter (Tina), while deputy Jim-Bob also has to bring a bank robber to justice. But events (and Sue-Ellen Thorn) conspire to rearrange Jim-Bob's priorities and help him mature. An excellent read.

Deputy Sheriff Jim-Bob McClain isn't sure he's ready to follow in his father's footsteps as the law in Coolridge County. In fact, he has a hard enough time keeping the peace between the drunks in the local saloon. But with tough Sheriff Mont Naylor to back him up he figures he can handle whatever comes his way. Jim-Bob's first real assignment is no piece of cake. He must escort a ruthless outlaw into the hands of justice. All seems well with the lawless killer firmly in Jim-Bob's custody. But nothing prepares him for an angry mob, determined to take the law into their own hands and provide their own brand justice: a hangman's noose.

[Tom C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic. Dean Koontz brought me here by way of a mention in his Frankenstein series, and I'm really glad he did. Kelton's style is fast paced, his dialogue is wholly believable and entertaining and the stories are gripping and interesting. He's one of those writers that makes you forget you're even reading. I will be reading many more of his novels.

[Jeff Dickison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an early Kelton ('59) and foreshadows the great author he was to become. Young untried deputy must take over when the sheriff is injured and must protect a killer from being lynched. Kelton became one of America's best western authors, probably rivaled only by L'Amour. I like Kelton better because he doesn't continuously preach at you.

[Rubin Carpenter · Rating 3 out of 5]

The pace was slow to start with and the narration took about half way to get use to however it was worth the invested time and effort a good story of a young man's transition into maturity
this was a bit old school but surprisingly toward the conclusion
not so cut and dried characters

[Michael Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a short snappy coming of age western. Really liked it.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elmer Kelton's plots are simple and uncomplex. His book frequently seem to feature a female who is the most beautiful in appearance but something of a wicked witch (makes you wonder if Kelton has an ex-wife)... Then, there is a pretty girl whose beauty grows with her actions and attitudes. In the middle, there is usually a very confused cowboy in some sort of adventure. This is the case with Shadow of a Star.

Joe Bob McClain is the son of a former lawman who is asked to serve as a deputy. New to the job, he messes up almost immediately. Before long, however, he will have to do some tough learning on the job when his town is threatened by a murderous outlaw.

While Kelton's plots are simple, his attention to detail is powerful. He gets all of the equestrian details right. The reader can feel the creak of the saddle leather and almost swell the sweat of the horse and an occasional pile of road apples. The characters MUST be based on real folks because I have meet country folk in Oklahoma who remind me of these Texan characters.

Frequently, Kelton's plots center on a young man who is forced to prove himself. These are kelton's best works. Kelton manages to communicate the uncertainty of youth in a powerful manner. The older adults always give the young fellow bits of wise advice and attempt to build confidence that they will make the right choices and handle tough situations in a right way. The work ethic of the American frontier often shines through, even if demonstrated through a contrast of the hardworking folks and the lazy do-nothings.

This was an old-fashioned western (written, I believe in 1959) and was just what the reader ordered for today while I spent a great deal of time in a hospital waiting room. Nothing heavy, nothing overwhelming, and nothing complex.. Just well-written western themes and action and worth the reading.

[Heath Lowrance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young Jim-Bob McClain is trying very hard to make a good deputy, but after making a fool of himself in town trying to do his job, nobody takes him seriously anymore and Jim-Bob starts to doubt himself. Until a vicious bank robber comes to town and kills Jim-Bob’s best friend—and Jim-Bob is forced to face his fears alone and prove he can do the job. This is a terrifically-written novel, with a great deal of emotional depth and a solid moral center; the choices Jim-Bob has to make are of far more consequence than simply shooting someone. In fact, part of his test of manhood involves making sure a killer isn’t lynched. A richly rewarding book, this one. There’s more Elmer Kelton on my list now.

[Todd Kruse · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love to read a western a few times a year but this book moved at the pace of a cattle drive grazing in a valley! However I enjoyed the character development especially that of Dencil the bank robber who showed a surprising care for others.