The Whipping Boy

by Speer Morgan

The Oklahoma Territory was a bleak brutal place in 1894, and Speer Morgan's compelling novel begins, appropriately enough, with a botched public hanging. Witnessing this unsettling ritual is Tom Freshour, a striking half-Indian who knows nothing of the world beyond the orphanage where he's been raised by a sadistic minister. But Tom is about to get a bracing education, thanks especially to two people: Jake Jaycox, an aging hardware salesman who takes Tom under his wing, and Samantha King, a beautiful, mysterious woman who attaches herself to the two men and promptly seduces Tom. The wild and bawdy adventures of this colorful trio begin with a horrific flood, but the story turns darker when Tom and his companions run afoul of a scheme to steal thousands of acres from depression-ravaged farmers. Before long, they are being chased by a hired killer; meanwhile, Tom's searing memories of his childhood drive him back to the orphanage and a violent confrontation with the man who made him a whipping boy. Ultimately, Tom learns that the real villains in this unforgiving territory are not the outlaws with six-guns but the heartless businessmen who will do anything to amass wealth and property. In the tradition of Pete Dexter's Deadwood, this is a richly imagined yarn about frontier life by a superb storyteller. Remarkable for its suspense, rich characterization, and seamless prose, The Whipping Boy is both a hugely entertaining tale and an utterly fresh evocation of a legendary American landscape.

Genres: Fiction

326 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Speer Morgan is a fiction writer and professor. He is the editor of The Missouri Review.

Reviews

[Helen Castrucci · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be excellent reading and would have given it a 5 if not for the explicit sexual scenes. The story would have been just as good without these detailed scenes. The characters are well developed as is the setting and plot. And, yes there is a surprise ending. The historical time period of this novel is one about which not much has been written.

[Celeste · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gah. Although this is a fantastic work regarding the treachery of the establishment of Oklahoma by "legally" stealing it from the Native American tribes, the graphic sex made it impossible for me to thoroughly read. A disappointment, considering how well-written it is. This book exactly represents why I don't read more adult fiction. Ick.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable summer beach read.

[Leslie Williams · Rating 1 out of 5]

I arrived at this book via an erroneous link from the public library. I thought it was Sid Fleischmann‘s The Whipping Boy., a childhood classic. This one is a totally different story and much more mature. .

[Beckie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Got this book by mistake - interesting plot, content was terrible. I couldn’t determine whether or not to finish-

[John Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is a tale of a young man learning about the world and growing after being removed from the shameful treatment he endured in an orphanage run by a minister. The story also features real events that occurred in 1894 eastern Oklahoma and the criminal behavior and corporate greed of the era and how it targeted the Indian nations being forced to live there. The book could stood complete without the graphic sex scenes but at least they are relatively brief.

[Marian Graff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recommend this.