Radigan and North to the Rails

by Louis L'Amour

RadiganTom Radigan spent four hard years building up his ranch. Now a beautiful and deadly opportunist presents him with “evidence” that the land belongs to her. Angelina Foley wants Radigan off Vache Creek immediately, and with an outfit of gunfighters to back her and winter coming on, she’s not taking no for an answer. Outmanned, outgunned, and legally outmaneuvered, Radigan isn’t going anywhere. Not without fighting for what he knows is rightfully his…even if he has to die for it.North to the RailsTom Chantry came west to buy cattle, not to find trouble. So when he leaves town rather than accept a challenge from a gunfighter named Dutch Akin, he’s labeled a coward. Now only one man will agree to help Chantry take his herd to the a shrewd and ruthless cattleman named French Williams. He makes Chantry an unusual deal. He will hire a crew but Chantry must remain with the drive from start to finish or forfeit the herd. Chantry accepts…and the first man French hires is Dutch Akin.

Genres: Westerns

467 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 21, 2005

About the author

Louis Dearborn L'Amour was an American novelist and short story writer. His books consisted primarily of Western novels, though he called his work "frontier stories". His most widely known Western fiction works include Last of the Breed, Hondo, Shalako, and the Sackett series. L'Amour also wrote historical fiction (The Walking Drum), science fiction (The Haunted Mesa), non-fiction (Frontier), and poetry and short-story collections. Many of his stories were made into films. His books remain popular and most have gone through multiple printings. At the time of his death, almost all of his 105 existing works (89 novels, 14 short-story collections, and two full-length works of nonfiction) were still in print, and he was "one of the world's most popular writers".

Reviews

[wally · Rating 3 out of 5]

finished 28th march 2025 good read three stars i liked it nothing less nothing more have read five dozen or more from l'amour enjoyed every one. the first here radigan is what some call a...what...range war? radigan is a single man with a small ranch that he has been developing for a few years when another outfit comes on the scene announce they own that land, that radigan will have to leave. l'amour has a few stories in this vein with some variation. i assume this kind of thing happened all too common. the second story is about a man orphaned at a young age when his father is gunned down murdered is taken east and returns years later to buy cattle and move them east on a train that is slowly developing its way west. maybe he's the typical "greenhorn" a word that is not used in this story and along the way he makes friends and enemies and eventually changes as he must. both entertaining stories.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's nice to get these two books together in one collection for the same price as you would pay for each title individually in the Amazon Kindle store.

Louis L'Amour was not one of the most technical or long-winded writers, he was short, succinct, and to the point and had a way that grabs you into the story immediately. The descriptions of the scenery, events, people, and situations made you feel as if you were right there living it side-by-side with his characters.

With Radigan and North to the Rails, you have the classic Louis L'Amour situations with the good guy fighting the bad guy, a life-threatening conflict, the good guy wins and gets the girl although in North to the Rails it's not your typical start with the main character not being the rough and tumble guy who can handle himself in most situations.

[Abby Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Radigan is a very enjoyable story with lots of good information about surviving in the cold as a cowboy. North To the Rails is one of my favorite as it entails a young man who learns the value of having a gun. It's really a great one.

[Gwen Hopkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two good books that are very descriptive.

I always feel I am riding along with the characters and experiencing the weather. The beauty of the landscape is always breath taking.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dreams fulfilled

For anyone who has enjoyed stories of the "Old West" L'Amour never disappoints..his stories bring to life the men & women who made our country what it is today..without their dreams of new beginnings, gold, & land to have as their own we as avid readers would not be here to enjoy these stories

[David Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had read both of these books before but Louis L'amour is one of my favorite authors and it had probably been more than 30 years since I read them. Both are fantastic examples of what L'amour was great at, maybe I'll re-read more of these classic westerns.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Both novels feature female villains, which I found very interesting.

[Phyllis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Radigan was excellent
North to the Rails was good but I didn't like kit as well as Radigan.