Action/Adventure Aficionados discussion

Let's talk about western books here.

I haven't read a lot of Westerns, but the one that I liked the most was Breakheart Pass. It's almost an espionage, crime story stuck on a train with the indians attacking.

It was pretty cool. I loved it.

I've watched a lot of westerns, never read any. Looking forward to some suggestions.

I read Rider's of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey years ago. It was a good book. I am reading a mystery right now that has a western setting. I will have to check the title again...LOL>

Morning Mist of Blood by Eric Wilder. The lead character is a good ole' cowboy that does investigative work on the side.

Nancy wrote: "Morning Mist of Blood by Eric Wilder. The lead character is a good ole' cowboy that does investigative work on the side."

Will have to look that one up and try it. New author for me ...

I could say I started my reading 'career' with westerns. My grandfather was the reader in our family. Even though he left home at 11 years old to work as a cowboy on trail herds and never went to school past the 3rd grade, he was the one that had a floor to ceiling bookcase full of books. I started reading on winter afternoons with him sitting on the couch behind the pot bellied stove. Mostly Zane Grey and Max Brand.

I do have most of the Louis L'Amour books and re-read them quite often, great characters and lots of action. L'Amour's book, Last of the Breed, is set in about the 1950's or 1960's and is definitely action/adventure/survival.

I enjoy books that are set in the modern west as well but since I grew up and lived in MT most of my life I am also quick to pick up things that are 'not quite right' when authors try to put a story in the west. Big difference in the writing between authors that have lived and worked there long enough to really know the people and the country/climate and authors that have been there on vacation.

I only have books by two authors who write a series set in the modern west on my bookshelf ... Craig Johnson and Peter Bowen. I like the plots and the characters and beyond that, the 'feel' is exactly right. A couple of the Johnson books tip into the adventure/survival area as well and in fact most of the 'action' in the last book takes place in the Cloud's Peak area in Sheridan County, WY in a blizzard.

Considering how much I love westerns in movies it's surprising the only thing I've read that can be considered in this genre is Lonesome Dove. Which is one of my favorite books. I have a Zane Gray to read. And I think I'll be trying Louis Lamour, who was my grandfather's favorite author. Too bad we donated all of his books when he died.

I grew up reading Zane Grey, my dad had the entire series from his own "youth" (which says something since when i knew my dad he never read fiction. He read technical journals and progressive farmer mag.) We had the cream and red set you still see in used book stores (well I say had. I still have them in the back of one of my book cupboards. There are a couple with hand written notes, at least one in my grandmother's hand, so I couldn't sell them if I wanted.LOL).

Later I went through a Louis L'Amour period. He's a great writer, read his Sackett books (not in order, but as they came to hand) and a lot of his other stuff (not all westerns).

Lots of action in L'Amour's books. I'd recommend the Sackett westerns for that.

Zane Grey... check, thank you Mike. Westerns seem to be where I'm short. It'll be like a new world for me. Sackett books I've heard about.

I need to bump them up on my schedule (I think I'll number the Genre's read them in order of the numbers... with a "Fast track" for exceptional recommendations.

Grey's a writer from "an older era" and you'll find a lot more description in his books than in L'Amour's. He's a fantastic writer, just wanted to note that though. :)

I'm thinking to follow in your footsteps. Zane Grey, followed by L'Amour. I like description. I have a good translator from the written to the visual in my minds eye.

When I was a kid my dad told me Zane Grey could spend two pages on a bush...it's not quite like that. But I do still have memories of the "Purple sage", the pines and that canyon that Lassiter and Jane end up in Riders of the Purple Sage. Probably his most controversial book.

I'm adding a lot of Zane Gray to my TBR, and L'Amour's Sackett books.

This is my most favorite Western, it feels like the Western that defined all Westerns. All the classic, iconic archetypes distilled into a skinny book of greatness, lol. Much better than the movie they made years ago.

Pygmy wrote: "

This is my most favorite Western, it feels like the Western that defined all Westerns. All the classic, iconic archetypes distilled into a skinny book of greatness, lol. ..."

I forgot about this one - have it to be read on the bookshelf actually.

I've read few westerns, but did collect some this year to try, mainly by William Johnstone. The author always intrigued me because he was prolific in such different genres (his other main one being horror)

I read most of Louis L'Amour's books & still have a bunch. I never was a fan of Zane Grey. I've tried a few over the years, but never cared for them. I read The Lone Star Ranger not long ago & loved parts of it, hated others. Wound up giving it 2 stars. I reviewed it here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Shane is definitely one of the best. I liked it better than The Virginian: A Horseman of the Plains, another oldie but goody.

My favorite western author is Donald Hamilton who wrote the short story & the novelization of The Big Country which had an all star cast. Fantastic. Unfortunately, it's hard to find his books. They haven't been republished in years.

Westerns were my first 'favorite genre' after the children's horse and dog books I read; started out reading Max Brand and Zane Grey books in my grandfather's library when I was still in grade school and finished up with the Louis L'Amour books, many of which are still favorites and often re-read. I do remember reading The Virginian and also remember reading several by Harold Bell Wright.

Jim wrote: "I read most of Louis L'Amour's books & still have a bunch. I never was a fan of Zane Grey. I've tried a few over the years, but never cared for them. I read [book:The Lo..."

Oh me too...I've tried Zane Grey and The Virginian and couldn't finish, which makes me sad since I don't come across Westerns often. Oh!! The Big Country! It was a movie with Gregory Peck, right? Really great movie, it should've occurred to me that it was based off a book! I'll have to check it out.

Pygmy, actually "The Big Country" started off as a serialized story called "Ambush At Blanco Canyon" in the February 1957 issue of the Saturday Evening Post & ran in 4 parts. You're right, it was turned into a blockbuster movie in 1958 starring Gregory Peck, Jean Simmons, Charleton Heston, & Burl Ives.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Big...
Then Hamilton wrote the novel from the movie. It's longer than the original & contains it without too many changes. Whatever, it's great in all its incarnations.
:)

Check for other westerns by Hamilton. He has a very efficient writing style, yet really captures the country well, as he should. He wrote for Field & Stream & other outdoor/hunting magazines plus he lived out there for decades & was an avid hunter. It's one of the reasons I like his books so much. He brings a lot of realism to his novels. His article on shot spreads & loads for various shotguns & birds was masterful. He makes it simple.

I grew up reading Zane Grey back in the '50s and '60s. he wrote in a very different era and the writing is very...detailed (?). My dad used to say Zane Grey could spend 2 pages describing a bush. If you can get by that the stories are good.

Fudge...I checked on amazon, abebooks, and ebay, and the price for The Big Country is nuts!! Who the heck is going to buy an old paperback for $50 much less $300? =( And no ebook either... I didn't realize it was such a hot commodity. Maybe I should read the author's other books instead?

Although...if I buy each of the Saturday Evening Posts individually, it will just about add up to $50 as well....

OMG, I just dug up the one Saturday Evening Post I have (picked up when I was a kid at a flea market), and it turns out the Western story in it that I really liked is......written by Donald Hamilton!!! It was called "The Last Gunman" ("The dude and the marshal had only one thing in common-- they both loved the same girl") and I loved this story. This was also the first time I learned that the word "dude" wasn't just a stoner/beach bum slang term.

I'm starting to foresee collecting Saturday Evening Posts turning into a dangerous hobby.....

I saw it on ABE Books for about $33. Still high but not $50.

I got it as an old paperback with only a read or two left in it for $13, so I feel your pain. I now own & have read every book Hamilton has written, I believe. A lot of his books haven't been reprinted since the 50s & 60s, so were similar both in condition & price. I wish they'd reprint them. I'd buy them. The Matt Helm books are being republished & I'm buying them in print, ebook, & even audio book format.

A Matt Helm website here:
http://www.matthelmbooks.com/intro.html
used to have a lot of his older stuff. If it wasn't directly on that website, it was linked. I didn't see it there just now. They might have had to take them down although I can't imagine old magazines like that still being in copyright. I downloaded everything I could years ago. That includes PDFs of 'Ambush' in the Post & such. PM me with your email address if you want them.

Pygmy wrote: "Fudge...I checked on amazon, abebooks, and ebay, and the price for The Big Country is nuts!! Who the heck is going to buy an old paperback for $50 much less $300? =( And no ebook either... I didn't..."

If your local library has an interlibrary loan department you might have them check to see if a copy is available from another library. I've gotten several "expensive" older books to read through my library here. May not be available, but something to maybe check.

Thanks! This is a great idea. My local library system doesn't have his books (except as audio bks) but I never tried inter-library loan!

I've been running down the Helm books (I suspect the movies using the Helm name harmed the book's sales rather than help). Sadly a lot of good books fall through the cracks.

Some of the best recent writing (post Grey and L'Amour) in the Western genre is by Mike Blakely.

Mike Blakely

Naturally the library hasn't a single book by him. I'll probably need to buy one to try his writing.

Any suggestions for a first book by him?

Glory Trail if you want something light, Moon Medicine if you're looking for something deeper.

Avoid A Song to Die For at all costs. Even a free library book. (I suppose everyone gets a mulligan for a bad book now and then.)

Hard to find, but worth it if you can, is Milton R. Bass's "Jory" series.

And I haven't seen anybody mention Elmore Leonard's or Brian Garfield's Western work.

Pygmy wrote: "

This is my most favorite Western, it feels like the Western that defined all Westerns. All the classic, iconic archetypes distilled into a skinny book of greatness, lol. ..."
I've only read a couple fo Westerns, but not only is this my favorite Western it is also one of my favorite books regardless of genre.

Scott wrote: "And I haven't seen anybody mention Elmore Leonard's or Brian Garfield's Western work.



"

Because of the setting and tone would you consider Leonard's Raylen a "modern" Western.

Scott wrote: "And I haven't seen anybody mention Elmore Leonard's or Brian Garfield's Western work.



"

Because of the setting and tone would you consider Leonard's Raylen a "modern" Western.

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "I've been running down the Helm books (I suspect the movies using the Helm name harmed the book's sales rather than help). Sadly a lot of good books fall through the cracks."

I'm only one into the series so far, but I thought Hamilton did an excellent job of developing certain aspects of Helm's character. I enjoyed it much more than Fleming"s Casino Royale.

Alan wrote: "Scott wrote: "And I haven't seen anybody mention Elmore Leonard's or Brian Garfield's Western work.



"

Because of the sett..."

I would, absolutely. Given the nature of the character (see what I did there?), and the way he single-handedly dispenses justice, Raylen feels very much like a Western.

Have we mentioned Robert B. Parker's Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch books? Those are excellent western novels. Appaloosa is the first of 4 written by Parker. There are following books by Robert Knott which are pretty good.

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "Have we mentioned Robert B. Parker's Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch books? Those are excellent western novels. Appaloosa is the first of 4 written by Parker. There are following books ..."

Written in typical Parker style, which I often enjoy, though it sometimes turns into:

"You're tough."
"You're pretty tough yourself."
"We're both tough."
"We are."
"It's amazing how tough we are."

I can't speak to Knott's carry on of Parker's novels. I have a personal objection to pastiche work every since L. Sprague deCamp fooled me by writing Conan books I originally attributed to Howard.

Scott wrote: "And I haven't seen anybody mention Elmore Leonard's or Brian Garfield's Western work.



"

Thanks. I'm a real fan of Elmore's. Haven't tried Garfield's though.

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "I've been running down the Helm books (I suspect the movies using the Helm name harmed the book's sales rather than help). Sadly a lot of good books fall through the cracks."

i think you're right. Helm is the American James Bond & the producers didn't have the money to go head on with the Bond films, so they tried more for comedy. Kind of mixed him up with Coburn's Flint character, but played by Dean Martin. They were awful & definitely left the wrong impression.

The good news is they're reissuing all the Helm books now both in ebook & paperback. The first 10 are also available in audio books read by Stefan Rudniki. They're excellent! When the last of the original books are reprinted, they will be printing the final Matt Helm book for the first time. Hamilton wrote it well before he died, but couldn't get it published because it had been so long since his last book & the publisher didn't want to republish them at that time. While he's dead, his son finally got some interest going.

I just wish they'd reprint his westerns. He only wrote a few novels & a few more short stories (I think) but they're all really good.

I loved the "spy-fi" era but actually avoided Matt Helm because of the films (there was also an attempt at a [terrible] TV series to). I've read several of the Helm books now and they're great. Helm is far more gritty and real than Bond.

Scott wrote: "Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "Have we mentioned Robert B. Parker's Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch books? Those are excellent western novels. Appaloosa is the first of 4 written by Parker...."

Ahahha, that type of dialogue is exactly why I couldn't read the other books in the Appaloosa series! But I really did like the movie. :D

It's supposed to be "laconic".

To each their own I suppose.

Yes, Raylan is 100% a Western! Though I guess I could be biased by watching the show, since I never read the book version... Besides the hat, boots, drawl, and gunfights, Raylan is a force of justice unto himself inspite of his badge rather than because of it.

To those who have read the book version, how does it compare to Justified the series?

This book, Broken Trail, was made into a great TV miniseries that I rewatch every once in awhile---the main old guy is played by that Lonesome Dove actor. I'm afraid I personally can't recommend the book it was based off of, but based on the above conversation about Robert B. Parker's dialogue, I think actually some of you might like it a lot. It's about an old guy who takes his estranged nephew to drive a herd of horses cross-country to sell them to the British army. Along the way they pick up/save Chinese girls who were being transported to become prostitutes, more strays get picked up by the entourage, various bad guys chase them down, and there's a final showdown.

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "It's supposed to be "laconic".

To each their own I suppose."

My preference might be influenced by the other parts of the author's writing style...after all, I've enjoyed many Lee Child books, and Reacher is not exactly a motormouth.

Maybe it also has to do with watching vs. reading, since I don't think I have problem watching terse characters on screen.

As a counter-example, I got really annoyed by the dialogue in the True Grit movie, because everyone spoke in an odd, super-verbose way. I think I wouldn't mind so much if only one or two characters spoke that way, but no....everyone spoke identically, which didn't ring very true to me. I think I read somewhere that the movie dialogue was very true to the book, so I imagine I wouldn't like reading it either...

Nothing wrong with laconic dialogue. I like laconic dialogue. I write laconic dialogue.

My point was that Parker has a tendency to keep telling us how tough his characters are through sessions of mutual admiration between the tough guys. He did it more in his later works, in particular the Westerns, but it was even true in Hawk and Spenser conversations.

I love Parker's work. Period-freakin-dot. I just don't love that one aspect of his style.

Pygmy wrote: "Yes, Raylan is 100% a Western! Though I guess I could be biased by watching the show, since I never read the book version... Besides the hat, boots, drawl, and gunfights, Raylan is a force of justi..."

I agree, good movie. I can't remember Duval being bad in anything. Sadly, it's hard to remember Costner being all that good in anything. Draft Day, maybe.

...Silverado?

I've read some (all?) of Leonard's stories about Raylan. They're very similar. There is no series like what was on TV, though. That might have been my favorite series ever.