Book Review: Catlow

 "The first postcard came a year later, from Malheur County, in Oregon. It simply said: We named the first one Ben.  And down in Sonora way a boy rides the range whose name is Abijah."


I quite enjoy Western movies and TV.  And yet, I'd never read any Western novels.  So, I thought I'd give it a try.  And how else would you start reading Westerns than with the King of Western Novels, Louis L'Amour.  I don't know anything about Louis L'Amour, so I read the first one, alphabetically, on the shelf at the library, which was Catlow.



Abijah Catlow and Ben Cowan grew up together.  But now, Catlow is a cattle rustler and outlaw, whereas Ben Cowan is a US Marshall.  And this is their story together.  This game of cat-and-mouse that they play, both respecting that the other will do what the other will do, but it won't effect what they do.

It's a good enough story, but maybe the reason that I don't like it as much as I like Western movies and such is that in a movie, I kind of expect it to be cotton candy.   Movies can be substance-less and it doesn't bother me.  This isn't as true with a book.  Still, it has exquisite descriptions, and nice 1960s racism and sexism that we'd expect from a Western.  It was enjoyable, but had nothing to offer more than enjoyment.

3 to 4 stars.

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