Ben Cowan and Bijah Catlow have been friends for years now – since they were boys in fact. They fought some, rode trails together, and finally parted company. Ben became a U.S. marshal while Catlow became – an outlaw.Ben is loathed to become involved with the capture of Catlow – the man is still his friend despite the wrong trail he’s taken. But when a warrant for Catlow’s arrest is issued in Ben’s county, Ben has no choice. He must hunt down his old friend.But it won’t be easy – Catlow’s a wily old thing and he knows Ben as well as Ben knows Catlow. Who will come out on top in this fight between friends?Discussion.This was actually a pretty fun story. The whole “We’re friends on opposite sides who are fighting against each other seriously but with mercy” theme made for some humorously exciting episodes. Especially funny were the responses of the two men when one would outsmart the other. As businessmen they felt chagrin, but as friends they couldn’t help but be amused at the cleverness of their friend. All around fun.(Oh, and once again the Sackett name pops up! #yayforthesacketts)Conclusion. An enjoyable story – perhaps not so well plotted as others of L’Amour’s stories, but still goodVisit The Blithering Bookster to read more reviews!www.blitheringbookster.com
This is the story of two men who have been acquainted with one another for most of their lives. One is Abijah Catlow, a fun loving, outgoing man who is often either just this side of the law, or in the process of breaking it. The other is Deputy United States Marshal Ben Cowan, a quiet, honest man who is very sincere in his feelings about maintaining the law, but never overstepping the boundaries. Both men have a deep respect for the other, and Catlow understands Ben's need to capture him and see that justice is done. When reading this story, you can see that Louis L'Amour truly understands what he is writing about. He is very adept at describing the environment in which the story takes place. He knows about the landscape, the Indians who live in the area, survival techniques and tracking, as well as about the clothing and weapons of the era. In fact, L'Amour puts together his story so well, that you never have to question the details.
What do You think about Catlow (2006)?
L'Amour is often taken to task by critics because of a now unpopular genre and also because his books like many authors are formulary. Good guy, bad guy, pretty woman, confrontation and you know who is alive on the last page. All this is true, but he also has a gift for knowing the west, it's geology, it's wildlife, it's beauty, it's history, it's people and knows how to verbalize his feelings. After all.........320 million books sold, 100 novels written, 250 short stories, translated into at least ten languages is quite a resume. In any case, I am now one-third of the way through the novels and will continue to read more as I enjoy a break from more tedious books.
—Chuck
