The Quick And The Dead: A Novel (1982) - Plot & Excerpts
Άγριοι σαν τον άνεμοΌγδοο γουέστερν του Λουίς Λ'Αμούρ που διαβάζω και γι'ακόμη μια φορά ευχαριστήθηκα την αφηγητική του δεινότητα στο συγκεκριμένο είδος, στο οποίο θεωρείται ο καλύτερος. Η ιστορία έχει να κάνει με τον Ντάνκαν Μακ Κάσκελ, που αποφάσισε να μετακομίσει με την οικογένεια του στην Άγρια Δύση για κάτι διαφορετικό. Ο Ντάνκαν είναι ένας μορφωμένος άνθρωπος που μισεί την βία, δεν είναι συνηθισμένος στην άγρια ζωή, αλλά δεν κωλώνει μπροστά στην σκληρή δουλειά και τις αντιξοότητες. Το θέμα είναι ότι στα μέρη στα οποία βρίσκονται τώρα αυτός και η οικογένεια του, μαζί με τ'άλογα και την βαριά άμαξα τους, υπάρχουν άνθρωποι που για ψύλλου πήδημα σε σκοτώνουν. Και όταν μια συμμορία απ'αυτούς θα βάλει στο μάτι την βαριά άμαξα, τ'άλογα και τα μουλάρια, αλλά και την όμορφη γυναίκα του Ντάνκαν, τότε τα πράγματα σκουραίνουν για τα καλά. Όμως, σαν από μηχανής Θεός, ένας ξένος, ο Κον Βάλλιαν, με ικανότητες χρήσιμες για επιβίωση στις άγριες αυτές περιοχές, θα ευχαριστήσει την οικογένεια για τον καφέ και την τροφή που του προσέφερε, βοηθώντας την. Και τα μέλη της οικογένειας Μακ Κάσκελ θα ζήσουν μια εμπειρία χρήσιμη για την μετέπειτα ζωή τους σ'αυτά τα μέρη... Όπως είναι γνωστό, ο Λ'Αμούρ θεωρείται γκραντ μάστερ στα γουέστερν μυθιστορήματα, μιας και έγραψε δεκάδες από αυτά, πολλά από τα οποία μεταφέρθηκαν με μεγάλη επιτυχία στον κινηματογράφο, και το συγκεκριμένο είναι από τα καλά του. Οι περιγραφές τοπίων και δράσης εξαιρετικές, χωρίς κουραστικές λεπτομέρειες και άσχετο μπλα μπλα, οι χαρακτήρες ενδιαφέροντες και η δράση ικανοποιητική και χωρίς υπερβολές. Ο τίτλος πρωτοτύπου είναι The Quick And The Dead, και υπάρχουν δυο ταινίες με τον ίδιο τίτλο, αυτή του 1995 με πρωταγωνίστρια την Σάρον Στόουν και αυτή του 1987 με πρωταγωνιστή τον Σαμ Έλιοτ. Η δεύτερη ταινία βασίζεται στο βιβλίο αυτό, ενώ η πρώτη δεν έχει καμία απολύτως σχέση.
You’d think with a title like The Quick and The Dead I wouldn’t be surprised by all the dead. The Quick and The Dead was my very first “real” western. It was a nice short book and was supposed to be the proverbial toe in the pool. I came away feeling like someone had come up behind me and shoved me in. And, it wasn’t pleasant.The Quick and The Dead is a novel about a small family making their first foray into the west, tenderfoots they are called. During all of this they meet up with the main character Con Vallian. Con was the impossibly perfect frontiersman. He doesn’t have many faults and goes around showing everyone how perfect he is and how dumb the supposedly main characters really are. He is the perfect western man and is a gentleman with a bit of education to boot. Swoon worthy, I suppose but, while I liked the character, the way he was written got on my nerves rather quickly.Louis L'Amour, at least in this novel, was all about telling the story, and very little about showing it. There were only occasional descriptions, just enough to paint a lukewarm picture. I didn't really feel like I was there at all. Though, in the end, that was probably a good thing the novel could have turned out down right gory considering that (in the manner of most horror/thrillers) several characters become The Dead.My last complaint is the fact that there was a bit of a plot hole in the novel. I'm not used to reading stories with plot holes, as normally I either tend to miss them or forgive them. With this one, though, while there were ways to explain it away he went to such lengths to spell every thing else out for us (sometimes multiple times) that it seemed like simply something he missed instead of something he left unspoken. He also set up a lot of characters for great final face offs and then several of them didn't end up happening. Some might view them as plot twists, I just viewed it as a cop out.Basically, if you like westerns this might be a cute little deviation for you. If you don't, or only like quality westerns, give this one a pass. Duncan wasn't the only one ready to see Con on his way by the end of this book.Favorite Quote: Out here you better have a gun, and a gun in the wagon ain't good for nothin'. I believe what the old Quaker said, 'Trust in the Lord, but keep your powder dry.'"
What do You think about The Quick And The Dead: A Novel (1982)?
I picked this up to read as part of a release challenge. The "I DARE YOU; A Read-and-Release Challenge with a Twist" proposed by gnissorckoob. I've never read any western stuff. This seemed and appropriate way to take up the gauntlet. Yippie o ki yay!The cover says" Con Vallian knew the best way to stay out of trouble was to mind his own business. Then he stopped for a cup of coffee at a stranger's campfire and found himself guiding a family of greenhorns across the prairie- fighting a pack of rustlers on one hand and some mighty unpredictable Indians on the other!I kept seeing Clint Eastwood as Con Vallian, as I read- and found myself trying to cast other hollywooders in the various roles. All in all, it was an enjoyable book- very quick to read. I liked the simplicity of the plot- in so many other books today, this plot line would be one of about six woven in the book, so that you are exhausted when you finally close the covers.I also started collecting some Louis L'amour words of wisdom:-"Trust in the Lord, but keep your powder dry."-"One does not go into the bush after a grizzly."-"Ever'body's entitled to a notion now and again."-He's a canny one, and the next time they come, ma'am, it'll be root hog or die, no two ways about it."-"You have to fight for most of the things worth havin'...or somebody does."Now I just have to figure out two things- where to release the book and what "root hog or die" means.Happy Trails to you.... (which, by the way, is a song I want played at my funeral.)
—bookczuk
This narrative deviates from L'Amour's traditional plot and form and is a little off-beat, yet enjoyable. A crusty, yet good, drifter (wise to the ways of the West) takes a liking to an Eastern man and wife and teenage son who strike off to the West to establish their homestead their paradise. Courageous yet oblivious to the dangers that await them in their new environs they must rely upon the goodness of this erstwhile stranger who continues to extricate them from thieves, murderers, Indians and the harshness of the American Southwest until they can learn to survive on their own in a savage land.
—Craig
I resisted liking this book. My father recommended it, and all his bookshelf has ever held was engine manuals, Louis L'Amour, and some Gor chronicles (and the occaisional Ann Coulter, I'm sorry to say). The book does start out very slow for an easy read of 150 pages. It seems predictable and cliche: silly East Coast family with their book learnin', thinkin they can make it in the West with all their heavy, sentimental belongings! But somewhere about a third of the way through, events pick up speed and characters become more interesting. Nothing mindblowing, but entertaining and strangely graceful. The good stuff that forms the basis of cliches.
—Mary
