Wednesday, July 29, 2009

09.23 Last Stand At Saber River by Elmore Leonard




Last Stand At Saber River (1959) by Elmore Leonard
Pbk, Harper torch, 247 p.


Before he became a crime writer Elmore Leonard's early novels (this is his 4th) were westerns. Leonard's story is set in the Arizona Territory during the last days of the Civil War.

Paul Cable, a wounded captain on from the Confederate side, has been discharged and returns with his family to reclaim his homestead. He finds his home occupied by Union sympathizers who work for Vern and Duane Kidston, brothers who supply remounts to the Union Army.

A former Confederate soldier, Edward Janroe, who runs guns to the southern forces, tries to maneuver Cable into killing the Kidstons. Although Cable wants to avoid trouble, he is drawn into several gun battles in which he uses his wartime tactics to outfox his overwhelming opposition.

This was definitely a fun novel to read and one of the best of the few westerns that I have read. Worth a look.

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