Customer Reviews

Crossfire Trail (G. K. Hall (Large Print))

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A RICH, AND SPLENDID STORY! It all started with a man's death. Loving to stay faithful and loyal to his partner, Rafe promises to take care of things! With the company of only one of his friends, he arrives to the certain town and have a talk with Anne, the only daughter the dead man had and tells her that her father wanted him to take care of everything among other things which included her but, she disbelieves him and turn to a handsome but evil man whom she thinks is in love with only her not in whatever her pop left for her! And so problems begin right from there! How can our hero, Rafe make Anne believe the story of her father's death, and in what he told him to do? And if she did believe him, how will he keep the big-headed man and his salty men away from her? And most of all, Will he succeed in doing all that? If you're not interested enough, I'll be happy to say that that ain't all what's in store. Louis L'Amour always finish it with a handful of spice on each story he writes! Go get it, and you won't regret it!..

When it comes to reading Louis L'Amour the modern western fan is faced with having to take things in context. Remember that L'Amour's works were primarily written in the fifties and sixties and, as a result, have a certain "dignity" about them that no longer applies with the westerns of today, especially those on the big screen.

Take CROSSFIRE TRAIL for example. There is plenty of action here but it is painted much more subtly on L'Amour's canvass than, let's say, on those of Larry McMurtry or on Clint Eastwood's or Kevin Costner's movie screens. Frankly L'Amour or his readers would not have tolerated the raw, often harsh violence of today's western s offerings.

L'Amour wrote with a clear sense of nostalgia and romance about the west. He was much for the kindred spirit of John Wayne and John Ford than of McMurtry, Eastwood or Costner.

I thoroughly enjoyed CROSSFIRE TRAIL, a tale of revenge, deceit and, as is the case with all L'Amour tales, of ultimate white-hatted triumph and justice. The fan of the movie of the same title, starring Tom Selleck, should note that there are some differences between the screenplay and the book. But all in all the story is the same and is just as enjoyable in print as the story told on the big screen. Read it in the correct mindset and you have a masterpiece.

Douglas McAllister

Louis L'Amour may not have had the prettiest writing style but his westerns had such an easy and relatable accessability to them that readers readily snapped them up. And, actually, L'Amour's love of the wild west and the old frontier was so palpable that many passages of his novels did end up reading like poetry. I've read most of his stuff and, bar none, this guy is my favorite writer of westerns (well, okay, Zane Grey, as well). CROSSFIRE TRAIL is just one sample of L'Amour's ability to transport the reader back to the old west, when your word meant a whole lot more, when men were hardy (and probably very dusty) and a trusty horse and a well-oiled pistol determined life or death. I'm sure things weren't so black and white back then or that simple, but L'Amour drew a clear line between the dastardly and the heroic. And, always, always, he told an exciting story.

L'Amour's protagonists are basically all cut from the same mold. Much like how one takes it for granted that mystery author Dick Francis's heroes are inevitably urbane, unassuming, and grittily resolute in the face of adversity, Louis L'Amour almost without exception writes his leading men as lean, tall, strong, upright and very capable. They're all heller with a gun, peerless in a brawl and savvy in the ways of the west. Rafe Caradec, the central character of CROSSFIRE TRAIL, fits all this to a T. In the parlance of his time, Caradec is a man to ride the river with.

CROSSFIRE TRAIL was published in 1954, and it's a testament to L'Amour's skills and timeless appeal that this story doesn't at all read as dated. It's a fast-paced story of survival in the wilderness and a reckoning in Wyoming. Rafe Caradec, on the surface, is a rough sort, skilled with a gun and with his fists. A man of commanding presence, he escapes from forced shipboard labor, vowing to keep a promise he made to Charles Rodney, a dead friend left behind. Rafe makes his way to Wyoming, set on looking up and protecting Rodney's family and wresting back Rodney's ranch, of which ownership is currently in question. In the tiny cowtown of Painted Rock, Rafe Caradec runs into a world of trouble.

He learns quickly that Painted Rock is controlled by a gang of scoundrels and stone cold killers. Worse, the gang's conniving head honcho, Bruce Barkow, is engaged to Rodney's beautiful daughter, Ann. Worse than that? Ann doesn't at all believe Rafe's story and instead suspects that Rafe is out to get the ranch for himself. But Rafe is not without unexpected facets. He's able to buffalo the thugs with mere talk (even if it's talk bolstered by the threat of imminent violence). In a courtroom scene, he smoothly acquits himself from a charge of murder. Gradually, Rafe begins to turn the tide. And, naturally, Bruce Barkow, slated initially as the book's prohibitive Big Bad, persists in resorting to underhanded means. But someone lurks in the wings and, as it turns out, this hombre is a lot worse and far more frightening than Barkow.

To add more texture to the thing, the Sioux hover somewhere in the backdrop and there's the mystery of why Barkow so covets Rodney's land. CROSSFIRE TRAIL, like most of L'Amour's novels, reads like a bullet and offers plenty of Rafe Caradec bracing his enemies, resulting in blazing gunplay and a hellacious brawl or two or three. And while L'Amour never was one to get muddied too much in epic love story, he does throw in the occasional romantic spark. Let's just say, it's not too long before Ann Rodney begins to have serious misgivings about her shifty fiance.

No surprises in this book, as CROSSFIRE TRAIL isn't really Louis L'Amour at his tiptop best. But nonetheless this is a pretty riveting no-frills read, and it's a lot of fun watching the dangerous Rafe Caradec outtalking, outthinking, and outfighting those what done him and his friends wrong. Reading Louis L'Amour's vivid descriptions of the lay of the land and the people inhabiting it, you can't help but soak in the old west atmosphere and the rugged culture. As usual, L'Amour tacks descriptive sobriquets onto several of his characters (Texas Brisco, Bully Borger, Gee Bonaro, Trigger Boyne), catchy nicknames being an element prevalent in the western mythos. And, as well, the occasional homespun vernacular lends one more touch of authenticity. I've said this elsewhere, there's Zane Grey and there's Louis L'Amour. In my eyes, every other western writer takes a back seat.

"Law was still largely a local matter". This quote is typical for this book, as the book is an action-packed, suspenseful western. L'Amour's purpose in writing this novel is to entertain the reader, and to give you a little feel of old America. He pulls this off with a depictive setting, varied characters, laid-back country accents, and lots of irony.
Rafe Caradec, a rough and rowdy man, who hold his word sacred, sets out to fulfill his promise to a deadman to save his ranch and his family. Caradec is accused of being crooked himself, but finds a way to overcome.
Through the setting, L'Amour is capable of putting the reader in a western, old-American frame-of-mind. "There was no trail through the tall grass but he one that mind could make, or the instinct of the cattle moving toward water...". The description of the setting throughout the novel is detailed and vivid to the mind.
"A big man with wide shoulders sat at a scarred mess table...". Characterization plays a key-role in the novel. Rafe Caradec is a big and dangerous man. He is contrasted against Bruce Barkow throughout the novel. Barkow is the crook of the story, in who comes to be defeated.
The plot in this story is really simplistic and flat. It's your common, everyday western. Being such, it's very predictable. As far as plot aspect goes, the novel is not very elaborate. But not to worry, the effectiveness of setting, characterization, and language make up for the ineffectiveness of the elements of plot.
The language in this book is easy-reading. L'Amour uses simple diction throughout the novel. "Me for the gold fields in Nevady". Laid-back country accents are also used. This helps pull of the western feel of the novel.
In conclusion, without giving it all away, that is the basics of Louis L'Amour's Crossfire Trail. This is truly a great western...now get to reading it!

I love Louis Lamour's novels soo much. This one was even special in comparison to a lot of others of his, however, it saddens me to not be able to give it a five star. I was enjoying the book immensely for most of its pages, but the last 20 pages was like a let down for some reason. If only it could have ended better, it would have been one of my favorites. So, I give it a bitter-sweet 4 star. But don't get me wrong, it is still very much worth reading. You gotta enoy Lamour :)

I'm not a western fan, but occasionally I do read Westerns for a change from my usual. And Louis Lamour is always a favorite. Not because of the tough and gritty "Howdy Pardner" kind of cowboy, but because I find him funny, his characters likeable, his books a quick read and an amazing escape from reality. Sometimes, too many of the books I read are too serious, or too dramatic, or too thought provoking, but Louis Lamour can be counted on for straight facts. There is always a bank robber, and always a person who "needed killin'" and always a damsel in distress or a least a damsel who catches the main character's eye. Kind of like a Harlequin for a break in serious realms, I always enjoy him.

Louis L'Amour often wrote novels of men whose strength of character was their best redeeming quality although they were handy with guns and were rough and tough when it mattered. Rafe Caradec's promise to a dying man kicks off this tale that begins on a ship and plays out in Wyoming amid lawless men and unfriendly Indians. The story has touches of romance and plenty of shootouts and fistfights, and as usual, the bad guys get what's coming to them. Caradec does seem to good to be true but the tale is a good read and ranks as one of his best western yarns.

"Law was still largely a local matter". This quote is typical for this book, as the book is an action-packed, suspenseful western. L'Amour's purpose in writing this novel is to entertain the reader, and to give you a little feel of old America. He pulls this off with a depictive setting, varied characters, laid-back country accents, and lots of irony.
Rafe Caradec, a rough and rowdy man, who hold his word sacred, sets out to fulfill his promise to a deadman to save his ranch and his family. Caradec is accused of being crooked himself, but finds a way to overcome.
Through the setting, L'Amour is capable of putting the reader in a western, old-American frame-of-mind. "There was no trail through the tall grass but he one that mind could make, or the instinct of the cattle moving toward water...". The description of the setting throughout the novel is detailed and vivid to the mind.
"A big man with wide shoulders sat at a scarred mess table...". Characterization plays a key-role in the novel. Rafe Caradec is a big and dangerous man. He is contrasted against Bruce Barkow throughout the novel. Barkow is the crook of the story, in who comes to be defeated.
The plot in this story is really simplistic and flat. It's your common, everyday western. Being such, it's very predictable. As far as plot aspect goes, the novel is not very elaborate. But not to worry, the effectiveness of setting, characterization, and language make up for the ineffectiveness of the elements of plot.
The language in this book is easy-reading. L'Amour uses simple diction throughout the novel. "Me for the gold fields in Nevady". Laid-back country accents are also used. This helps pull of the western feel of the novel.
In conclusion, without giving it all away, that is the basics of Louis L'Amour's Crossfire Trail. This is truly a great western...now get to reading it!

Hollywood does not do this book justice. Its a very good Louis L'Amour story. I am such a fan of his!! The story immediately starts out full of action and it is non stop action until it ends! Good read on a rainy day!