Customer Reviews

Dark Canyon

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Dark Canyon is one of Louis L'Amour's best. The story of a reformed outlaw going straight is well-written and full of action. You'll want to read it in one sitting.

Hey folks, here's another classic L'Amour. It's great. Keeps you wanting to turn the pages. We have a strong character here with good morals, and that's what I like to see in a Western. Why give us some sleeze ball as a hero? This is fiction, right? Dark Canyon compares very favorably with the best writing of Elmer Kelton, Kirby Jonas and Elmore Leonard!

--James Drury

Like the majority of Louis L'Amour fans, my favorites are his old standby westerns, and this is one. This is a classic L'Amour style western with good strong characters and very little bad language, a good message and minimum violence. Anyone who likes realism but not in the extreme, this book is for you. If you like it, also read Kirby Jonas's Legend of the Tumbleweed. They call Jonas the New Louis L'Amour, and these compliment each other really well.

Just finished reading this one for the 3rd time in a decade. I place this book along side the best Louis L'Amour wrote. That includes HONDO, SHALAKO, and among others, HIGH LONESOME.

This one can be read in just a few hours, at one sitting. But that doesn't detract one iota from the excellence of this western.

This 1963 western has the canyonlands of Southeastern Utah as it locale. Situated in the Robbers Roost area of the Colorado River. A very rough and isolated area reaching 3,000 feet, in some places. An area I'm sure Mr. L'Amour from experience knew only too well.

I seldom like dealing with plots, because I don't want someone spoiling the beginning, middle, or ending for me. The plot is very plausible, however, for in the west many men who started against the law, eventually rode for the law, becoming good citizens. One of the interesting facts of this book which I had forgotten, is the appearance of Tell Sackett. And I recall from another L'Amour book, Emily Sackett stating the Sacketts were always to ride with the law, never against it. So, if Tell Sackett sides 'Lord' Riley, the main character, you know, as Louis would say, Riley is one to ride the river with.

If you have never read much Louis L'Amour this one is an excellent one to launch your reading. If you are a seasoned reader you will still find several hours enjoyment with this classic western. It reaffirms just how much a master with the western Louis at times could be.

Semper Fi.

This book was fun to read. Not long, not too deep, characters easily described. The plot was simple and easily explained. A good story and written in the L'amour style, clean, no sex just a story you could tell your young grandson.

I have not previously been acquainted with westerns in general and Louis L'Amour in particular. While I had read one of his novels previously, I had been told that it didn't run in the same vein as most of his stories (it definitely did not fit within the typical western genre). So with some time over Thanksgiving vacation, and in much need of an easy, entertaining read, I picked up Louis L'Amour's Dark Canyon. And it served its purpose relatively well. It definitely started out with intrigue; the characters, plot, and setting were set up well. I really like how L'Amour gives some good description of the events and set up. He also places each character carefully, leading up into what you can only assume will be an interesting showdown. All of that was handled very well, but L'Amour first loses his grip when he clumsily introduces the romantic interest, and then continues to fumble the playing out of his excellent set up. While I will accept the romance as a given in his novels, I felt that he gave no credibility to the romantic relationship. And then the interesting events he had masterfully set up tended to trail off, fizzle, and wrap up in a generally dissatisfying finale. I think the romantic interest was included for the sake of storytelling, but he was never able to make it fit as he did the other formulaic characters and setting. And then the disappointing ending, perhaps, was a result of attempting to make the story more realistic. Admirable, certainly, but if you are using cliches up until that point (and using them well, I might add), there is no reason to destroy a clever and entertaining finale all in the name of "realism." All in all, however, even with the lackluster second half of the story, I can't deny that L'Amour does have a knack for storytelling, and he definitely belongs within the area of western literature. So, if you are looking for what I was looking for, an easy, entertaining read, then Dark Canyon fits the bill. Otherwise, ride into the sunset and search for something else.

I have not previously been acquainted with westerns in general and Louis L'Amour in particular. While I had read one of his novels previously, I had been told that it didn't run in the same vein as most of his stories (it definitely did not fit within the typical western genre). So with some time over Thanksgiving vacation, and in much need of an easy, entertaining read, I picked up Louis L'Amour's, Dark Canyon. And it served its purpose relatively well. It definitely started out with intrigue; the characters, plot, and setting were set up well. I really like how L'Amour gives some good description of the events and set up. He also places each character carefully, leading up into what you can only assume will be an interesting showdown. All of that was handled very well, but L'Amour first loses his grip when he clumsily introduces the romantic interest, and then continues to fumble the playing out of his excellent set up. While I will accept the romance as a given in his novels, I felt that he gave no credibility to the romantic relationship. And then the interesting events he had masterfully set up tended to trail off, fizzle, and wrap up in a generally dissatisfying finale. I think the romantic interest was included for the sake of storytelling, but he was never able to make it fit as he did the other formulaic characters and setting. And then the disappointing ending, perhaps, was a result of attempting to make the story more realistic. Admirable, certainly, but if you are using cliches up until that point (and using them well, I might add), there is no reason to destroy a clever and entertaining finale all in the name of "realism." All in all, however, even with the lackluster second half of the story, I can't deny that L'Amour does have a knack for storytelling, and he definitely belongs within the area of western literature. So, if you are looking for what I was looking for, an easy, entertaining read, then Dark Canyon fits the bill. Otherwise, ride into the sunset and search for something else.

There are some better L'amour westerns, but this is a good easy and fun read - and introduces Tell Sackett as a bit of a side character to the action.

In fact this was part of the problem, this novel is short, but boy are there are lot of characters in it to take note of. Gaylord Riley is the young man at the middle of it all. He has taken up with a gang of bank robbers- but there are n'er do wells with hearts of gold and set him with the cash to start a ranch. He goes where he knows he can ranch, but where he also knows that the gang can hide out with him if they ever need his help later.

Unfortunately there are things afoot in town and he falls for Marie whose father has the only white-faced cattle in town - added to that there is a man in town used to getting his own way and he wants Marie Shuttock no matter what her uncle thinks of him.

The local Sheriff has a fair idea who Riley is but judges a man on his actions - as does the local newspaper man.

Too many characters, too little time. There is a nice piece at the end which ties it all up nicely for the future. It is a good little read for something simple to knock off in an hour or so. Great reading for that purpose!