Customer Reviews

Open Range

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

 

 

Open Range is a great change of pace Western that makes for an easy and entertaining read. It's short, fun, and absolutely nothing that taxes one's brain. Open Range chronicles the adversity experienced by two independent, yet amiable freegrazers in the twilight of the old American West. The veteran cowhand Boss Spearman and his protege Charley Waite make their way in the open West while herding and raising cattle in the open land - much to the displeasure of the local reprobate cowhand magnate and his puppet marshal.

A classic Western book without any surprising and exciting twists and turns, Open Range is much different in book form than the actual movie itself. In a true rarity, I actually enjoyed the movie moreso and found it to be more compelling. That being said, I still enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone who enjoys Westerns or who is looking for a fun, quick, and easy read. See the movie afterwards and be your own judge.

Perhaps this book started out with a disadvantage for me in that I came to it because I saw and enjoyed the movie first. The book is much more mundane and lacks the mythic resonance achieved by the Kevin Costner directed film. As others here have noted, the screenplay dramatically departs from the characterization of the Charlie Waite character as found in the book while the book's denouement lacks the massive, bloody and life-changing gun battle which gives the film its sense of power and gravitas. On balance, I found the book okay but not particularly compelling or memorable. Of course I have a few bones to pick with the film's screenplay as well, which went on much too long, drawing out the dramatic ending until one barely cared anymore. Costner would have been better off ending strongly, right after the showdown and the destruction it unleashed. Lauran Paine, author of this novel, would have been better off if he could have achieved the sense of mythic resonance the film somehow managed to tease out of this somewhat ordinary tale of conflict between a rich and ruthless cattleman and a couple of unaffiliated cowboys just passing through.

SWM
author of The King of Vinland's Saga

I watched the movie before reading the book and was surprised that the movie storyline is much better than the novel. Actually, the book and movie part company when Wait and Spearman return to town to avenge the death of Mose. From that point, the book takes a completely different turn while also enforcing the huge difference in the Wait character in the movie.

The book is okay but it drags from beginning to end. It does not compane with the classic western novels and I imagine anyone reading it because of their interest in the movie will be disappointed.

Very highly recommended for both personal and community library audiobook collections, Open Range by Lauran Paine is the western novel upon which the motion picture starring Robert Duvall and Kevin Costner was based. Open Range tells of conflict between open range men - free grazing cattle owners who have no land yet drive their cattle through the country. Yet ranchers are buying up the land, and one of them is so ruthless as to do murder upon the competing open range men - a crime that cannot go unanswered. A gripping tale of human greed and the fight for survival, Open Range is complete, unabridged, and superbly narrated by Barrett Whitener.

I would recommend this book to anyone of any age (who can read, of course). I have always loved westerns. It doesn't matter if it is in the form of a book or a movie or a TV series, I'm nuts about westerns and Open Range, the book and the movie did not disappoint!!!!!!!!

I LOVE movies my husband and I can watch and enjoy together. He's a western fanatic...and I often have to read (my kindle, of course) while he's watching. But THIS one kept my attention. Annette Benning was great...as was everyone, really. Be sure to watch the special features when you learn what it took to make this almost 'not made' movie.
The character development was fantastic. You laughed, worried, cried (well, some may have just been sad) and got infuriated by the bad guys. The dialog was good. It's the best I ever saw Kevin Costner. Very impressive.
BTW: it's based on a book that my husband is reading...no review of that yet.