Customer Reviews

The Quick and the Dead

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

 

 

I started reading The Quick and The Dead in New Mexico last year at a bed & breakfast and only now got a copy and finished it. L'Amour's style of writing is exceptional and his ability to spin a yarn is enviable.

The Quick & The Dead is a page-turner and, like other works of the author, can teach people about the rough and rugged outdoors and the challenges faced by trekking out into the wilderness. It cannot, however, convey what would possess a sophisticated family to leave the safety and security of the East and head out to a land with no doctors, no lawmen, but with plenty of Indians and bad sorts.

The suspense in the book may keep you up late at night reading it, but the last few pages wrap up very quickly -- maybe too quickly. Almost as if L'Amour was late fer dinner and his wife was callin' him to c'mon. But it also ends wonderfully and the book is highly recommended.

I want to read more of this author. And there's plenty to choose from.

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.

The title of The Quick and the Dead is great but it probably would have been more appropriate in some of Louis L'Amour's other books. Nevertheless, like all of L'Amour's books, it is a great story and certainly worthy of reading. The book moves a little slow but keeps the reader primed with periodic twists in the plot. Two of the main characters, Susanna McKaskel and Con Vallian, alone make this title worth reading.

I really like the title of this old Louis L'Amour book. Obviously Hollywood liked it as well since you can find several movies with the same name. After the title, I found the book to be a little of a let down. When a band of outlaws decide to take a wagon load of goods going west from an unsuspecting and unprepared family of three, they never counted on Con Vallian. He could care less about anything but himself, but the coffee that lady made sure was good. He found himself entangled in a fight that they could not win without him. There must have been some decency in him afterall. He hangs around to save the day. It is short and worth the read, but don't expect too much!

The Quick and the Dead is about a family traveling west and meeting up with a stranger named Vallian.There's also a band of murders who think they are carrying gold.It is full of action-packed adventure!I liked it.Maybe you will to!

When I was young, my first favorite genre was the Westerns. I read so many and dreamt of being a cowboy one day. Louis L'Amour was the best.

'The Quick and the Dead' is a story of a lone cowboy who feels obligated to help a family of settlers as they travel across the plains. Con Vallian happens into a camp looking for a cup of coffee, and in return helps the McKaskel's make it west. Through the dry plains, past the Indians, and protects them from a band of ruthless cutthroats.

The family runs into a band of bad men on the trip west. The men steal their horses in an attempt to pick a fight the father can not win. Vallian helps by warning the father of the trap and much more. L'Amour weaves a tale rich in discriptions and he always gave me a feel for what it must have been like. His description of the Colorado mountains and surround Aspens is great.

I happen to be reading this book for a second time while visit Arizona. I was riding through the North Kaibab forest full of Ponderosa Pine and Aspen trees. The book is short and quick to get to the action.

I have long since widened my taste in books, but it was tremendous fun to re-read this favorite from my childhood. I would recommend this for a summer read.

I rated this book a 5 star rating. I am a fan of Louis L'Amour because his books are clean, not full of sex and other junk. I bought this particular book because I wanted to compare it to the movie with the same title (with Sam Elliott). You have to buy the book to see if there is a difference.

A family traveling west. They meet a man named Vallian who helps them along to the west. Pa doesn't trust him much. But Tom (The boy) does and Ma does. If vallian hadn't been there, though, the men chasing them who thought there was gold in their wagon would have killed them. This is a really good Louis L'amour book. I have about thirty-five or fourty.

My VERY favorite is, THE MAN CALLED NOON.




William Andrews

The way Louis L'amour uses the setting in all his books is amazing. L'amour opens a lot of people's eyes and makes them look upon all the gunfighting and the good side of the American West. If it wasn't for L'amour's description on the setting in all his books, you would be lost. You wouldn't know if they were in the dry, hot towns in Arizona, or if the setting was in Colorado where the grass was green. - D. King, BDH

This was the first western book I ever read, my teacher had to threaten me(failing grade) to read it. Well, I'M happy he did! I have enjoyed many of Mr. L'Amour's books. Till this day I remember this one book and have ordered it.