The Rustlers of West Fork [Mass Market Paperback]

Louis L'Amour (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1992

In this first of four classic frontier novels, Louis L'Amour adds his own special brand to the life and adventures of one of America's favorite fictional cowboys, Hopalong Cassidy. In The Rustlers of West Fork, the quick-thinking, fast-shooting cowpuncher heads west to deliver a fortune in bank notes to his old friend, Dick Jordan. When he arrives at the Circle J, he discovers that the rancher and his daughter, Pam, are being held prisoner by a desperate band of outlaws led by the ruthless Avery Sparr and his partner Arnold Soper. Even if Hopalong Cassidy can free Jordan and Pam, he will have to lead them across rough and untamed Apache country, stalked by the outlaws who have vowed to gun him down. But Hopalong is no stranger to trouble, and before his guns or his temper cool, he's determines to round up Sparr and his gang and bring the outlaws to justice ... dead or alive! This classic tale of pursuit and survival is vintage L'Amour and adds new life and luster to the legend of Hopalong Cassidy.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

In this first of four classic frontier novels, Louis L'Amour adds his own special brand to the life and adventures of one of America's favorite fictional cowboys, Hopalong Cassidy. In The Rustlers Of West Fork, the quick-thinking, fast-shooting cowpuncher heads west to deliver a fortune in bank notes to his old friend, Dick Jordan. When he arrives at the Circle J, he discovers that the rancher and his daughter, Pam, are being held prisoner by a desperate band of outlaws led by the ruthless Avery Sparr and his partner Arnold Soper. Even if Hopalong Cassidy can free Jordan and Pam, he will have to lead them across rough and untamed Apache country, stalked by the outlaws who have vowed to gun him down. But Hopalong is no stranger to trouble, and before his guns or his temper cool, he's determines to round up Sparr and his gang and bring the outlaws to justice ... dead or alive! This classic tale of pursuit and survival is vintage L'Amour and adds new life and luster to the legend of Hopalong Cassidy.

From the Inside Flap

In this first of four classic frontier novels, Louis L'Amour adds his own special brand to the life and adventures of one of America's favorite fictional cowboys, Hopalong Cassidy. In The Rustlers of West Fork, the quick-thinking, fast-shooting cowpuncher heads west to deliver a fortune in bank notes to his old friend, Dick Jordan. When he arrives at the Circle J, he discovers that the rancher and his daughter, Pam, are being held prisoner by a desperate band of outlaws led by the ruthless Avery Sparr and his partner Arnold Soper. Even if Hopalong Cassidy can free Jordan and Pam, he will have to lead them across rough and untamed Apache country, stalked by the outlaws who have vowed to gun him down. But Hopalong is no stranger to trouble, and before his guns or his temper cool, he's determines to round up Sparr and his gang and bring the outlaws to justice ... dead or alive! This classic tale of pursuit and survival is vintage L'Amour and adds new life and luster to the legend of Hopalong Cassidy.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (April 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 055329539X
• ISBN-13: 978-0553295399
• Product Dimensions: 4.1 x 0.8 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #158,522 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars By the numbers, September 3, 2005

By 

Matt Hetling "Matt" (Bethel, ME USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Rustlers of West Fork (Mass Market Paperback)

This is my first experience with a Hopalong Cassidy novel, and can't say I enjoyed it as much as the Sackett novels or some of Lamour's other work.

Hopalong Cassidy realized that an old friend is in need of some help. Dick Jordan and his daughter Pam are being held prisoner on their own ranch by some of the hired help. The villains are intent on taking over the ranch entirely, and they are using the threat of violence to gain Jordan's signature on documents that will hold up to external scrutiny once the ranch changes hands.

Hopalong rides into town as a lone gunman, but he is eventually joined by a couple of old friends, as well as some locals who have been living in fear of the oppressive Avery Sparr.

I did like many things about this book. The pacing and narrative are both done with the characteristic Lamour flair for mastery, and there are plenty of rootin tootin action scenes. I also appreciated some of the creative solutions that Hopalong applies to the unique situations in which he finds himself.

But for me, the story ultimately fell flat because I didn't feel for the characters, not even Hopalong himself. There are just too many convenient outcomes to Hopalong's risky decisions, most notably when he faces down an entire room full of outlaws whose purpose is to kill him. Things are just a little too pat for my liking.

If you're a Lamour fan, by all means read this as part of his canon, but if you're trying him out for the first time, you might want to start somewhere else.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Real Gunslinger, February 15, 2008

By 

E-Cowboy - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Rustlers of West Fork (Mass Market Paperback)

If you enjoy a good western, does it get any better than Louis L'Amour? The man knows his cattle, saloons, cowpokes, and gunslingers, and ol' Hopalong is definitely a 'slinger.

L'Amour books are classics - in the western sense - and this one doesn't disappoint at all. It's certainly not the type of book that you'll need to find the corresponding Cliffs Notes in order to understand what's going on, but it's still enjoyable, entertaining, and classic. Appreciate this book for what's it is: a wonderful piece of western literature that makes for a light and fun read.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great, September 17, 2006

By 

Sgitheanach (Cleveland, TN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Rustlers of West Fork (Mass Market Paperback)

His Writing are the real thing! The characters are written so realisitc and not too super-human..... Mulford's stories of Hopalong make you feel like your reading about a real person form the past....