This is a hard book to review, especially by someone who is a neophyte when it comes to graphic novels.

I recommend it to anyone who is a fan of L'Amour. I would just caution them to approach this novel with a completely open mind and recognize that it is a visual interpretation of the author's story and as such, should be judged completely on it's own merits and not compared at all to the written work. ( )

Set in New Mexico in the year 1887, this adaptation of an early Louis L'Amour western opens with a cold-blooded murder. As the culprit is chased down by a posse, the story behind the murder unfolds. Unlike most westerns, this is no simple tale of good versus evil. Rather, it's a tale of drought and rustling, of betrayal and revenge, of loyalty and friendships gone wrong, and of justice and, finally, redemption. There are no good guys or bad guys here. They all have motives which, at least, to them, seem honourable. Despite or maybe because of the fact that this is a graphic novel, this story is at once nuanced and satisfying.

Written by Louis L'Amour and adapted by his son, Beau L'Amour and Kathy Nolan first for the screen and then for audio and by Charles Santino for this graphic novel, this is a beautifully written and nuanced tale of the wild west and the stunning black-and-white art work by Thomas Yates meshes perfectly with the story and brings the action and the characters to life.

At the end of the novel, Beau L'Amour talks about the progressions of this book from novel to graphic novel as well as some background on his father. Before the war, Louis wrote mysteries and thrillers, often in the noir style. This background in noir shows through in this tale in its nuances and moral ambiguity and this makes for a very unusual but very satisfying tale of the old west. ( )