Shalako

A nice western from Louis L'Amour but the thing that struck me is that it seemed as if this were originally intended as a short story and for whatever reason, L'Amour padded it with excess dialogue and extra descriptive scenes that really didn't add anything constructive with the central story. I could be wrong, but there was something about it that seemed a bit forced to me. Otherwise it was a very good story of survival, betrayal and triumph commonplace in Louis L'Amour westerns.

Shalako Carlin, drifter, cowhand, soldier,is traveling from Mexico through Texas trying to avoid contact with Apaches that have also crossed the border looking to lure Apaches off the San Carlos Reservation to start a war on the white settlers. He comes upon a group of European hunters led by a German army officer who while using the excuse of hunting for bison and antelope is really looking to meet American Indians in battle to prove his theory that American soldiers are obviously poor combatants since they have difficulty taming the American western native population.

When he can't convince them how dangerous their situation is, he moves on but guilt combined with having met the attractive woman Irina Carnarvon in the caravan party, he show more returns in time to help them fight off an Apache attack. He then leads them to temporary safety higher in the mountains where they spend several days fighting off attacks until the US Army can fight its way to save them.

As well as the Apaches to worry about, the party has some bad men in their number who are really only interested in the travelers' money, jewels and women. As with most L'Amour novels of this vintage, the narrative moves fast and constant with vivid descriptions of survival in the desert. show less

A group of rich, well-connected tenderfeet are loose in Apache territory without the Army's knowledge. Shalako can probably get them out, but the Prussian army officer is rather amused by all the worry, and would actually rather get a chance to tangle with the warriors. It would make an interesting tale to tell in European drawing rooms. Unfortunately, Apaches don't use the latest accepted rules of war. The fate of them all rests in the hands of Shalako - who knows and respects his enemies.

I reread Shalako today, at least I think it was a reread. I didn't recall any of the plot or characters, who were not the standard fare of many western stories.

A hunting party, led by a Prussian officer intent on proving his superiority over American Indian 'savages', finds itself cut off and in the middle of an Apache uprising. Their only hope for survival is with the assistance they receive from a saddle tramp, a drifter who knows the way of the desert and of the fighting Apaches.

One of L'Amour's better stories, not formula at all.

An interesting story from the ‘disparate band thrown together’ type of story. Good but not great read.

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