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rosseroo's review against another edition
2.0
Lately I've been making my way through some of Leonard's early westerns, of which this is a minor one. It's set at the tail end of the Civil War, out in Arizona somewhere. Paul Cable is a veteran of the Confederate Army who is returning with his family after several years away, only to find his homestead has been taken over by pro-Union thugs who control the area. The father-figure who ran the local general store passed away while Caleb was gone, leaving a hard-bitten new man in his place whose loyalties aren't clear. What follows is a pretty standard Western showdown revolving around property rights and what it means to be a man and stand up for yourself, with the added twist of Civil War allegiances coming into play. Probably the book's greatest weakness is Caleb, who is a very stock character. It's never explained what compelled him to leave his family to join the Confederate Army, and for a story with him so much as the center, that's a gaping hole. There are some decent scenes and bits of dialogue, but on the whole, this felt very much like a first draft.
jamiereadthis's review against another edition
4.0
This is the way I love it. Badass and smart and punchy and good. As far as I’m concerned, Elmore Leonard should write as many blistering standoffs as he can between quiet, haunted men who are more suited as friends than enemies and I will read them forever.
antij's review against another edition
3.0
Not my favorite of Leonard's. None of the character's really grabbed me.
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