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sa1twaterfish 's review for:
The Complete Western Stories of Elmore Leonard
by Elmore Leonard
5.0⭐ "Judge and jury wrapped into one hard-bitten, weathered face. His mind is the law, and he can be as calm as he pleases, knowing his way is the only way."
** Contains Spoilers**
On this, the eleventh installment (12th and final episode) of Sticher podcast's LeVar Burton Reads , we're gifted with "No Man's Guns" by Elmore Leonard. I know I put this one off for a while, but the truth is, I've been busy, sick, and putting off the inevitable end to this season because I love the podcast so much.
This story is the bee's knees. Like LeVar, I have a natural affinity for good westerns. Westerns put characters in a land with different rules, but strict moral code, and a lot of adversary. Leonard's story is choice. Short fiction this good is like going into a fast food place, ordering chicken, and finding that it tastes like it was cooked from scratch, savory and fulfilling.
I love this story so much because the characters just are who they are—not all good, not all bad. They all seem to be wrestling with something. Mitchell is dealing with his past, maybe a little war PTSD, and how his choices are affecting his future. Hyatt is dealing with this random Johnny who just cruises up innocently into his crime scene, and later, his revenge. And Claire is dealing with the fact that she's in a place and position she wants nothing to do with. God love Claire, she isn't in any of these circumstances willingly. And yet, you get the impression that she made these choices of her own free will. Been there, Claire, been there.
All these trials must come to a head, and the circumstances are just dragging it out of all of these guys. I happen to think this ending was just right, and after reading some macabre short fiction stories this week, it found me at just the right time.
The thing is, I don't think its exactly a practical ending, or a likely one, but the author wrote it as a perfect storm of choice and character. Innocent men with a death sentence always seem to go soberly in stories - I don't think that's likely in real life. But, in Mitchell's case, having gone to war and perhaps pretty emotionally exhausted by that, he asks Claire to get word to his father, and then legitimately makes peace with it. Vindictive men always seem to do the right thing at the last minute in stories - I don't think that's likely in real life. But, in Hyatt's case, I think he was always testing Mitchell's nerves and ego, and when he couldn't get a look at his colors, he figured they were at least colors worth preserving. I wish Leonard had dug into Hyatt a little more, I would have liked to have seen just a little more than that last minute change of heart.
What heart was in him to change?
The truth is, this was so wholesome and likable a tale, I would have gladly followed this cast into a full length novel. Maybe I need to read more Leonard, eh?
Great sound bites for this one. I know they were simple, but that's all that was called for. LeVar, not just through his talk and language, but through the stories themselves has made it clear that adults are his target audience. How lucky we are that LeVar has a musical soul and adds a touch of whimsy with the sound bites. They were so pleasant in "The Lighthouse Keeper" and in "No Man's Guns", the sounds of pattering hooves and crackling fires pulled me straight into the desert scape of the West.
I am sad to see this audiobook podcast take a break, but we wont be waiting long. LeVar Burton Reads is coming back January 16th, 2018. And, there is one last gift from the opening season - a bonus episode! Catch my review for that, coming soon.
** Contains Spoilers**
On this, the eleventh installment (12th and final episode) of Sticher podcast's LeVar Burton Reads , we're gifted with "No Man's Guns" by Elmore Leonard. I know I put this one off for a while, but the truth is, I've been busy, sick, and putting off the inevitable end to this season because I love the podcast so much.
This story is the bee's knees. Like LeVar, I have a natural affinity for good westerns. Westerns put characters in a land with different rules, but strict moral code, and a lot of adversary. Leonard's story is choice. Short fiction this good is like going into a fast food place, ordering chicken, and finding that it tastes like it was cooked from scratch, savory and fulfilling.
I love this story so much because the characters just are who they are—not all good, not all bad. They all seem to be wrestling with something. Mitchell is dealing with his past, maybe a little war PTSD, and how his choices are affecting his future. Hyatt is dealing with this random Johnny who just cruises up innocently into his crime scene, and later, his revenge. And Claire is dealing with the fact that she's in a place and position she wants nothing to do with. God love Claire, she isn't in any of these circumstances willingly. And yet, you get the impression that she made these choices of her own free will. Been there, Claire, been there.
All these trials must come to a head, and the circumstances are just dragging it out of all of these guys. I happen to think this ending was just right, and after reading some macabre short fiction stories this week, it found me at just the right time.
The thing is, I don't think its exactly a practical ending, or a likely one, but the author wrote it as a perfect storm of choice and character. Innocent men with a death sentence always seem to go soberly in stories - I don't think that's likely in real life. But, in Mitchell's case, having gone to war and perhaps pretty emotionally exhausted by that, he asks Claire to get word to his father, and then legitimately makes peace with it. Vindictive men always seem to do the right thing at the last minute in stories - I don't think that's likely in real life. But, in Hyatt's case, I think he was always testing Mitchell's nerves and ego, and when he couldn't get a look at his colors, he figured they were at least colors worth preserving. I wish Leonard had dug into Hyatt a little more, I would have liked to have seen just a little more than that last minute change of heart.
What heart was in him to change?
The truth is, this was so wholesome and likable a tale, I would have gladly followed this cast into a full length novel. Maybe I need to read more Leonard, eh?
Great sound bites for this one. I know they were simple, but that's all that was called for. LeVar, not just through his talk and language, but through the stories themselves has made it clear that adults are his target audience. How lucky we are that LeVar has a musical soul and adds a touch of whimsy with the sound bites. They were so pleasant in "The Lighthouse Keeper" and in "No Man's Guns", the sounds of pattering hooves and crackling fires pulled me straight into the desert scape of the West.
I am sad to see this audiobook podcast take a break, but we wont be waiting long. LeVar Burton Reads is coming back January 16th, 2018. And, there is one last gift from the opening season - a bonus episode! Catch my review for that, coming soon.