Western Annotation
Title - The Western Trail
Author - Ralph Compton
Genre - Western
Publication Date - 1992
Audiobook - 2009 , Scott Sowers, narrator.(I listened to the audiobook)
Number of pages - 384
Geographical Setting - US West - Wyoming
Time Period - after the Civil War
Series - The Trail Drive Series Book 2 of 5
Plot Summary
Benton McCaleb and his crew- Will Elliot, Brazos Clifford (and others) face Indians, a greedy, ruthless railroad baron and his hired killers as well as the rugged terrain of the West as they travel with their cattle from Texas to Sweetwater, Wyoming.
This is a quick moving, action packed tale of McCaleb moving the cattle, and hoping to establish a homestead in Sweetwater. He soon encounters resistance and discovers land is not as easily attained in the wide opened West as he thought. He and his group find a railroad baron has the land tied up and has a band of killers working with him to keep the land unoccupied for the railway.
McCaleb and his band of cowboys each encounter a nemesis they must engage and overcome in the pursuit of the land and the people they love.
Subject Headings - Cattle drives, Cattle herding, cowboys, outlaws, quests, rescues, voyages and travels.
Appeal - Plot driven, Fast paced, Atmospheric; dramatic.
Similar Authors & Works - 3 Nonfiction
1. Cowboy: The Illustrated History by Richard Slatta. This book has the subjects of cowboys, ranch life and frontier and pioneer life.
2. Cattle Kingdom : The Hidden History of the Cowboy West by Christopher Knowlton. This book has subject headings of ranch life - West (US) history, Frontier & pioneer life - West (US) history and Cowboys - West (US)history.
3. The Cattlekings : Legendary Ranchers of the Old West by Lewis E. Atherton. This book had subject headers of ranchers - West (US) history and West (US) history.
-3 Fiction
1. Flintlock by William W. Johnstone. Both books are plot-driven, action packed and fast paced. Genres of Western and subjects of outlaws, rescues and escapes.
2. Powder River by Susan K. Salzer. These books share genre "westerns" and subject of cowboys cattle drives and outlaws.
3. Miami Gundown by Michael Zimmer. These books are atmospheric and have genres "Westerns" and subjects cowboys, cattle drives and outlaws.
Author - Ralph Compton
Genre - Western
Publication Date - 1992
Audiobook - 2009 , Scott Sowers, narrator.(I listened to the audiobook)
Number of pages - 384
Geographical Setting - US West - Wyoming
Time Period - after the Civil War
Series - The Trail Drive Series Book 2 of 5
Plot Summary
Benton McCaleb and his crew- Will Elliot, Brazos Clifford (and others) face Indians, a greedy, ruthless railroad baron and his hired killers as well as the rugged terrain of the West as they travel with their cattle from Texas to Sweetwater, Wyoming.
This is a quick moving, action packed tale of McCaleb moving the cattle, and hoping to establish a homestead in Sweetwater. He soon encounters resistance and discovers land is not as easily attained in the wide opened West as he thought. He and his group find a railroad baron has the land tied up and has a band of killers working with him to keep the land unoccupied for the railway.
McCaleb and his band of cowboys each encounter a nemesis they must engage and overcome in the pursuit of the land and the people they love.
Subject Headings - Cattle drives, Cattle herding, cowboys, outlaws, quests, rescues, voyages and travels.
Appeal - Plot driven, Fast paced, Atmospheric; dramatic.
Similar Authors & Works - 3 Nonfiction
1. Cowboy: The Illustrated History by Richard Slatta. This book has the subjects of cowboys, ranch life and frontier and pioneer life.
2. Cattle Kingdom : The Hidden History of the Cowboy West by Christopher Knowlton. This book has subject headings of ranch life - West (US) history, Frontier & pioneer life - West (US) history and Cowboys - West (US)history.
3. The Cattlekings : Legendary Ranchers of the Old West by Lewis E. Atherton. This book had subject headers of ranchers - West (US) history and West (US) history.
-3 Fiction
1. Flintlock by William W. Johnstone. Both books are plot-driven, action packed and fast paced. Genres of Western and subjects of outlaws, rescues and escapes.
2. Powder River by Susan K. Salzer. These books share genre "westerns" and subject of cowboys cattle drives and outlaws.
3. Miami Gundown by Michael Zimmer. These books are atmospheric and have genres "Westerns" and subjects cowboys, cattle drives and outlaws.
Going into this genre I had no idea what to expect- are these books about hardships of living in the West or the classic "this town ain't big enough for the two of us" dynamic? It sounds like your book had plenty of both! Did that feel busy to you? That seems like something that would be really distracting to me. Also, did the book actually devote time to the cattle herding aspect? My book was almost entirely farm work, so I can't imagine how these two elements could be balanced. Great annotation!
ReplyDeleteOkay, now this just sounds fantastic. I have always loved the Civil War, and the reconstruction after. I minored in history for a while; hell, I guess I really do have a minor I just never "declared" it because there was one class I didn't want to take. I took all the classes I could on this period - pre and post war. I guess I just never psyched myself up to want to read so much about it. The fact that I might have found some joy in what I liked in historical fiction might make me more tempted to read this book. Good annotation :)
ReplyDeleteExcellent annotation, full points!
ReplyDelete