Hondo
New York: Bantam Books, 1983.
179 pages
ISBN:
0-553-28090-2
Summary: Cool and collected post-Civil War Army
dispatch rider Hondo Lane travels through the deserted and rugged terrain of
the West (southeast Arizona); his loyal sidekick Sam accompanies him as they
face the aftermath of brutal fighting between weary Company C Army soldiers and
devoted Apache Indians; Hondo constantly reflects on his earlier unexpected
visit with engaging housewife Angie Lowe who is independently raising her only
son Johnny; the lone sling shooter is determined to rescue them before the boy is
forced to become a member of the Apache tribe.
Genre:
Western/Adventure/Romance
Characteristics:
The landscape is well detailed and takes place in
the Western United States after the Civil War (late 1860s). Protagonist Hondo
is trying to right a wrong and uses both mental and physical attributes to
defeat any characters who lack morals (Saricks, 2009, 315). The tone is
nostalgic yet the direct and quirky dialogue remains clever; Angie Lowe and
Hondo Lane’s feelings towards another are in conflict with the long awaited
return of her husband, Ed, who is on another gambling run at the calvary unit’s
fort. L’Amour is excellent at providing the viewpoint of the supporting
characters within chapters who actions weave the story together. This book is
also an Adventure because Hondo is viewed as a hero and is well-respected; a
map is shown at the beginning to entice readers. Saricks notes that L’Amour’s
“adventure-filled Westerns still thrill readers” today and therefore are
timeless (322).
Appeals
- Inspired the movie Hondo featuring actor John Wayne
- Respect to Apache Native American culture gives the novel historical value
- Fast, action-paced plot hooks readers
Read-a-Likes:
Novelist:
- The Abandoned Outlaw by Max Brand
- Brimstone Trail by Marcus Galloway
- Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey
- The First Mountain Men by William W. Johnstone
- Tucker’s Reckoning by Matthew P. Mayo
References
Saricks, J.G. (2009). The
readers’ advisory guide to genre fiction. 2nd ed. Chicago:
American Library Association.
If you don't mind me asking, what was your personal take on the book? Did you enjoy it? Had you read any Westerns before? I considered doing a Western Annotation, but ended up going with Historical Fiction because the Western readers at my library never ask for help because they seem to already know exactly what they want. I know that Louis L'Amour is one of the most popular Western authors, and I wonder if I would enjoy any Western novels.
ReplyDeleteThis was the first Western book that I have read and I picked Hondo because it is checked out often at my library. I really liked the book because of the fast moving plot and thought that the dialogue was clever. There is also a hero versus villain theme and could easily be cross-listed as an adventure. I am planning to check out another book by L'Amour.
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