Fallon: A Novel

This western from Louis L'Amour was released in February, 1963, remaining in print every since. The locale of this western novel is Nevada pretty much in the center of the state. The fictional town of Red Horse is very close to Iron Mountain, sandwiched in between the Desatoya mountains and the Toiyabe mountain range to the east. With Red Horse about 100 miles east of both Carson City and Virginia City. The town, whose elevation is a little over 10,000 feet, also lays north of the Great Basin. As stated in the story, it takes place after a time that the wagon trains have pretty much played out, as true with many gold mines. The wagon trains coming through now are generally ones of merchandise and equipment to resupply the gold camps, rather than carrying settlers. The new name of the town that Macon helps establish is Red Horse, previously know as Buell's Bluff, a gold camp town that went bust and became deserted. The theme of this novel is much involved with town building explaining in simple terms just what it took to establish a western town of the mid to late 1800's, and the components of a typical mining town on the plains. Mr. L'Amour, in fact, had actually built a replica western town only a short time prior to his death. This town is directly situated in an area that the Ute Indians still claim, so there is a possiblity of Indian attack, and at one point in the story, Fallon comes under attack by a party of at least 6 Utes. Readers of Mr. L'Amour's books such as Bendigo Shafter, Passin Through, or Milo Talon, among others, will be reminded that he had great interest in western towns: what it took to build them and just what components comprised them. And though Fallon is a fictional treatment, the story offers great factual insight into both the elements of a western town and the various peoples who lived in them and made them survive. The story moves along very well and is humorous at certain spots, and while I don't rank this story with Shalako, Hondo, or some others, it is enjoyable. So if you are interested in Louis L'Amour and his work this one will offer a few hours reading. He spent his life writing these books and the enjoyment and practical knowledge he held readily comes through. So saddle a good horse, check the bullet loads in your pistol, and get a good supply of water before we hit the trail. Remember, those water holes can be very far apart. With bandit gangs and predatory Indians sprinkled along the trails. Semper Fi.

I can't believe this was the first western I ever read, I'll defintely search out more. This is good fun right from the first paragraphs "Macon Fallon was a stranger to Seven Pines, and fortunately he was a stranger with a fast horse" - from the opening lines I was carried along. The story follows Macon Fallon, as you know from the above, a stranger to Seven Pines who manages to upset some gamblers and escapes from the lynching - but gets himself in a bad way travelling in the dry areas without water. Just in time he sees a small wagon train and hatches a plan. There is a deserted town up behind the trail, he realises if he can get the wagoners to set up the town again he can make a pile and start a new life out west. It is kind of a scam, but he feels some guilt, they are decent people and he doesn't swindle decent people. The hero is good fun, at once self-deprecating good humour, and next strong and able hero to the wagoners and against the local unsavoury and highly violent gang. One of the Wagoners, Ginia, an attractive young woman, smart and brave. the story bounded along, its a short and punchy novel, the only thing I found I disliked was the long discussion of poker hands. The hero and the writing reminded me strongly of Lee Child and I wondered if Child was a L'amour fan - maybe I need to read more of this sort of stuff. Loved it, will read more of Louis L'amour's books.

With Fallon Louis L'Amour comes up with a very different main character. Fallon isn't a gunfighter or cattleman; he's a gambler and a complicated individual. I've read a great many excellent books by Louis L'Amour, and have enjoyed all of them but to be honest, they are uneven. By this I mean that some of them are much better than others. Fallon is one that I flat out loved; one that I remember well, and of all of L'Amour's always fun to read Westerns, I think Fallon is one of the best.

"Fallon", by Louis L'Amour, was entertaining, fast reading, and lightly sprinkled with philosophical statements as are all the westerns I have read by him. Although there is romance in the novel, it is very light and occurs almost unexpectedly.Macon Fallon is a card player on the run, but seeing a sign for an old abandoned town and finding two families with a broken wagon wheel, he schemes to re-establish the town with a new name. Ultimately, he hopes to sell the claim to a mine nearby the town, and then flee with the profits. But Fallon grows to like the town and its people, which makes the choice for him to leave more difficult. A final gunfight seals Fallon's fate in several ways.

Fallon is the best Louis L'Amour book I have read. It contains several shootouts, brawls, and poker games in addition to other exciting plot elements. Fallon also introduces some of L'Amour's best characters and zings the reader with an unexpected twist in the climax. It is truly a must-read for anyone who enjoys westerns!