Good Western Novelist

[crop/hail]

I read nearly every night because I cant hardly stand television these days. I Have nearly read every book by Elmer Kelton. They are all great. haven't read one yet that was disappointing. Who are some other good Western authors that are similar to Kelton that I might enjoy?

 

[pdubdo]

I'll start with the obvious: Louis L'amour (I like all the Sackett novels), the Lonesome Dove serious, and Zane Grey. L'amour and Grey wrote a bunch of books that all start sounding the same after a while, but I like 'em anyway. Tony Hillerman writes current-day native American mystery novels--I thought they were just okay-not great. I personally love Jack London, even though he was a socialist. Not really western, but similar theme.

 

[Cross-7]

I read a lot and I haven't found anyone comparable to Kelton
Ralph Compton written books were good but now others are writing under his name and aren't very good
Some of the Dusty Richards are good( Texas Blood Feud) but the newer one not so much
Same with Larry McMurty( Comanche moon)

One I really enjoyed
The Son
http://www.amazon.com/Son-Philipp-Meyer/dp/0062120409

Edit to add
Cormac McCarthy all the pretty horses and the 3rd book in the trilogy is good also ( can't remember the title)
Cormac is brilliant but blood meridian is very sick and twisted

 

[Rafter S]

Although he's best known for contemporary crime novels, Elmore Leonard wrote western novels and short stories early in his career. All of his stuff is very good.

And it's been quite a few years since I've read any of their stuff, but Giles Lutz and Luke Short are two more that are pretty good.

I doubt if any of these are still in print, but you could probably find them in used bookstores or online.

 

[crop/hail]

Thanks for the suggestions, I will keep them in mind when I run out of Kelton books to read. Now i am reading Stand Proud and it is in my opinion one of Keltons best. Second only to the best book ever written: The Time it Never Rained.

 

[Rafter S]

Thanks for the suggestions, I will keep them in mind when I run out of Kelton books to read.

Please reply back after you've tried other authors. I read quite a bit (and not just westerns) and am always looking for new authors to try.

 

[tater74]

Try the Virginian by Owen Wister. Also Will James and Clarence Mulford.

 

[crop/hail]

I listened to The Virginian on audio books. I listen to books while im driving the tractor in the summer time. Audio books is a cool free app for your i phone, the only problem is that all of the books on there are in the public domain meaning that they are all really old. and you may not find the stuff that you really like. the other problem is that sometimes the person reading the book is very boring or has an accent that i cant understand.

 

[midTN_Brangusman]

Only one in my book, Louis L'Amour!

 

[Rafter S]

Only one in my book, Louis L'Amour!

I have almost everything he ever wrote, but I still think Kelton was better.

 

[lavacarancher]

My Mother was an avid western reader when she was alive. We have many of the first edition, hard cover Zane Grey books and just gave a hundred or so of the Louis L'Amore books away.

 

[midTN_Brangusman]

Only one in my book, Louis L'Amour!

I have almost everything he ever wrote, but I still think Kelton was better.

I will have to read some of his material. I love a good western novel.

 

[dun]

Lately I've been reading so much I haven;t found a really good western author, but I enjoy the action of the stuff by Lou Bradshaw. Most of it is pretty implausible, but it kills time.

 

[ropinranger]

Kelton and L'Amour(the Sacketts for sure) are the best for me. But, I also liked the William Johnstone novels about the mountain man called Preacher..there were a lot of them. The first one was called "The First Mountain Man", I believe. He also wrote a few different western based series of novels -- The Blood Bond series, the MacAllister series, and the Brothers O'Brien series are some that I read.

 

[dun]

Read a bunch of Johnstone, Bradshaw is pretty similar

 

[crop/hail]

One L'amar book that i read that really wasnt a western but was a good read is called The Last of The Breed. About a native American jet pilot that was shot down in Russia during the cold war then escapes from Russian prison and survives in the wild.

 

[crop/hail]

Im reading Kelton's autobiography now "Sandhills Boy" Its good

 

[Cross-7]

Two bits a day, good ol boys and smiling country trilogy are my favorite Kelton books

 

[crop/hail]

The Texas Rangers series books by Kelton are good too. Ive read them all.

 

[tater74]

One of my regrets is not taking the opportunity to go see him at a book signing back in the late 90's. I thought there would be another time.