” The Quick and the Dead ” by Louis L’Amour is a western novel originally published in 1973 .

The McKaskel family are heading west in order to make a new life for themselves . As is expected , they encounter difficulty almost immediately . A group of bandits catches a glimpse of the McKaskel’s wagon and assume they have gold . Now the McKaskel’s are an educated bunch but they are also tenderfeet and have no experience avoiding , or possibly killing bandits . In comes a mysterious stranger named Con Vallian , a veteran of the western frontier with unknown motives , to give them advice . What’s Con Vallian doing ? What are his intentions with the family ? Will the McKaskels learn to survive in this dangerous habitat with run ins with Native tribes , bandit gangs , harsh weather , and lions ? You can find out in ” The Quick and the Dead ” .

This short novel is at its core a giant chase set in the wild west and it’s freaking awesome . The McKaskel family is your basic family wanting to start a new life and instantly getting in over their heads . I don’t mean this in a negative sense , it’s an old plot point , but L’Amour’s storytelling skills prevent it from being annoying or feeling dull . The bandit gang is menacing and manage to have at least small distinctions in personality . The mystery behind Con Vallian’s motives surrounding the family keep the tension on in parts when the bandits aren’t involved . The main focus of this story is the chase and the lessons the family learn along the way . If you’re looking to try a western but not sure where to start or if you like a good thriller then I can’t recommend this story high enough . Peace out everyone , have a nice day !!!