David Schwinghammer's Blog - Posts Tagged "adventure"
The Cold Dish (Walt Longmire series)
THE COLD DISH is the first in the LONGMIRE series. It's quite a bit different than the TV series.
First off, Walt is kind of a goofball, and Vic tolerates him more than respects him. That's probably not the case, but she calls him names like fat****. That would ordinarily get you fired in most sheriff's offices.
Henry is also bigger and seems to be a very good shot with a Sharp's rifle, the murder weapon in Walt's most recent case. Somebody is shooting four boys who were tried for raping Henry's niece, Melissa Little Bird. They were found guilty, but the judge gave them limited sentences in juvenile facilities.
Whoever is killing the boys is shooting them at a very long distance, 500 yards. Walt could make that shot, as could Henry, and Melissa's father. Lonnie, who's missing his legs, and Omar, a Buffalo Bill like character who's an expert on the Sharp's rifle.
In the middle of the book there's a kind of surprise. Walt is reflecting on his life—he's met a woman, Vonnie, who seems very interested in a relationship. Then there's the surprise. Martha, Walt's deceased wife, didn't really love him. Walt stuck it out because of his daughter, who is now a lawyer who doesn't call her father often enough. I don't remember hearing that in the TV series. Vic is also enduring an unhappy marriage, and she cares about Walt more than she lets on.
There are some interesting minor characters: Lucian, the old sheriff, is living in a senior citizen's home. Walt plays chess with him once a week. In this book, Walt hires Lucian as a dispatcher for two days a week. He's an old-time western sheriff who sort of made his own rules as a case progressed, but Walt respects him and leans on him for advice. Turk is Lucian's nephew, an announced candidate for sheriff after Walt retires. Walt wants Vic to take his place.
THE COLD DISH is just another instance of the book being better than the TV show. Walt has a sense of humor in the book. He also has a great deal of respect for Native American spirituality. There's a scene where Henry is wounded and Walt has to carry him back to safety in the middle of a blizzard. He almost freezes to death. He hears bells and sees ghostlike Cheyenne Indians who lead him out of danger, left with frost bitten ears and hands. You might want to read this section twice. I had no idea what was going on. Somewhere in there Vic was also coming to his aid.
You won't be able to guess who killed those boys. But I'll give you a hint: remember the old adage, “It's always the one you least expect.”
First off, Walt is kind of a goofball, and Vic tolerates him more than respects him. That's probably not the case, but she calls him names like fat****. That would ordinarily get you fired in most sheriff's offices.
Henry is also bigger and seems to be a very good shot with a Sharp's rifle, the murder weapon in Walt's most recent case. Somebody is shooting four boys who were tried for raping Henry's niece, Melissa Little Bird. They were found guilty, but the judge gave them limited sentences in juvenile facilities.
Whoever is killing the boys is shooting them at a very long distance, 500 yards. Walt could make that shot, as could Henry, and Melissa's father. Lonnie, who's missing his legs, and Omar, a Buffalo Bill like character who's an expert on the Sharp's rifle.
In the middle of the book there's a kind of surprise. Walt is reflecting on his life—he's met a woman, Vonnie, who seems very interested in a relationship. Then there's the surprise. Martha, Walt's deceased wife, didn't really love him. Walt stuck it out because of his daughter, who is now a lawyer who doesn't call her father often enough. I don't remember hearing that in the TV series. Vic is also enduring an unhappy marriage, and she cares about Walt more than she lets on.
There are some interesting minor characters: Lucian, the old sheriff, is living in a senior citizen's home. Walt plays chess with him once a week. In this book, Walt hires Lucian as a dispatcher for two days a week. He's an old-time western sheriff who sort of made his own rules as a case progressed, but Walt respects him and leans on him for advice. Turk is Lucian's nephew, an announced candidate for sheriff after Walt retires. Walt wants Vic to take his place.
THE COLD DISH is just another instance of the book being better than the TV show. Walt has a sense of humor in the book. He also has a great deal of respect for Native American spirituality. There's a scene where Henry is wounded and Walt has to carry him back to safety in the middle of a blizzard. He almost freezes to death. He hears bells and sees ghostlike Cheyenne Indians who lead him out of danger, left with frost bitten ears and hands. You might want to read this section twice. I had no idea what was going on. Somewhere in there Vic was also coming to his aid.
You won't be able to guess who killed those boys. But I'll give you a hint: remember the old adage, “It's always the one you least expect.”
