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The Law at Randado: A Gritty Arizona Western of Frontier Justice and Ruthless Corruption
Phil Sundeen thinks Deputy Sheriff Kirby Frye is just a green local kid with a tin badge. And when the wealthy cattle baron's men drag two prisoners from Frye's jail and hang them from a high tree, there's nothing the untried young lawman can do about it. But Kirby's got more grit than Sundeen and his hired muscles bargained for. They can beat the boy and humilate him, but they can't make him forget the job he has sworn to do. The cattleman has money, fear, and guns on his side, but Kirby Frye's the law in this godforsaken corner of the Arizona Territories. And he'll drag Sundeen and his killers straight to hell himself to prove it.
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1954
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About the author
Elmore Leonard
211 books3,703 followersElmore John Leonard lived in Dallas, Oklahoma City and Memphis before settling in Detroit in 1935. After serving in the navy, he studied English literature at the University of Detroit where he entered a short story competition. His earliest published novels in the 1950s were westerns, but Leonard went on to specialize in crime fiction and suspense thrillers, many of which have been adapted into motion pictures.
Father of Peter Leonard.
Father of Peter Leonard.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
April 13, 2025
Another excellent western novel from Elmore Leonard and, like Last Stand at Saber River, far from cliché. An alternative title could have been, The Hard West Education of Kirby Frye, US Marshal - the young man, bullied and abused, has to learn to stand firm against a local rancher and his desperadoes and see justice done. Richard Poe does an excellent job of reading the story. The book can run a bit slow from time to time, but the trade-off is that there is plenty of substance to the tale. 3.75.
Leonard also wrote the better known western Hombre and created the character of modern day US Marshal Raylan Givens. A popular TV series was created on Givens about ten years back. I’ve seen it and it’s excellent - the Fast Hand of the Law in Kentucky.
Leonard also wrote the better known western Hombre and created the character of modern day US Marshal Raylan Givens. A popular TV series was created on Givens about ten years back. I’ve seen it and it’s excellent - the Fast Hand of the Law in Kentucky.
September 6, 2025
This is Leonard’s second novel, and it's interesting to see a slight shift towards what would become his signature talent of writing great characters. The Law at Randado focuses on a young and inexperienced deputy sheriff of the old west who finds himself having to enforce the law on the key members of the small town he serves. The deputy is not perfect and he makes mistakes, but he does have a lot of insight into the ways that people think. He also knows that following through with his commitment to the law is a service to a society that is greater than himself.
However, the story is weak in its composition. It tends to undermine its main law-and-order theme every step of the way. The crime is egregious but the town hardly considers it an injustice. The criminals, who are the town leaders, are expected to receive exceptionally lenient punishments due to their influence, but they decide to make a run for it to evade capture. This sets up "the chase" where they face death through gunfights as opposed to a slap on the wrist for their violent crimes.
As Leonard’s second novel, the value in The Law at Randado rests in revealing how mediocre Leonard was as a writer while on his path towards writing some truly great works.
However, the story is weak in its composition. It tends to undermine its main law-and-order theme every step of the way. The crime is egregious but the town hardly considers it an injustice. The criminals, who are the town leaders, are expected to receive exceptionally lenient punishments due to their influence, but they decide to make a run for it to evade capture. This sets up "the chase" where they face death through gunfights as opposed to a slap on the wrist for their violent crimes.
As Leonard’s second novel, the value in The Law at Randado rests in revealing how mediocre Leonard was as a writer while on his path towards writing some truly great works.
October 9, 2025
Loved this book! My new favorite Elmore Leonard western. First published way back in 1954.
January 19, 2020
A young and and inexperienced deputy sheriff named Kirby Frye has his skills tested when a rich and arrogant rancher and some citizens of Randado conspire to entrust themselves with lawmaking and executions while he’s away. The narrative is nicely dialog driven with plenty of colorful and insightful conversations, especially between Kirby and his mentor and sheriff Danaher. The descriptive prose is taut and compact so get ready to use your imagination when it comes to how the characters and locations look. There were several tense sequences with a fair amount of gunplay, although I found the final conflict a bit strained. In general an exciting and propulsive read that I recommend.
September 10, 2014
I believe this is Leonard's second novel, written in the early '50's, and as such doesn't really display the trademark humor and terrific dialogue we know him for. For all that, though, it's still very well-written, spare and lean, befitting the Arizona setting.
A group of Randado's prominent citizens, manipulated by rich cattle baron Phil Sundeen, lynch a pair of rustlers without waiting on due process of law. When the young, green deputy sheriff, Kirby Frye, gets wind of it, he sets out to serve warrants to the men involved-- only to be humiliated and run out of town. But Frye isn't about to let the law be subverted; he gathers himself, along with a loose handful of allies, and sets out to bring Sundeen and his lackies to justice.
It's a fairly standard Western scenario, especially in the last fourth, with Frye on the trail of the fleeing Sundeen, but still manages to play out in the end in unexpected ways. Frye is an interesting character, torn between youthful impetuousness and level-headed responsibility, and Sundeen is a nicely sleazy villain. The other characters all straddle lines somewhere between the two, but their main crime seems to be cowardice.
So... THE LAW AT RANDADO is a typical Western, elevated by a fast-pace and superior writing.
A group of Randado's prominent citizens, manipulated by rich cattle baron Phil Sundeen, lynch a pair of rustlers without waiting on due process of law. When the young, green deputy sheriff, Kirby Frye, gets wind of it, he sets out to serve warrants to the men involved-- only to be humiliated and run out of town. But Frye isn't about to let the law be subverted; he gathers himself, along with a loose handful of allies, and sets out to bring Sundeen and his lackies to justice.
It's a fairly standard Western scenario, especially in the last fourth, with Frye on the trail of the fleeing Sundeen, but still manages to play out in the end in unexpected ways. Frye is an interesting character, torn between youthful impetuousness and level-headed responsibility, and Sundeen is a nicely sleazy villain. The other characters all straddle lines somewhere between the two, but their main crime seems to be cowardice.
So... THE LAW AT RANDADO is a typical Western, elevated by a fast-pace and superior writing.
June 6, 2014
Elmore Leonard’s early western novels show a gifted short story writer learning how to master the longer narrative form. The Bounty Hunters (1953) is a sometimes awkward attempt to extend and enlarge characters and situations that would make sharply conceived material for short stories but thin out and lose focus over the length of a novel.
The Law at Randado shows him still learning, but he’s turning what he knows of the short story into what holds together well for its 250 pages and more than maintains our interest. The novel still reads like a series of short stories, but each flows smoothly into the next, with continuing characters, and a central thread linking two of them, a sheriff and a young deputy he has hired...
More at my blog.
The Law at Randado shows him still learning, but he’s turning what he knows of the short story into what holds together well for its 250 pages and more than maintains our interest. The novel still reads like a series of short stories, but each flows smoothly into the next, with continuing characters, and a central thread linking two of them, a sheriff and a young deputy he has hired...
More at my blog.
May 31, 2021
If you enjoy westerns 1950-1980 you should engoy this unspectacular realism
December 31, 2018
A standard horse opera/oater from the master. This noir style western is The Ox-Bow Incident meets Mississippi Burning.
A deputy sheriff returns to Randado to find that the two Mexican horse thieves he jailed pending trial are lynched by the townsfolk. They are led by a spoiled brat and his hired gunman.
This novel was filmed in 1990 and billed as Border Shootout.
https://youtu.be/4piEuEotSKo
A deputy sheriff returns to Randado to find that the two Mexican horse thieves he jailed pending trial are lynched by the townsfolk. They are led by a spoiled brat and his hired gunman.
This novel was filmed in 1990 and billed as Border Shootout.
https://youtu.be/4piEuEotSKo
November 15, 2021
The Law at Randado is a good western that meditates the role of law and order in a small community. Who are the enforcers? What happens when the leaders are challenged? What causes tension between civil servants and the will of the people?
This is one of those western romps that treads a little in the deep end of the pool. Some of the best westerns, on the screen and in print, meditate law enforcement philosophy within the context of a city-state surrounded by wilderness. The gold standard is John Ford's film The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.
If Plato carried a six shooter and wore a wide-brimmed hat, he would have been at home drinking whiskey and stirring up trouble in Leonard's Randado.
This is one of those western romps that treads a little in the deep end of the pool. Some of the best westerns, on the screen and in print, meditate law enforcement philosophy within the context of a city-state surrounded by wilderness. The gold standard is John Ford's film The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.
If Plato carried a six shooter and wore a wide-brimmed hat, he would have been at home drinking whiskey and stirring up trouble in Leonard's Randado.
July 6, 2019
Now, I don't read a ton of Westerns. I watch some of them, mostly the newer ones, and I'm digging into the classic films, but I'm more likely to read Western-influenced crime novels or Weird Westerns than traditional "men-on-horses" fare. Maybe it's from bad experiences with L'Amour. Still, I'm expanding my horizons here.
I have read a couple Elmore Leonard Westerns now, and I like them better than his crime novels. Terse, to the point, lacking the amusing but inconsequential dialogue of his later works, this and Valdez Is Coming are firmly in my wheelhouse. The white hat/black hat dichotomy, while there, is blurred by sympathetic characterization, and not everything can be solved with fists and bullets. The heroes have to overcome violence and humiliation but aren't consumed by vengeance. In other words, these are more nuanced and humane than many of their contemporaries.
Here, a local deputy has to deal with a local cattle baron and his townie cronies after they lynch a couple rustlers, creating their own governing and legal system so it's all aboveboard... sorta.
There is violence here, as in Valdez, but the emphasis is on courage and integrity rather than blood. The attitudes are somewhat dated, but not as badly as many books from sixty years ago, and the setting takes a little sting out of it as well. Still, it can jar and may turn some away.
This is a strong, old-fashioned story, unambiguous without being too judgmental. The prose is lean and strong, the characters are well-defined... It's a good book, basically. If you need some oats in your literary diet, you could do much worse.
I have read a couple Elmore Leonard Westerns now, and I like them better than his crime novels. Terse, to the point, lacking the amusing but inconsequential dialogue of his later works, this and Valdez Is Coming are firmly in my wheelhouse. The white hat/black hat dichotomy, while there, is blurred by sympathetic characterization, and not everything can be solved with fists and bullets. The heroes have to overcome violence and humiliation but aren't consumed by vengeance. In other words, these are more nuanced and humane than many of their contemporaries.
Here, a local deputy has to deal with a local cattle baron and his townie cronies after they lynch a couple rustlers, creating their own governing and legal system so it's all aboveboard... sorta.
There is violence here, as in Valdez, but the emphasis is on courage and integrity rather than blood. The attitudes are somewhat dated, but not as badly as many books from sixty years ago, and the setting takes a little sting out of it as well. Still, it can jar and may turn some away.
This is a strong, old-fashioned story, unambiguous without being too judgmental. The prose is lean and strong, the characters are well-defined... It's a good book, basically. If you need some oats in your literary diet, you could do much worse.
September 2, 2010
I enjoy taking a break from my more usual Louis L'Amour westerns. In this book, Mr Leonard includes some of those classic western features: a green lawman, an evil cattle barron and his henchmen, and ultimately the showdown between the two. But other than that this book, like the other 3 Elmore Leonard westerns I've read, doesn't follow traditional formulas all that much.
The premise is that the town of Randado has decided it doesn't need to wait for the formal legal system of the larger town many miles away so they take action on their own. They appoint their own judge and jury and proceed to drag two Mexicans from their jail cell and hang them. When the deputy sheriff returns, he must confront those that behaved illegally. Most of the novel is the resulting chase, trying to bring the bad guys to justice. I know that sounds pretty much like a formula western novel but it is Mr Leonard's style that makes the difference. His characters are not all black or white but rather colorful, filled with doubts of what course of action to take. In short, they are more "real" than one often finds in the western genre. The plot isn't exactly straight-forward and therefore is not so predictable.
I'll continue to recommend Elmore Leonard's western novels to those who like westerns or those that just like a good story that won't take hours and hours to complete.
The premise is that the town of Randado has decided it doesn't need to wait for the formal legal system of the larger town many miles away so they take action on their own. They appoint their own judge and jury and proceed to drag two Mexicans from their jail cell and hang them. When the deputy sheriff returns, he must confront those that behaved illegally. Most of the novel is the resulting chase, trying to bring the bad guys to justice. I know that sounds pretty much like a formula western novel but it is Mr Leonard's style that makes the difference. His characters are not all black or white but rather colorful, filled with doubts of what course of action to take. In short, they are more "real" than one often finds in the western genre. The plot isn't exactly straight-forward and therefore is not so predictable.
I'll continue to recommend Elmore Leonard's western novels to those who like westerns or those that just like a good story that won't take hours and hours to complete.
January 17, 2020
Basically a re-read, plucked out of my library, the Western lawmen have always been a favorite of mine and with this one. You get to witness a young Deputy Sheriff in Kirby Frye grow up, with 'The Law at Randado', he can shoot fast, when he needs too and can handle his whiskey.
Enjoying it you know what's come but it stands out more due to all the descriptive details you forgot and makes it all the better. Elmore Leonard's one of those authors that regardless what the genre of his books where you still read them and eagerly waited for his next offering. Fully knowing that you where in for a god read, he transported you into the pages, be descriptive, full of twist and turns be suspenseful and never was disappointed.
With this one, you have a likable young Deputy Sheriff Kirby Frye, who everyone feels he's too young, easy to manipulate, but the town of Randado under estimates him and in the end he earns everyones respect.
Elmore Leonard's one of my favorite authors, devoured and enjoyed everyone of his Westerns, wish he had written more in the genre and definitely recommend reading him.
Enjoying it you know what's come but it stands out more due to all the descriptive details you forgot and makes it all the better. Elmore Leonard's one of those authors that regardless what the genre of his books where you still read them and eagerly waited for his next offering. Fully knowing that you where in for a god read, he transported you into the pages, be descriptive, full of twist and turns be suspenseful and never was disappointed.
With this one, you have a likable young Deputy Sheriff Kirby Frye, who everyone feels he's too young, easy to manipulate, but the town of Randado under estimates him and in the end he earns everyones respect.
Elmore Leonard's one of my favorite authors, devoured and enjoyed everyone of his Westerns, wish he had written more in the genre and definitely recommend reading him.
March 27, 2009
Who reads Westerns anymore? I do. On occasion. THE LAW AT RANDADO, First out in 1954, has been reissued. Mr. Leonard tells a good story. What happens after a remote town decides to take the law in their hands and lynch a couple of rustlers? Intriguing premise. Sharp dialogue, as you'd expect in any EL saga.
November 14, 2016
Fantastic ending
Another outstanding but quirky Elmore Leonard western. Leonard again proves himself a master of terse , realistic dialog and fine descriptive writing.
Another outstanding but quirky Elmore Leonard western. Leonard again proves himself a master of terse , realistic dialog and fine descriptive writing.
April 13, 2017
What happens when you are a young and new lawman in the wild west? Find out in this ripping yarn by one of the greats.
August 11, 2023
Kirby Frye is a young deputy sheriff in Randado. He has brought in two Mexican cattle rustlers, who must be transported 100 miles for trial. He was also brought in Dandy Jim, an Apache tracker he has known from his youth, on a charge of drinking tulapai.
A committee of local business leaders-Phil Sundeen, the largest cattleman in the county, Tindall the merchant, Stedman the banker and Beaudry, a landowner-decide they should be tried and sentenced in Randado. Only DeSpain, the bar owner objects. So, the four of them create a small police consisting of themselves while Frye is off looking for Dandy Jim’s drinking partners.
They drag the two rustlers from the jail and lynch them. Later that night, Kirby returns and attempts to arrest them, but is beaten almost to death.
Two days later, he is run out of town after being forced to take off his boots.
He returns with the sheriff of the county, Danaher, only to find all but Sundeen’s hand, Digo, have fled.
So, a posse is put together to bring them in. This is long and drags out. Several of the them get away and the chase must start all over again.
According to the back cover, the hero here is Kirby Frye. He is skilled and determined and earnest, but he is no strategist. Leonard has this annoying habit of popping into the heads of various characters to give back story or to wonder about women and being alone or unskilled.
A committee of local business leaders-Phil Sundeen, the largest cattleman in the county, Tindall the merchant, Stedman the banker and Beaudry, a landowner-decide they should be tried and sentenced in Randado. Only DeSpain, the bar owner objects. So, the four of them create a small police consisting of themselves while Frye is off looking for Dandy Jim’s drinking partners.
They drag the two rustlers from the jail and lynch them. Later that night, Kirby returns and attempts to arrest them, but is beaten almost to death.
Two days later, he is run out of town after being forced to take off his boots.
He returns with the sheriff of the county, Danaher, only to find all but Sundeen’s hand, Digo, have fled.
So, a posse is put together to bring them in. This is long and drags out. Several of the them get away and the chase must start all over again.
According to the back cover, the hero here is Kirby Frye. He is skilled and determined and earnest, but he is no strategist. Leonard has this annoying habit of popping into the heads of various characters to give back story or to wonder about women and being alone or unskilled.
June 24, 2024
Kirby Fry is the 24 year old sheriff in Randado. When he has to take on a powerful cattle baron influencing the local citizens to do wrong, it becomes a tense game of cat and mouse.
Elmore Leonard is a master at dialogue, characters, and tension. I wish this book were longer so I could hang out longer with some of the side characters, although I know some reappear in some of his other westerns.
Elmore Leonard is a master at dialogue, characters, and tension. I wish this book were longer so I could hang out longer with some of the side characters, although I know some reappear in some of his other westerns.
February 15, 2020
My first Leonard book but it won't be my last. Nice character development without the need for gratuitous violence.
February 28, 2024
A very satisfying western and not much more.
January 16, 2023
Liked the book Elmore Leonard writes great western Yarns.
May 31, 2022
My kind of western. A 24 year-old sheriff, only a month on the job. A rich, villain cattle rancher, due a swift kick across his buttocks. An established county sheriff mentoring our young hero. An immature woman who we’re not sure is good enough for our boy, but he’s sweet on her nonetheless. And the sharp prose of Elmore Leonard. Very enjoyable, quick read.
January 7, 2013
This is a western story by Elmore Leonard, one of the finest authors writing in the last 50 years. The story is a coming of age story about a young deputy sheriff, Kirby Frye, who must take on the rich and powerful to enforce the law in a small community.
As always with Leonard, the writing is lean and the dialogue is true to life. This book takes about 3-5 hours to read. I read it on a long plane flight from Hawaii to Chicago and I had plenty of time to spare.
There is nothing mysterious about the plot - it is somewhat predictable. Frye is testing and grows and matures as the book moves along. There is a subtlety to Frye. He sometimes gets what he wants by negotiating, not by shooting people. He has the ability to see his adversary's point of view. Leonard could have written more books about Kirby Frye, but he chose not to.
This is a quick read. It is a great story and it has the virtue of being written by one of the very best prose stylists in the English language.
As always with Leonard, the writing is lean and the dialogue is true to life. This book takes about 3-5 hours to read. I read it on a long plane flight from Hawaii to Chicago and I had plenty of time to spare.
There is nothing mysterious about the plot - it is somewhat predictable. Frye is testing and grows and matures as the book moves along. There is a subtlety to Frye. He sometimes gets what he wants by negotiating, not by shooting people. He has the ability to see his adversary's point of view. Leonard could have written more books about Kirby Frye, but he chose not to.
This is a quick read. It is a great story and it has the virtue of being written by one of the very best prose stylists in the English language.
November 2, 2014
this will be the 45th title i've read by leonard. good stories from him...haven't been disappointed yet...and this one has a fine beginning. and the middle and end is okay, too. elmer leonard never disappoints. onward and upward.
May 11, 2019
From about 1954, Leonard’s second book, Leonard’s abilities show. An original western, if that’s possible, with some of the cleanest written scenes, good dialogue, a fairly steady plot, but not as sharply written as Leonard at his peak. A very fine early novel and a fine western.
October 22, 2015
Another crisp, well written western by Leonard. This story is about a deputy sheriff against a wealthy rancher who has all the town fathers on his side. But he underestimates the young deputy.
May 11, 2021
Elmore freakin' Leonard, man. The dude has a way with dialogue and character. Power plays, living by a code, outlaws... yeah it's all here. Good stuff.
April 13, 2022
Excellent, good old-fashioned western by Elmore Leonard. The author's second novel contains all of the traditional western tropes: small town, proud citizens, racism everywhere, the law run amuck, and one noble man tries to implement law, order and justice, and does so alone. However, what makes "The Law at Randado" work so well is that author paints such a clear and vivid picture of persons, places and things...that the novel leaves no doubt in the reader's mind, while at the same time enticing that same mind to turn the page for more.
...and more is what "The Law at Randado" delivers. Its story concerns the western town of Randado. A few local businesses line the streets, a saloon across the street, a boarding house, a jail. What little law the town of Randado has had, it has done nothing to stop the rich, drunken cattle rancher Phil Sundeen, and his bodyguard sideman Digo. The spoiled rotten Sundeen gets whatever he wants and people bow down to him because of his money and power. After getting Digo and members of his town to illegally hang two Mexican bandits who tried to steal Sundeen's cattle, "The Law at Randado" had to do something about it.
However, the new law in town was a young sheriff named Kirby Frye, a smart, gifted and honorable young lawman, to a fault. After two professional, dignified attempts to arrest Phil Sundeen, as well as the men who participated in the hanging had failed miserably, and violently, Frye gets help from the wise, gruff and experienced county sheriff John Danaher, as well as his old native American associate Dandy Jim. Together, the three men and others work hard to hunt Phil Sundeen and his evil accomplices down, as well as the men who participated in the hanging. The hunt will be far from easy, and may be deadly in the end.
What a page-turner! I mean, really. Elmore Leonard writes such rich and memorable characters, that one can't help but feel invested in them. Kirby Frye was such a fine hero to root for. He was not perfect, made mistakes, yet approached all situations with strong intelligence and humanity. Phil Sundeen made for a great villain, childish yet not dumb, selfish and narcissistic. I could fully sense and feel each and every character of "The Law at Randado," as if they were real.
Plus the hunt for Sundeen and the gang was filled with suspense. I felt uncertain, at first, about the final confrontation between Frye and Sundeen...with the drinking contest. However, it worked! Who knew that Frye would be able to outmatch Sundeed and bring him to jail WITHOUT using his gun? Frye was indeed wise beyond his years....so was Elmore Leonard. An excellent read!
...and more is what "The Law at Randado" delivers. Its story concerns the western town of Randado. A few local businesses line the streets, a saloon across the street, a boarding house, a jail. What little law the town of Randado has had, it has done nothing to stop the rich, drunken cattle rancher Phil Sundeen, and his bodyguard sideman Digo. The spoiled rotten Sundeen gets whatever he wants and people bow down to him because of his money and power. After getting Digo and members of his town to illegally hang two Mexican bandits who tried to steal Sundeen's cattle, "The Law at Randado" had to do something about it.
However, the new law in town was a young sheriff named Kirby Frye, a smart, gifted and honorable young lawman, to a fault. After two professional, dignified attempts to arrest Phil Sundeen, as well as the men who participated in the hanging had failed miserably, and violently, Frye gets help from the wise, gruff and experienced county sheriff John Danaher, as well as his old native American associate Dandy Jim. Together, the three men and others work hard to hunt Phil Sundeen and his evil accomplices down, as well as the men who participated in the hanging. The hunt will be far from easy, and may be deadly in the end.
What a page-turner! I mean, really. Elmore Leonard writes such rich and memorable characters, that one can't help but feel invested in them. Kirby Frye was such a fine hero to root for. He was not perfect, made mistakes, yet approached all situations with strong intelligence and humanity. Phil Sundeen made for a great villain, childish yet not dumb, selfish and narcissistic. I could fully sense and feel each and every character of "The Law at Randado," as if they were real.
Plus the hunt for Sundeen and the gang was filled with suspense. I felt uncertain, at first, about the final confrontation between Frye and Sundeen...with the drinking contest. However, it worked! Who knew that Frye would be able to outmatch Sundeed and bring him to jail WITHOUT using his gun? Frye was indeed wise beyond his years....so was Elmore Leonard. An excellent read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2018
This fairly simple tale, the first of Elmore Leonard's westerns to come my way, is quite different from the stories he set in modern times. Previously, I'd read
Get Shorty
, which I liked, and its sequel,
Be Cool
, as well as
Mr. Paradise
. Those latter two weren't as good. I admire the dialog in the above Leonard novels, which is convincing and clever, but I don't like his focus on, perhaps even celebration of, the seamy side of life. Because of that I'd thought I was done with him, but when The Law at Randado came along I remembered wanting to see how he handled this other genre.
Kirby Frye is a capable young fellow, recently made deputy by Pima County Sheriff John Danaher, and this is the story of his initiation in that role. It's partly told from his point of view but occasionally from those of Danaher, the Apache sidekick, and a couple of the rascals. I'm not sure including all these perspectives is in keeping with this spare narrative. To convey their views, the later Elmore Leonard might've relied more on dialog. And as other readers have mentioned, the formulaic reliance on clear-cut good guys and bad guys is a bit disappointing. That is, we never see much in terms of doubt, anger, or any emotional reaction on Frye's part. I guess it's really about the young man confirming his worthiness to Danaher.
But in spite of that I did like seeing how Frye handles his challenge. I also liked the portrayal of sub-par townsfolk who very quickly blunder out of their depth. About them, the saloon keeper has a trenchant observation:
"Whether he looks it or not, Sundeen's the biggest man in the San Rafael. He's got the most land, he hires the most men and, what should have been said first, he's got the most money. Now, being friends with a man like that can make you feel pretty important, and have some advantages besides."
Aside from all the tv shows I absorbed as a kid ("Gunsmoke," "Bonanza," et al.), I haven't had much exposure to westerns. The best example I know, The Ox-bow Incident, transcends the genre. This one doesn't quite achieve that (although the two stories have similar plots), but it's rather satisfying.
Kirby Frye is a capable young fellow, recently made deputy by Pima County Sheriff John Danaher, and this is the story of his initiation in that role. It's partly told from his point of view but occasionally from those of Danaher, the Apache sidekick, and a couple of the rascals. I'm not sure including all these perspectives is in keeping with this spare narrative. To convey their views, the later Elmore Leonard might've relied more on dialog. And as other readers have mentioned, the formulaic reliance on clear-cut good guys and bad guys is a bit disappointing. That is, we never see much in terms of doubt, anger, or any emotional reaction on Frye's part. I guess it's really about the young man confirming his worthiness to Danaher.
But in spite of that I did like seeing how Frye handles his challenge. I also liked the portrayal of sub-par townsfolk who very quickly blunder out of their depth. About them, the saloon keeper has a trenchant observation:
"Whether he looks it or not, Sundeen's the biggest man in the San Rafael. He's got the most land, he hires the most men and, what should have been said first, he's got the most money. Now, being friends with a man like that can make you feel pretty important, and have some advantages besides."
Aside from all the tv shows I absorbed as a kid ("Gunsmoke," "Bonanza," et al.), I haven't had much exposure to westerns. The best example I know, The Ox-bow Incident, transcends the genre. This one doesn't quite achieve that (although the two stories have similar plots), but it's rather satisfying.
September 11, 2024
I’m not a huge fan of the western genre. When I was very young, the typical western tropes didn’t bother me, but I was much more fascinated by the twisting of the tropes in the spaghetti westerns that launched Clint Eastwood’s major successes. So, when The Law at Randado was commended to me, I took note of the author (Elmore Leonard) and the trope of the untried lawman, and opted to give it a shot. Add the trope of the biggest rancher calling the shots, the obligatory lynching, the out-of-town gunman, the citizen committee, the pretty young storeowner’s daughter, and the Native American tracker so that you have the classic western story. And sometimes, that’s enough.
It was enough for me in The Law at Randado. It was as comfortable as listening to Gunsmoke or Have Gun Will Travel on the radio, definitely more adult than The Adventures of Hopalong Cassidy or The Lone Ranger. And, lest you think from my remarks about the tropes that the novel was too predictable, let me state that there was one scene that ended quite differently than I expected. I was expecting a revenge scenario, but the resolution was much more interesting (occurring at the last of the story).
To be sure, Leonard deliberately uses some of the classic cinematic ruses of westerns: hats on sticks, feigned suicide, and making some men “dance” their way out of town by firing bullets near their feet. Some of these events happen more than once, but I really liked the way Leonard used them to tie plot elements together. All I can say is that I’m not a western novel, cinema, television, or radio aficionado, but this one kept me turning the pages even when I thought I knew what was going to happen.
It was enough for me in The Law at Randado. It was as comfortable as listening to Gunsmoke or Have Gun Will Travel on the radio, definitely more adult than The Adventures of Hopalong Cassidy or The Lone Ranger. And, lest you think from my remarks about the tropes that the novel was too predictable, let me state that there was one scene that ended quite differently than I expected. I was expecting a revenge scenario, but the resolution was much more interesting (occurring at the last of the story).
To be sure, Leonard deliberately uses some of the classic cinematic ruses of westerns: hats on sticks, feigned suicide, and making some men “dance” their way out of town by firing bullets near their feet. Some of these events happen more than once, but I really liked the way Leonard used them to tie plot elements together. All I can say is that I’m not a western novel, cinema, television, or radio aficionado, but this one kept me turning the pages even when I thought I knew what was going to happen.
January 4, 2024
The Law at Randado is a competently written western populated with interesting characters and genuine western Americana. The young deputy sheriff had only been approved by the city council for about a month before the story begins. The story concerns a group of citizens who have decided that the county seat is too far away to deal with their crime problems. Shortly thereafter, they try and hang two cattle rustlers. This puts the young deputy in as tough a position as there can be. He is forced to serve warrants on the ringleaders, but is badly abused and shamed. This is done in a manner that is cruel and in keeping with western justice.
The characters are mostly well-drawn and their emotions drive their actions. In an attitude of pride they decide that they can form their own court. In an attitude of fear, they run from being served with the warrants. A huge Mexican watches over the rich eccentric rowdy rancher, and his words about why he does so with such eagerness make perfect sense. The actual sheriff, who should be mentoring the young deputy, at times seems to be learning more about enforcing the law from the deputy than the other way around.
Leonard serves up an unexpected conclusion in a final showdown. That conclusion, so atypical of the traditional western, makes this one a great variation.
Leonard has never disappointed me.
The characters are mostly well-drawn and their emotions drive their actions. In an attitude of pride they decide that they can form their own court. In an attitude of fear, they run from being served with the warrants. A huge Mexican watches over the rich eccentric rowdy rancher, and his words about why he does so with such eagerness make perfect sense. The actual sheriff, who should be mentoring the young deputy, at times seems to be learning more about enforcing the law from the deputy than the other way around.
Leonard serves up an unexpected conclusion in a final showdown. That conclusion, so atypical of the traditional western, makes this one a great variation.
Leonard has never disappointed me.
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