Hot Iron

by Elmer Kelton

In the early days of the Texas panhandle, starting a new life is hard--but keeping it is even harder.

Espy Norwood is a troubleshooter who's got troubles of his own--and more troubles find him when he lands a job on a ranch on the Texas plains. Bitter landowners plot against him, determined cattle thieves sneak right under his nose, and his own son refuses to trust or even know him. Can he catch the thieves, save the ranch, and win his son's love?

Genres: Westerns, Fiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1956

About the author

Elmer Kelton (1926-2009) was award-winning author of more than forty novels, including The Time It Never Rained, Other Men’s Horses, Texas Standoff and Hard Trail to Follow. He grew up on a ranch near Crane, Texas, and earned a journalism degree from the University of Texas. His first novel, Hot Iron, was published in 1956. Among his awards have been seven Spurs from Western Writers of America and four Western Heritage awards from the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. His novel The Good Old Boys was made into a television film starring Tommy Lee Jones. In addition to his novels, Kelton worked as an agricultural journalist for 42 years. He served in the infantry in World War II. He died in 2009.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/elmerk...

Reviews

[John Reis]

Colonel Judkins’ cattle operation is not turning a big profit like other similar operations. Several of his investors have demanded a look at the books down at the ranch. They believe they are being defrauded.

Judkins sends his troubleshooter Espy Norwood to act as manager. The last man Judkins sent, Spence, turned up dead. Espy wants to turn Judkins down. He has been sober for a year, but drink is still alluring. His son lives with his sister-in-law.

Margaret is trying to change the boy’s destiny. Espy takes Judkin’s job and decides to bring his own son, Kenny, with him.

He and his son are waylaid on the way to the ranch. Espy takes out one of them, but the others set into him.

He makes it to the ranch and draws the hatred of Mary Bowman, who inherited the ranch from her father.

He settles in, as does his son, after rough starts for both of them.

Then, Espy gets an inkling that the recordkeeping has been doctored. And a number of people want him to stop.

This was a great story.

[Karen]

I've been reading Elmer Kelton books for 20 years. This is a pretty good one. Maybe it's because I'm in a daily reading mode right now -- this year I've been reading just to read -- but I thought it moved really quickly and kept me interested. Some of his stories are great and some kind of drag along but are usually likeable. They all showcase Texas history (native Texan here) and have a message to share. I like that this one is a stand alone book; it starts and finishes in one volume. It was predictable, but I liked the good guys. Most of them lived happily ever after so I don't feel the need to pursue their continued stories. Kelton wrote this in 1956. As far as I can tell, it was his first novel. Impressive.

[James Taborn]

Best for a fifth or sixth grader

Not what I'd hoped for. The plot was predictable with a surfeit of worn similes. Even so I enjoyed the character relationships. An ok read that would be most appropriate for a fifth or sixth grader...if you can find one who can read.

[Jeff Tankersley]

"Give that boy a month of fresh air and Texas sunshine, and he'll never want to see the city again" - Colonel Walter Judkins

Espy Norwood signs on as manager of the Bowman outfit, a ranch operation that is not earning enough money for its foreign investors, to get things into shape. Norwood initially declines before accepting, thinking it might be a way to prove his worth to his ten-year-old son he has a poor relationship with. His son Kenny has been city-raised by a relative while Espy gets over the death of his wife and a battle with alcohol.

An early Kelton western, "Hot Iron" (1956) is set in an environment he and perhaps Lauran Paine are the best western authors at illustrating, the waning days of the free range Southwest cattle operations moving towards the more civilized fenced-off self-operating ranches that spurred conflict and tension. In Espy and Kenny Norwood, the love interest Mary, and the Bowman crew's foreman Sam Kirk, Kelton has some deep authentic characters with smart and interesting paths.

Verdict: A short, tense and rewarding western adventure. I think any reader will enjoy "Hot Iron."

Jeff's Rating: 4 / 5 (Very Good)
movie rating if made into a movie: PG

[Paul]

Having worked for a spell in San Angelo, Texas, I'd heard quite a bit about Elmer Kelton, but this is the first time reading any of his books. And I can definitely see why he's a well loved western novelist. This is one of his early works, maybe even the earliest, but it deftly intertwines classic western elements with the propulsive pacing of a whodunit. The setting, characters, and stakes are all expertly portrayed, and I found myself easily getting invested in the outcome of the plot.

For much of the novel, I assumed this would be getting five stars, but as with many novels, especially those written by men in hypermasculine genres, this one falls flat when it comes to portraying women, especially women who are (inevitably) in love with the main character. In this case, the main female protagonist is fine, but almost every other woman in the book is a caricature, and there's an especially ridiculous moment involving Espy's sister-in-law that had me rolling my eyes so hard it's a miracle I was able to finish the story.

But that frustration aside, Hot Iron was the perfect beach read for me: a fast-paced and fun adventure that does everything you want it to.

[sarg]

Kelton is one of my favorite western authors gave this 4 stars This one is kind of run of the mill western. Rustlers steal "Figure 4" cattle boss captures rustlers save the ranch and wins the marm's heart. And lives happily ever after

[JD]

Very well told story of the events in the staked plains after ranching had settled in but the ownership of the ranch land had not been officially or formally established. A good read.

[Linda Rae]

Just a good ole fashioned western 👍🏻

[Miles Smith]

This was Kelton’s debut novel and somehow it’s still really good.

[Brandon]

By no means was this Kelton's best, but if you're a fan of westerns or Elmer Kelton, this is a fun short read.

[Barbara Maddox]

A good old-fashioned Western in the mode of Louis L'Amour. The bad guys are defeated, an iffy character is redeemed, and the hero gets the girl.

[Carol]

Has great action. Evil bad guys and gals.

[Doug Lunsford]

Very good and easy to follow locations. Characters sometimes messed with me. I would have preferred a different ending shootout! More vengeance! O could see all the locations with his writing!

[Lukas Bradford]

3 1/2 ⭐️

[Dennis O'Daniel]

Always enjoy his writing

[Exanimis]

This book really should be made into a movie, it has everything to make it a blockbuster.
After the death of his wife Espy Norwood sends his son to live with Norwoods sister in law and he dives into a bottle. When his son sees him and is embarassed by his drunkeness Espy throws away the bottle. A year after he stops drinking he is ready to win back his sons love but the boys Aunt is not willing to give him up. With a chance of a lifetime job offer in another state Espy takes his son and heads for Texas. That's when the stuff really hits the fan.
This book has a fathers love for his son, a coming of age story, romance, fist fights, shootouts and rustlers all wrapped into a package where even bad guys can have a heart and find redemtion. This is one of if not the best western I have ever read and I don't know why it took me so long to learn about Elmer Kelton. I now see why Kelton has been called "an authentic American voice" and "a Texas treasure".

[Rodger]

If you like westerns this is a good one. Has all the elements, cows, cowboys, ladies, ranches, bad guys, the hero with a fault. This one adds two kids, unusual for a shoot-em-up western.

[Jeff Dickison]

Very good early book by Kelton. This is an excellent western and shows very early on the skills that Kelton possessed. Recommended to western fans!

[Michael O'Hearn]

Good, gritty Western. Enjoyed it.

[Stan]

Another good, quick read by a new Western author - at least new to me. Enjoyable!

[Doug]

A straightforward Western (a genre I don't know well) -- fistfights, shootouts, cattle rustling. Fun and earnest.