The Man from Skibbereen: A Novel

by Louis L'Amour

Crispin Mayo was a reckless young brawler who’d left his tiny fishing village for the vast American frontier. Headed west to join a railroad construction crew, he came upon an isolated station—and a mystery. The shack was abandoned, but fresh blood spattered the floor, and the telegraph was clicking away unattended. When Mayo stepped inside and put a hand on the telegraph key, he had no way of knowing the course of his life would change forever—and that he would become entangled with a band of Civil War veterans with a score to settle against the government…and a feisty young woman who’d risk anything to save the people she loved. Cris Mayo, who had never backed away from a fight in his life, was about to have his courage put to the ultimate test.

Genres: Westerns, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Adventure, Action, Audiobook, Classics

240 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

Louis Dearborn L'Amour was an American novelist and short story writer. His books consisted primarily of Western novels, though he called his work "frontier stories". His most widely known Western fiction works include Last of the Breed, Hondo, Shalako, and the Sackett series. L'Amour also wrote historical fiction (The Walking Drum), science fiction (The Haunted Mesa), non-fiction (Frontier), and poetry and short-story collections. Many of his stories were made into films. His books remain popular and most have gone through multiple printings. At the time of his death, almost all of his 105 existing works (89 novels, 14 short-story collections, and two full-length works of nonfiction) were still in print, and he was "one of the world's most popular writers".

Reviews

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first read this book in 1981 as a paperback book. This is a tale of a young Irish lad, Crispin Mayo, who leaves Ireland and immigrates to America. He gets a job laying track for the Union Pacific Railway. L’Amour was a professional boxer as a young man. He sometimes puts in a boxing match in his stories. He included a boxing match in this story and included some history of boxing. This is not one of L’Amour’s (1908-1988) best books, but his not-so-good is better than most other authors. This book is a fast easy read back into the wild west.

I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is seven hours and twenty minutes. Johnathan Davis does a good job narrating the book. Davis is an actor and voice-over artist. He was a finalist for the Audie Award and has won several EarPhone Awards.

[Brian Fagan · Rating 2 out of 5]

L'Amour's title character, Crispin Mayo, is newly in post-Civil War America from Ireland. There, he grew up knowing hard times and hard work, and put his fists to use in scraps and in sanctioned fights at county fairs and the like. He travels west with a vague dream of earning enough money to buy land and horses, maybe cattle. When he misses his train at a lonely outpost, he finds a stationmaster beaten, shot and left for dead. He learns that a gang of Southerners roaming the area is intent on kidnapping General Sherman from a train. They mistakenly kidnap a lower-ranking officer who looks like Sherman. When Mayo finds that the officer's feisty adult daughter, Barda McClean, is going after the gang, he is (not too reluctantly) pulled into the fray. Welcome to America.

One of the things readers of L'Amour have to enjoy is his portrayal of the skills of the men who made a living as cowboys and ranch hands, lawmen and trail guides. I was fascinated by the clues that were used to decipher the action that had taken place in a recently abandoned camp.

The Man from Skibbereen, written in 1973, is a capable and interesting story, but there were some shortcomings compared to other L'Amours I've read. Some important details were neglected. L'Amour let himself get a little too melodramatic. And for some reason, he brought the story to a fairly abrupt ending that didn't even address the budding romance he had created.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crispin Mayo is on his way to a construction job when he comes across a deserted train stain. The station keeper is missing and there is blood on the floor. As an unattended telegraph key clicks, Mayo's life will be changed. A band of ex-Confederates inteen to stop the train and kidnap a passenger,

[Jeff Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice premise, good story, but the stupid girl keeps finding ways to get herself caught over and over again. After the hero rescues her for the fourth or fifth time (slight exaggeration) a realistic plot would have him throw up his hands in disgust and leave her to her kidnappers. And her father wasn't much smarter than she was.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second Louis L’Amour book I’ve read and it did not disappoint.

(It did take me time to become accustomed to the audiobook. The reason being not because it was bad, but because I have only ever heard Jonathan Davis narrate Star Wars books.)

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young adverturesome Irishman fresh from County Cork finds himself faced with an utter change in his destiny because he decided to get off the train he was riding west to a track laying job for the Union Pacific. Instead, he stumbles into someone else's trouble involving a conspiracy that would rock the healing country which had just been torn apart by a civil war.

Crispin Mayo doesn't know the lay of the land and that is in all ways when he is put into the thick of things. He's come west with little more than his own strength and a bit of Irish luck and finds himself thrust into a heroic role. Classic David and Goliath story as he learns the ropes of the hard frontier, makes a few good friends, and gets lucky more times than any one person can count on in his adventures.

Yes, it is most definitely far-fetched, but its one of those yarns that you just go with because its the style and tone that has an authentic western backdrop and details while the story reminds one a legend or tall tale. I love stories where a person goes on an adventure and comes into their own so this was a hit with me.

My one niggle is that it had a semi open-ended finish where the reader/listener has been given the person's plans and is left with the assumption that it will happen rather than an additional chapter or epilogue to show it actually took place.

The narrator was new to me, but Jonathan Davis did a superb job voicing all the characters. Crispin and a few others had a distinguishable Irish accent, a few had southern, some mild western, and different education and social polishes. I had no trouble distinguishing even though there were many male voices. He had the pace and tone of the story and I liked the moderate level of acting rather than just storytelling he put into it. Definitely a narrator I'll look for in future.

All in all, I was glad to once again dive into Louis L'amour's western world. It was tough and gritty, but there is honor and heroics in classic western-style. Maybe not one of his better-known stories, but still an engaging tale.

My thanks to Penguin Random House Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review.

COYER Summer Scavenger Hunt clue- cover at least 51% blue 1 pt.

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the first couple of chapters, L'Amour shows what he can do as a writer, and it's impressive--then he seems to say, "Now you know what I could do if I wanted, so let's get on with the story."

This novel is put together like three novellas. Not a bad strategy, as it keeps things moving. Little in the way of theme or character development.

L'Amour wrote better than 80 westerns. I wonder what he could have done if he'd put all that energy into, say, 10?

[hotsake (André Troesch) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even a midlevel L'Amour novel like this is better than the best books by most authors.

[Tim Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story from the quintessential western yarn-spinner.

SPOILER ALERT (if you have never read a Louis L’Amour novel. Otherwise, you are OK).

- Strong man with broad shoulders and narrow hips finds himself in unusual circumstances out west.
- Meets intriguing, but unapproachable girl.
- Girl and strong man are independently threatened by evil actors (who are also very good with guns)
- Strong man wins a fistfight
- But loses a gunfight and finds himself unconscious in a remote canyon.
- But recovers and faces the big showdown
- He wins the showdown
- And the girl (and a really nice horse).

In this case, the strong man is Irish, so it’s even better.

Hey, it’s a formula, but it works. Why mess with it?

[Trenton F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in audiobook form. The story starts a bit slow, but becomes quickly captivating. I would recommend this to anyone wanting an amazing post antebellum story of the west.

[Jamie Barringer (Ravenmount) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wyoming

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn’t think I was going to like this book, then it got down to business, good action, enjoyable!

[abbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

harlequin romances but for old men

[Elizabeth Reid · Rating 3 out of 5]

My son and I liked this, but we both agree that L'Amour has written better books.

Content: there is quite a bit of swearing

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a lot in this story that is just wildly improbable to give it more than three stars. A poor Irish immigrant heads from County Cork to New York, then out to work on the Transcontinental Railroad, until a poorly timed nap unravels his plan. Things go wildly awry after that. There are lots of good and evil characters; too few realistic ones. Irish hero Cris is an engaging character, although he needs a suit of mail and a lance to go tilting at windmills on his horse. I thought the story was pretty incomplete until the last page brought a sledgehammer ending. Would not have minded reading further adventures of Cris to see if he realized his dream.

[Barbara Lee Wood]

AN IRISH GENTLEMAN

This is another great Louis L'Amour western western and you are exposed and feel what the persons he's portraying in the adventure. He shares with you intimate moments such as ethnic racism that the Irish, Indians, Chinese had to deal with.
All of Louis L'Amour westerns, I think that everyone should read, because he includes historical events, descriptions of surrounding flora. You will not be disappointed..So read😃and ENJOY.

[Frode · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book. It is full of action and has some drama. Of course, there is a girl, and a pretty one at that. Some years ago I read all of the book L'Amour had written. I pulled this one off the shelf as some light reading between the more heady stuff I have been reading. It did not disappoint. I really couldn't remember anything of the story. It's not real memorable stuff.

There were a few too many coincidences to suit me. And it stretched reality a time or two. How could a man with a broken nose and three or four broken ribs be good enough to ride and shoot a gun and get away in a crowd after only a day or two of recovery? Sure, people were tough back then, but...

Crispin Mayo has no experience with guns until he is forced to use them, but he becomes quite handy in record time, like a few days. Well, it is fiction after all, so the author can do as he wishes. It was fun to read.

[Doug · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've now read about five books by Louis L'Amour, and this was the worst one. It has its moments, but it also has some clunky plotting, odd repetitions (as if hastily written and edited), perhaps too many threads, and too many loose threads. Crispin Mayo -- fresh from Ireland and headed West -- gets involved in a fight against Southern renegades who are out to kidnap and kill Civil War generals (the book is set in 1868, mostly around Laramie, WY). While other L'Amour heroes benefit from their vulnerabilities, Mayo is a sort of unbelievable super hero-type character -- strong and immediately competent in the ways of the West (e.g., tracking, shooting, etc.).

[Shubes · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gave it two stars because of the Louis L'Amour name; other than that, however, it was definitely NOT one of his best books. Hard to get through. Probably don't want to read this one again. Skibbereen is in Ireland, and this story centers around a strapping Irish young man who finds himself in the American west, learning how to deal with Indians, buffalo, and gunslingers the hard way. The story is plodding—to say the least—and extremely far-fetched, even by western novel standards.

[Vivek · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first book on western theme. But enjoyed it quite well. The narration was quite slow at some points, but that was hardly visible as the author pumped up the plot within a couple of lines.

The narration of the landscape and the characters give a good picture of the state of the Wild West in those times.

[Tyler Cole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crispin Mayo is a strong, intelligent young man recently off the boat from Ireland on his way out west to help build the railroad. He was a tough man with his fists but was unfamiliar with the lawless ways of the young West. Many trials faced Crispin and he made as many friends as he did enemies. This is a good story and just a tad out of the ordinary for Louis L'Amour.

[J.R. Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Louis L'Amour knows how to write good fighting scenes. Mainly because he used to box also. The main character stays with you. The story shows how doing the right thing could get you in trouble but is worth it in the end. Great read.

[Tome Addiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading many a story from Louis L'Amour you find all his stories have a similar prose. If you like one you'll typically like them all, some more then others but all good.

[Robert Mckay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've said in at least one previous review of a Louis L'Amour western that when I come to rate those books, I keep them - in my mind - in a separate category. The very best of L'Amour's books isn't anywhere near great literature (it wouldn't measure up against Jane Eyre, for instance, or Islands In the Stream, or The Big Sleep). But within their own category, this is one of the best, and so I give it five stars.

In this book Crispin Mayo decides to leave Ireland for better pastures and signs aboard a ship bound for the United States. He jumps ship in Boston and sets out west, accepting an offer of work on the Union Pacific Railroad, then building west across the Great Plains (this helps to nail down the time, though at the very end L'Amour tells us that, since the first transcontinental railroad was finished in May of 1869, when the Union Pacific met the Central Pacific in Utah). Through oversleeping while the train he's riding on stops for a bit, he winds up alone at a small station in the middle of nowhere (Wyoming, as it happens, though you have to note various place names to realize that). The station master is missing...until he turns up beaten and shot. From there, Cris Mayo winds up dealing with a gang of former Confederate guerillas who are out first to capture, torture, and kill William T. Sherman, and then Ulysses S. Grant and Phil Sheridan as well as Sherman.

L'Amour does a good job of depicting a foreigner adapting to utterly new conditions that he couldn't even have imagined while back in Ireland. And he does a good job of keeping Mayo talking like an Irishman (or at least what we think of as the way Irishmen talk), which is saying something, since his characters almost always start out talking illiterate and uneducated in the beginning, and before long speak English as well as anyone. He does an equally good job of portraying the Wyoming plains, though at first I envisioned the action as being down in Kansas (as many times as I've read this book, I'd utterly forgotten that it takes place largely in Wyoming). I've found, when there's a map in the front of the book, that sometimes his descriptions of geography can't be correct (e.g. saying a mesa is due west, when the location he's put the characters in is southeast of the mesa, not due east of it). No doubt that's part of why I found it surprising that the story's in Wyoming - but once I did, the scenery fits with what little I know of the Wyoming plains.

Of course the L'Amour formula is at work here. There's a detailed description of a fistfight - in this case a bare knuckle boxing match. There's the fast draw, which didn't exist until the 1950s and the invention of metal lined holsters. The firearms appear to be anachronistic - in 1868 many guns would still be using percussion caps and paper cartridges, though metallic cartridges did exist. This was only three years after the end of the War for Southern Independence, which saw few breechloading arms, and metallic cartridges were developed specifically for guns which loaded through the breech. But this is hardly the worst of L'Amour's anachronisms - in at least two books (The Daybreakers and The Key-Lock Man) he has New Mexico a state at least 30 years before it actually was.

But my biggest gripe with the book is L'Amour's knee jerk portrayal of Confederate guerillas as universally being barbarous thugs. No doubt some were (just as John Brown was a terrorist, and northern guerillas during the war also had their share of vicious criminals). But there were also dedicated people among the guerillas, who behaved as honorably as the regulars, and who were in the fight not for plunder and bloodshed, but because they believed that the United States government had become tyrannical, and the only way for the southern states to enjoy the liberties guaranteed by the US Constitution was to secede and form their own country with its own constitution (which was almost verbatim the text of the US Constitution), and defend that country from northern invasion. They may have been right or they may have been wrong (I have my own opinion on the point), but right or wrong there were honorable guerillas - though you'd never know it from this book, or indeed from any other book in which L'Amour touches on the subject. Perhaps I shouldn't expect anything different, considering that L'Amour was from Jamestown, North Dakota, and was a Yankee in the geographical sense, and probably in the political sense as well.

But leaving the gripes aside - and since no book is perfect, because no author is perfect, I frequently do have gripes about a book that I still rate highly - this is a very enjoyable novel. It's not deep or profound, and it does have its problems, but it is fun to read.

[William Wehrmacher · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Man from Skibbereen is my first Louis L'Amour book. I must say I am not surprised that he has been so popular for so long. He has cast Crispin Mayo as a very special sort of protagonist. Young, strong, good manners, ready to help a damsel in distress despite his concern about his personal safety. This last characteristic is what makes him, IMNSHO, a superb character.

Cris initially finds himself in trouble because he is late getting back on the train that was taking him to work on the railway. Somewhere in the story, Cris says that trouble seems to follow him around in this wild west. It does. But he always rises to the challenge.

You can read more of the plot here on Goodreads, so I won't duplicate efforts. I will just say that he should have died at least a half dozen times, but each time he survives in the most unbelievable ways. My wife and I have a saying when we encounter highly improbable situations: "It's a movie!" Well, this book is full of "It's a Book!" moments.

I was a bit disappointed in the ending. After chasing off saving Barda McClean yet again, he not only "doesn't get the girl," but he doesn't even get to get a hug goodbye. I am also a bit disappointed there doesn't seem to be a sequel. Oh, well. Perhaps I will try another another day.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than the usual shoot-em-up, maybe because the protagonist is not great at shooting, or because he’s new to the country. Maybe because the characters were more than cardboard.

The main girl, Barda, has enough sass to keep her interesting; she uses her persuasive powers to get a reluctant man to head up a two-person rescue party for her father, then shouts at him to stop arguing with her about the niceties of taking off his shredded shirt and letting her get on with dressing his wound. (“Bother seemly! Bother fitting! Take off that shirt!” She shouted.)

The side character, Hazel, is unusual in that she’s his peer from the Old Country and also a woman of ill repute who doesn’t want notoriety. This and the fact that Crispin has been holding back from making new partnerships due to his dream of reconnecting with her ....makes her a Rahab of interest.

The bad man is out for principled revenge - rather than money or survival. I’ve always liked L’Amour’s emphasis on the Confederate War as a complex action that wasn’t over even when the armies were disbanded.

Read this one - it’s worthwhile.

[Paul F. · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is Louis L'Amour at his absolute worst. I don't mind giving a spoiler because this novel is not worth anyone's time to read. Granted, L'Amour's strong point was never romantic fiction, and he never tried to make that the focus of his stories. Except for this one. Problem was, L'Amour left his readers hanging with no thread at the end. L'Amour introduces the character of Barda McClean, a young, beautiful young lady who enlists the help of one Crispin Mayo, fresh off the immigrant boat from Ireland, to rescue her father, U.S. Army Colonel McClean, kidnapped by vengeful former Confederates in post-Civil War Western America. Mayo and Barda become a pair, for awhile, but L'Amour never develops their romance and the end is severely anti-climactic, as readers are simply left with the McClean/Mayo relationship incomplete and with no indication of how it turns out. On top of that, readers are expected to believe that Mayo, who has never handled a gun in his life prior to coming to Western America, is somehow able to out-draw three--three!--experienced Western outlaw hoodlums and kill them. Stretches credulity beyond reasonable limits.

[Johan Tan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crispin Mayo, an Irish foreigner, arrived in America by boat. He had originally planned to join a railroad construction crew. But then, he was suddenly involved in a train kidnapping that he would’ve ignored if it weren’t for a lovely lady’s desperate request that suddenly changed his mind. Now, if the rebels wanted to steal the train, they’d have to answer to the man from Skibbereen.

I have personally never read a Louis L’Amour book before this story and honestly it was pretty good. The action was written well, however, I think Crispin Mayo adapted too quickly to his new environment. He gets used to using guns in a few days when it would’ve taken a few weeks minimum for someone to become as proficient. And I find it weird for an Irish man who just found out on how to use a gun, can face off against Civil War Veterans, people who fought with guns before. But then again, this is a fiction story, so the author has the power to write what he wants. I’d recommend this book for those who’d love a classic western fiction story, this book was quite an enjoyable read.

[Ward G · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one to enjoy.

The main character is fresh from Ireland.
Looking to make his way, in a different land.

Crispin Mayo, is heading down the rails. To work laying track for the railroad.
At a station stop, he goes for some fresh air.
Only to find, after dozing off the train has moved on. With him left behind.

Going to the station house. He soon finds the station master wounded badly.

Crispin has walked into a plot. By some renegade, former confederates.
To hit a coming train. To capture, and kill General Sherman.
As he is heading west.

A lot of back and forth action.
As he encounters others, both sides of the plot.
As he tries to stay alive. While doing what he knows is right.

Decent wrap up at the end.
Yet like many of L'amours tales.
It is not a given. That he ends with the main lady of the tale.
You just have to maybe assume that, by how it is left.

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this book that I got from Libby, the app that my library uses for digital and audio books. I read it for about an hour, but I didn't like the narrator. He had very little intonation and talked slowly. I finally got tired of his narration and turned up the reading speed to 125%. It was definitely better, but could still be faster. I finally chose 140% which was what I deemed was a normal reading speed. I highly recommend changing the speed if you use an audio book!

Now onto the book review! This is another Louis L'Amour western, which I love. The plot was very good and fast moving. I really liked the main character, who was an immigrant from Ireland. It's another win, in my reckoning, for L'Amour!