Shalako

by Louis L'Amour

He rode wild country with wilder men. He was a loner who owned nothing but his horse and saddle-and his guns.  He was a man willing to gamble his life to get the woman he wanted... He was Shalako.

Genres: Westerns, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Adventure, Historical, Classics, Adult Fiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1962

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

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

" . . . the man called 'Shalako' was a brooding man, a wary man, a man who trusted to no fate, no predicted destiny, nor to any luck. He trusted to nothing but his weapons, his horse, and the caution with which he rode." -- the introductory page

Yup - in other words, we have a fairly typical L'Amour protagonist headlining a very routine western story (somewhat reminiscent of director John Ford's 1939 classic film Stagecoach, in which a lone gunslinger helps a small but diverse group of inexperienced frontier travelers who are threatened by Apaches) which is set, like many of the author's other works, in 1880's New Mexico. It's not a bad book by any means - it works more often than not as a tight action/suspense story - but I did not find it quite as memorable as some of L'Amour's other books. The one thing that did help keep it interesting was imagining actor Sean Connery in the title role and reciting Shalako's dialogue in his distinct voice. Yes, THAT Sean Connery. If this sounds like a joke, I submit that Connery starred in a little-remembered film version (which I haven't seen) waaaaay back in 1968, when he was on a break between his late period Bond films, but - especially after an exposition section delving into Shalako's unique background late in the tale - it sounds like he was an appropriate choice for the part.

[W]

The story of a loner with just his horse,and his gun and the woman he wanted.I think I've read such lines in several L'Amour novels.

Here,this loner accompanies a bunch of pleasure hunting Europeans who end up in the middle of an Apache war.

It was also a movie with Sean Connery and Brigitte Bardot.The presence of these stars elevates the film from the routine western it is.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shalako is coming up from Mexico when he finds the body of scout Jim Wells. A few minutes later he sees a white woman who he is forced to protect from Indians. Her party is hunting in Indian territory against the advice of the army. There is conflict within the party as well.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Western. Shalako and him saving the posh party and even finding love. The desert description and the Apache battle is superb. It’s a shame the movie couldn’t have followed the book more closely.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

The wording and scene setting is great. The characters are kindof awful. The plot would have a better chance if the antagonists had some motivation beyond their bloodthirsty Apache nature. Honestly, Shalako reminds me of a western/military Dr. Greg House. He's all "i am some kind of tactical naturalist savant who also speaks 4 languages but I am too deep and full of suffering genious to ever be polite to anyone. That turns you on right?". I made it through the book in one day, but that is mostly because I am 41 weeks pregnant and can't get out of bed without a forklift. I will say, the author does have a great way with words, a lot of phrases struck me as full of poetry, or graceful precision, or as beautifully evocative. So, overall I am lukewarm on this one.

[serena482* · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has to go on my favorite Louis L'Amour list! Shalako is definitely one of my favorites. :) The main character it (obviously) Shalako. He is AWESOME!! :D :) There is action and adventure through the whole book. Always fighting and surviving. I love when books are all action!

[Frode · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just for fun as I was packing up a number of my books, I picked out a copy of Shalako, bringer of rains, and the name of the main character. It is a Western by Louis L’Amour and was first published in 1962, somewhere around his mid-career I think. It has good guys, bad guys, Apaches, and US Army people in the story. Although I had read this book some years ago, I remembered little of it, and that was a good thing since it kept me involved with the story.

Now in a L’Amour western, there is often a woman and a man who will end up together. That’s the case with Shalako and Irina, unlikely as the match seems at first. Their first meeting is a stretch. She is out riding by herself; a man looking for her has been killed by Apaches, and Shalako finds her and gets her back to camp albeit not without some trouble with the Indians. The camp is where a hunting party of high society types are hanging out along with a number of bad hombres who hired on with not so good intentions. The fellow in charge is General Frederick von Hallstatt, a Prussian war hero, but woefully out of his element. Count Henri is a Frenchman; both fellows have battle experience, but Frederick’s was all in Europe and not very practical when it came to facing Apache guerilla warfare. Shalako and Frederick are sandpaper to one another, but they do cooperate in the fighting.

Typical with this author he describes the Apache as a world class fighter and goes into some background about how they grow up fighting and learning the lessons of the desert. Also somewhat typical of L’Amour, his hero has a history of fighting experience, some in the Civil War and some in Europe. Rio Hockett and Bosky Fulton are two really bad men. Buffalo Harris is a good fellow as is Hans Krueger, who is an aide to the General. There is talk and philosophizing about class and breeding and how it affects the generations. L’Amour makes his points clear.

One of my favorite quotes from the L’Amour novels appears early in this book. “The desert was a school, a school were each day, each hour, a final examination was offered, where failure meant death and the buzzards landed to correct the papers.” As a teacher, that quote has always appealed to me.

One particular Apache, Quick Killer or Tats-ah-das-ay-go, figures prominently in the story. Of course at the end, he and Shalako have a fight to the finish, and our hero emerges the victor. I liked the story. It is a mixture of action and comments on the desert, differences in people, and history. As an aside, the person who did the cover for my copy must not have read the book since the picture of Shalako on the cover has no likeness to his description given in the first few pages. I don’t think that’s L’Amour’s fault. He was too busy writing, and thankfully so since I enjoy reading his stories. You will also if you pick up Shalako.

[Eva-Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. Hardly any of the characters were likable in this, sad to say, and there were several misogynist comments that really got my back up. Mr. L'Amour - what were you thinking??? Ugh.

[C.G. Faulkner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shalako, by Louis L’Amour. Published 1962. Three Stars out of Four
‘Shalako’ is a Western Novel, set in 1882, and is the story of Shalako Carlin, a mysterious, skilled and well-educated wanderer and part-time scout that encounters a hunting party made up of European aristocrats that has trespassed on the Apache reservation, and fallen under threat of attack. At the same time, they have hired an untrustworthy group of cowboys as their guides. Shalako attempts to get the group, and especially Noblewoman Irina Carnarvon, to safety as the Army battles the Apache.
While I enjoyed the book, as I have enjoyed everything I have read by the master of the Western Novel, L’Amour; this was not my favorite book he has written. It certainly isn’t comparable to any of the Sackett Series that I have read. It is very well written, descriptive, and action packed, as are all of his works. It mainly boiled down to the characters. Most of them just aren’t very likeable, though they are more so than their counterparts in the film version. (Which, despite the novelty of seeing Sean Connery and Brigitte Bardot in a Western, just wasn’t what it could have been.)
In summary, while any L’Amour Western is better than most other books in the genre, if you haven’t yet read one of his books, I’d recommend starting with one of his many other works over this one.

[Jerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

…the land he rode was a land where each living thing lived by the death of some other thing.

Perhaps the most exciting Louis L’Amour I’ve read so far out of my dad’s collection.

“Shalako” is the main character, as grubby of a wanderer as L’Amour has created, who runs into a European hunting party. The hunting party is ill-equipped mentally and physically for the midst of Apache country even at the best of times, and these are not the best of times. There’s a war brewing, and a poorly-defended group with weapons and horses is a very lucrative target.

L’Amour makes a sharp contrast in this book between conflict in the new country, as his heroes saw it, and conflict in the old country, drawing in passing references both to period-current African campaigns and to classical military heroes from the ancient world. This is a harsh depiction of L’Amour’s western individualism, and a beautiful depiction of the wide open spaces those individuals wandered.

A lizard darted out on a rock near him, and stopped, its side panting with the heat. Overhead a buzzard circled, but the blue sky of morning was gone, and in its place was a sky of heat-misted brass from which the sun blazed.

[Devero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decisamente un ottimo romanzo western. Come altre volte, L'Amour mette in scena una vicenda umana con sullo sfondo un avvenimento storico, in questo caso l'incursione degli apaches di Chato e la fuga di Loco dalla riserva di San Carlos. Ma qui siamo lontani da quegli eventi, dal punto di vista spaziale. Siamo, con l'uomo chiamato Shalako, tipo indipendente, di poche parole e con una lunga storia alle spalle, alle prese con un gruppo di europei, ex militari (un prussiano e un francese) abbastanza superbi e boriosi. Poi ci sono le donne, la velata storia d'amore, le battaglie, il guerriero apache silenzioso e letale, la fuga, una sequenza di avvenimenti degna dei migliori western.
Si legge molto velocemente, e ti tiene incollato dall'inizio alla fine. Alcuni avvenimenti sono prevedibili, altri no. Pensi che Tizio morirà certamente e invece si salva, che Caio si salverà e invece muore, che Sempronio, ma chi se ne frega di Sempronio, e invece Sempronio riserverà una piccola sorpresa.
Perché 4 stelle e mezza in più, e non 5 stelle?
Per via di una certa stereotipazione di alcuni personaggi che probabilmente non era necessaria.

[Imran Ahmed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Standard L'Amour stuff. Events move quickly, lots of cliches about the West, freedom, etc but entertaining and easy to read ... If you enjoy Westerns.

I give it 3.5 stars but rounded up to 4 stars!

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

When the title character is on the page, Louis L'Amour's "Shalako" can be pretty crisp. When he's not, it's a big-time drag. This tale of a brooding man alone who aids a group of Europeans stalked and hemmed in by Apaches after they push into New Mexico territory as an exploratory lark ultimately is just another bashed-out L'Amour Western with a hideous plot sinkhole in the early going. Shalako decides to leave this group to their own devices for a time even as the Indian threat looms, and my, do things get slow and dire on the storytelling front. Not all of those folk are saying "Shalako! Come back!" but we sure as hell are. People step onstage and off as names only, thin as tracing paper. Some folks are only described at all after they're dead!

L'Amour's strength certainly is his feel for the West and not his prose, but even moderate literary expectations get beaten down by the dull make-work of these Europeans' tiresome interaction in the lead-up to an Indian attack. My goodness, he's just padding his word count, it seems.

As mentioned, when Shalako is directly involved in the tale, things aren't so bad, but L'Amour's unwillingness to move things forward in the first third of the book is crippling.

[Marcie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a huge Louis L'Amour fan but this book was not one of my favorites. I thought the men were too typical in their arrogance and the romance was forced. I just didn't find this story to flow like his other stories. I expected more and/or better character development; there was a lot of promise but it just fell short for me. Sitka was a much better book as was Showdown at Yellow Butte.

[Michael Kennard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read most of Louis Lamour's books when I was in my late teens and early twenties. They are important to me as they were some of the first books that got me into the reading habit. For that I shall be forever grateful

[Robert Mckay · Rating 5 out of 5]

It might be necessary to say first that a five star rating for a Louis L'Amour western doesn't mean the same thing as a five star rating for, say, one of Robert Heinlein's science fiction novels, or for one of Ian Rankin's DI Rebus mysteries. What L'Amour wrote is something of its own genre - they're westerns, certainly (though at different times he did venture, with indifferent results, into historical books and modern western fiction and other things), but they're not like any other westerns I've ever encountered.

There is, of course, the formulaic horse opera. And to an extent L'Amour's books are within that category. But L'Amour wasn't a typical hack writer - he had some genuine gifts, and given more work on his part, or perhaps better editing, he might have produced genuine literature.

He was, however, formulaic. There are things that occur in almost every novel - the gunfight, the fistfight, the tipping of a giant boulder over the side to take out some of the enemy, the lonely drifting man who shows up out of nowhere and rides off with the girl. Formulas make it easy to churn out books, and if you're making a living with your writing, that can be an advantage (all I can figure is that those self-consciously "lit'ry" characters who turn out one book every five or 10 years much has a pile of money from some other source, because they're not making it off of volume sales).

Shalako is formulaic, in teh Louis L'Amour mold. But having said that, and keeping in mind the preceding paragraphs, I still give this five stars because for what it is, it's at the very top. You can't get better in L'Amour's work than this book. Some are as good, but none exceed it. I've been rereading it periodically since I was in high school - and I graduated in 1978, so it's been a while.

Shalako Carlin rides out of Mexico, sifting through the desert, aware that the Apaches are moving. Of course he didn't know it, but the Apaches' freedom was about to end forever - the book occurs in 1882, and just eight years later the United States government would declare the frontier "closed." Just four years after the events in this book, Geronimo would surrender for the last time, effectively ending the Apache wars. There were a few fights here and there clear up to 1924, when the Indian wars officially ended, but by 1882 the Lakota were pacified, the Nez Perce had made their last fight, the Comanche had lost their long war against the whites, and the Apache were fighting fiercely but had no hope against far superior numbers, firepower, and communications technology. But - in 1882 Shalako Carlin didn't know this, and neither did the Apaches who were moving across southwestern New Mexico. Nor did a party of aristocrats who had decided that a fight with the Indians would be an entertaining addition to their hunting trip.

This sets things up for L'Amour's standard story. He took great pains to depict the geography well - he liked to say that if he said a spring was there, it was, and you could drink the water. But his history is way off (he speaks of the New Mexico state line 30 years before New Mexico became a state), and he made the west seem a lot wilder than it really was. Yes, the Apaches were fierce and ruthless warriors, who fought a long fight against the whites in the southwest. Yet, the Apaches crossed the border between the United States and Mexico without concern - to them it was their country, and both Mexicans and Americans were invaders. Yet, guns were common in the old west. But no, there weren't gunfights every few hours, and there wasn't any such thing as the fast draw until Hollywood made it up (in the famous Tombstone fight, which wasn't at the OK Corral but at the other end of the alley, Wyatt Earp had his pistol in his coat pocket).

But then Louis L'Amour's strength wasn't historical novels, but storytelling. When he stuck to the American west after the Late Unpleasantness, no one could tell a story better than he could. Even with sloppy typesetting and editing (which are even worse in this large print edition than in the old Bantam paperbacks), once you get into the story you go along with it, ignoring historical inaccuracies and not minding the poor layout. It's because of the way L'Amour told that story that I keep coming back to this book.

[Joseph Gamble · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shalako was the second Louis L'amour novel I've read, and I found it a bit more consistently engaging than "The Empty Land."

Shalako Carlin is a professional fighting man and a legendary scout. Shalako is so skilled at doing ranger shit that he can identify the geographical location of plants found inside of horse shit. He is extremely trail-savvy, a hell of a gunman, and ruggedly handsome to boot. In other words, he is a typical L'amour protagonist. "Shalako" isn't his real name; He was named after the Zuni rain god because every time he walked through the Zuni tribe's village, it would rain.

Anyways, while scouting the New Mexican desert, Shalako encounters Irina Carnarvon, a beautiful and intelligent aristocrat who is trail-savvy, an excellent equestrian, and a remarkable shot. Irina is part of a hunting party led by Baron Von Hallstatt, a young Prussian military general who is itchin' to see some action with Apache warriors, whom he vastly underestimates. Irina is also Von Hallstatt's fiancee. Irina leaves her hunting party behind to track down their hunting guide, who Shalako finds dead prior to meeting Irina. Finding himself smitten with Irina, Shalako agrees to help her party navigate the brutal desert.

Bosky Fulton was a delightfully conniving antagonist, though not among the most interesting L'amour villains. The coolest thing Bosky Fulton did in this novel was get trapped between rocks and murdered by Quick-Killer via death by a thousand cuts. Although I was hoping Shalako himself would draw down on Fulton, I was satisfied by the grim ending he met.

Quick-Killer is perhaps the deadliest and most frightening Louis L'amour antagonist I've witnessed so far. The greatest warrior in the Apache nation and a practical desert-ninja, Quick-Killer wants to kill Shalako so he can claim the scalp of the great White warrior. Although he was ruthless, a tad bit sadistic. and a killer, he was an honorable warrior. Quick-Killer also kills quite a few supporting characters, some whom I actually gave a rat's ass about. L'amour did a great job at making me pity the naive travelers.

The final fight between Shalako and Quick-Killer was brutal, fast, and technical...undoubtedly my favorite final fist fight in a L'amour novel.

L'amour gives the Apache their flowers as warriors, thoroughly detailing their martial conventions, tactics, and beliefs. L'amour describes the Apache as the greatest fighting men on the planet, and they sure do fight like it in this novel.

Why did I deck a star? Mainly because Shalako displays some rather sexist attitudes towards Irina, and it felt like L'amour was using Mr. Carlin as a conduit for his own opinions. However, that is expected of the times, and albeit a bit frustrating. wasn't enough to derail my enjoyment of the novel. L'amour also writes Irina as a competent warrior who scores more kills than Von Hallstatt, so perhaps I misinterpreted Mr. L'amour's intent.

[Jeff Tankersley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shalako Carlin is a saddle tramp crossing New Mexico territory in 1882 while the Apache nation is making trouble for local settlers and he comes across a dead acquaintance of his. We don't know Carlin's given name but he goes by "Shalako" because it means "Rain Bringer" among the Indians in the area, earned when he was noted for visiting Indian tribes ahead of times when rain would coincidentally come.

"Shalako" (1962) has a fun setup. The dead scout that Shalako finds had been working for an outfit of European rich folks led by a Baron von Halstatt, a Prussian general. The group seems to carry an aloof safari-esque adventure attitude about them but Shalako warns them that these Apaches are real and dangerous and are going to kill them. Von Halstatt says he wants to hunt bighorn rams in the area but secretly wants a chance to fight Indians. He brought this group of yes-men and women along and he hired some no-good western riff-raff to help him, and of course is oblivious to being in over his head.

Apache raiders have now crossed von Halstatt's trail and are going to take his horses and women.

L'Amour's treatment of the nobly savage Apaches is perfect here while the females and old soldiers are more stereotypical. Shalako is a good protagonist with a hard edge, the off-putting western loner who initially decides to let these fools get what's coming to them (since they won't heed his warnings) but is drawn back to help them because the beautiful Irena has given him her prize Arabian horse to save it from being killed by Apaches.

There are two central antagonists in this one: Quick-Killer the Apache loner who is following these various bands of incompetent whites as they criss-cross the desert mountains, and also one of those no-good western riff-raff characters who signed on to help the Baron's safari, holding back the name here so as not to be spoilery. Let's just say this latter fella is quite sneaky and deserves what's coming to him. I'll also note here that I'm into my 40-somethingth L'Amour read and am noticing one thing he does really well is set up his antagonists. These guys are always bad, and fun bad, with smart motivations and back stories, capabilities, and codes of conduct.

We spend a lot of time appreciating L'Amour's ability to spin adventurous tales out west with classic-style protagonists, but I've found with "Shalako" an added appreciation for his smart antagonists.

Verdict: A fun, early, short pocket Louis L'Amour western; an immersive fight against a canny foe at a desert station and on a mountain, interesting antagonists, some lengthy repeated monologuing about history and tactics, and with a desert survival, summer action movie feel to it.

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

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of the obvious themes are fairly standard L’Amour: independent man of survival, woman with hidden depths/resourcefulness, group who underestimates man, woman drawn despite herself, a cunning and ruthless enemy, frontier versus establishment living.

The difference in this novel may be that L’Amour explores the New/Old World divide via 19th Century military protocol versus guerrilla tactics, and has some real discussion about cultural differences: Apaches versus Europeans. Many of his novels focus on ranchers versus farmers, or independent versus conglomerate….but this novel indicates the blend of healthy respect for survival tactics and methods that Western settlers developed by living alongside ‘the noble savage’. He does not think much of the Eastern habit of romanticism, specifically applied to the native tribes who turned centuries of Army drills and parade flourishes into useless anachronism.

Respect for enemies, environment, and time get a lot of attention here. It’s a more engaging read than many, perhaps because the overstuffed Prussian general gets the education of his life and learns respect. Or because there’s a knife fight rather than just fist-and-gun battle. Also satisfying that the dirty rotten thief gets his just deserts.

[Frank Fragguzi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who can doubt that L’Amour was a maestro of the Western genre - arguably the best author of his time? Certainly he is one of the most widely read. And this novel represents that skill and talent, albeit typically L’Amourian - which means it slides perfectly into the mold of most of his works. Shalako is the formulaic superman whose machismo reflects the ultimate male icon.

It is fitting that not a few readers have commented on L’Amour’s chauvinism - because in this novel it is so starkly blatant, that his words are like slaps across the face of feminism. And, yes, I can hear the cheers from the conservative males sitting at the 50 yard line of life. But seriously - believing that a woman’s role in life is to serve her man - is just ignorant. I cant even imagine what he would have thought of same sex marriage.

He overlooks the superman’s weaknesses - not the physical trials - but the real life trials which transcend reason and ideology. A man cannot help who he is - and not all men can simply “be strong.” What L’Amour seems to ignore, is that a woman can be as much a person as any man, even in that sacred Eden of physical power.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 1962 western novel by prolific author Louis L'Amour is a half step above the genre western. There is little depth in characterization, but towards the end of the book Shalako's backstory does get fleshed out a bit. For a novel almost 60 years old, there is some social and environmental consciousness. At the beginning of the book he expounds,to the female lead, his views of a woman's proper place in the home in support of her man, views that are sure to raise the hackles of any feminist readers. The book was filmed in 1968 and starred Sean Connery and Brigitte Bardot.

He was a white man as cunning as any Indian, a brooding man who trusted in nothing but his weapon and his horse. Shalako was determined to cross the bleak Sonoran Desert—the Apaches’ killing ground—by himself. But then he came across a European hunting party, and a brave and beautiful woman, stranded and defenseless. Shalako knew that he had to stay and help them survive. For somewhere out there was a deadly Apache warrior . . . and he had the worst kind of death in mind for them all.

[wally · Rating 3 out of 5]

finished 15th march 2025 good read three stars i liked it no more no less kindle library loaner have read a few more than four dozen from l'amour this one like the others and entertaining fast-paced story with a number of groups coming together the result conflict and in this one l'amour present soe of the story through the point of view of an apache. other groups include other apaches, a hunting party composed of former military men and other well-to-do aristocrat types including a number of women. they are accompanied by some cut-throats and other western characters and the former military men old an arrogant and ignorant view of the apache. too, there are number of u.s. military groups. lots of gunfire, knife fights, fleeing and eluding, standing ground, surviving. good read all around. included in this kindle version is some afterword from l'amour, publishing editor types and his son. l'amour from what i've learned studied the west and his knowledge helps his stories...even the landscape has character.

[Oleta Blaylock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never seen the movie this story is based on. In fact I didn't even know there was a movie about this story.

This is a typical L'Amour story. Mr. L'Amour never gives away much of the background for Shalako. He seems to be a well read man that has found is place in the desert around central part of New Mexico. There is a running fight with the Apaches and several really bad men. People that have crossed the Atlantic to hunt big game in the western part of the US. They come to hunt Mountain Sheep in the worse possible area of the desert of New Mexico. The Apache are the guerilla fights of the Southwest. They have lived in the desert all their lives and they lived well in those areas.

While I enjoyed the book I am not a big fan of the never ending battles these people go through from the very beginning of the book to almost the last chapter. I would still recommend that those that love Mr. L'Amour books read the story and make up their own minds.

[Jerimy Stoll · Rating 4 out of 5]

As usual, L'Amour delivers a power-packed western adventure. This story is unique because, it is not only a western, but many of the characters in it are not just based on real people, but were real people. The hunting party in question is the only fictitious element of the story. Lessons learned in this book follow:

1. The government warns people away from areas for a reason. The areas are dangerous.

2. Foreigners don't always care about American laws, and may or may not choose to follow them.

3. Some woman can hold their own, and may not need, or want assistance from a man.

4. Arabian horses are a good pick for desert areas.

5. Warriors respect other warriors, and there is a certain brotherhood felt between them regardless if they are mortal enemies or not.

I would recommend this book to those who love westerns, horses, romances, and adventures.

[Barbara Lee Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

DIFFERENT STROKES FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS

All I will say about this western don't judge a book by its cover. This adventure contained a lot of historic history about the lives of those men who chose to make a home there.
Shalako, is one of those men who fought in other countries wars and who followed the path of the warriors. Today these men would be known as mercenaries..men who follow the war path. Only allegiance they follow is the country they are fighting.
You will enjoy Shalako adventures and follow his path which brought him back to the U.S.A...I hope we read more about his adventures with Irina, his Welsh/Scottish aristocrat...ENJOY

[Karen Hackett · Rating 5 out of 5]

SHALAKO by Louis L’Amour, part of Louis L'Amour's Lost Treasures

Louis L’Amour was my father’s favorite author, here I am reading SHALAKO, and let me tell you, it is fabulous! L’Amour wrote historical details of the Wild West and filled the plot with the Apache on the warpath, double-crossing unsavory characters, and a European hunting party that has no idea what they were getting into. Shalako, with parentage of white man and Comanche, is a brooding man who trusted in nothing but his weapon and his horse, and he risks his life to lead these Europeans to safety. Yee Haw! What a wild ride.

[Isaac Mulcahy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shalako is a man with a mysterious but well experienced past. He is a man of the west and takes little for granted. His path crosses with a group of European game hunters that see a potential scrape with Apaches as exciting and not dangerous. To their surprise, it is Shalako and not their blue blood that will see if they make it through until the cavalry arrives.

In Shalako, L'Amour explores ideas that people deeply misunderstand the Apache warrior mindset and way of life. He utilizes the character of Shalako as a bridge of understanding between nobility of title and nobility of action.

The action is brutal, and the pages slip by. I really enjoyed reading Shalako.

[John Reis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Baron Frederick van Hallstatt is touring America with some of his friends. He has hired local teamsters to help with their supplies.

Shalako Carlin, a cunning resourceful loner, finds a dead man. Following some clues, he finds the Van Hallstatt party. He warns them that they are in Apache country and that a warrior named Chato is raiding in New Mexico. The Baron is unconcerned.

Shalako moves on. The teamsters betray the party, stealing their jewels and money and fleeing the territory.

Then the party is attacked. Shalako returns and tries to keep them alive until the Army shows up.

This is nearly the exact same story as Killrone.

[Rebekah kjos · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Did you ever top out on a ridge in wild country and look off across miles where nobody had ever been before? Did you ever ride for a month across country without ever seeing another human being? Or even track of one? I have… and I want to again.”

The main reason I loved this book is because of the descriptions. Made me feel like I was there, you know? Also, he describes the Apaches as the best warriors in the world. Accurate, man.

[Michael Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short family brunch, some snow on the ground and cold temps and not much else to do. So caught up with this old book from my shelf which was not read after I saw the movie back in the day. Kind of a modern type theme of people on a hunting trip out west confronted by the events and each other with a women as the prize for some and the quest for our main character. A good fun read as usual from L'Amour.