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    Dead Man's Walk
    Dead Man's Walk
    Dead Man's Walk
    Audiobook14 hours

    Dead Man's Walk

    Written by Larry McMurtry

    Narrated by Will Patton

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    The first of Larry McCurtry's Pulitzer Prize–winning Lonesome Dove tetralogy, showcasing McCurtry's talent for breathing new life into the vanished American West through two of the most memorable heroes in contemporary fiction: Augustus McCrae and Woodrow Call.

    As young Texas Rangers, Augustus McCrae and Woodrow Call ("Gus" and "Call" for short) have much to learn about survival in a land fraught with perils: not only the blazing heat and raging tornadoes, roiling rivers and merciless Indians, but also the deadly whims of soldiers. On their first expeditions—led by incompetent officers and accompanied by the robust, dauntless whore known as the Great Western—they will face death at the hands of the cunning Comanche war chief Buffalo Hump and the silent Apache Gomez. They will be astonished by the Mexican army. And Gus will meet the love of his life.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSimon & Schuster Audio
    Release dateOct 1, 1995
    ISBN9780743573085
    Dead Man's Walk
    Author

    Larry McMurtry

    Larry McMurtry is the author of more than thirty novels, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning Lonesome Dove. He has also written memoirs and essays, and received an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for his work on Brokeback Mountain.

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    Reviews for Dead Man's Walk

    4.5/5

    158 ratings23 reviews

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    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed it up until the end because either something is wrong with the audio file or something happened on my end and it doesn’t end properly. It needed with the boys going off to have tea with the English lady.
    • 3/5
      My review for those who do not want to read this book:

      Hungry, thirsty, lost, hungry, thirsty, lost, hungry, thirsty, Comanches, hungry, thirsty, lost, hungry, thirsty, Mexicans, hungry, thirsty, walking, hungry, thirsty, walking.

      My Review for those who may:
      This book, while entertaining, is rather repetitive. I'm not sure how entertaining it would be without having read Lonesome Dove first (a clearly superior novel). Strangely, both Gus and Call are bystanders rather than protagonists in this novel. McMurtry does give us what we want though, the genesis of Gus and Call's friendship and adventures. He just doesn't involve them in any significant way, which is a bit of a let down.

      Part IV is also a bit odd as there is a POV shift for half of the remaining 7 chapters. We are now seeing some events through the Comanche's eyes, and once from the perspective of a slave trader. I wonder why the change after 440 pages?

      I am assuming that Comanche Moon is the volume where Gus and Call do a lot of the growing up and killing to get them to the point where we meet them in Lonesome Dove (which is set about 30 years later).
    • 3/5
      Dead Man's Walk throws us back in time when Gus and Call were young and green and just starting off their careers as Texas Rangers.

      It definitely can't match the greatness of the first book, but I really enjoyed this shorter prologue. And plus, I was still a little in shock over the didthatjusthappen scene from the first book. So it was good to have all the characters come together again.

      The best part about this book was seeing Gus and Call's friendship. The rangering parts were interesting, but we have already seen that before. The
      Indian interactions were strong and action-packed, but again, we've already seen similar things before.

      But what this book brings new to the reader is how our two main characters acted and became friends as youngin' rangers. They are exactly what I would expect. Gus still a lady-chaser and an exaggerating braggart. He doesn't have quite the skill to back up his talk yet, so I loved it when he ended up embarrassed or surprised. Call is definitely that strict captain - or corporal at this point in time. But you see them start to pick up the qualities they embody in the Lonesome Dove. And it's like peeking into history.

      I guess we were also introduced to the other important characters, like Clara, Buffalo Hump, etc. I did not like Clara at all. To me, she's a bit of an arrogant one without any positive qualities.

      I very much liked Matilda though. Strong enough to go hack up a turtle, woman enough to reclaim almost-dead bodies, caring enough to follow and save boys she loves.

      On another note, I am always appalled and amazed at how casually they bring up such gruesome topics and the level of description that goes into such things. Such as the scalping, a scalped boy left aliveor the torture, or ease of hanging someone. It is always said so casually: a slice at the back of the neck and a yank off of the entire hair. Ugh. Horrifically gruesome, but it works in these books.

      Solid 3 stars. I don't think it deserves any more because it didn't really wow me.

      Note: I am silly and didn't read book two before this one.
    • 5/5
      I was dismayed that this book did not have the same reader as Lonesome Dove and Streets of Laredo, but I got used to the difference eventually. I am glad I stuck with it. I would never have expected to be drawn into this series as I have been. I have to say that I loved the scene that ended this book. Perfect.
    • 5/5
      Love Larry McMurty’s novels! The characters and story are well developed. Narrated perfectly and a thoroughly enjoyable, riveting listen. Transport yourself to another time in American history.
    • 2/5
      Like a discount Blood Meridian, except our heroes get soundly thrashed for 2/3rds of the book. Nothing really wrong with it, some good western bleakness, but nothing really special either. Also suffers from being a prequel which takes a lot of the tension out of the life or death struggle when you know who's got a date with destiny in an earlier (later) book.
    • 5/5
      Typical McMultry book. Well written, twists and turns. Most of the bad guys die, some of the good guys do too but the heroes and protagonists and our favorite good guys live on to fight another day. I really enjoy it!
    • 3/5
      Inexperienced Texas Rangers cross Comanche and Apache country.3/4 (Good).Pretty entertaining for a book that's basically just a series of people suffering and dying.
    • 4/5
      The first book in the chronological timeline of Gus McCrae and Captain Call. The book discusses how the two young men meet, how their first assignment as Texas Rangers go, and how they find themselves in a unique situation toward the end of the story. I read the book right after Lonesome Dove, and while I thought the story was good, it's hard to compare to the original. I still plan to read the next book in the series, Comanche Moon, as well as the last book, Streets of Laredo. If you are looking for a good Western with great characters, than look no further than the Lonesome Dove series. I read Lonesome Dove first, but this book could be read first as well, without messing a step in the overalls series.
    • 4/5
      I normally don't read westerns, but thsi was amazing reading. Such detail in the reality of the old west, held me in suspense right up to the end.
    • 5/5
      Written in 1995, ten years after McMurtry’s huge success with Lonesome Dove, Dead Man’s Walk was billed as a prequel to that masterpiece. The timing was good. Hardcore fans of Lonesome Dove were already intimately familiar with the 1989 television movie of the same name, and they were probably watching episodes of the new miniseries by that name that ran in 1994 and 1995. So, most fans would find it hard to resist a new book that featured teenaged versions of Augustus McCrae and W.F. Call, two of the most beloved characters in the Western genre.Gus and Call are literally two “young pups” when it comes to the ways of the world, although Gus is already showing his delight in keeping company with the nighttime ladies who so willingly offer him a good time – as long as he has the cash to pay for it. When the two young men, trying to survive Texas on their own, randomly meet, they quickly form a bond that will last them for the remainder of their lives. At loose ends, and hoping for a little adventure, the two join up with a raggedy bunch of Texas Rangers on two different missions, both of which the boys will be lucky to survive. It is the second trek into the Texas desert, during which the Rangers must cross the “Dead Man’s Walk” from west Texas to New Mexico that gives the book its title. But, before the boys and their fellow survivors begin what seems like a certain death march, they must survive the attentions of the Comanche, Buffalo Hump, and the Apache, Gomez, two men who will haunt Gus and Call for rest of their lives. Dead Man’s Walk pulls no punches when it comes to the raunchy lifestyle of the nineteenth century Texas Rangers or the torture-focused warfare the Apache and Comanche tribes waged against the white settlers encroaching upon their hunting grounds. To say that the book is not for the fainthearted reader is an understatement. What makes Dead Man’s Walk so intriguing, and atypical of the popular western genre, is that McMurtry does not take sides in the conflict between the settlers and the Indians. He presents the good and bad elements of both groups and leaves it up to the reader to decide the “rightness” or “wrongness” of the conflict. In addition to meeting Gus, Call, Buffalo Hump and Gomez, the reader will delight in spotting the young Clara, as well. That she was “love at first sight for Gus” is certain; what was on flirtatious Clara’s mind remains to be determined. Dead Man’s Walk is a great western adventure but, as usual with a McMurtry novel, character development does not take a back seat to plot. The book is filled with memorable secondary characters, good guys and villains alike, and its ending (although it might seem farfetched to some) works perfectly for those that grew up on old-fashioned television and movie Westerns.This is good stuff.Rated at: 5.0
    • 4/5
      Some years ago, my friend Tressa finally convinced me to read a western and that book was Lonesome Dove. It is now one of my favorite books of all time.



      Recently, I signed up for Audible, (to get a free audiobook, if I'm to be completely honest), and when I went to cancel the trial, they convinced me to stay on for a reduced price.
      I agreed to it and immediately went book shopping. Thanks to my lovely GR and BL friends, (mostly I'm looking at you Bark and Spare Ammo), I stumbled upon and recognized the name Will Patton. The book was Dead Man's Walk and featured my two favorite characters from Lonesome Dove. I downloaded this bad boy and I was hooked!

      Sometimes in a sequel, (which in this case is actually a prequel), the story isn't as good, or the characters aren't as compelling, but I didn't find any of that to be the case. Plus, this tale had the added enhancement of Will Patton's wonderful voicing and narration.

      Gus and Call are young and just getting to know each other in this story and it was kind of neat to see how they got together. Gus and Call, among over 200 other men, are forced on a 200 mile march across Mexico, through an area called the Dead Man's Walk. Here, this book becomes much bloodier than Lonesome Dove was.The death toll is extremely high. Instead of Blue Duck, this time around we have Buffalo Hump and a ghostly Apache named Gomez. Not to mention the even worse white men, pirate turned "colonel" Caleb Cobb and the French Major LaRoche.



      With Will Patton's voice adding both humor and horror throughout, I had a fine time listening to this book. I was disappointed to learn that he does not narrate the other books in this series. Which, despite how much I love the stories, discourages me from listening to them. I just can't see how anyone else could live up to this performance. I will probably read them instead.

      Lastly, a warning to those that are easily offended. This book is populated with all kinds of stuff that is not politically correct. There are whores and lots of them, there are all kinds of names and terms that were used at the time that are not commonly used or accepted now. If that kind of thing bothers you, you should probably take a pass. In this context, it did not bother me.

      I loved listening to Dead Man's Walk, and I am already looking forward to listening to it again in the future. The story isn't perfect, and perhaps it's a bit too bloody, even for me, but I loved it anyway and I learned some things. (Mostly that I love Will Patton's voice, but other things as well.) If you enjoyed Lonesome Dove, I believe that you'll enjoy this book too. And if you can get it with Will Patton's narration, you really can't go wrong.

      Highly recommended!

    • 4/5
      I saw the movie before I read the book (actually only saw the first two segments of the movie)... great story up until the last third or so... then it gets kind of weird. But still, love the introduction to Woodrow & Gus, and McMurtry's descriptions of life on the frontier, while often brutal, are still the best I've read.
    • 5/5
      A great beginning of a great series!
    • 5/5
      This is an excellent prequel to Lonesome Dove which documents the adventures of young Gus McCray and Woodrow Call in the early years of their service as Texas Rangers.
    • 3/5
      I was rather disappointed that McMurtry only focused on such a short span of time. I wish that he would have included more about how Call and Gus came to start the Hat Creek outfit, as well as more about Gus's wives. In my opinon, this book was a bit more violent and disgusting than Lonesome Dove, but just as enthralling.
    • 5/5
      This book is the prequel to Lonesome Dove. In this story Gus and Call meet in San Antonio and join the Texas Rangers. In their first venture they are part of a small troop trying to find a route for a road from San Antonio to El Paso. In addition to the Rangers is Matilda Roberts, a whore looking to get to California. This part of Texas is the territory of the Comanche chief Buffalo Hump and he doesn't take kindly to white men crossing his territory. Gus has the misfortune to run across Buffalo Hump in the middle of the night. Buffalo Hump threw his lance at Gus and caught him in the thigh but Gus was so energized by his fright he managed to run back to camp. Thus starts the ongoing feud between Buffalo Hump and the two friends, Gus and Call. This outing ends with a number of the Rangers being killed but Gus, Call, Matilda and a few others make it back to San Antonio safely. Then Gus hears that another expedition is heading out from Austin to Santa Fe and he talks Call into joining up. All the other survivors from their first outing, including Matilda, join up as well. This group is considerably larger and Gus figures they will be much safer. In Austin he is smitten with the daughter of the owner of the general store, Clara Forsythe. In fact, he is so enthralled by her that he walks off the bank of the river in the middle of the night and badly sprains his ankle. Because of this he misses joining the small group who take off after the Indians who have killed a number of farmers. Call does go along and further angers Buffalo Hump by killing his son for which he is promoted to Corporal. Back in Austin the larger group leaves in the middle of the night and Gus manages to get a kiss from Clara before he leaves. There are many more skirmishes with the Comanches after Call's group returns to the bigger unit and the numbers are decimated. They lose most of their horses in a prairie fire started by the Indians and have to walk across the dry plain. When they finally get to New Mexico they are taken prisoner by a Mexican officer and made to walk the Dead Man's Road to Santa Fe. In this area they also encounter the Apaches and soon the Mexicans and the Texans have to unite to hold them off. When they finally reach Santa Fe they are down to 10 men plus Matilda. The Mexicans put the men to a test to choose beans from a pot while blindfolded. If they get a black bean they are executed by firing squad but a white bean allows them to live as a prisoner in a leper colony. Gus and Call manage to get white beans along with three others. Matilda was also allowed to live. After the firing squad kills the other five, a black clad woman with a beautiful voice sings an aria. The woman is Lady Carey, an English woman who contracted leprosy while visiting Mexico with her husband and son. The husband has been killed but Lady Carey, her son, maid and cook have been ransomed. They need an escort to get them to Galveston where they can get a ship home to England. Gus, Call, Matilda and the other three agree to provide the escort which is considerably better provisioned than their previous outings. They have one final encounter with Buffalo Hump in the dramatic conclusion to this story. Larry McMurtry has a gift for creating unique and unforgettable characters. Not just Gus and Call but even the minor figures are so excellently rendered that it seems like you know them. The gripping storyline sustained my interest and I can see how it would make a good TV miniseries although I never saw this on TV. Some people may be turned off by the profanity and violent action but unlike some other writers I didn't feel this was gratuitous. McMurtry's depiction of the Indians is bloody but I felt that he sided with them rather than the white people who invaded their territory. In all, an excellent read and I highly recommend it.
    • 5/5
      The first in the Lonesome Dove series. Wonderful.
    • 4/5
      'Matilda Jane Roberts was naked as the air. Known throughout south Texas as the Great Western, she came walking up from the muddy Rio Grande holding a big snapping turtle by the tail.'What great imagery to start off a novel with! After being less than thrilled with The Sisters Brothers, I was hungry for a more classic (in style and content, not age) western. Lonesome Dove has been on my TBR list for a while, so I decided to start off with the chronological first book in the series.Gus McCrae and Woodrow Call fancy themselves rangers in 1840s Texas. Unfortunately for them, it’s a very dangerous time in that part of the country. Comanche Indians roam the land, and the troops are not at all equipped to handle their speed, stealth, and cunning. One in particular, Buffalo Hump, seems to have his eye on Gus and Call, and would like nothing more than to add their scalps to his belt.The Rangers’ expeditions, particularly the one to Santa Fe where they plan to defeat the Mexicans, are (obviously to the reader) inept, ill-equipped, and led by men who have no idea what they are walking (usually literally) in to. Things go from bad to worse, and you start to wonder how the heck they are going to get out of the desert and back to safety.McMurtry’s characters are colorful and varied, and you feel their fright, misery, and hopelessness. This book is generally believed to be not as good as Lonesome Dove, and if that’s the case, I know I have something really great to look forward to.
    • 4/5
      This was a great read if you accept it for what it is. I definitely didn't see the ending coming, Finished on the the birthday trip to the coast at La Push.
    • 4/5
      A good, easy read that doesn’t get too deep.
    • 4/5
      Not as gripping as the others in the series, but worth reading the conclusion. I miss Call and Gus.
    • 3/5
      I call it "The Passion of Gus and Call". Grueling, brutal. Wouldn't make one want to read the other books in the series, if picked up first. Well written enough to keep me going, but it's no "Lonesome Dove" by a long shot. Beware of incredibly gruesome and violent episodes, with much less charm. I suppose these are the fires in which Gus and Call must be forged in order to create the characters we meet later. I'm going to keep reading the series, but I recommend starting with "Lonesome Dove", not this one.