Dead Man's Walk

By: Larry McMurtry

Narrated by: Will Patton

Length: 14 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

In Streets of Laredo, McMurtry brought the story ahead, giving us Call in his old age. Now, in Dead Man's Walk, he takes us back to the days when Gus and Call were young Texas Rangers, first experiencing the wild frontier that will form their characters. We also meet Clara Forsythe, the unforgettable young woman whose effect on Gus McCrae is immediate and unshakable. Danger, sacrifice, comradeship, and love give them the strength and courage to survive against the almost insurmountable odds of the frontier.

In Dead Man's Walk, Gus and Call are not yet 20, young men coming of age in the days when Texas was still an independent republic. Enlisting as Texas Rangers under a land pirate who wants to seize Santa Fe from the Mexicans, Gus and Call experience their first great adventure in the barren great plains landscape, in which arbitrary violence is the rule -- whether from nature, or from the Indians whose territory they must cross in order to reach New Mexico.

From the Indians defending their land with unrelenting savagery, to the Texans attempting to seize and "civilize" it, and the Mexicans threatened by both, the reckless men of the untamed frontier make this at once a riveting adventure story and a powerful work of literature.

©2000 Larry McMurtry (P)2000 Simon & Schuster

Good story.

Very enjoyable. It's a very good beginning for the Lonesome Dove saga with all of the beloved characters!

Intense stuff !

What made the experience of listening to Dead Man's Walk the most enjoyable?

This story kept me guessing as to, what next ?

What did you like best about this story?

I found it to be suspenseful.

What does Will Patton bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He delivered a higher level of excitement to the story.

If you could rename Dead Man's Walk, what would you call it?

It's fine the way it is.

Any additional comments?

Good book, all around.

A Great Opening to a Beloved Series

This was a great introduction to one of my all time favorite books, Lonesome Dove. We see a youthful Call and Gus in their young naivety as they try and make names for themselves as Texas Rangers when they are sent on an expedition with dreams and promises of riches only to be faced with the cruel reality of the world on the Texas Plains. The characters are all likeable and unique and you find yourself caring about each one deeply as they fight to survive in their harsh circumstances. We also get an introduction to the ongoing antagonists of Gus and Call throughout the series, Buffalo Hump and Kicking Wolf, whose my appreciation and understanding for develop more and more over the series. Will Patton did a great job narrating this novel and giving life to each character. Not a bad place to begin your journey in this western epic, but I always recommend beginning on lonesome Dove first. ;)

Excellent to listen to!!!

Great story and interesting to here how Gus and Woodrow started off with each other. Good prequel to Lonesome Dove.

Great narrator

Overall Great story. The character are great as usual. The Ending felt a little rushed. Overall it was a great book

Best book and narrator!

I could not put this one down! The narrator is awesome his voice and dialect is perfect for the characters!

Another good book with great voice acting.

Would you consider the audio edition of Dead Man's Walk to be better than the print version?

I wouldn't know I haven't read the print version.

What other book might you compare Dead Man's Walk to and why?

Lonesome dove of course because its the only other western I have read.

What about Will Patton’s performance did you like?

He changed characters very well. He really made you feel the characters emotions.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I did laugh a few times.

Any additional comments?

This book really helps you understand Gus and Call's characters more. Especially Call.

Outstanding!

This is one of the best, period. I listened to it for the first time when I was about 15. At 26 I really wanted to revisit it. Boy am I glad I did. What a book. My boyfriend went absolutely crazy over it. We can't wait to continue the series.

Excellent!

I live in New Mexico and traveled thru Texas a good bit so hearing this historical and descriptive narration of the land I love was so neat. Excellent storyteller with a great ability to change his voice depending on the character he was narrating.

One of my faves

I really enjoyed the character development. I think had I started with Lonesome Dove, I would have not read this book. Some detractors of this book was hoping it was more like Lonesome Dove. It is not.

One criticism of this book I read was it was not very detailed, in terms of the landscape, settings, etc. I didn't notice that upon the first time I read this book because the story really drives this. However upon my second read (actually listening) of this book, I did see that it was a valid point. Yet it never detracted from the story, in fact, I don't know how being so detailed about cactus or the stream, or whatever would enhance the story.

It's one of those stories that one really wants more of. It's a world building that feels real, that puts you in the picture even.