The Lonely Men: The Sacketts: A Novel

Is a fitting sequel to Sackett. It finishes the story of Tell and Angie which was also mentioned in
Mojave Crossing. It is a sad dtory that has if not a happy ending a great ending.
The Lonely Men

Does William Tell Sackett have the guts to get on a horse and ride straight into Apache Indian territory? You bet he does! When the wife of Tell's brother, Oren, approaches Tell with the news that her son has been kidnapped by the Apache's, he doesn't even have to think twice.

What poor, old, trusting Tell doesn't know, is that Laura and Oren are not even married anymore, and furthermore they never had a child together. It seems that Oren and Tyrell Sackett played a major role in busting up Laura's father's crooked operations a while back, and ran him right out of the country. Still nursing a grudge against the whole Sackett clan, Laura has finally cooked up a scheme to get revenge. Tell knows none of this, however, so he and three of his trusted companions go riding off, deep into Apache territory.

The four courageous men manage to find the Indian camp where several white children are being held. Tell's nephew is not one of them, however, and the rescuers begin to suspect Laura. There's no time to worry about that now, though. Tell and his partners are spotted taking the children and it's going to be an all-out race for the border.

Meanwhile, Laura is beginning to worry. She never imagined Tell would make it out alive, but what if he does? As a precaution, she hires an enemy of Tell's to keep a look-out. If Tell and his group make it back alive, the hired killer will be laying for them.

Of all the Sackett's, Tell is my favorite, and "The Lonely Men" is a good example of why. Tell knew he was probably on a suicide mission, but he did it anyway because his family is more important to him than his own life.

I really liked "The Lonely Men." Many of the Sackett audio books tell about various Sacketts riding into a new town, butting heads with the local bullies, and running them out, but "the Lonely Men" was different. This time it was Tell against the Apache who are not really bad guys, but just trying to adapt. Tell will kill indians if he absolutely has to, but mostly he respects them as brave warriors.

I can't imagine anyone doing a better job reading Louis L'Amour's audio books than David Strathairn. His no-nonsense style of narration matches L'Amour's no-nonsense writing perfectly.

"The Lonely Men" is one of my favorite Sackett audio books so far. I came to Louis L'Amour's books as a skeptic, not being a fan of westerns, but he has won me over. L'Amour really has a way with words, he gets his point across very succinctly without rambling on and on. "The Lonely Men" is highly recommended.

I grew up reading Zane Grey and always said, when I was a boy, that I would live where the cowboys, mountain men and Indians were. I'm 59 years old now, retired from the Army and I have lived all over the globe. Been to War Twice(didnt loose my hair by God's graces) and I live below Mt Adams in the Cascades. I started reading Louis books, along time ago and he never lets me down. He is riding the high plains now, but I always appreciate him takin the time to take a ride with me from time to time. I live in wild country now, heaven I guess and I plan to saddle up one day and ride those high plains with him. See ya soon Louis, but not yet. Keep the coffee on and the fire warm friend. Sempre Avanti, SFC WILLIAM B SMITH (RET)

This book offers the adventures of six feet three inch William Tell Sackett in the mid-1870's in the borderlands of southern Arizona Territory and eastern Sonora. He and three other 'lonely men', who banded together in Yuma, continue to ride together from Tucson into eastern Sonora and the Sierra Mountain stronghold of rancherias of the Apaches. At least two of the Apaches we meet in the book, Kahtenny and Toclani, were actual people, with Toclani serving as Apache scout with Captain Emmett Crawford, one of the better Army officers who was later killed in error within the Sierra Madre Mountain strongholds by the Mexican Army.

Tell Sackett is trying to locate and return his brother Orrin's son from Apache captivity. Two problems here: Orrin has no son, and the Apaches haven't stolen a son that never existed. Through several week's hard riding and hard living, Sackett and the 3 other men riding with him learn that he is following a lie, so they grab all the white children available from the Apaches, trying then to ride and shoot their way back to Tucson.

One of the more standout chapters of this book is Chapter 5; wherein Louis L'Amour shares some of his vast knowledge concerning the desert and how to stay alive in it. Lieutenant L'Amour, during his WWII years, had taught a survival course on just these matters and later in civilian life delighted in just taking off getting lost wandering and living in the desert. So the information shared here is information the reader can count on.

Two other important people from real life we meet along the way in this novel are Pete Kitchen and William S. Oury. Kitchen is a legendary pioneer in Arizona Territory never allowing the Apache to chase him out as true of so many other Arizona pioneers, and the 'Apache pin cushions' mentioned by Louis are from true life. And Pete Kitchen's ranch was a famous stopping place along the Tucson to Nogales trail. William Oury had once been a noted Texas Ranger, a pioneer rancher, and was at the time of this story, Tucson's first mayor. As Louis stated in another book, many books could be written on these two men alone.

One other fact Louis includes in this book concerns the 'deserted ranchos' scattered in eastern Sonora. The Spanish and Mexican ranchers had been fighting the Apaches for many years before the coming of the Americans, and the fight generally went against them. The Apaches from the time of Mangas Coloradas through Cochise pretty much controlled and owned this eastern Sonora area. The Mexican Army early on from the mid-1700's had established what they called "presidios" or 'bastions of the Spanish borderlands' which were many times themselves also wiped out by the roaming, raiding Apache war parties. The extreme desolation mentioned by L'Amour in his writing in The Lonely Men is quite accurate to the time and place.

This is a rather good read with much historical accuracy included, just the discussions of the Shoo-Fly Restaurant operated by Mrs Wallen in Tucson is portrayed exactly as it would have appeared circa 1869. So read and enjoy but also learn some history in this book by the very talented Louis L'Amour.

Orrin Sackett's treacherous wife sends Tell Sackett on a false rescue mission. He and three of his drifter friends pursue the elusive Apache to save Orrin's kidnapped child.
This is a basic white men vs. Apache tale. There are plot twists the reader can easily see coming. The action is fast and violent. The writing is colorful. Tell Sackett's first person narrative rambles in places, but that adds to the Western aura. One can almost visualize Tell weaving engrossing tales to listeners around a crackling campfire. There is irony in men facing suffering and death because of loneliness and a woman's deceit. The "Lonely Men" of the title refers to the four men who band together because they have nothing else of meaning in their lives. The Apaches are portrayed as fierce killers, but also as honorable men who respect a worthy enemy.
Louis L'Amour instills new life into the familiar elements of the Western story. His novels and stories stress character and atmosphere over the routine plot elements of "a man, a horse, and a gun." As with many of his novels, this book serves the purpose of good, lightweight reading. It doesn't require in-depth analysis to get the point. Enjoy the ride. ;-)

When it comes to reading Louis L'Amour the modern western fan is faced with having to take things in context. Remember that L'Amour's works were primarily written in the fifties and sixties and, as a result, have a certain "dignity" about them that no longer applies with the westerns of today, especially those on the big screen.
Take THE LONELY MEN for example. There is plenty of action here but it is painted much more subtly on L'Amour's canvass than, let's say, on those of Larry McMurtry or on Clint Eastwood's or Kevin Costner's movie screens. Frankly L'Amour or his readers would not have tolerated the raw, often harsh violence of today's western s offerings.
L'Amour wrote with a clear sense of nostalgia and romance about the west. He was much for the kindred spirit of John Wayne and John Ford than of McMurtry, Eastwood or Costner.
I thoroughly enjoyed THE LONELY MEN, a Sackett tale of revenge, deceit and, as is the case with all L'Amour tales, of ultimate white-hatted triumph and justice. Tell Sackett is tricked into a dangerous venture in Apache-held country. He and his friends find much more than they bargain for. Read it in the correct mindset and you have a masterpiece.
Douglas McAllister

Two features stand out about this book. One, human nature is the same now as it was in the old West. Two, like L'Amour I am fascinated with the era when the West was being explored and settled. The adventurers who carved civilization out of the wilderness were a commendable stock. Going back to the first feature, this book centers around a manipulative woman who is ruthless in the way she sets up other people for destruction. She plots the deaths of the lead character and 3 of his fellow cowpokes. The acknowledgment of bravery and mutual respect between Tell Sackett and Kahtenny, a leader of the Apaches is a secondary theme. In more than one espisode the two help each other even though they are techincally on opposing sides. This story helps demonstrate how there are various forms of knowledge. Tell Sackett talks of reading the desert like other people read books. Things such as tracks, flora, rock formations all have meaning for the astute observer. The weakness in this and other L'Amour books is the way he disregards the Christian way of life. His character saw it as something to be taken lightly. For Christians it is the only thing that gives meaning to life.

That was quite a ride!

Tell Sackett starts this adventure with several other lonely men. In the course of the tale, his sister-in-law pleads for him to help rescue a nephew he's never met, he runs straight into the Apache, and takes a long ride through Mexico. Unlike previous books, we don't see much of his own kin, which only makes his journey more personal.

I've really enjoyed L'Amour's writing. There's a keen respect he has for the Indian, and he does well with maintaining the character's vision and purpose. And Tell is a man of integrity. He knows his limitations, and faces his problems and situations with honesty. Great character.

L'Amour does it again! This short quick read will have you turning the pages eating up this tale of story of deceit, bravery and the love of family. The Sackett family proves their roughness as they make friends along the way in the far Outwest. Having lived in the area of the story, I fell in love with the vivid imagery as I followed the Sackett gang on their adventure South of the US border.
This was another example of L'amour pitting good against evil. He lays out the story and you get to ride a roller-coaster cheering for the good guy, and even when the cards are not looking good the Sacketts name lives on with honor.

Alot happens in this book. The hero crosses the desert and fights Indians. He has to shoot one of his friends to put him out of his misery, and then gets tried in court for the shooting. He also goes into Mexico to rescue children.

It kept my attention