Synopses & Reviews
The first graphic novel adaptation of the work of master storyteller Louis L’Amour is a dynamic tale of the Old West that explores the borderlands of loyalty and betrayal with the emotional grittiness of a noir thriller.
New Mexico, 1887, a land in the midst of the worst drought anyone can remember. Family histories and loyalties run deep, but when rancher Tom Forrester has his access to the Pecos River cut off by the son of his old partner, he convinces his foreman, Shad Marone, to pay Jud Bowman back for the discourtesy. Yet what starts as a simple act of petty revenge quickly spirals into a cycle of violence that no one can control.
Now Marone is on the run, pursued by a sheriff’s posse across a rugged desert landscape. Leading the chase is Jesus Lopez, a half-Mexican, half-Apache with a personal stake in bringing Shad to justice. Newly released from jail, trusted by no one, Lopez swears he’s the only man who can track Marone down. That may be true. But who will live and who will die and what price will be paid in suffering are open questions. Fate and the Jornada del Muerto desert possess a harsh justice that is all their own.
With a propulsive script from Beau L’Amour and Kathy Nolan, adapted by Charles Santino and illustrated in bold black-and-white by Thomas Yeates, Law of the Desert Born captures the dust and blood of Louis L’Amour’s West—a world where the difference between a hero and a villain can be as wide as the gap between an act of kindness or brutality or as narrow as a misspoken word.
Praise for Law of the Desert Born
“This actually may be the story’s ideal form, since the author’s son Beau came to realize that the core of the tale was the tense relationship between [Marone] and Lopez. . . . The graphic novel version provides room to develop this theme. Yeates’s black-and-white depiction of the rugged landscape and the hard-bitten characters is superb. The result is stunning and richly textured.”—Publishers Weekly
“[An] interesting tale of range rivalries turned bloody . . . Fans of L’Amour’s stories should enjoy this work, adults or teens.”—Library Journal
“Readers are in for a real treat—with an amazing level of detail and ambience that breathes new life into Louis L’Amour’s already stunning story.”—Cowboys & Indians
“A masterpiece both in story and art that complements the mood.”—It’s All Comic to Me
Synopsis
A PRIZED COLLECTION OF AMERICAN FICTION—FROM AMERICA’S FAVORITE STORYTELLER
This first-rate collection of short stories by the incomparable Louis L’Amour showcases the legendary writer at his very best: spinning a fascinating and wholly authentic set of unforgettable tales. In these extraordinary stories, we meet a man who is forced to defend himself by taking another’s life—and must pay for his actions in a most punishing manner; a young thrill-seeker who finally finds a place he can call home, and vows to stay there—regardless of the man who tries to stand in his way; and a drifter who honors a deathbed promise to a stranger by embarking on an unlikely mission of mercy.
Complete with revealing author’s notes, the stories in Law of the Desert Born are historically precise, and filled with L’Amour’s trademark humor and adventure. They are nothing less than modern classics of the American West, told by one of the most beloved storytellers of our time.
From the Paperback edition.
Synopsis
The first graphic novel adaptation of a work by the beloved chronicler of the American West, Law of the Desert Born tells a classic Louis L’Amour tale—as it’s never been told before!
About the Author
Our foremost storyteller of the authentic West, Louis L’Amour has thrilled a nation by chronicling the adventures of the brave men and women who settled the American frontier. There are more than 300 million copies of his books in print around the world.