The Iron Marshal by Louis L'Amour

The Iron Marshal - Louis L'Amour

The Iron Marshal is the tale of a native Irish-New-Yorker (his early childhood spent in Ireland and the rest of his life on the streets of New York) who ends up completely out of place in a no-name town in the middle of Kansas. To be precise, the middle of nowhere. It was written by Louis L'Amour, one of my favorite writers, and the best Western writer out there! 

WARNING: This isn't going to be a very concise review, just telling you in advance. And there are some minor spoilers.

Tom Shanaghy came from Ireland to New York when he was eleven. His father had died in India, and his mother had taken ill and died on the journey over to NYC. From the moment he landed in the Big Apple, Tom was fighting and associating with crooks and criminals. But although he knew everything about his business associates' dishonest ways, Tom Shanaghy never went down that dark path himself. Through a series of events and coincidences (as well as a gang war) Tom ends up getting kicked off a train near a no-name town in Kansas. Taking a room in the small hotel for the night, our hero has nothing more on his mind than buying a ticket for the earliest train to New York. Until he starts noticing that there is something wrong in this town. The current town marshal, Draco, is nothing but a bully, too big for his britches. Ever since he shot the brother of Vince Patterson, a powerful cattle baron, he's been riding high and talking big. Him and his sons need to go, and the townspeople know this. They realize that this young Irishman, Tom Shanaghy, though just a stranger, may be just what they need to bring order and prosperity back to the town they love. Before he knows what he's gotten himself into, Tom is pinning on the badge of town marshal, a man's been murdered by a terribly wicked enemy, and a gold robbery is imminent on the horizon. This young Irishman has found himself in the wild, wild West, but does he like it?

I love the cliched story of a city-slicker finding himself in a hick-town, and this book is the epitome of that story line, but with enough uniqueness and changes to it that it's as entertaining as all-get-out! Tom Shanaghy, our hero, is not clueless, stupid, and rude, he's just a little out of place. Through the course of the book, he learns why the people of a little, no-name Kansas town love their town with all their hearts, and why so many men and women have been drawn from the sparkling lights of New York City, Philadelphia, New Orleans, and other similar cities to go in search of something more that cannot be found in the bustling streets and smoky bars that Mr. Shanaghy is so familiar with. It's just so beautiful!

My Favorite Characters.
Louis L'Amour is great at making characters you love, like, and hate, and The Iron Marshal is no exception.

Tom Shanaghy: It's pretty important that I like the main character in any book I'm reading, so I'm pleased to say that I have a great fondness for Tom Shanaghy. He's no saint, but considering he's grown up with thieves and murderers, I think he turned out pretty well! Always honest, Tom says what he thinks and doesn't beat around the bush. He tries to do what's right, even if he doesn't always succeed. And he also almost always blushes when anyone mentions the girl he likes, so that really cute ^-^

McCarthy: McCarthy is an old blacksmith that was Tom Shanaghy's only friend in New York. He taught Tom everything he knew about blacksmithing and also about life. It was McCarthy that warned Tom about hanging out too much with thieves and murderers. He said that if he didn't get out of New York soon, he was gonna end up dead in some ally, and nobody would even care.

Jan Pendleton: Jan doesn't have a huge part to play in The Iron Marshal's story line, besides romantic interest, but she's cute and spunky, and gives Tom some much needed moral support when things are looking down for him. I like her a great deal.

Red: Don't know his name, don't know his back story, I just know he's a troublemaker and makes friends with Tom after he picks a fight with him. I like him.

And there you have my favorite characters. I'm also quite fond of Josh Lundy, Greenwood, and Mr. Carpenter. Louis L'Amour always has some has some beautiful and intelligent lines or descriptions, so I'll just share a few with you:

McCarthy: "If a man is to be something, if he is to be a man, he's got to be more than muscle. He's got to do something wi' himself. Get an honest trade, a bit of land, a house of your own, if it is only of sod. Here your friends pat you on the back and let you buy them drinks or whatever, but when you get old and fat and sloppy they'll drop you for others. Men like you are born to be used and tossed aside... if you let it happen."

Tom: "What are you? A priest? When did you start preaching, Mac?"

McCarthy: "It's a bit of a warning, that's all. You're a fine lad, so why become what you're becoming? There's a bigger, wider world than any slum, and a man only stays there because he hasn't the guts to get out. There's other people, other places, and you can make new friends, worthwhile friends."

                                                                              -

Red: "That there hat's a temptation. Anybody ever shoot it off?"

Shanaghy pushed the derby back a little and grinned cheerfully.

"Not yet. Maybe that's because they figured I wouldn't know if they were shooting at the derby or me."

                                                                              -

As far as the eye could reach there was only grass moving in the wind. These were the fabled buffalo plains, but there were no buffalo now. Far off, he glimpsed a heard of antelope. There was no sound but the wind...
For several minutes he sat very still, feeling the wind on his face. The air was fresh, the sky was clear, and somehow the soft wind and the coolness smoothed the troubles from his mind.

                                                                              -
Girl: "But he's dead!"
Tom, speaking to a girl who got several men killed, including a Mr. Holstrum and a Mr. Carpenter, but is still pleading not to be put in jail: "That's right ma'am. So is Mr. Carpenter. All because a greedy, selfish girl wanted more than she had. When you can bring them back to life, ma'am, you come and ask me for help. Every man and woman should consider the consequences of his or her actions, and those actions should be considered beforehand, not after. I've no use for crybabies, ma'am, male or female."

                                                                              -

And now, before I spoil this book further, why don't you go read it? It's a suspenseful and exciting ride that will make you long for the good ol' days of shooting bank robbers, riding as far as your horse could take you, and going in search of adventure in the great, open wilderness, that was, and is, America!


                   
                                                                                                                      ~ Irene