Elmore Leonard
ST. Martins Press
It's great that crime master, Elmore Leonard's westerns are back in print. This novel, originally published in 1959, is rumoured t
o be with Quentin Tarantino for turning into a film in the near future. Now that would be something to see - Tarantino did a great job with Leonard's Rum Punch which was filmed as Jackie Brown and this western, largely a prison drama, contains some very Tarantino'esque moments. The author's use of humour, particularly in the dialogue, give the book a contemporary feel. At one point in the book the two main characters, the African -American Harold Jackson and Mexican-Apache Raymond San Carlos, mortal enemies, are locked in a cell together. After a little fighting they are both chained to the floor and can only sit there in the darkness, unable to see each other but each painfully aware of the others presence. This is a vividly written passage that is nothing short of a master class in creating tension while building characters - by this point in the book the story has taken a hold and the characters have become real flesh and blood people. As the book progresses we learn that whilst Harold and Raymond are both in Yuma Jail for murder their real crime is the colour of their skin.The story is set in the final days of Yuma Prison and the introduction of a new warden,a pious man who believes in redemption rather than punishment starts the ball rolling in grand fashion. The warden determined to save Raymond and Harold from themselves arranges a race between them, figuring that by racing each other they will learn to respect each others skills. And soon they are running outside the prison grounds, first a mile, then four miles, then six and they both start to dream of running away forever. Unknown to the two convicts there is also another escape attempt being planned up behind bars.
The climax is completely unexpected and beautifully bitter sweet, written with the brevity for which the author is now renowned. For fans of Lenoard's crime novels wanting to try one of his westerns this could be the place to start. Being set largely in the prison it is the most like his later works in structure and style - for the rest of us western freaks this is another classic of the genre.
