by Louis L'Amour
Bantam, 1969. 240 pages. Western
Settings: El Paso, Colorado, and New Mexico; presumably mid- to late-1800s.
Plot Summary: Waking up with no memory and an urgent sense of peril, a man knows someone wants him dead -- but not why. As he seeks answers, he seems to find only more questions and more people trying to hide the truth. When he finds a link that connects him to a trove of gold buried on Fan Davidge's ranch, he knows he must protect her from the no-good gunfighters trying to loot it. But the people who know all about him are trying to make sure this man with no past also has no future.
Subject Headings: Amnesia, gunfighters, treasure troves, female ranchers.
Elements of Westerns: (From Wyatt & Saricks, 2019, p. 151)
- Ranges from traditional Old West stories to western-set Historical Fiction. Written by L'Amour and originally published in 1969, this work falls squarely in the domain of traditional Western stories about the Old West.
- Exterior descriptions of terrain: western U.S., usually between the Civil War and 1900 (often unspecified further than this). Although there is mention of a few specific towns like El Paso, Mesilla, Socorro, Alamosa, and Denver, the specifics of the setting aren't particularly relevant to the plot. The writing evokes an Old West backdrop, and it often describes the landscape "west of the Mississippi". The year is not specifically mentioned, but it seems to be the mid- to late-1800s based on discussions of settlements and the technological advances.
- Traditionally, a loner hero who rights wrongs and then moves on. Our lone hero defends himself with his gunslinging and marksmanship. While he befriends Fan, Rimes, and Lebo, he largely works alone to defeat the villains. At the end of the novel, it is not clear if he truly "moves on," but he seems to remain with Fan on her ranch, which is a deviation from the typical elements of a Western.
- Either complex or straightforward plots. While the plot of this work seems straightforward, the protagonist does learn more about his past, including his own name (Rubal Noon / Jonas Mandrin) and how he is connected to the hoard of gold. He also learns how Judge Niland is responsible for the death of his wife and child, which complicates the plot somewhat.
- Often includes elegiac tone for days gone by. There is a sense of yearning for the days of yore when a man was as good as his word, and people treated each other fairly. This is reflected in the tone of the work, which is somewhat moody and mournful.
- Pacing may be quick (traditional) or more measured. True to the form of traditional Westerns, this work is very quick-paced, with action in almost every chapter and plenty of excitement to keep the pages turning.
- Spare, colorful, jargon-filled dialogue, with some lyrical landscape descriptions. Most of the characters do not engage in extended dialogue, and the use of cowboy slang (like "dun", "hand" and "sorrel") together with non-standard grammar and conventions helps to create the atmosphere of the Wild West. The work contains minor expletives like "damn" and "hell", which further add to the ambiance of the era.
Rule of Three: (From Saricks, 2009)
- Fast pace. As mentioned above, this work has a very fast pace with lots of action and gunfights. This contributes to the compelling nature of the work that makes it difficult to put down.
- Gritty, moody tone. The dark and foreboding feeling of the work is paralleled in the way that L'Amour doesn't pull his punches; our hero doesn't suffer less consequences from negative actions just because he's written sympathetically. The tone compels the reader to investigate further and unravel the tightly-wound plot as it is revealed.
- Action-packed, plot-driven storyline. Related to the fast pace, this work is chock-full of action and excitement. There are multiple gunfights, train scenes (complete with bandits) and chase scenes, each of which advances the storyline towards the resolution of the hero's plight.
Similar Works (Read-alikes):
- Slaughter of Eagles by William W. Johnstone
Both of these action-packed Westerns feature gunfighters in search of treasure troves in the Wild West. While Johnstone's work was written some 40 years after The Man Called Noon, it still contains many of the same elements and is a good suggestion for someone looking to venture from classic Westerns to more recently published works. - Dorn of the Mountains by Zane Grey
As a golden age Western writer, Grey's stories mirror L'Amour's in their action and adventure with beautiful descriptions of the terrain and concise, clear writing. In particular, this work features an old-fashioned cowboy saving a damsel from a gang of ne'er-do-wells. - The Taming of Jessi Rose by Beverly Jenkins
Set in the West during the 1800s, Jessi Rose also centers on a female Frontier homesteader and a gunslinging mercenary. However, Jenkins explores the relationship between the characters at more depth than L'Amour did, carrying elements of Westerns into the Romance genre. This work may be spicier than traditional Western fare, and a potential reader should we aware of this fact. - Bill O'Reilly's Legends and Lies: The Real West by David Fisher
This nonfiction work sheds a light on the real-life events that occurred on America's frontier, separating the facts from the fiction about this iconic period in American history. The amazing artwork helps bring the Wild West to life in this fast-paced, action-packed narrative. - Blood and Thunder: An Epic of the American West by Hampton Sides
While classic Westerns are sometimes problematic in their depiction of women, indigenous peoples, Latinx characters, and other minority groups, Sides here examines the westward expansion of the United States and the forcible subjugation of Native American tribes. This may compel readers interested in the authenticity of traditional Westerns. - I Forgot to Remember: A Memoir of Amnesia by Su Meck
Readers interested in delving deeper into the real-life implications of head trauma and subsequent amnesia may enjoy this chronicle of a twenty-two-year-old woman's freak accident that completely wiped her memory, never to fully heal.
Saricks, J. (2009). At leisure: The rule of three. Booklist, 106(3), 25.
Wyatt, N., & Saricks, J. G. (2019). Westerns. In The readers' advisory guide to genre fiction (pp. 149-166).