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shksprsis's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
octavia_cade's review
3.0
This might actually be the first western I've ever read, and I only read it to tick off Task 7 of BookRiot's 2018 Read Harder Challenge. And you know what, I'm glad I did. Leonard's writing is pacy and (at its height) compulsively readable, and for most of these seven stories I was genuinely interested. However, given that it's a short story collection I found, as is often the case, that I liked some stories more than others. For example "The Captives" was really excellent, the high point here I think, but I can't say I cared much for "Under the Friar's Ledge". On the whole, though, the quality was pretty high. I finish this task not entirely convinced that I'm going to be a western convert from here on out, but thinking that I'd definitely like to read more of this particular author.
thesubmariner's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
1. Cavalry Boots - short story by Elmore Leonard (in Zane Grey’s Western, December 1952) 4*
2. Under the Friar’s Ledge - short story by Elmore Leonard (in Dime Western Magazine, January 1953) 3-4*
3. Three-Ten to Yuma - short story by Elmore Leonard (in Dime Western Magazine, March 1953) 4*
4. Long Night - short story by Elmore Leonard (in Zane Grey’s Western, May 1953) 4*
5. The Captives - novelette by Elmore Leonard (in Argosy, February 1955) 5*
6. Jugged - short story by Elmore Leonard (Original Title: "The Boy from Dos Cabezas" in Western Magazine, December 1955) 4*
7. The Kid - short story by Elmore Leonard (Original Title: "The Gift of Regalo" in Western Short Stories, December 1956) 4*
2. Under the Friar’s Ledge - short story by Elmore Leonard (in Dime Western Magazine, January 1953) 3-4*
3. Three-Ten to Yuma - short story by Elmore Leonard (in Dime Western Magazine, March 1953) 4*
4. Long Night - short story by Elmore Leonard (in Zane Grey’s Western, May 1953) 4*
5. The Captives - novelette by Elmore Leonard (in Argosy, February 1955) 5*
6. Jugged - short story by Elmore Leonard (Original Title: "The Boy from Dos Cabezas" in Western Magazine, December 1955) 4*
7. The Kid - short story by Elmore Leonard (Original Title: "The Gift of Regalo" in Western Short Stories, December 1956) 4*
whatsheread's review
Three-Ten to Yuma was recommended to me as a great audiobook. As westerns are not my usual genre, and I have never seen the movie, I was not certain what to expect. What I found was a suspenseful short story that packed a lot of drama into a very small amount of time.
As a short story, there is no character development, no big insights into the characters’ thought processes. The entire story itself hinges on one main, rather simplistic, plot point: a sheriff is trying to get his detainee, an infamous outlaw, onto a train without getting killed by the outlaw’s friends or without the detainee escaping. The story itself starts out with no explanation, and the reader is left to fill in the details through clues in the dialogue. There is even the surprise addition of philosophical discussions on why one works and continues in the face of great odds. This discussion helps to build the tension, which increases subtly until it reaches the climactic moment by the train.
Henry Rollins is a great choice for narrator of this gruff little story. He does not add nor detract from the unfolding drama. Better yet, his voice contains the perfect world weariness and cynicism to vocalize both the detainee and the sheriff.
Short stories and westerns are not my thing, but Three-Ten to Yuma was a great way to break out into a different genre and different format. The story was engaging enough to keep my interest in spite of my dubiousness at the overall subject matter. I felt sympathy for both the sheriff and the detainee, who were both just trying to do their jobs. Three-Ten to Yuma is definitely a little story that packs a punch.
As a short story, there is no character development, no big insights into the characters’ thought processes. The entire story itself hinges on one main, rather simplistic, plot point: a sheriff is trying to get his detainee, an infamous outlaw, onto a train without getting killed by the outlaw’s friends or without the detainee escaping. The story itself starts out with no explanation, and the reader is left to fill in the details through clues in the dialogue. There is even the surprise addition of philosophical discussions on why one works and continues in the face of great odds. This discussion helps to build the tension, which increases subtly until it reaches the climactic moment by the train.
Henry Rollins is a great choice for narrator of this gruff little story. He does not add nor detract from the unfolding drama. Better yet, his voice contains the perfect world weariness and cynicism to vocalize both the detainee and the sheriff.
Short stories and westerns are not my thing, but Three-Ten to Yuma was a great way to break out into a different genre and different format. The story was engaging enough to keep my interest in spite of my dubiousness at the overall subject matter. I felt sympathy for both the sheriff and the detainee, who were both just trying to do their jobs. Three-Ten to Yuma is definitely a little story that packs a punch.
jamiereadthis's review against another edition
4.0
All Leonard needs is a dozen pages and you’ll have one rip-roaring tale.
davidscrimshaw's review against another edition
5.0
Even though I love Elmore Leonard's writing, I had always avoided his early cowboy stories because I'm not into cowboy stories.
But I really enjoyed these.
The stories move right along and with just a few words, he gets right into someone else's head.
If you're thinking you might like to try something different from what you usually read, try some Elmore Leonard.
But I really enjoyed these.
The stories move right along and with just a few words, he gets right into someone else's head.
If you're thinking you might like to try something different from what you usually read, try some Elmore Leonard.