Saddlemates
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Saddlemates
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Narrated by:
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Grover Gardner
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Written by:
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Max Brand
About this listen
The mining certificates granting ownership of the Christabel mine that Edward Dugan inherited from his father had a face value of $250,000, but the mine itself had been declared worthless. Still, Henry Christian, the man that had sold them to Dugan's father, said he'd buy them back for $1,500.
Penniless, Dugan decided to walk the 3,000 miles from his home in Boston to the mine in the Southwest to check out the offer. But along the way he meets a travel companion named Red. Red knows Christian by reputation, and by another name: Bonanza Chris. He knows the only reason Bonanza Chris would buy the mine back is if he had discovered it was far from worthless. He decides not to abandon Dugan to negotiate with Bonanza Chris on his own, but not even Red can imagine how far Bonanza Chris will go to restake his claim on the mine.
©2018 Max Brand (P)2018 Blackstone PublishingWhat listeners say about Saddlemates
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Langer MD
- 2022-05-10
Charming Buddy Comedy
There is very little "Western" about this story - other than the setting and the major plot motivation (headed into the lawless Wild West to investigate a goldmine claim).
Frederick Schiller Faust/Frost - writing as Max Brand - wrote a mindblowing volume of stories in the 1920s and 30s.. and this 1932 offering caught my eye. I admit that I was expecting more of a Louis L'Amour or Zane Grey-styled story but was rewarded with a delightful team-up between a naive, slow-witted gentle giant (Edward 'Slope' Dugan), a fast-talking scheming criminal (Charles 'Red' LaFarge), and a helpful local Ne'er-do-well ('Blondie') - as they try to wriggle free from a scam being conducted by Henry 'Bonanza Chris' Christian (Yes, the nicknames are excessive).
The characters are cartoonish but captivating, the plot twists are slapstick (while the scheming is admittedly overdone), and the banter is entertaining & moderately realistic. With reasonably credible writing, this distracting book demonstrates why "Brand" was prolifically published.
As to the presentation: I have heard a number of audiobooks narrated by Grover Gardner and this is undoubtedly among the best performances of his repertoire. The diction, timbre, cadence, and rate of reading are peerless, but the most praiseworthy aspects of this recording are a picture-perfect lighthearted tone and cinematic voice-acting. This is an example of an audiobook production that legitimately brings a story to life. If you are given a choice between a text copy of this story or a recorded iteration.. choose the audiobook - hand's down.
If you're looking for a dramatic story of the Old West, look elsewhere. But if you're happy with some fun-loving entertainment, this 8.5/10 star romp is well worth your time. It was a brilliant option for a couple of quiet afternoons. Even if it weren't part of the 'Plus' initiative (I got the book for free), 'Saddlemates' would actually rate a Credit.
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