Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Reading the prequel to Lonesome Dove, "Comanche Moon"

A couple of months ago I started looking over my bookshelves, hoping to find something new to read. I loathe television but I do like a good movie now and then, but I won't subscribe to Netflix or any of the mainstream providers because I don't want any of my nickels in their pockets. Books are another matter.

To be honest, I am discovering that I can enjoy a book I read twenty years ago as if it was new to me. Certain things are committed to [a less than perfect] memory but when I read for entertainment anything I recall twenty years later tends to be pretty insignificant. I read Comanche Moon about twenty-five years ago but I only recalled snippets. I'm about 50 pages from the end now. I probably don't need to mention the author's name, but just in case: Larry McMurtry would be the author.

One of the things I did not recall about the book was the appearance of Charles Goodnight in this story. It's kind of a ticklish thing, and much like a cameo appearance in the story when the fact is considered that the Lonesome Dove story is partially based on Goodnight and Loving's misadventure on the Pecos River which led to Loving's demise.

The one detail about the story I did recall was the torture inflicted upon Inish Scull by Ahumado, when Ahumado had Scull's eyelids removed and tied him to a post under the summer sky. There's something unforgettable about that.

So much very interesting history has been talked about here, and it has led me to read a number of books about the period of the Texas frontier of the 1850s to 1880 or thereabouts. I'll continue pursuing that history and it should keep me entertained for a while. Now and then, though, a little fiction---and especially when it is as well written as McMurtry's work, helps stimulate and open up the imagination just a bit.

I think another mini-series based on this book would be an opportunity to create an epic piece of entertainment, but if it wasn't as well done as Lonesome Dove was it would tarnish the story. Maybe it's best that no one attempts it, and especially with all the PC bullshit they'd want to throw at the audience.

I'd urge anyone looking for a good read to consider reading Comanche Moon. It's another masterpiece, IMO.

Boy have I got some good news for you.....


Commanche Moon

It was baaaaaaaaaaad.

Well I guess it WAS bad since I've never heard anyone advocating it. LOL.

So did they pollute it like I would expect them to?

Having not read the moon its hard to say about polluting it. Most movies do.

It was ok as far as we recall as a movie though.

I think Comanche Moon is the more interesting book, but the movie sucked.

Go back and read some of J. Frank Dobie’s classics

Like "A Vaquero Of The Brush Country"

Or " A Texas Pioneer" by August Santleben

Or "The Captured" by Scott Zesch

These may open up additional rabbit holes for you to other books.

Edit! And I concur that Comanche Moon TV movie was less than stellar

Thanks Bob. I just finished the Zesch book and will be looking for more. If I'm going to read history, I want to read the best.

Find Herman Lehmann’s book too! Drove by the spot where Korn was first captured about 2 hours ago on my way to San Angelo! 😁

Whoa! I didn't know Lehmann had written one---that's a MUST read!

If you enjoy reading of that period of the great Southwest, you should obtain a copy of Empire of the Summer Moon, by S. Gwyne. It is about the rise and fall of the Comanche nation in that vast area and details the incredible horror they imposed on the settlers and other Indians who invaded their hunting territory.

John Wayne's character of "Ethan Edwards," in The Searchers, is based on a real man, Jeff Parker, who spent years searching for his girls who were kidnapped by the Comanches.

In my opinion, an outstanding read.

L.W.

Nine years among the Indians 1870-1879. Still in print.

While many enjoy "Summer Moon" it’s basically TR. Ferenbach rehashed. While a decent read its almost to the point of plagiarism

For me, the Indian Wars east of the Mississippi that saw hundreds of years of conflict between tribes that were really powerful have always been more interesting. The Comanches were fascinating, but they were always destined to lose and everyone knew it. It was much more of a touch and go thing in the east.

A lot to this statement.

Read Comanche Moon many years ago before I moved to TX. May need to read again as many of the locations will have increased reference and significance now.

Have the DVD box set of Lonesome Dove sitting on my desk right now. It was in a box of treasures I recently collected as the home I grew up in was sold. Need to make the time to watch it again. I’ll be better prepared this time for what happens with Augustus.

Kaywoodie, thanks for that information. I was not aware of that. I'll see if my library has a copy of that book.

L.W.

Read both! Frerenbach is a bit dated now. For completeness I have been told the book by the Finnish professor on the Comanche is one of the best. I have not read it. I do not remember the name of it.

Edit. The book I alluded to is Comanche Empire.

I have four good reads on the way, three are history (as suggested above---thanks Bob) and one is Dead Man's Walk. The funny thing is, as I read the last 30 pages or so of Comanche Moon today there was mention of things I knew I'd known of in the story, but weren't in this book. I'd forgotten all about Dead Man's Walk, which I did read a long time ago. I wondered what had happened to the reference to Gus's loud voice.

Once again, I am made painfully aware of how cluttered and unreliable my memory is becoming.

Listening to the audio book. "Deadman's Walk' right now on my drives around the county as I check the bloom on the almonds and the bee hives.
So far, an entertaining read about a young Gus and Woodrow.