I don't even like western stories - I only came to this book, because everyone was banging on about it on YouTube and I was looking for a good story with great characters.

Damn, it is so well written!! I know I am only 40 pages in but I couldn't find a word that was a filler and to be frank, not a whole lot happened so far.

I am so happy I bought this book!

That's it, I don't have much else to say yet. I will savour this door-stopper of a 📖...

Hello! I've just now joined this sub, although I've "lurked" here for some time now. I've been encouraged to see how many people love LD both as a masterpiece of literature and a great mini-series.

I have lost count of the number of times I've read the book, but guess what I just downloaded to my Kindle?

Sort of borrowing Gus's words, "It's gonna be a hell of a party!"

I really liked Jake and hated that they hung him, but I understood why. I liked Jake, and Deets, and Gus, so I was batting a 1000 the first time I watched it. Whats yall's opinions on Jake.

...or by the suddenty of it. Basically disappointed with having no closures all around. I might be writing this on hot head because I just finished it, but still. It might be personal preferance to require closures in the book from my side, but also I think it's a necessity.
I know there is a sequel for it, but it happens way later, also isn't really praised and as I know, doesn't touch upon on some of the key characters.
Just wanted to write, I apologize as probably many would disagree.

As a kid I remember watching the TV series with TLJ and Duvall and I loved it. I’m visiting my mom and she has this old Lonesome Dove book with almost 900 hundred pages. Her book is torn up and has been read many times. It says “First Pocket Printing August 1986” on the page with all the info. One of the pocket books.

I want to read it and she won’t let me take it, which I respect because it’s filled with memories, but when I go to look and buy it, there is a bunch of versions of Book 1,2,3 etc.

Is this the one book that is adapted for the Duvall and TLJ mini series I loved? I’m just a bit confused on all the sequels - I didn’t realize.

Beth quoted Gus McRae "A man that ain't willin' to cheat for a poke don't want it bad enough."

This season is so far a dumpster fire, but I always appreciate a good LD reference :D

Call clearly has an issue saying names for obvious reasons of his character. He doesn't understand why ones identity is such a big fuss or maybe he uses this perspective to shield him from emotions. Maybe both. It was so cowardly and selfish to not claim Newt of course. Do you think in his mind he felt giving Newt Hellbitch was a bigger more meaningful decision from his perspective? (It absolutely isn't enough from a fathers perspective, Carla was spot on) Hellbitch is a powerful and descriptive name, and I felt in his POV she's not described much as "his horse" where at some points with others horses I'd forget their name because I didn't feel it was mentioned as much. Maybe it just stood out because it is an intense name. But that also seems by design? Maybe it's named hellbitch or he's drawn to the horse because it doesn't have a humanizing name? Ironic because he has more trust and bond with that horse than he does with most people.

Hi! Earlier today I stumbled upon a review of Lonesome Dove and everyone in the comments seemed to agree (needless to say, it was a positive review) I searched about it on reddit itself later and many people seemed to second that, nearly on every post about the book

Now I searched the book online and I found out it's a part of a 4-book series.

1. Does Lonesome Dove in itself refer to the entire series of four books or just the third book in specific?
2. Is it worth reading only the third book (if my above question's answer is that it refers to the third book only) and no others or do you have to read it in the order Dead Man's walk, Comanche Moon, Lonesome Dove, Streets of Laredo? Or what order must be followed to read this? Also, by worth reading, I mean would I understand what is happening, or will I need to read the first two?
3. The reviews for the fourth one were, well, not positive, to say the least (atleast the ones I saw). As someone who must have read the series in its entirety, could you second that?
4. Anything I should know?

My word, this book.

I've been an inconsistent reader my entire adult life, and when I did pick up books they were traditionally non-fiction. I'm not sure why, but I just never found as much enjoyment in the fiction books I picked up as I got older. Anyway, I have been very immersed in Country and Western media (music, films, video games, and now books) in the last three years, and this was the book I decided to start the reading journey with.

This is quite honestly the most incredible story I've read. I have so many thoughts on nearly every character, I don't know how to hold them in. I'm hoping to convince someone I know to read it so we can talk about it. I am floored by how I felt for these characters in the end. I knew by the end of Part 1 that a tremendous amount of character work had been laid down, the foundations of the story. But I still did not expect the intensity of emotions as the story went on.

I see myself in so many of these characters too, not in a bravado sense, just so much reliability. There is so much hardship and pain in this book, so different to the struggles we would face today, but the core experience of people moving to better themselves, persisting, friendship, love, everything.

Having finished it, I am now watching reviews on YouTube and was alerted to the fact that there is a sequel and (two?) prequels. But I have no interest in them, and I don't think I want to engage with them ever. This story and my interpretations make it seem wrong to learn more about, particularly the sequel. Anyway, I don't know if anyone else can relate to this but I am genuinely glad to have read this book at this point of my life. Utterly amazing.

and why?

SPOILERS

So I just finished Comanche Moon. I read them in publish order. The whole time reading Dead Man's Walk & Comanche Moon I was waiting for Clara's Orchard (where Gus ends up being buried) to be mentioned. Unless I missed something, it never was.

This seems like a MASSIVE omission. Like I said, unless I just spaced out for a few pages.

Am I the only one who thinks that Robert Duval and Tommy Lee Jones should have played the others roles? Maybe it’s because I have the audiobook and when Lee Horsley does his Gus voice it sounds like Tommy Lee Jones shouting to me, but I also think the actors fit each others roles better.

<<DONT READ, SPOILERS>>

I searched on Google Lonesome Dove map and my eye fell on some wording that red " this is where gus dies". I'm really pissed off and sad.. Should I keep reading? Jesus christ

I want to start this series and could you tell me what should I do?

Read in chronological order or in released order?

Dish Boggett let out a whoop. "I guess he was meaning to graze"

Gave me a good laugh. I'm 140 pages in and I'm really enjoying it so far

I’m about 5 chapter’s in. I’m finding Augustus McCrae’s voice so irritating I may not be able to listen any more. It’s way too loud with a horrible accent. Anyone else notice this?

He’s just been mentioned in passing by July’s wife and it made me realise I have no recollection of who he was so would like to remind myself by reading it again. Has anyone read it enough to be able to tell me when he was mentioned first, roughly?

I am new to Lonesome Dove (the book and the sub) so please bear with me if this is something that has been discussed already or if it doesn’t matter to you.

I finally bought the Kindle version today and Larry McMurtry spoiled his own book in the Preface! At least two spoilers, maybe more.

Any thoughts on why? Or … did this bother you?

Personally, it’s not a very big deal; I’m just surprised an author would do this. I mean, at least put it after the story, in the Author’s Note.

Or was this his way of having a little laugh?

I’ve picked it up maybe 3/4 times, and I JUST can’t get into it….

To be honest I was dubious that any sequal could live up to Lonesome Dove, especially with Gus gone. However, I loved LD so much I thought it would be rude to ignore the sequal and I have to say it supassed my expectations by a lot.

The Captain Call "on one last mission narrative" was gripping and the host of new characters, notably Joey Garza, the cold blooded killer and his mother were well drawn complex but believable people. The themes of aging, legend, sexism, the preatory nature of men and life and death were all delt with in a subtle and engossing way. It was great, I read it really quickly and it was almost as good as Lonesome Dove, which is the highest of praise!

So doing a rewatch. Such a great series; one of the best miniseries ever I think.

But I’ve reached the part when Gus has a face off with Blue Duck. And he leaves Lori to go tell Col. Predictably she gets kidnapped.

So why did Gus, who knows what Blue Duck is, not force Lori to go with him back to the herd? Just seemed like an out of character moment for Gus so that plot point could happen.

I’ve finished Lonesome Dove and was wondering if it’s better to read them in the order they were published or to just do chronological order?

Stared at the last page for 15 minutes. Will always remember my 2024 summer as the summer I read lonesome dove

It comes on today and I have it set on my DVR to record. What are the overall opinions?

I tried to sit through Streets of Laredo a few years ago and didn’t make it very long. I couldn’t get into it at all.

And i honestly think of Po Campo and how cool he was almost daily. He was my favorite for some strange reason.

Also funny story. I had heard that open range was the best western movie of all time -Kevin Costner and Duvall- anyways when this book got recommended to me I thought that’s what I was reading. I had a brain fart and got the titles mixed up. Took me about 150 pages in to realize that there is no way Kevin Costner is either one of the characters 😂 Glad I accidentally read it. Definitely one of my favorites