The High Graders

It's been a while since I read my last western novel so I chose The High Graders by Louis L'Amour, my 64th book by this author.  In fact, with the completion of this book, I have now read more Louis L'Amour books than books by any other author.  Number 2 only has 63...

A "High Grader" for those that are not aware, is somebody who steals the high quality, rich ore from a mine.  This book is quite a bit different from the usual L'Amour novel in that it features quite a few major characters as well as a rather complicated plot.  I felt a bit like I was watching a chess match as the various players jockeyed about the pages.  Even though this is a typically short western novel (184 paperback pages in my copy) there were times when it seemed to drag.  Probably because there were too many characters to get to really know any of them, I rank this one in the bottom half of L'Amour's work.