Utah Blaine

By: Louis L'Amour

Narrated by: Craig Klein

Colonel Utah Blaine, held captive by the Army of the Revolution, broke out of jail and headed north from Mexico with nothing but the clothes on his back. Then he found new trouble struggling at the end of a noose–and stepped in just in time to save the life of a Texas rancher. The would-be executioners were the rancher’s own men, looking to steal his land.

Now Utah has a unique proposition: Have the wealthy Texan play dead, introduce himself as the spread’s new foreman, and take care of the outlaws one by one. The wage to fight another man’s war? A hundred a month plus expenses. The cost of falling in love while he earns that wage? It wasn’t exactly part of the original agreement, but Utah will soon find out–unless the bad guys get to him first.

Not your typical gun-slingin', spur shakin' western!

This has always been one of my absolute favorite western stories. I fell in love with it at the age of 16 when, what would be my future wife, gifted an original print paper back to me. This story is so much more than just another cowboy tale, and there's truly something for everyone in its telling. It has love, drama, comedy, a bit of mystery, and of course, that good old wild west shootout, high-hill riding kind of adventure that you'd expect from western epic. I'll admit, I was a little skeptical going into this because some voice actors/narrators can ruin a story if they're not careful. However, Craig Klein does an amazing job capturing the heart, heat, and grit of Utah Blaine. Louis L'Amour was a truly talented writer, and in my opinion, this was some of his best work. It's not like other books he's written. This is a stand-alone story. So there's nothing you need to know going into it, and it all gets wrapped up nicely by the end. Even if you don't like westerns, I would still recommend giving this one a chance. I sincerely believe that you won't regret it. Well, that's it for me. I think I've said all I can to try to sell you on Utah Blaine. If you still have any doubts, just listen to the first two chapters. I can almost guarantee that if you do, you'll be excited to see it through until the end. I hope this helps you decide. Stay safe, be blessed, and I'll catch you all back at the 46-connected!

Good story, good writing, good performance

From start to finish, I was hooked. The characterization of Utah Blaine is that of a good man, ready to do what he knows is right, in the face of all odds. He's what a man should be, and I admires him throughout the story. All the characters felt right. L'amour shows without having to tell. The narrator keeps the atmosphere and pace of the story just right.

Great story...Awesome characters!

Good narrator...Utah Blaine is one of Louis' better characters! Loved the discussion about the weapons in the story.

lacking

I enjoyed reading the book a few years ago but this narration, well left something to be desired

Excellent narrator voice

Excellent book. Excellent narrator. I truly enjoyed this book. Don’t hesitate to listen. I would listen to it again. In fact, I believe there is a movie called Utah Blaine. I will also purchase and watch.