Audiobook7 hours
The Branch and the Scaffold
Written by Loren D. Estleman
Narrated by Paul Hecht
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
3.5/5
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About this audiobook
Legendary author Loren D. Estleman has built a distinguished career in both the Western and mystery genres. His historicalWesterns are instant classics, and The Branch and the Scaffold is another triumph. Brutally efficient judge Isaac C. Parker is determined to rid Arkansas and the Indian Territory of all manner of criminals. But his quest for justice and liberal use of the gallows earn him just as many friends as enemies and take a toll on every aspect of his life.
Author
Loren D. Estleman
Loren D. Estleman is the author of more than eighty novels, including the Amos Walker, Page Murdock, and Peter Macklin series. The winner of four Shamus Awards, five Spur Awards, and three Western Heritage Awards, he lives in Central Michigan with his wife, author Deborah Morgan.
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Reviews for The Branch and the Scaffold
Rating: 3.6666666666666665 out of 5 stars
3.5/5
3 ratings2 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This is the story of Judge Isaac Parker, who was sent to Fort Smith, Arkansas, to relieve a corrupt judge and try to bring some stability to the unruly and lawless territory. I regret the timing of this read; I was listening to the audio whilst working on something else and my mind was too divided. I need a re-read to do an adequate review. The story did cover the judge’s time in Fort Smith, his dealings with Belle Starr and Cherokee Bill, among many others. He got the nuts and bolts right, and the setting was well done. I’m reserving judgment on characterization until my re-read. I did enjoy the narration of the audio version of this book.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Loren Estleman was on a recommendation list I've been reading through for both his hard-boiled detective fiction and his Westerns. I read his mystery The Left-Handed Dollar and by and large was impressed with his snappy dialogue and evocative prose. So when I saw this book, one of his westerns with a blurb boasting the author is a "five-time Spur-Award winner" I expected something impressive. Estleman also picked a fascinating real-life figure to center this novel on--the infamous hanging judge, Isaac Parker. Unfortunately this book fast sagged and made my eyes glaze over. The book begins with Parker and his wife Mary arriving at Fort Smith in May of 1875. Before a month is out, the newly appointed judge has sentenced six men to death--bursting into tears upon pronouncing sentence. I'm assuming the author got this detail from history--in his afterward he claims all his characters are historical. That detail hints at a complicated man--but the novel only skims the surface and Parker never comes through to me as a person. Short as this book was--about 250 pages--I lost interest before half-way through. Seen through several points of view, from the prosecutor, executioner, jailor and a marshall among others, I got much more detail (than I ever wanted) about how to prepare rope suitable for hanging men than any insight into the human beings in this tale--particularly Judge Parker.