The Mountain Valley War brings the life of an Old West settler to life for modern 21st century readers. Louis L’Amour is known as a master of the Western fiction genre, and this book is a good example of his knowledge of what the everyday west was like and his obvious love for its hardworking people and the simpler time they lived in. Each character in the book, from the heroic Trent to the most double-crossing outlaw, is crafted with care and seems realistic and as if they belong in the story with an important part to play. The setting is likewise carefully detailed, with explanations to point out the conditions and difficulties that face the characters, which might not be obvious to readers who have spent most of their time with modern conveniences.

While L’Amour is skilled at creating a beautiful setting on which to stage the action, the real draw of this story is the story itself. The action picks up early in the story, and it lets up only for intervals of conversation or description to serve as a lull before the action picks up again. The book is full to the brim with gunfights, fistfights, and perilous wilderness treks. While Trent is the focus of much of this action, the homesteaders with whom he shares land as a neighbor are similarly heroic, and the white hats of this story are willing to risk their lives and property to help others. It is this heroism, and the contrasting villainy of the bad guys, that make this book such a fun romp through the West.

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language:  4 religious exclamations; 14 mild obscenities. Note:  The word “Injun” is used to refer to Native Americans a few times (not tallied).

Violence/Gore:  A few verbal threats; characters threaten each other with guns a few times; a few scenes where a character finds the remains of an attack (burned buildings, bodies, with no graphic details); a few reports of arson and murder; several reports of combatants wounded and killed in gunfights or battles; report of a suicide; a fist-fight with bloody injury; an extended fistfight with blows described in brutal detail but with minimal description of blood; a badly injured character bleeds due to too much exertion; a few buildings are burned.

Sex/Nudity:  A man and woman profess their love for each other; a man and woman kiss and verbally flirt a few times; characters discuss marriage a few times; mention that girls in a particular saloon “only dance”, with the implication that the girls in other saloons may provide more intimate services.

Mature Subject Matter:

Some scenes take place in a gambling house; arson; prize-fighting; suicide (reported); death (spouse, parent, child).

Alcohol / Drug Use:

Report of people using whiskey as a bartered good; characters drink alcohol; characters smoke and chew tobacco.