Eyes of the Hawk

By Elmer Kelton

Book Overview

A six-time winner of the Western Writers of America's Spur Award, Elmer Kelton is the premier Western storyteller of his time. Eyes of the Hawk, winner of the Spur Award for Best Western Novel, is an outstanding tale of Texas--filled with authentic characters and history, and telling the story of the outstanding courage and determination of the men and women who challenged an unyielding wilderness to build a frontier legend. Thomas Canfield descends from a line of Texas's earliest settlers. A proud man with a fierce-eyes stare, he inspires the Mexican of Stonehill, Texas to call him el gavilan--the "hawk." When Branch Isom--an insolent, dangerous newcomer--seeks to build his fortune at Canfeild's expense, an all-out feud ensues. Hurtling the town toward a day of reckoning that will shake the entire town to its very roots. "Eyes of the Hawk "is a classic tale of Western history, told by one of the most critically acclaimed writers of the American West.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0812561600
• ISBN13: 9780812561609
• Release Date: July 2001
• Publisher: Forge
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 4.2" x 6.7"

Customer Reviews

Seeing With Unfiltered Eyes

There was a time in the mid to late 1970's into the early 1980's when Elmer Kelton published several novels using the name Lee McElroy. These novels are just as good as any he ever wrote. At the time he was being published by Double Day in their Double D Western series, so he could only have one or possibly two books published in a year. Book publishers have always done that to keep from flooding the market. So, he needed another name. Eyes of the Hawk follows the life of Thomas Canfield, an early settler in Stonehill, Texas. A stubborn man with a fixed stare. A stare that seemed to look straight through you so the Mexicans called him gavilan, the hawk. When Branch Isom came and tried to build his empire at Canfield's expense, nothing but trouble could result. The inevitable blood bath was seen as the only solution, and which could change the town forever. This is a powerful story as only Elmer Kelton could write

Terrific- I couldn't put it down!

I could not stop reading this! I am an Elmer Kelton fan and this is definitely one of his best. I do not like to read books written in first person, but this may be the best I've ever read. It's full of twists, turns and surprises, up to the very end. I loved it.

Texas History

All of mr. Keltons' books are fiction enough to make a story on factual history.I am trying to read them all and will try to get my grandaughter to read them next year when she takes Texas History so she can read the true facts about Texas History and not the politcally correct history we read about now.

A GOOD WESTERN!!!

This is a very good western. It is not filled with a lot of curse words or bad acts. It is really a story about the hate between two men. Thomas Canfield and Branch Isom. Canfield is called The Hawk on the back cover but I never did understand why or where that came into play. Canfield owns lots of land and cattle, Isom owns most of the business in town. They fight all the time. It is about their lives and the people around them. The ending will surprise you, it is very good. Kelton writes so you can feel like you are there. It is a book taht could have really happened. If you like a quick read with good characters that are well described and you can relate to, I think you will enjoy this book.