The Buckskin Line [Dramatized Adaptation]

Written by Elmer Kelton

Narrated by A Full Cast, Michael John Casey, Catherine Aselford and 26 more

A Comanche war party raids settlements and steals horses. A young warrior named Buffalo Caller kills a young couple, then abducts their red-haired little boy. The boy is rescued by a volunteer defender of the white settlers named Mike Shannon, who raises the boy as his own and calls him Rusty.

The Buckskin Line follows Rusty Shannon, who becomes a young man during the turbulent, lawless period of secession and the Civil War, as he seeks to avenge the murder of his foster father, crosses paths again with Buffalo Caller, and becomes one of the frontier defenders who will, in time, become known as The Texas Rangers.

• Language: English
• Publisher: GraphicAudio
• Release date: Jun 3, 2020
• ISBN: 9781648804670

Elmer Kelton

Elmer Kelton (1926-2009) was the award-winning author of more than forty novels, including The Time It Never Rained, Other Men’s Horses, Texas Standoff and Hard Trail to Follow. He grew up on a ranch near Crane, Texas, and earned a journalism degree from the University of Texas. His first novel, Hot Iron, was published in 1956. Among his awards were seven Spurs from Western Writers of America and four Western Heritage awards from the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. His novel The Good Old Boys was made into a television film starring Tommy Lee Jones. In addition to his novels, Kelton worked as an agricultural journalist for 42 years. He served in the infantry in World War II. He died in 2009.

Reviews for The Buckskin Line [Dramatized Adaptation]

[fuzzi_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In this, the first book of the Texas Rangers series by Elmer Kelton, we find ourselves in the midst of a Comanche raid on homesteaders in 1840s Texas. A red-headed toddler is both prized and despised by the war party who kills his family. His story, as well as the Comanche who wants to keep him for his own, are interspersed throughout this tale. Good, engrossing read, and recommended.

[deltaqueen50 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Buckskin Line by Elmer Kelton is a solid western adventure story of murder and revenge set in Texas of the 1860’s. Feelings for and against the union run strong but when the vote is counted and Texas leaves the union many union supporters are persecuted and harassed. Also the many men that have left to join the Confederate forces means that there aren’t enough soldiers left to keep Texans safe from the Comanche.When Rusty Shannon’s adopted father is murdered, Rusty immediately suspects a neighbour with strong confederate leanings. His father, Mike and this neighbour had come to blows the last time they met over their opposite political stands. Rusty sets out for revenge but is turned away from committing murder by the local preacher. He is instead urged to go and join the Texas Rangers who have the difficult task of trying to contain the Comanche from raiding into Texas. His time with the Rangers fighting Indians and his involvement with another family who are being tormented by confederate sympathizers teaches Rusty to look deeper into his prejudices and not judge without evidence.This is the first of a trilogy that Elmer Kelton wrote about the Texas Rangers. The Buckskin Line covers their early days when the Rangers were made up of volunteers and were formed into small companies that were badly paid but did their best to protect Texas against marauding Indians. Kelton delivers a well written story peopled with strong characters to tell this exciting story of early Texas.