The Haunted Mesa

by Louis L'Amour

Book Overview

The Navajo called them the Anasazi: an enigmatic race of southwestern cliff dwellers. For centuries, the sudden disappearance of this proud and noble people has baffled historians. Summoned to a dark desert plateau by a desperate letter form an old friend, renowned investigator Mike Raglan is drawn into a world of mystery, violence, and explosive revaltion. Crossing the border beyond the laws of man and nature, he will learn the astonishing legacy...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0553051822
• ISBN13: 9780553051827
• Release Date: April 1987
• Publisher: Bantam
• Length: 357 Pages
• Weight: 1.17 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Science Fiction Meets the Old West

Without exception, in my opinion, this is the worst book Bantam ever published by Louis L'Amour. Perhaps it is because I like "traditional" westerns, or because the book is just plain "slow" especially at the beginning as L'Amour sets the plot. Either way, unless you need this book to complete your set of his work, forget it. Louis L'Amour wrote some great westerns early in his career, but later on he let his philosophy of life and the like interfere with the story telling. Spend your money else where is my advice.

I've reread this 3 times

Simply one of my all time favorites! The story is great and easy to follow. Twists and turns love it!

This novel reveals Hopi beliefs

This is a well written novel that is fast paced and technically accurate. It is based upon Indian beliefs that are not normally shared with Caucasians. I have been a student of Indian myths and beliefs for many years, and this book is a good compendium that proves we whites do not understand the basis for many of the beliefs that are the basis for the Indians' respect for the natural world around us. We would do well to try to understand their point of view, and it, in turn, should change our appreciation of all of the wonders than surround us. I strongly recommend the book to anyone who wants to learn more than what is on TV.

A Differnt angle

Louis L'amour Is an author who has accomplished a great feat he has written a book so good I had to read it three times just to grasp the full meaning of this book. It has a plot that I dont know how he thought up thisnstuff but I give the guy credit he is a great writer. IF you want to know about the plot read the other reviews but this book is a definte buy and you will read it 3-4 times if you have any brains at all....

An atypical L'Amour story

The late Louis L'Amour was best known for his period Westerns, of which he sold more and wrote better than anyone else. This is one of his atypical stories, like Night in the Solomons and Last of the Breed. It is set in modern times. However, unlike the other two mentioned, it is set in the American West--namely the San Juan River country of southwestern Utah. Anasazi country-- The one-time home of the "Old Ones"--the Southwestern cliff dwellers the Navajos called the Anasazi, who seem to have simply disappeared off the face of the earth. There is a touch of fantasy and myth in this tale, but the setting and the geography are true and accurate as is typical of Louis' work.His hero in this story is Mike Raglan, a professional investigator, who is summoned to the Four Corners country by a letter from an old friend, and drawn into mystery and violence, where he eventually learns of the legacy of the "Old Ones."L'Amour lived the stories of which he wrote. He left home at 15, and worked as a circus roustabout, boxer, miner, logger and cowboy. He was an officer in tank destroyers in WWII, and traveled the world as a merchant seaman. But his first love was always the American West. His heroes were invariably tall, broad of shoulder and narrow of hip, and leather tough. A great author, who wrote a hundred stories and sold millions of copies. This book was a New York Times #1 best seller.Joseph H. Pierre Author of The Road to Damascus: Our Journey Through Eternity

The Haunted Mesa

I picked this book up a few weeks ago at 8:00 pm and didn't stop until I had finished. This book combines elements of the western, Indian lore, science fiction and fantasy, and is unlike any other L'Amour novel. A fantastic read!

Destined for Greatness

"Haunted Mesa" is one of L'amour's few science fiction titles. Some have said it gives them the creeps, but this tale takes on a life of its own and brings two worlds to life: the Four Corners area and the hypothetical world of modern Anasazi.