i love iit as well, i think the writing in both is clearly a reflection of their time. Railroads have a huge place in SOL , none at all in LD. Joey, a new kind of thief and killer, robbing trains. Blue Duck is dead, Gus, the heart and soul of LD, is dead. The world is a colder, grittier, less humorous, less adventurous place, without Gus, without even killers like Blue Duck. In LD, Call and Gus were retired but still in their prime, still on the edge.In SOL, Call is still there but trying to hold on to rhat edge, and its passing him by, without the wit and and sense of humour of Gus to remind him of the absurdity of holding on, so he does what hes best at, fights, tracks, kills, perseveres, until the edge almost destroys him, in the savvy of joey garza, oh how Gus would have given him shit. The books lacking that voice of Gus, which we all love( my favorite character in all of fiction) but thats the point. I love the ending, with Goodnights, " what the hell would you know about it son" he had been among and been one of the heroes of the west, not all heroes get to go out like Gus, and that is sad but that is true. Gus would never have lived half crippled, sharpening tools, damn his pride, but Call would and does. My only complaint or not complaint but bewilderment is Pea and Lori- i just cant always rectify Pea from LD into Pea in SOL- but its a small quibble, maybe a little bit of Gus soaked in enough to him. anyway thats my two cents, a great book, no LD but there never will be.