Book Review - 'Resolution' by Robert B. Parker

‘Hitch and Cole, two honourable guns-for-hire, have arrived in Resolution, a town so new even the dust hasn’t settled. And already something’s stirring. A power struggle between a mine owner and a saloonkeeper is pitching Hitch and Cole into a makeshift war that’ll change their friendship and the violently shifting laws of the West.’

This book, the second in the series featuring Hitch and Cole, follows on directly from ‘Appaloosa’, which introduced us to the pair.

The first time I read ‘Appaloosa’, it quickly became one of my favourite Westerns, helped a great deal by watching the film of the same name.

So, I was looking forward to reading ‘Resolution’, which I did soon afterwards, but for reasons I now can’t remember, it didn’t appeal to me that much.

One of the comments from the review for ‘Appaloosa’ said she wasn’t big on Westerns till she’d started reading the Hitch and Cole series, and she asked me to carry on with the series, believing I’ll enjoy them.

So, I dug out my copy of ‘Resolution’ and read it again.

As with ‘Appaloosa’, the story is told in first person, from Everett Hitch’s point of view.

In the first chapter, he tells us, ‘I was in the Blackfoot Saloon in a town called Resolution, talking with the man who owned the saloon about a job. The owner was wearing a brocade vest. His name was Wolfson. He was tall and thin and sort of spooky-looking, with a walleye.
“What’s your name?” Wolfson said.
“Hitch,” I said. “Everett Hitch.”
“… What can you do?”
“Went to West Point,” I said. “Soldiered awhile, scouted awhile, shotgun for Wells Fargo, did some marshalling with Virgil Cole.”
“… You worked with Virgil Cole?” Wolfson said. “Where?”
“Lotta towns, last one was Appaloosa.”’

From that, it appears that Hitch and Cole aren’t currently together.

As yet, there’s no law in Resolution, so Hitch gets a job keeping the peace in the saloon, which soon becomes the only place where there’s some modicum of ‘law’.

There’s a nice part where Everett explains to the reader how to identify the main troublemaker and end him, the quickest way to get the point across, with minimum bloodshed, that he means business and will keep the peace.

There are two powerful men in town, Wolfson and O’Malley, the mine owner, vying for top position and threatening the livelihoods of others trying to carve a life for themselves in the land around the town.

When Virgil Cole ambles into Resolution on his way to Texas, he decides to spend time with Everett, and it isn’t long before they’re drawn into the power struggle.

The developing conflict seems straightforward enough, but it soon becomes clear it’s much deeper.

Parker introduces a pair of hired guns, Cato and Rose, potential adversaries of Hitch and Cole.

They’re an interesting pair and I like how Parker handles them.

As with the first book, the dialogue is my favourite part of the story; it’s what drives the narrative.

It’s humorous:
‘“Your coffee’s so chewy,” he said. “It’s a full meal by itself.”’

‘“What’s he doing?” Rose said.
“He’s thinking,” I said.
“Hell,” Rose said. “I never done enough of that to know it when I see it.”’

It’s also the way we learn more about the characters:
‘“I been reading a lot,” said Virgil.
“You do that,” I said.
“Like to try and learn stuff,” Virgil said…
… “Virgil,” I said, “ever since I know you, you been dividing everything into legal and illegal. Maybe there’s other ways to think about it. Everybody don’t go around thinking like that.”
We rode in silence for a little.
Then Virgil said, “I ain’t everybody, Everett. I kill people.”’

And Everett’s thoughts are always entertaining:
‘One of the odd things about seeing Virgil Cole shoot was that he never looked fast; everything looked sort of comfortable and relaxed. But I who had seen him shoot for real many times knew that however slow he looked, he was always just a little faster than the man he was shooting against.’

‘I guess shooting bothered some horses and not others. Horses were hard to figure. Like people.’

At the end of the day, it’s the chemistry between Everett and Virgil that stands out.

This exchange, for me, sums up their relationship; I found its simplicity touching:
‘“Instead of enforcing the law,” I said, “you’re helping out your friend… Rules of friendship instead of the rules of law.”
“I guess,” Virgil said… “Friendship’s real.”
“Yeah,” I said. “I know.”
“Wouldn’t work if it wasn’t,” Virgil said.
I nodded. “Know that, too,” I said.’

I still don’t know why I didn’t take to ‘Resolution’ the first time around; I don’t think it’s as good as the first book, but I still found it an enjoyable read, and I’m planning on getting the next in the series.