The Son

By Philipp Meyer

Book Overview

Soon to be a TV Series on AMC starring Pierce Brosnan and co-written by Philipp Meyer.

Now in paperback, the critically acclaimed, New York Times bestselling epic, a saga of land, blood, and power that follows the rise of one unforgettable Texas family from the Comanche raids of the 1800s to the oil booms of the 20th century.

Part epic of Texas, part classic coming-of-age story, part unflinching examination of the bloody price of power, The Son is a gripping and utterly transporting novel that maps the legacy of violence in the American west with rare emotional acuity, even as it presents an intimate portrait of one family across two centuries.

Eli McCullough is just twelve-years-old when a marauding band of Comanche storm his Texas homestead and brutally murder his mother and sister, taking him as a captive. Despite their torture and cruelty, Eli--against all odds--adapts to life with the Comanche, learning their ways, their language, taking on a new name, finding a place as the adopted son of the chief of the band, and fighting their wars against not only other Indians, but white men, too-complicating his sense of loyalty, his promised vengeance, and his very understanding of self. But when disease, starvation, and westward expansion finally decimate the Comanche, Eli is left alone in a world in which he belongs nowhere, neither white nor Indian, civilized or fully wild.

Deftly interweaving Eli's story with those of his son, Peter, and his great-granddaughter, JA, The Son deftly explores the legacy of Eli's ruthlessness, his drive to power, and his life-long status as an outsider, even as the McCullough family rises to become one of the richest in Texas, a ranching-and-oil dynasty of unsurpassed wealth and privilege.

Harrowing, panoramic, and deeply evocative, The Son is a fully realized masterwork in the greatest tradition of the American canon-an unforgettable novel that combines the narrative prowess of Larry McMurtry with the knife edge sharpness of Cormac McCarthy.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0062120409
• ISBN13: 9780062120403
• Release Date: January 2014
• Publisher: Ecco Press
• Length: 592 Pages
• Weight: 1.04 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

A MUST read.

Fortunately I came on this well before the popular tv series. But it did cause me to search for it (*much better than tv) and enjoy it even more a second time. 5stars is too few for this saga.

Better than the TV series

Told from the point of view of three family members (4) towards the end of the book. This novel was action packed and a page turner. Spanning from the 1830’s to the 2010’s, this is a chronicle of the McCullough family. The first half of the book was my favorite; I loved the storyline of Eli living as a Comanche.

Well done saga of family in Texas

The characters' opposing views of the family wealth as it grows with the state of Texas creates a fascinating panorama for the reader. This is one of my top 10 best books ever. Read slowly, digest and enjoy each development as the family drama unfolds. A western of the quality and scope of Lonesome Dove. Looking forward to more from Mr. Meyer, American Rust was also great but this was an over the top fantastic read.

Good Book, but different than the show

I really liked this book. I bought it because I was watching the show on tv and heard it could be cancelled. I ordered the book and did enjoy it. It does not follow the series though. But it was a very good read. I recommend it.