Helpful Score: 9
First Line: I was sitting outside the Commodore's mansion, waiting for my brother Charlie to come out with news of the job.
The year is 1851. The California Gold Rush is at a fever pitch, and the Commodore has his little corner of the universe in Oregon City, Oregon nailed down tight-- due in part to the efforts of his two hired guns, brothers Eli and Charlie Sisters.
The Commodore sent another of his employees down to San Francisco to keep an eye on someone who severely displeased him. Now it is up to Eli and Charlie to go down there and kill the man.
They pack a few provisions, saddle up their horses, and set out... only nothing on this trip seems to go smoothly. Every time Charlie gets near a saloon, he has to get drunk, and they're losing time because of his hangovers. Eli has nothing but trouble with his horse, and every single person they meet along the way seems to be more than a bit strange.
This picaresque novel is a pure delight. The tale is told by younger brother Eli, and as the pages turn, it's easy to begin to wonder how on earth he could be one of the infamous Sisters Brothers-- killers that most people cross the street to avoid. Eli is so honest and forthcoming about himself and what happens along the way that when I did find out that he, indeed, did come by his reputation honestly, I was in a bit of a shock.
It is easy to fall into a line of work and be good at it whether you like it or not, but Eli's had enough. He wants to turn over a new leaf, take the money he's saved up, set up shop, and become a storekeeper. Even though his brother Charlie thinks that idea is hilarious, I was rooting for Eli every step of the way.
DeWitt makes every paragraph of his tale look as easy as falling off the proverbial log. Every character comes to vivid life (even Eli's horse) and the action flows as smooth as can be. By book's end I honestly felt as though I'd experienced life during the Gold Rush in all its grimy, scary, funny, thought-provoking glory.
My only complaint is that I finished the book far too quickly, and I'm left feeling like Oliver Twist. Please, sir-- may I have some more?
The year is 1851. The California Gold Rush is at a fever pitch, and the Commodore has his little corner of the universe in Oregon City, Oregon nailed down tight-- due in part to the efforts of his two hired guns, brothers Eli and Charlie Sisters.
The Commodore sent another of his employees down to San Francisco to keep an eye on someone who severely displeased him. Now it is up to Eli and Charlie to go down there and kill the man.
They pack a few provisions, saddle up their horses, and set out... only nothing on this trip seems to go smoothly. Every time Charlie gets near a saloon, he has to get drunk, and they're losing time because of his hangovers. Eli has nothing but trouble with his horse, and every single person they meet along the way seems to be more than a bit strange.
This picaresque novel is a pure delight. The tale is told by younger brother Eli, and as the pages turn, it's easy to begin to wonder how on earth he could be one of the infamous Sisters Brothers-- killers that most people cross the street to avoid. Eli is so honest and forthcoming about himself and what happens along the way that when I did find out that he, indeed, did come by his reputation honestly, I was in a bit of a shock.
It is easy to fall into a line of work and be good at it whether you like it or not, but Eli's had enough. He wants to turn over a new leaf, take the money he's saved up, set up shop, and become a storekeeper. Even though his brother Charlie thinks that idea is hilarious, I was rooting for Eli every step of the way.
DeWitt makes every paragraph of his tale look as easy as falling off the proverbial log. Every character comes to vivid life (even Eli's horse) and the action flows as smooth as can be. By book's end I honestly felt as though I'd experienced life during the Gold Rush in all its grimy, scary, funny, thought-provoking glory.
My only complaint is that I finished the book far too quickly, and I'm left feeling like Oliver Twist. Please, sir-- may I have some more?
Helpful Score: 3
The Sister's Brothers is simply laying in wait to become a movie. It will be the next True Grit: a great book into a decent movie. The extreme foreign nature of the world that the brothers live in is fascinating, where a toothbrush is a nonentity and you look like a "foaming, rabid dog" when using such a foreign object. The give and take of Eli and Charlie is tense, awkward, and strangely loving, and it examines the complicated nature of a Brotherhood. Overall, great read!
Helpful Score: 3
This book gets 5 stars...Why, you may ask??? Cause it deserves it!!! Dewitt brings Eli and Charlie to life and the events in this book are begging to be made into a feature film...I see Phillip Seymore Hoffman as Eli...Overweight, thoughtful, and tired of the life he is living...You don't have to be a fan of Westerns to enjoy this tale...Not by a long shot...These are two of the most horrible characters that you will dare yourself not to love...Hermit Kermit Warm is a delightful "villain" and you will want to pinch his cheeks and adopt him...I had a difficult time in the beginning of the book because it seemed to get off to a slow start...But Dewitt's humor keeps your attention and makes for a great read...Can't say enough about it...GREAT read...
When I first got "The Sister Brothers" I started it and couldn't get into the story. About a month later I picked it back up and couldn't put it down. A modern take on the old west with duels, proscpectors, murders and a story of two brothers. I can't wait for Dewitt's next book.
I need to start off by saying that I had to keep turning back to glimpse at the cover throughout this read I absolutely adore the cover art!
The Sisters Brothers are guns for hire contracted by their employer, The Commodore. The Commodore is vague in his explanations of why he wants certain people killed, and so it is with the brothers next job: to kill Hermann Kermit Warm.
Set at the height of the Gold Rush, The Sisters brothers take off from Oregon and make their trip to San Francisco in search of Warm. They meet some colorful characters along the way, while revealing their own true nature. Charlie Sisters, the cold and calculating brother, aspires to one day be as powerful as The Commodore. Eli Sisters, has a temper of his own, but has a bit more of a conscious, and realizes that he wants more out of life than killing people at The Commodores command. The story is not so much about Warm and why hes wanted by the Commodore, but more about the brothers loyalty for one another and how their relationships, past experiences, and stress from the job shape their moral compasses. The author uses very descriptive images to paint a colorful picture of the time and life of those who lived through the gold rush. Though this era in American history is not one of my favorites, the Sisters Brothers journey made me want to take a trip back in time and join them on their adventure to San Fran.
One of my favorite quotes: I will never be a leader of men, and neither do I want to be one, and neither do I want to be led. ...And did I mention how cool the cover art is :-D
The Sisters Brothers are guns for hire contracted by their employer, The Commodore. The Commodore is vague in his explanations of why he wants certain people killed, and so it is with the brothers next job: to kill Hermann Kermit Warm.
Set at the height of the Gold Rush, The Sisters brothers take off from Oregon and make their trip to San Francisco in search of Warm. They meet some colorful characters along the way, while revealing their own true nature. Charlie Sisters, the cold and calculating brother, aspires to one day be as powerful as The Commodore. Eli Sisters, has a temper of his own, but has a bit more of a conscious, and realizes that he wants more out of life than killing people at The Commodores command. The story is not so much about Warm and why hes wanted by the Commodore, but more about the brothers loyalty for one another and how their relationships, past experiences, and stress from the job shape their moral compasses. The author uses very descriptive images to paint a colorful picture of the time and life of those who lived through the gold rush. Though this era in American history is not one of my favorites, the Sisters Brothers journey made me want to take a trip back in time and join them on their adventure to San Fran.
One of my favorite quotes: I will never be a leader of men, and neither do I want to be one, and neither do I want to be led. ...And did I mention how cool the cover art is :-D
Ah, this is a most entertaining read about two brothers whose vocation is murder. Droll humor reins throughout this novel. The two brothers set out to murder a prospector on the orders of the Commodore, a wealthy controlling individual who employs them for just this purpose. The novel dwells upon their travels from Oregon City to California where the prospector is working his claim. While there are numerous murders, many incidents lighten the tale - the appearance of the weeping man, twice; the boy who is clubbed in the head again and again because it seems like those who see him must do so; the encounter with four murderers whose intent is clear to the two brothers; and the loss of their riches again and again and again. Certainly not your typical western!
Sorry, but I have to disagree with all the other reviewers. This isn't a good Western. It isn't even a bad Western. It's a piece of crap. Once again proving that anything can get published. I got about one-fifth of the way in and decided to stop.
If Zane Grey, Max Brand, Elmer Kelton and Louis L'Amour were alive today they would hunt this author down and kill him.
If Zane Grey, Max Brand, Elmer Kelton and Louis L'Amour were alive today they would hunt this author down and kill him.
A very unusual story. Eli and Charlie Sisters are an infamous pair of killers who work for a mysterious man know as the Commodore. The Commodore sends them on a mission to California during the gold rush to find and kill a man named Hermann Warm who was last seen in San Francisco. And so the brothers head out from Oregon on a blood-filled trek to achieve their goal. The pair are often diverted along the way by somewhat humorous adventures and by frequent drinking, women, and brutal violence. Eli, the somewhat overweight brother, is the narrator of the story and he often philosophizes on his life choices while riding his nag of a horse called Tub, who brings much sympathy throughout the story. At one point, Tub is attacked by a bear and almost loses one of his eyes. Eli also has his share of bad luck being bitten by a spider which results in him taking an antivenom that swells his head. This leads to a visit to a dentist who lances and drains the pus from his head along with pulling a couple of molars. But the dentist has use of a numbing drug (Novocaine?) which Charlie finds could be useful and thereby steals it from the dentist. Many other adventures follow that ultimately lead to a rather dark ending to the story.
This was really a look at the west as not often seen. A mix of humor and violence along with a quick narrative and sparse prose makes for a really fun read. High recommendation for this one.
This was really a look at the west as not often seen. A mix of humor and violence along with a quick narrative and sparse prose makes for a really fun read. High recommendation for this one.
Throughly entertaining and engaging. From the first line to the end you are fully engaged in the story of Charlie and Eli.
Loved the story of how two brothers are hired guns and how they pursue their quarry and get the job done.
Loved the story of how two brothers are hired guns and how they pursue their quarry and get the job done.
True Grit meets Pulp Fiction meets Deadwood meets ... Don Quixote?
That makes "The Sisters Brothers" sound derivative and unoriginal, but what it really is, is a "True Grit meets ..." for 2019. What begins as an ordinary mission of death and retribution to the enemies of their employer, the mysterious Commodore, results in the Sisters brothers, Eli and Charlie, learning things that begin to shake their loyalty, and wonder if they have been misled.
Here's a hint, the Commodore has promised to make them all great again, basking in his reflected greatness. Here's a mild spoiler: he's not.
It's as if two members of Ned Pepper's gang had begun to question their life choices. As if Vincent and Jules had moved on from their earnest discussions of McDonald's Royales to wonder aloud about their motivations, and question their loyalty to their employer. It's as if Don Quixote and Sancho Panza had started to realize that the windmills weren't the only things they they had to worry about.
I enjoyed this immensely. I enjoyed the dynamic between the two brothers, the gentle and uncharismatic Eli, who falls in love with every lady who speaks to him politely and doesn't immediately make fun of him, and who would like to give up killing on behalf of the Commodore, the way a regular person would like to give up candy for Lent (ie, with good intentions, but without much hope of success). And stone-cold killer Charlie, who fancies himself a Commodore-in-training, and considers the trail of bodies that he leaves in his wake to be the natural by-product of that ambition. And the rag-tag assortment of humanity that they encounter during their latest mission on behalf of the Commodore: the fakes, the self-deceived, and the blindly optimistic. One man, who repeatedly crosses their path, is crying so hard, he can't catch his breath long enough to explain why he is crying.
In 2019, I can relate to that.
That makes "The Sisters Brothers" sound derivative and unoriginal, but what it really is, is a "True Grit meets ..." for 2019. What begins as an ordinary mission of death and retribution to the enemies of their employer, the mysterious Commodore, results in the Sisters brothers, Eli and Charlie, learning things that begin to shake their loyalty, and wonder if they have been misled.
Here's a hint, the Commodore has promised to make them all great again, basking in his reflected greatness. Here's a mild spoiler: he's not.
It's as if two members of Ned Pepper's gang had begun to question their life choices. As if Vincent and Jules had moved on from their earnest discussions of McDonald's Royales to wonder aloud about their motivations, and question their loyalty to their employer. It's as if Don Quixote and Sancho Panza had started to realize that the windmills weren't the only things they they had to worry about.
I enjoyed this immensely. I enjoyed the dynamic between the two brothers, the gentle and uncharismatic Eli, who falls in love with every lady who speaks to him politely and doesn't immediately make fun of him, and who would like to give up killing on behalf of the Commodore, the way a regular person would like to give up candy for Lent (ie, with good intentions, but without much hope of success). And stone-cold killer Charlie, who fancies himself a Commodore-in-training, and considers the trail of bodies that he leaves in his wake to be the natural by-product of that ambition. And the rag-tag assortment of humanity that they encounter during their latest mission on behalf of the Commodore: the fakes, the self-deceived, and the blindly optimistic. One man, who repeatedly crosses their path, is crying so hard, he can't catch his breath long enough to explain why he is crying.
In 2019, I can relate to that.
