Tennessee Dave

What do I know of cultured ways, the gilt, the craft and the lie?
I, who was born in a naked land and bred in the open sky.
The subtle tongue, the sophist guile, they fail when the broadswords sing;
Rush in and die dogs--I was a man before I was a king!
---From The Road of Kings

LRJ

It does seem from reading the story that Val did Reilly good, as well as Reilly giving Val much-needed love and the tools to survive and surmount obstacles, though you don't think of these things quite so much when reading the book. Before his death, Reilly had started to change, and to seem dissatisfied with his lot. He did not wish Val to be a gambler like him, and probably recognised the fact that his type would soon vanish. He fell in love with Louise while he and Val were in Europe, was hurt by her, and did not seem to want to try to trust another person again. He let slip his guard and was blasted to death by his enemies. Val survived his trials, and keeps hold of the good things that Will taught him. These things are present in the book, but could be developed to a greater degree.

What struck me most about this story was the way that two unhappy, lonely people were thrown together, managed to develop a closeness and become like family. There are shades of this in 'Flint' too, but I think it's more noticeable here. I can see why it was thought that this story could be developed and expanded into something that would appeal to many. It has a lot of potential.

I'd like to see those notes!

C

Reilly's Luck was an interesting project while it lasted. The story fell into six sections thematically (not six episodes, however, because they weren't all the same length) and I outlined the novel then discussed what should be changed or developed in each section.

The story is classic a Rags to Riches tale. The young orphan is taken in by a mentor or adoptive parent, introduced to the wider world, is feeling pretty good about him/herself ... then the "parent" dies and the young protagonist needs to do it all over again but this time by and for himself. I don't think LL realized it but its been told a thousand different times in a thousand different ways. Very often there is the "evil" parent lurking in the wings just like Myra Cord.

Though I haven't read them recently I believe that David Copperfield, Great Expectations and the original (Chinese?) version of Aladdin fall into this pattern. Louis experimented with this form several times but I think Reilly's Luck is the most completely realized of them.