Larry McMurtry won a Pulitzer prize for his novel Lonesome Dove.  He did not win one for Boone’s Lick.  I doubt he would be surprised.

Boone’s Lick is mostly a plot outline with no character development. A horse, a bear, and various people get shot, including a company of U.S. Calvary ambushed by Indians (the Native American kind, not actual Indians).  It’s not a very exciting ambush.  There were too many Indians so the Cavalry all died and the Indians left.  No one who matters is ever in any real danger and no one does anything unexected. The Hot Kid wasn’t much for character development either, but it did, at least, have the pleasures of Leonard’s laconic dialogue.

Although this is from my brother John’s collection of Larry McMurtry books, he doesn’t seem to have bothered with a review or even a star rating in his annual list of book ratings.  Which is about right.

Avoid.