~THE SIX-GUN JUSTICE PODCAST~

CELEBRATING THE BLAZING SIX-GUN ACTION OF THE WESTERN GENRE

IN BOOKS, MOVIES, TV, AND ANY OTHER MEDIA AT HOME ON THE RANGE...

Tuesday, November 15, 2022

WESTERN NOVELS—DESERT STAKEOUT

WESTERN NOVELS
DESERT STAKEOUT
HARRY WHITTINGTON
REVIEWED BY TIM DEFOREST 
Blade Merrick, a sometimes scout for the army, is tasked with bringing a wagon-full of medicine to a epidemic-ridden mission. This means a trip across a bleak desert controlled by the Apaches. Merrick has past experience with the Apaches—the exact nature of which isn't revealed to us until later in the novel—that makes sending him alone a worthwhile idea.

He doesn't stay alone, though. Along the way, he picks up a badly-wounded man and his wife, along with three outlaws whom he immediately realizes he can not trust. Soon, the party is at a waterhole, threatened by Apache and unable to trust one another.

It's a great set-up, generating a lot of tension. Whittington's characterizations are strong as well. Each person in the story, even the mostly despicable bad guys, have real dimension to their personalities. Merrick's past, including his history with the Apaches, is effectively foreshadowed so that when that past plays a key role in the novel's resolution, events play out in an unexpected and satisfying manner.

Much of the novel is Merrick and the outlaws playing cat-and-mouse with one another, with the situation eventually exploding into violence. When the Apaches show up, the novel comes to a brutal and tension-filled climax. At least we think its the climax, because when that situation is resolved, events spill into a SECOND brutal and tension-filled climax.

This may be my favorite Whittington Western.

WESTERN NOVELS—FARGO: SHOTGUN MAN

WESTERN NOVELS
FARGO: SHOTGUN MAN
JOHN BENTEEN
REVIEWED BY TIM DEFOREST 
Fargo is hired by Teddy Roosevelt to lead a scientific expedition down the largely unexplored Colorado River. 

Why hire Fargo for such a job? He's a mercenary, not a scientist. He's needed because the land around the Colorado is owlhoot territory—the last refuge for gunmen and outlaws who are running from the ever-encroaching civilization.  In fact, one expedition has already vanished. A warrior like Fargo is needed to get this latest one through. Benteen builds a superb story off this premise. 

The book is full of great characters (both good guys and bad guys), fast-paced action and a few sharp plot twists. And Benteen's descriptions of the expedition boats running the rapids of the river are breathtaking. He succeeds in making the river itself a character in the story. The way the climax plays out is unexpected and powerful. 

This is a top-notch Fargo book from start to finish.

Monday, November 14, 2022

SIX-GUN JUSTICE PODCAST EPISODE #210—WORLDWIDE WEST TOUR: ENGLAND PT 2

SIX-GUN JUSTICE PODCAST
EPISODE #210
WORLDWIDE WEST TOUR
ENGLAND PART 2
WITH GUEST
ANDREW MCBRIDE
Welcome back, buckaroos, for the second part of our Six-Gun Justice Podcast's Worldwide West Tour visit to England. Join host Paul Bishop as he chats with British Western wordslinger Andrew McBride about all things Western with a British twist...
 
Available now on all major podcast streaming platforms or by clicking on the player below...

Wednesday, November 2, 2022

WESTERN NOVELS—OVER WESTERN TRAILS

WESTERN NOVELS
OVER WESTERN TRAILS
WESTERN FICTIONEERS
SHORT STORY ANTHOLOGY
REVIEWED BY TIM DEFOREST 

Over Western Trails is an excellent anthology of new Western short stories. Most of them are set aboard stagecoaches and its amazing how much variety in terms of plot and character the various authors drew from that basic Wild West setting.

I enjoyed every story here, but the ones that standout in my mind are: 

Minuet has an ending that could easily have been corny and contrived, but works perfectly because of the author's effective prose and characterizations. This endows the story with real humanity. 

Coffin Trace and Bullet Trap for the Stagecoach Queen both mix a lot of great action in with fun and unusual characters. Mrs. Stokes from Bullet Trap is now one of my favorite-ever supporting characters. 

Stage to Yosemite contains a brilliant and unexpected plot twist involving the protagonist. 

Run for Ruby Camp uses an unusual narrative technique to give us an exciting Pony Express tale. 

Stagecoach to Trinidad and The Strongbox give their protagonists strong character arcs involving redemption while telling strong, action-packed stories. 

These are my personal favorites, but every story in Over Western Trails is worth reading.