American Westerns discussion

Currently into the 1st third of Cast A Long Shadow by Frank Bonham - a personal fave.
I'll be posting a cover image of my edition shortly.
My edition published by Monarch Books in paperback in 1964 this one really surprised me.
You just don't expect EVERY single book by Frank Bonham to be so damned perfect.

I've got a few Frank Bonham books in my collection. I need to check my shelves. I'm reading an old Lewis B. Patten paperback Showdown at War Cloud

Currently reading Bowdrie's Law: Stories by Louis L'Amour.

Bloodthirsty by William w Johnstone

Jeremy wrote: "Bloodthirsty by William w Johnstone"
I hear a lot of good things about Johnstone. Prolific. Is this one guy or like a publishing house name?
Where should I start with this guy?
Or lady person...

The last few time I checked the tiny Westerns section at B&N the only two authors presented were Louis L'Amour and William W. Johnstone.

Still wrote: "Jeremy wrote: "Bloodthirsty by William w Johnstone"
I hear a lot of good things about Johnstone. Prolific. Is this one guy or like a publishing house name?
Where should I start with this guy?
Or la..."

I'd start with the William W. Johnstone books first, Smoke or Preacher, but he died in 2004, up to about 2012 or so (Or when the Blood Bond and Frank Morgan series stopped) they are basically finished off books that William started and finished by ghost writers.

Many of the new series since 2013 have been hit or miss, skip the Brothers O'Brien, The Trail West, Cotton Pickens and Shawn O'Brien, they are a waste of time.

Then you have ones like Texas John Slaughter, or Firestick that are good but you've read some of the themes in the Sixkiller, Will Tanner and The Range Detective series, these 3 are excellent and just makes those series seem repetitive verse adding new ones especially to Sixkiller series.

Also with the Kerrigan's series, read the first book, it was good but reminds me of the latter Smoke Jensen books were he's a rancher, defending his brand and nothing J.A. comes up with will top this series.

I've basically since 2016, preview his books, read the description on the back, read a couple of chapters and just buy the ones I like. Others I'll wait, then read reviews, wait too find them used or don't even bother with them.

HornFan2 (Mike) wrote: "Still wrote: "Jeremy wrote: "Bloodthirsty by William w Johnstone"
I hear a lot of good things about Johnstone. Prolific. Is this one guy or like a publishing house name?
Where should I start with t..."
Thanks for the explanation of how this guy managed to publish so many titles.
I will follow your suggestions on which titles to be on the lookout for.
Much obliged!

I loved every one of the Preacher books. Didn't know the rest of this detail, HornFan2. Thanks for the background.

So are the Preacher books in "The First Mountain Man" series or "The Last Mountain Man" series?

Edwin wrote: "So are the Preacher books in "The First Mountain Man" series or "The Last Mountain Man" series?"

The First Mountain Man is Preacher & The Last Mountain Man is Smoke

Speaking of The First Mountain Man, it's currently tied for the lead with Grizzly Killer: The Making of a Mountain Man in the Autumn Group Read poll at the bottom of the home page. Don't forget to vote!

I'm 37 pages into a slim little item Ten Grand aka Edge #2.
The Edge series is billed as "The Most Violent Westerns In Print".
I'm not sure if I'm going to stay with this or switch to a Donald E. Westlake (non-Western) paperback I picked up over the weekend.

Your opinions on the Edge series please.

The legend behind the Edge series is that they were written by a British author who based them primarily on Spaghetti Western movies that he had seen. They are ultra-violent and loaded with black humor. I've been meaning to read one, but they're hard to find. They are supposedly collectibles now.

Edwin wrote: "The legend behind the Edge series is that they were written by a British author who based them primarily on Spaghetti Western movies that he had seen. They are ultra-violent and loaded with black h..."

Thanks...
I have Edge #2, #3, and #5. I guess I'll finish this one I picked up last night from my TBR Westerns pile. The Spaghetti Western aspect is prominent. Violence isn't as objectionably silly as Mike Hammer or Tiger Mann. I can't think of any comparable Westerns.

Edwin wrote: "The legend behind the Edge series is that they were written by a British author who based them primarily on Spaghetti Western movies that he had seen. They are ultra-violent and loaded with black h..."

Heard about the series, just never found any used and purchased the first book, in the ebook format on amazon.com and they have the entire series for $3.50 a piece. Not bad when you see some of the paperback prices on the site.

HornFan2 (Mike) wrote: "Edwin wrote: "The legend behind the Edge series is that they were written by a British author who based them primarily on Spaghetti Western movies that he had seen. They are ultra-violent and loade..."

Read Edge #2 this afternoon. My review is up. I didn't hate it.

Though it may not be considered an "orthodox" western, I'm currently reading "Cities of the Plain" by Cormac McCarthy. It's the last book of a trilogy and the first two were incredible. I think the description of landscapes and pure storytelling rivals that of Wister while as far as I can tell the historical accuracy is on par with L'Amour and other such authors. All that with a bit of a dark twist characteristic of McCarthy novels.

As a relative newbie to reading westerns, I started reading Riders of the Purple Sage. I've read plenty of books in western settings, such as Tony Hillerman mysteries and I must say this is a surprising read. I love Zane Grey's writing, the way he is able to set the scene, describe a mood, or the landscape. I read Betty Zane before and loved it. Though it is not really a western. What I didn't expect in this unforgiving setting of the Utah border is his tenderness. I'm about half-way through, it is going to get interesting soon :)

I loved "Riders of the Purple Sage". No one writes elegant descriptive prose like Zane Grey.

This week I finished Monte Walsh and loved it. I found some cheap "Rawhide Kid" and "Two-Gun Kid" Marvel comics from the '70s, and also started an Adult Western Slocum and the Family Business that was surprisingly written by a woman, the late Ellen Recknor.

Currently reading Trumpets West! by Luke Short. This is the first story I will have read by Luke Short. Figured it was a good way to kill time while I am stuck in a hospital room.

Gary wrote: "Currently reading Trumpets West! by Luke Short. This is the first story I will have read by Luke Short. Figured it was a good way ..."

Sorry you're in a hospital. I've had a few stays in the past year myself. I don't react well to confinement, I've discovered.
Like to know your opinion of Luke Short when you get the opportunity.

Just finished by Jonas Ward.
Really enjoyed this.

Still wrote: "Gary wrote: "Currently reading Trumpets West! by Luke Short. This is the first story I will have read by Luke Short. Figured it wa..."

I enjoyed it. Lots of standard cavalary tropes. It is a novella. Honorable cavalary officer and a shady Bureau of Indian Affairs agent are among the tropes. Entertaining despite that.

Newbie alert..
Small and blossoming list in this genre. Shane had been on my TR list for some time till I found it locally, admittedly its condensed within a Readers Digest Treasury however the plates along with snapshots of social history are interesting and informative.

I've discovered an author named Edwin Booth. Superb writer.
First I read and I'm currently reading

Somehow I don't have any Edwin Booth books in my Westerns library. I'll have to keep an eye out at the book stores for his books. Thanks for the tip!

Non-fiction, last book in the digest I found.

started reading "the line that held us" by my friend David Joy, another great one.

I’ve been reading the Sackett series by Louis Lamour. Really enjoying them!!

Reading The Black Hills by William W. Johnstone

Thanks to Still's tip in this thread I picked up a couple of Edwin Booth books and started on Boot Heel Range. With a name like Edwin he can't be all bad :)

Just finished The Lily of the West by Kathleen Morris, a fresh and inspiring take on Kate Haroney and Doc Holliday. I really enjoyed it.

Edwin wrote: ""


That's TERRIFIC to know!

Edwin wrote: ""

With the evolution of ebooks, with various publishers like Piccadilly, etc release long out of print Western series. It'll definitely keep the genre going longer, especially with less publishers wanting to print them in PB.

HornFan2 (Mike) wrote: "Edwin wrote: ""

With the evolution of ebooks, with various publishers like Piccadilly, etc release long out of print Western series. It'll definitely keep the genre going longer, especially with l..."

There's a nice piece in today's (24 May 2019) New York Times by Timothy Egan about how preferable real books are to ebooks:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/24/op...

I’m currently reading the first book of Charles G. West’s new series. “Hell Hath No Fury.” Enjoying it so far!

James Carlos Blake "In the Rogue Blood". Young Ned is not your typical goody-two-shoes! And that's why I love him a lot!

I’ve been hooked on Charles G West’s books lately. Right now I’m reading Trial At Fort Keogh and i highly recommend it.

Jordan wrote: "I’ve been hooked on Charles G West’s books lately. Right now I’m reading Trial At Fort Keogh and i highly recommend it."

I'm going to check him out. I'm looking for more great Westerns.

Hell Hath No Fury has a lot of traction in the current group read poll so it looks like there is much interest in Mr. West's work. I voted for it myself.

Well, after too goody and too goofy Deadman's Lament I look for John Hawk

Jacqui wrote: "Jordan wrote: "I’ve been hooked on Charles G West’s books lately. Right now I’m reading Trial At Fort Keogh and i highly recommend it."

I'm going to check him out. I'm looking for more great Weste..."

Jordan wrote: "I’m currently reading the first book of Charles G. West’s new series. “Hell Hath No Fury.” Enjoying it so far!"

Everything I've read by him so far, has all been really good, it's well worth it to track down his early series used or get them as ebooks.

Currently reading The Golden West by Zane Grey, Max Brand, and Louis L'Amour.

I just finished reading the 4th book in the LONESOME DOVE series by Larry McMurtry Comanche Moon.

I give the whole series 5 stars. Fantastic series!

I just finished reading the 4th book in the LONESOME DOVE series by Larry McMurtry Comanche Moon.

I give the whole series 5 stars. Fantastic story!

I intend to reread this series soon... maybe mid-spring. My ticket’s punched for Winter’s remains. Many a new book to read before then.

Lonesome Dove is one of my all-time favorite books. I've never read the others, afraid that like Dune - the first book is great and the rest aren't.

I'm reading Avenging Angels: Vengeance Trail about a bible-thumping brother and sister doing the Lord's work to kill the confederate raiders that slaughtered their family.

That series is on my reread list also, just started reading Jory Sherman Ghost Warrior.