Book Review- Matt Braun- Deadwood

Matt Braun- Deadwood (St. Martin’s Press 2003) 3.5 Stars

Luke Starbuck has been hired by a smooth talking lawyer to hunt down a man who stole money from a rich mine owner. Now he must find a way to infiltrate the Hole-In-The-Wall. Things may not be just the way they were portrayed to him though, the first indicator being that people keep trying to kill him. Luke doesn’t like being setup and now he is out for blood. Who will be the last man standing?

The first couple of pages had me wondering about whether or not the book was worth reading. That being said, it did still catch my attention early on and make me want to keep reading. Luke is a likeable character who has a good head on his shoulders. He figures out things with Sherlock-like deductions. He is also skilled at disguises and with a gun. It really reminded me of a western Sherlock Holmes book. Overall it was a decent one time read and as far as westerns go it was pretty interesting.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com.

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- J.M. Thompson and Fred Bean- Tombstone

J.M. Thompson and Fred Bean- Tombstone (Signet Books 2001) 3 Stars

We all know the story of Wyatt Earp and the OK Corral. This novel covers the fight, as well as the events following the historic battle. Leo LeMat wishes to paint a portrait of Wyatt Earp and he intends to keep Wyatt alive long enough to finish his work, even if it means he has to get his hands dirty in a fight that is not his.

I love this time in history, I especially love the story of Wyatt Earp; he is by far my favourite of the big western names. The introduction was good; it starts out minutes before the fight at the OK Corral and then covers the actual fight. It was interesting to see this from someone else’s perspective, as usually it is from Wyatt’s perspective, or it focuses mainly on him. The characters were really well done; at times a little too much focus was done on character work, as it slowed things down. I did find it hard to get into the book at times; it had just enough to keep me reading, and nothing more. The plot was good, but it contained few surprises as he had to stick to the historical points. Overall I thought it was a decent read, but not one I would pick up again.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Richard S. Wheeler- Vengeance Valley

Richard S. Wheeler- Vengeance Valley (Pinnacle Books 2004) 3.25 Stars

After having his rich mine stolen out from under him, Hard Luck Yancey has been helping the Sisters of Charity at the hospital. Now that gold has been discovered by Yancey it may be more than the town can handle. Things are about to blow in the town of Yancey and Hard Luck Yancey, the town founder, is right in the middle of things.

This book was not too bad, I wouldn’t call it great, but it wasn’t bad. I was captivated by finding out just what was going to happen and how Yancey was going to handle the situation. It did take a while to get into the book, but the ending was very good. The characters were decent, and the villain was very hateable. It was interesting to see how Yancey was able to deal with the situation without violence. It had a great lesson for all of us to learn. The landscape was perfect for the setting, the middle of nowhere, someplace where no one would normally want to live. It did take a while to get into the book, but the ending was very good.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Joseph A. West- The Reckless Gun

Joseph A. West- The Reckless Gun (Signet Books 2006) 4 Stars

A fortune teller has predicted blood being spilled in the town of Dodge, which means trouble for Marshal Matt Dillon. One-armed Tom Gillespie has just shot a rich rancher, declaring it as revenge for the man killing his father during the Civil War and stealing thirty thousand dollars of gold. Now his partner in crime and business is declaring war on the town of Dodge until Matt Dillon hands over Tom Gillespie for a lynching. Matt Dillon won’t be pushed, but he is going to fight to keep his prisoner.

I have not enjoyed a western as much as I did this one, in a really long time. The introduction lures the reader in and makes them want to find out just what is going to happen next. It was interesting to read a book about a series I loved watching years ago. The characters were well done and stuck pretty close to the TV series characters. The plot was pretty good, not always realistic, but fun to read. By western standards this book was also fairly unpredictable; which means that it wasn’t completely unpredictable, but it had its moments that caught you by surprise. I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good western.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Elmore Leonard- Hombre

Elmore Leonard- Hombre (HarperTorch 2002) 2.5 Stars

Getting on the stagecoach no one had any idea just what kind of a trip it would be. John Russell, who has been raised as an Apache, but is returning to live as a white man, is finding out how hard that is going to be. Nobody wants anything to do with him on the stage, but when they are attacked by outlaws they must rely on him to keep them all alive.

I found this book really hard to get into. I never did find myself drawn into this book. The plot was kind of weak and did not get intense until the last little bit. I also found myself not liking any of the characters, which made it even more difficult to enjoy. That being said I loved the way it was told; it seemed like it was being told to me over a campfire. This shows just how great a storyteller Elmore Leonard is, he just needs to work on execution.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- William W. Johnstone- Honor of the Mountain Man

William W. Johnstone- Honor of the Mountain Man (Pinnacle Books 1998) 2.75 Stars

After a strike on his home, Joey Wells now wants revenge against the Mexican vaqueros who shot his family. Jacob Murdock has hired the vaqueros and has control over the town. Joey Wells will have to deal with Murdock if he is going to deal with the vaqueros and the only gunfighter he is going to have on his side is Smoke Jensen. Now they’ll have to free the town, and rid it of Murdock and his hired guns.

Normally I enjoy this series, but this one was an exception. I did not find that it had the same quality of writing. He was focusing on action and not on building the plot, or developing the storyline. He had a tonne of flashbacks that included extra action. I am not sure what he was trying to do with these flashbacks, whether he was trying to develop characters better or just give extra action, but I found that it distracted from what was going on, and made it hard to focus. I do love his action scenes, but they were far from real. He made it so that every time bullets flew Cal got hit by a bullet, but seemed to recover extremely fast, this dropped realism a fair bit. Johnstone should have gone back to the drawing board with this one.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Robert Vaughan- Vendetta Trail

Robert Vaughan- Vendetta Trail (HarperCollins 2005) 2.75 Stars

Mason Hawke is a drifter who loves playing the piano. He has a history of violence that he is trying to avoid, but somehow it always winds up chasing him from town to town. Now he is in New Orleans and once again his troubled past has caught him, this time it comes through Rachel Brubaker, a woman who is running for her life. Now they are fleeing New Orleans and running across the country. Hawke has sworn to protect her and he will kill any man who tries to harm her.

I had high hopes of enjoying this western as it started off great. I love the character of Mason Hawke as he was skilfully crafted. The plot itself was kind of helter-skelter though and didn’t really come about until about halfway through. I did not like how many coincidences this book employed, things just fell into place a little too easily and it would have been nicer to see the author mould this differently. The action scenes were intense, though again not realistic and too coincidental. It was an easy quick read with not a lot of depth, so if you are looking for a book not requiring much thought than this is the book for you!

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Elmore Leonard- Last Stand at Saber River

Elmore Leonard- Last Stand at Saber River (Dell Publishing 1994) 3.25 Stars

After being wounded during the Civil War fighting for the Confederacy, Paul Cable has returned home with his family, but everything seems to have changed. A one-armed man now runs Denaman’s Store, while two brothers and their men have taken Cable’s land in the name of the Union. Cable does not intend to take this sitting down; he is going to have his land back, even if he must kill every man in his way.

I did not mind this western, although it wasn’t fantastic. Leonard creates amazing characters, complete with background stories. This certainly helps this novel considering that not all the situations were all that likely, they just happened a little too easily. The plot was not complex, but was not bad. I did enjoy the action in this novel, and how the main character tried to avoid it at all costs, but he certainly would not back down when pushed. I especially loved how tough his wife and kids were. Overall I would not likely recommend this book unless you are an Elmore Leonard fan.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

www.eloquentbooks.com/kidsonacase.html

Book Review- William W. Johnstone- Matt Jensen: The Last Mountain Man

William W. Johnstone/J.A. Johnstone- Matt Jensen: The Last Mountain Man (Pinnacle Books 2007) 3.25 Stars

Matt Cavanaugh’s family was moving west to get a new start when their wagon is ambushed by a band of outlaws. Taking off, he manages to survive the attack and now he is a nine-year-old boy left alone in the world. By the time Smoke Jensen picks him up he is dying of exposure. When he turns eighteen he decides to hunt down the outlaws who murdered his family, and bring them to justice, western justice.

The first thing I noticed was that the back of the book said that Winston Pugh had murdered Matt’s family, when in reality it was Payson and Garvey. Winston Pugh is not mentioned once in the book. Oops? Normally I love any of the books with Smoke Jensen in them, and this one was okay, not great though. I have noticed that any of the books written with J.A. Johnstone are far cruder, which I do not like. I did like the action scenes in this book and they were many, not all realistic, but what western is? The plot was not a bad one either, not deep, but again what western is? The character development was good for two of the characters. I was looking for a bit more with this novel however and so I would not recommend it unless you really like this author.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

www.eloquentbooks.com/kidsonacase.html

Book Review- Gary McCarthy- The Cimarron River

Gary McCarthy- The Cimarron River (Bantam Books 1999) 2.5 Stars

The Cimarron River leads to many places, including Santa Fe, where Andy Parmentier intends to go. Andy Parmentier is a farmer from Indiana who has always dreamed of going exploring and finding gold. After dramatic events unfold he is forced to set off after his dreams. What he does not know is just what dangers lie ahead and the trials he has yet to face.

This book was just okay. It was interesting enough that I continued reading and finished reading it, but it was not a great read. I found the characters to be rather shallow and the fact that we saw a complete character shift at a few points in the book was rather annoying as I then had to get acquainted with brand new people. The plot seemed rather weak as well and not well-though out. It also did not seem realistic at many points and things just seemed to work out a little too well. I do not recommend this one.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Hal G. Evarts- Renegade of Rainbow Basin

Hal G. Evarts- Renegade of Rainbow Basin (Pocket Books 1977) 3.5 Stars

The ranchers of Rainbow Basin are all set for a range war and seem unwilling to negotiate. Now Jim Bristow has returned and he seems to be trapped right in the middle. Trying to get both sides to see that they are being manipulated could be harder than it seems, but it could also get him killed as a murderer is on the loose who will stop at nothing to get his way.

The introduction to Renegade of Rainbow Basin was different from most westerns and it managed to grab my attention. This western was action-packed, but the author did not sacrifice plot for the sake of action. The action was expertly woven into the storyline. The plot was not overly deep, but was interesting enough to keep me reading. I have always wondered why western writers feel the need to make it so that there is a touch of romance in the book, romantic tension, and in this case it was two women wanting the same man. The setting was well painted by the author. I enjoyed how easy it was to picture in my mind what was happening because the author was able to depict it so well. I do wish that westerns were not so short however as everything always seems kind of rushed.

I recommend Renegade of Rainbow Basin to western readers.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- William W. Johnstone- Six Ways from Sunday

William W. Johnstone with J.A. Johnstone- Six Ways from Sunday (Pinnacle 2009) 2.75 Stars

Cotton Pickens hates his name, but he hates to see injustice even more. He has ridden into a mining camp that is slowly being taken over by Carter Scruples, a man with a ruthless sense of business tactics. Cotton must try to defend the miners before Scruples takes over all of Swamp Creek. He is up against superior numbers, but that won’t sway him form his sense of duty.

Normally I love this author, but in this case I really did not enjoy this book. It had an interesting introduction, not gripping, just interesting. I did not really like the characters in this novel. The author was trying to make Cotton seems stupid, and he succeeded; he succeeded a little too well, annoyingly so. The plot was alright, but lacked real depth. The writing style used in this novel was not to my liking either, as it was just plain crude and unnecessarily gross. I did not really understand why the situation was not resolved easily through the miners ganging up on Scruples and his men, rather than trying to fight him off one at a time and losing. It was more of a frustrating read and I do not recommend this book.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Frank O’Rourke- Ambuscade

Frank O’Rourke- Ambuscade (Signet 1959) 3 Stars

After a robbery winds up with two men dead, Norcross picks up the manhunt for the culprits. They have already picked up Lovato who held the murderers horses during the job, but now they intend to set him free in the hopes of his leading them to bigger fish. The trap has been set; all that they need now is for their prey to fall victim to their trickery.

It took me a while to get into this one. It never had that moment of Wow this is a great book! It was just barely interesting enough for me to stick it out and keep reading. The beginning was kind of blasé, which right away makes me wondering about the rest of the book. The characters were not very deep and at times I was confused about who was who. For such a short book I kind of expected a faster pace, rather than the slow pace it took on. I did however enjoy the last forty pages of the book as it picked up by that point and all the confusion had fallen away. I would not consider picking up another book by this author and would not recommend Ambuscade.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

www.eloquentbooks.com/kidsonacase.html

Book Review- Ben Smith- Gunfighter’s Return

Ben Smith- Gunfighter’s Return (Priory Books 1959) 3.75 Stars

Todd Ramsey has been away from home for a long time. After growing up with a father who blamed him for the fact that his mother died during his birth, treating him poorly, he took off to make a name for himself using the tools he knows best, his six guns. Now that his father has passed away he is returning home to take a piece of what is rightfully his, the mineral rights to his father’s ranch, but his brother and a group of conniving thieves does not intend to let that happen. It looks like guns might just be the answer, something that he knows how to do very well, but change is coming to the land and guns are not treated as the answer by the local sheriff.

The introductory paragraphs did not grab me they were far too wordy and gave a too-in-depth description of the main character, at which point I thought ‘here we go again’, but it quickly got better. The wordiness only happened a couple of times in the book, even so Ben Smith should have tried to grab the reader on page one. I love the main character’s name, Todd Ramsey; I couldn’t help but think of Chef Gordon Ramsey every time I saw the name, made the book slightly amusing. I enjoyed the plot; as far as westerns go it wasn’t too bad. The characters were interesting as well, could have been a little deeper, but again as far as westerns go not bad. It had enough action to keep the reader reading on, which made it a better read. I would recommend Gunfighter’s Return to those who enjoy a good western.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- William W. Johnstone- Return of the Mountain Man

William W. Johnstone- Return of the Mountain Man (Pinnacle Books 2000) 4 Stars

After Smoke Jensen’s wife, father, son, and mentor are all brutally murdered, Smoke Jensen is looking for revenge. The killers have taken refuge in the town of Bury, a mining town that they own, bought with stolen money. Stratton, Potter, and Richards, the men responsible for the killings, have hired a bunch of gunslingers to hunt down Smoke Jensen and protect them from him. If Smoke has his way the three will die, and the town will burn down to the ground. Years after the murder he still has an itch for revenge.

I love this series. This is a great western series filled with action, but still manages to have a decent plot, not great, but good for a western. I love the characters in this novel. Smoke is an interesting man with good characteristics and morals. I also enjoy the mountain men as they are fun and a great creation. The action in the book was not the most realistic, but what western is? The historical time period is always a plus in my books, but I won’t go on about that considering I say it all the time. I definitely recommend this book/series as it is written by a talented author, who knows how to keep things interesting.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

www.eloquentbooks.com/kidsonacase.html

Book Review- Bill Brooks- Law for Hire: Saving Masterson

Bill Brooks- Law for Hire: Saving Masterson (HarperTorch 2004) 3.25 Stars

Dodge City has been left in the hands of the Masterson brothers. They have the tough job of keeping the law and order. Filled with rough men who are tired of being told what they can and cannot do, the Masterson brothers may have bitten off more than they can chew. Bringing in Pinkerton Teddy Blue was not their decision, but that of the town council. Can one man save the Dodge’s lawmen from a sure grave, when every man with a gun wants to put a hole in the Masterson brothers?

I loved the first couple of chapters in Law for Hire: Saving Masterson they drew me right in making me want to read more. The opening pages caught my interest and the next chapter had me hooked. I had high hopes for a great read, but then Brooks did something I cannot stand; he started shifting character focus constantly. I am okay with a couple of different characters being focused on, but there were several characters at different locations being focused on, one in particular could have easily been cut, as he did not really play into the story at all. I enjoyed the plot, but would have enjoyed it more had Brooks focused on only two characters, as it made it hard to keep track of who was trying to do what. I did enjoy how much Brooks seems to know about historical figures of the time period as that made it a little more interesting. Overall I must say that with this book you would have to try it for yourself to figure out if it is something you will enjoy.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

www.eloquentbooks.com/kidsonacase.html