Wayne D. Dundee's Blog, page 9

Noteworthy Reads: THE SHOTGUN RIDER by Peter Brandvold

Dag Enberg is a troubled man; a big, tough, rawboned Norwegian whose only claim to pride is that he’s the best damned man riding shotgun guard for Logan Cates’ stage line. Otherwise, he only knows bitterness … the bitterness of his past and its failures, the bitterness of knowing he can’t stay away from the bottle, and the bitterness of being in love with the wrong woman.
But a man like that can only be pushed so far. And if he’s pushed *too* far, all that’s left is for the bitterness to eat its way to self-destruction … or self-discovery of the real truth of what lies at his core.  
This is a tough, action-packed, insightful story of man dragged down nearly to the bottom and then fighting his way back --- for himself, for his family honor, and for the woman he truly loves.
This is one of Mean Pete’s best … and that’s saying a lot.Strongly recommended!

Noteworthy Reads: BLAZE! ZOMBIES OVER YONDER

In this sixth entry, by Steve Mertz --- veteran action/adventure writer and concept creator of the BLAZE! series --- ZOMBIES OVER YONDER is a wild, action-packed yarn that takes off like a shot and zips along like a well-aimed bullet.J.D. and Kate Blaze, the Old West’s only man and wife team of gunfighters, are plying their trade in a traditional manner at the start. When the fugitive they’re bringing in for a reward makes a daring escape attempt with the aid of some hardcases lying in wait at the train station, the attempt fails in a bloody shootout. But before the rabid dog fugitive can be cut down, he ruthlessly blasts an innocent young woman bystander. The Blazes feel a share of the guilt for her death. So, based on a letter found on her body, they head for the remote town of Yonder to make contact with the father she was on her way to visit and inform him of the tragedy.Once J.D. and Kate get to Yonder, however, all hell --- literally --- breaks loose. They find the father has also died under suspicious circumstances, his mine has been taken over by the mysterious Count Vlad who employs not only has his own small army of trigger-happy gunmen but also has the local U.S. Army colonel in his pocket, and the nearby townsfolk live in cowering fear … not *just* from the count and his gunnies but, more than anything, from the unseen yet terrifying “workers” who toil deep in the mine.Before the Blazes can work things out and, just incidentally, save their own skins, plenty more bullets will fly, corruption and curses will have to be dealt with … and the dead will walk!All the Western sweep and excitement you could ask for, plus some spooky twists to spur things along. Saddle up for the ride, you’ll enjoy it.

Another Look: THE LAST HUNT (1956, starring Robert Taylor and Stewart Granger)

This surprisingly gritty, mature movie for its time, came out one year after director Richard Brooks’ break-out film, BLACKBOARD JUNGLE. Like most of his work after that point, it was ambitious beyond providing mere entertainment. In this case, it was a statement against racial attitudes and treatment of the American Indian, centered primarily around the buffalo slaughter by whites that took place from the 1850s through the 1880s and played a huge role in the final conquest of the red man. Unfortunately, the end result is that neither the film’s message nor its entertainment value score particularly high.
All the ingredients are here: Great cast; great scenery; good musical score; interesting central story line; and several highly effective scenes. The trouble is, it plays out too disjointed, too slow, and way too long.The two lead characters are played by Stewart Granger as Sandy McKenzie, a savvy frontiersman and former renowned buffalo hunter who has grown sick of the slaughter and killing in general; and Robert Taylor as Charlie Gilson, a former soldier/now gunslick who thinks killing is “perfectly natural” and is looking to make a big money score in the belief that the buffalo (thought by most to have been hunted to near extinction) are coming back and represent the opportunity for quick wealth from their hides. The two men form a tenuous partnership to go after the buffs, McKenzie agreeing reluctantly because his cattle herd has been wiped out and he badly needs the money. Tension quickly begins to build between the men, however. Gilson is a foul-tempered, thoroughly unlikable, borderline psychotic individual who not only has no regard for buff slaughter or killing in general, but also has a simmering hatred for Indians; McKenzie, though competent and plenty tough, is peace-loving and easy-going and was partially raised by Indians. One of the big problems (for me, at least) was how much verbal and physical abuse (to others in their buff-hunting crew – including forced attention on a captive Indian maid) McKenzie allows Gilson to get away with before he finally stands up to him.Speaking of the buff-hunting crew that accompanies McKenzie and Gilson, one of them is a peg-legged skinner called Woodfoot who is played in a rather unlikely turn by veteran Lloyd Nolan. Unlikely or not, Nolan seems to take his cues from the likes of Walter Brennan and Gabby Hayes, dutifully chewing up every shred of scenery where he appears and ends up darn near stealing the whole show. Taylor turns in a good performance, too, as the evil Gilson.
In fact, all of the performances and the production values straight across the board are solid. The scenes of actual buffalo dropping from heavy-caliber rifle shots (filmed when Custer National Forest rangers were “thinning” the existing herd there at that time and then cut into sequences of the actors taking staged shots) are disturbing and impactful in their own right and drive home much of the movie’s “message” almost better than the written script. Ultimately, it is the pacing and the disjointedness between some of the key scenes that drags everything down.Still, it is a movie worth watching, if for no other reason that it is a seldom-discussed Western and for the powerful twist ending that is apt to stick with you long after the sluggishness of much of what has gone before.Not sure if it is available on DVD, but it plays periodically on cable’s TCM. You might want to keep an eye out for it and give it a look next time it’s on.

Noteworthy Reads: SIGNWAVE by Andrew Vachss

A new novel by Vachss is always an event, and SIGNWAVE --- third in the Shockwave series, featuring former legionnaire/mercenary Dell and his beloved wife Dolly --- is no exception.As always, the prose is scalpel sharp, the insights are deep and impactful, and the family of choice and anti-abuse against the vulnerable messages are as strong as ever. Threaded through all of this, however, SIGNWAVE is as much as anything a love story --- the love between Dolly and Dell, and particularly the ultra-devotion of the latter to keep his wife secure and safe in the “dream home” he has established for her. The flashbacks describing Dell’s former life as a soldier and assassin, the lessons that shaped him and made him a survivor of those worlds, not only relate some mesmerizing events but also serve to help the reader under-stand the steps he feels compelled to take, even in his new life, for the sake of protecting that which he loves. And when Dolly receives a thinly veiled threat regarding some curious land dealings she is peripherally involved with, Dell’s obsessive *protect* sensors go on full alert. In the course of investigating the man who made said threat, Dell uncovers complex business maneuvering, false identities, corruption and duplicity at many levels from many angles.It will take all of Dell’s savvy and some very harsh measures on his part --- not to mention some aid from the ever-strengthening, family-like circle of friends surrounding Dolly and him --- before security is once again restored to their “dream” environs.Another intense, powerful, multi-layered gem from Vachss. Nobody does it better.Strongly recommended.

2015 Western Fictioneers' PEACEMAKER AWARD Winners

Congratulations to all! Well deserved all the way around.
For anyone who hasn't read all of the titles, I strongly suggest you get in gear --- otherwise, you'll be missing some mighty fine reading.



Winners -- 5th Annual Peacemaker Awards
2015 Peacemaker Awards

LIFE ACHIEVEMENT PEACEMAKER:
James Reasoner
James has been a professional writer for nearly forty years. In that time, he has authored several hundred novels and short stories in numerous genres. Writing under his own name and various pseudonyms, his novels have garnered praise from Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and the Los Angeles Times, as well as appearing on the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. He lives in a small town in Texas with his wife, fellow author Livia J. Washburn.


2015 BEST FIRST NOVEL:

CATTLE DRIVE – Big Jim Williams (High Noon Press)

Finalists:
PRODIGAL GUN - Kathleen Rice Adams (Prairie Rose Publications) 
COMANCHE TRAIL – Carlton Stowers (Signet) 
THE PIANO PLAYER – Carolyn Niethammer (Oak Tree Press) 
THE CALLING – James P. Hanley (5 Prince Publishing)


2015 BEST INDIE WESTERN:

HANGMAN’S KNOT - James Reasoner (Rough Edges Press)

Finalists:
OUTLAW RANGER – James Reasoner (Rough Edges Press)
LEFT HAND KELLY – Elizabeth Foley (Second Sentence Press)
FUGITIVE TRAIL – Wayne Dundee (Bil-Em-Ri Media)
TRAIL REVENGE – Wayne Dundee (Westward Tide Productions)


2015 BEST NOVEL:

THE BIG DRIFT - Patrick Dearen (TCU Press)

Finalists:
BUST OUT – W. M. Shockley (Western Trail Blazer)
MORGAN – Frank Roderus (Wolf Pack Publishing)
THE PIANO PLAYER – Carolyn Niethammer (Oak Tree Press)
DESPERATE STRAIGHTS – Janet Squires (Whiskey Creek Press)


2015 BEST SHORT FICTION:

THE 2ND BEST RANGER IN TEXAS – Kathleen Rice Adams (Hearts & Spurs Prairie Rose Publications)

Finalists:
LAW DOG – Wayne Dundee (Fathers: 12 Tales of the American West Published by Western Trail Blazer)
THE RESURRECTION – McKendree (Mike) Long (Broken Promises Published by La Frontera Publishing)
THE BUFFALO RUNNER – D.B. Jackson (Broken Promises Published by La Frontera Publishing)
GUNFIGHTER’S GIFT – Vonn McKee (Published by Western Trail Blazer)

Western Fictioneers would like to thank C. Courtney Joyner, the Peacemaker Awards Chair and all of the judges for their hard work this year.Posted by Livia J Washburn at 12:00 AM [image error] Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to PinterestLabels: 2015 Peacemaker Award Winners, 5th Annual Peacemaker Awards, big jim williams, James Reasoner, Kathleen Rice Adams, Patrick Dearen, Peacemaker, Western Fictioneers award

Noteworthy Reads: NO TORRENT LIKE GREED by C.J. Henderson

Late last week, I had the rare experience of receiving a nice surprise—make that two very nice surprises—in the mail. For starters, there was a book. Always a good thing. But upon delving into it, I found it was quite a special book … a brand new, never-before-published novel-length Jack Hagee mystery thriller—NO TORRENT LIKE GREED—by my old pal C.J. Henderson!
As has been previously covered here, we sadly lost Chris just short of a year ago (July 4, 2014) when that evil beast cancer claimed him as another victim.
For many, Chris was probably a bit better known for his horror/supernatural tales, mostly in the Lovecraft vein and also several Kolchak-Night Stalker tie-ins. But I knew him first and best through his hardboiled crime books and stories featuring Jack Hagee, PI. (Although Chris was famous for saying that “everything” he wrote was hardboiled – a sentiment I myself have echoed in regard to my own writing.)
After I had the privilege of introducing Hagee to readers via a short story entitled “What You Pay For” within the pages of my small-press magazine, Hardboiled, he went on to make many more appearances over the years. But there were only three Hagee novels, the last being NOTHING LASTS FOREVER in 1994. At least none that I (nor hardly anyone else) knew about. However, a mutual friend, John L. French, did. Chris had written TORRENT back in the early/mid-nineties, when Berkley was publishing the first three, and had sent a manuscript copy to John. When Berkley decided to discontinue the series, TORRENT went on the shelf and remained largely forgotten until John recently came across his copy once again.John promptly went to work on editing the manuscript and simultaneously making arrangements with Rich Harvey at Bold Venture Press to get the work published … the result being NO TORRENT LIKE GREED, fresh off the presses for May of 2015; though it’s vintage 1994 (taking place immediately following the events of NOTHING LASTS FOREVER). It’s also vintage Henderson/Hagee with all the grit, energy, and action readers know to expect from that pairing of byline and protagonist. As the jacket blurb promises: “What follows involves Jack and his friends with the Feds, the Russians, and an organization capable of blowing New York City off the map!”
All of this is available now as a nicely done trade paperback from Bold Venture, with an eye-catching Robert Maguire cover and an informative, heartfelt Introduction by Gary Lovisi.
Last but not least, it also features the following dedication, which warms my heart and puts a lump in my throat:“To Wayne Dundee and Gary Lovisi – who knew a good thing when they saw it and shared it with the rest of the world.On behalf of C.J. and all of his fans –Thanks, guysJohn L. French”To which I can only say, for my part … the pleasure was all mine.

Noteworthy Reads: THE TITHING HERD by J.R. Lindermuth

THE TITHING HERD is an ambitious, exciting, multi-layered Western adventure. The title comes from the practice of cash-strapped Mormons, back in the middle and late 1800s, to gather up a herd of cattle to take to market in order to pay their annual tithe to the Church.At no cost to the momentum of the book, a number of historical Mormon facts such as this are interwoven into the plot and subplots, giving this tale some distinct “learning” aspects that are quite interesting. Make no mistake, however --- there is plenty of action and suspense to propel these facts and all else along at a rate that will keep the reader eagerly turning pages.
At the core of everything is the character of Luther “Lute” Donnelly, a former lawman carrying around a pack of guilt over past deadly events that he feels responsible for allowing to happen. Said events cost him the life of his brother and also cost him the love of his life --- a Mormon widow he was ready to marry but instead ran away from due to his shame. In the interim he has been getting by on money earned from racing his prize horse but otherwise staying out on the edge of things. In his gut, though, he carries a thirst for revenge on the man who killed his brother and in his heart he still carries his love for Serene, the woman he abandoned.Coming across a young man left double-crossed by some bandits he’d innocently fallen in with serves as a catalyst to draw Lute back into many of the things he’d been on the run from. From the lad, Tom Baskins, he hears the name “Spanish” --- the outlaw leader responsible for the death of Lute’s brother. And then, after taking Tom back to make amends with the rancher (an old friend of Lute’s) he had inadvertently wronged while in bad company, one thing leads to another and Lute suddenly finds himself not only reunited with Serene but also committed to helping her son take their tithing herd to market. Part of this is as a favor to Serene, but perhaps a greater part is that Lute expects Spanish and his gang to try and rustle the herd, thus providing the former lawman the chance he has been waiting for – to once again confront Spanish.
All of this is told in rapidly cutting-back-and-forth scenes involving numerous characters and settings, everything skillfully handled by author Lindermuth’s sure hand. You will find action, adventure, suspense, romance, and even a touch of mysticism --- interlaced with more than a few twists and surprises --- that will leave you cheering for Lute and the rest of the “good guys” and hoping to see more of them.Strongly recommended

Noteworthy Reading/Viewing: LEGENDS & LIES - THE REAL WEST

Anyone dismissing this book or the tie-in series of TV documentaries due to a bias toward Fox New and/or Bill O’Reilly, risks missing out on some interesting and entertaining reflections on several of the Old West’s most prominent characters and events.
The TV features (as of this writing there have been four --- Jesse James, Doc Holliday, Wild Bill Hickock, Kit Carson – with Davy Crockett due in a week) are formatted much like previous works done on the Discovery and History channels. Which is to say there are narrated cinema re-enactments of the subject matter, augmented with inserted commentary by historians, authors, and related ‘experts’. The production values of the re-enactment vignettes this time around are, in my opinion, somewhat higher than on some of the previous work. Not saying the historic facts are any more accurately detailed, just that it appears there may have more money spent on the visuals. They are actually quite good.
The corresponding book, despite the prominence of O’Reilly’s name on the cover --- BILL O’REILLY’S LEGENDS & LIES: THE REAL WEST is the complete, rather cumbersome title --- is actually written by one David Fisher, a veteran novelist and author of various non-fiction works. O’Reilly does write a lengthy Forward to the book and also speaks in a number of the commentary pieces on the TV features; using his name so prominently is clearly in recognition to his stature at Fox News and to the success of his previous mega-bestselling books.Mr. Fisher’s writing, as it turns out, stands just fine on its own.As might be expected, the book is more richly and completely detailed than what is covered in the TV features. The complete Table of Contents for the book (I’m not sure if all of these will appear on TV) is as follows: Daniel Boone, Davy Crockett, Kit Carson, Black Bart, Wild Bill Hickock, Bass Reeves, George Custer, Buffalo Bill and Annie Oakley, Jesse James, Doc Holliday, Billy The Kid, and Butch Cassidy. A wealth of photographs (many not commonly seen before) is also included.
Inasmuch as I had already read and learned a good deal about the factual Old West, I can’t say that I learned a whole lot of new things from this book or the TV features I’ve seen so far. But, by the same token, neither did I find any glaring errors or sharp contradictions to what I’d previously encountered … although some of the TV features (due to time constraints, I suppose) skim over or totally skip certain incidents; the book, however, does not.At any rate, the presentations here --- in print and on screen --- are well done and entertaining and I doubt anyone with an interest in the Old West would come away disappointed.I recommend both.

WESTERN FICTIONEERS Nominations for Fifth Annual (2015) Peacemaker Awards

This year's nominees (final results to be announced on June) are as follows:

BEST NOVEL:
THE BIG DRIFT - Patrick Dearen (TCU Press)
BUST OUT – W.M. Shockley (Western Trail Blazer)
MORGAN – Frank Roderus (Wolf Pack Publishing)
THE PIANO PLAYER – Carolyn Niethammer (Oak Tree Press)
DESPERATE STRAIGHTS – Janet Squires (Whiskey Creek Press)

BEST INDIE WESTERN:
HANGMAN’S KNOT - James Reasoner (Rough Edges Press)
OUTLAW RANGER – James Reasoner (Rough Edges Press)
LEFT HAND KELLY – Elizabeth Foley (Second Sentence Press)
FUGITIVE TRAIL – Wayne Dundee (Bil-Em-Ri Media)
TRAIL REVENGE – Wayne Dundee (Westward Tide Productions)


BEST SHORT FICTION:
THE 2ND BEST RANGER IN TEXAS – Kathleen Rice Adams (Prairie Rose Publications)
LAW DOG – Wayne Dundee (Western Trail Blazer)
THE RESURRECTION– McKendree (Mike) Long (La Frontera Publishing)
THE BUFFALO RUNNERS – D.B. Jackson (La Frontera Publishing)
GUNFIGHTER’S GIFT – Vonn McKee (Western Trail Blazer)

BEST FIRST NOVEL:
PRODIGAL GUN - Kathleen Rice Adams (Prairie Rose Publications)
COMANCHE TRAIL – Carlton Stowers (Signet)
CATTLE DRIVE – Big Jim Williams (High Noon Press)
THE PIANO PLAYER – Carolyn Niethammer (Oak Tree Press)
THE CALLING – James P. Hanley (5 Prince Publishing)



Also of note is the announcement of James Reasoner as the recipient of this year's Lifetime Achievement Award.

RON SCHEER'S EMPTY SADDLE

Ron Scheer’s death this past Saturday (4/11) left another empty saddle, and a mighty conspicuous one, amongst those of us who appreciate and still ride the trails of the Old West—if only in our imaginations, or perhaps on the screen or the pages we read and sometimes write.Nobody appreciated that bygone time—the stories, the people, and most of all the words and unique terminology—more than Ron. He wrote about these things, along with book and movie reviews, on his blog, Buddies In The Saddle. Like so many others, I got to know Ron largely through this blog … augmented by exchanges on my own blog, Facebook, e-mail correspondence, and my writing (which he read and insightfully critiqued). Plus, we had the “Nebraska connection”—I relocated here and fell in love with it, he originated here and never lost his love for it.During the past year or so, after being diagnosed with cancer, Ron’s blog also became his personal journal. Much of it read like poetry—all of it rang with inspiring courage.It saddens me to think about Ron being gone … But I’m sure glad I got to know him while he was here.So long, buddy. Know you’re fillin' a mighty fine saddle now … Let ‘er buck!
Upon Ron’s passing, his wife Lynda communicated the loss with the following, which needs to be shared:Ron left us early yesterday morning. A blessing to know that he has flown high--like the hawk Anne recently watched in the desert, wheeling and turning on the wind--away from pain and struggle. My heart is shattered. He was the love of my life, but he meant so much to so many people. It is comforting to know my loss is shared with all of you who knew and loved him. Anne and Jeremy are on their way here, to the desert and the enormous sky Ron loved and took so many wonderful photos of, and I look forward to a little time with them, remembering.Thanks to you all for your kind messages.[For years Ron has supported the Behrhorst Clinic in Guatemala, where he spent a college summer volunteering. Should you wish to make a donation, the foundation's website is  aldeaguatemala.org/ ]