John C. Horst's Blog, page 18

5.0 stars: I want to go visit the grave sites of his characters, because surely they're buried somewhere.

Remington I've read all of John Horst's novels and I'm a fan. Why? The guy writes good stories; well plotted and like the title says, with vivid imagery. But let's talk for a moment about John's forte. No one can read a Horst novel and criticize his characters. It's like he knows them personally, and not just on the printed page. It doesn't seem like he's created them, but that they actually lived! As I go through his books, I'm thinking, I want to go visit the grave sites of his characters, because surely they're buried somewhere.

Allingham is a man, not a place. When you're done with this book, you simply cannot imagine that he hadn't lived...or that he lives right now. The same is true of the entire cast. The gamblers and whores and politicians - some would say are pretty much the same thing - all come alive. Dan Chamberlain, Author
Allingham

5.0 out of 5 stars The Mule Tamer

Jesus Helguera 5.0 out of 5 stars The Mule Tamer, April 21, 2013 By A. K. - See all my reviews This review is from: The Mule Tamer (Kindle Edition) History mixed with romance and good lead male and a woman that is the picture of grit. I love the characters, the story and the whole idea of this book. My husband is PHD of history and he gave it a thumbs up as he viewed my tablet over my shoulder. Throw in a couple of zombie's and the younger audience would jump at it. ;-)

5.0 out of 5.0 star review for Allingham

5.0 out of 5 stars Allingham, April 21, 2013 By A. K. - This review is from: Allingham (Kindle Edition) I found a new author to read, yippee! I loved the blend of the old and the new. I could see this as a movie easily, HBO needs good material,this one would fit the bill.

Coming Soon! Allingham ~ Desperate Ride

Man is the cruelest animal.
                                    ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

Allingham and his crew are back, forced to confront an evil unlike anything any of them have ever known or dreamt possible. Redheaded women are dying. Will Rebecca Allingham, nee Halsted, be next? The great sleuthhound, Allingham, will have to summon all his skill and guts to overcome a horrific monster that has come to disrupt the peace and quiet of his retirement in a deadly game of cat and mouse.

There are challenges enough for all: Rosario and Hobbs, once again pressed into service as deputy US Marshals to track down a bloodthirsty revenge killer; Mr. Singh, bent on protecting the most precious thing on earth to him; and Rebecca Allingham, both huntress and hunted.

Ride with them on this desperate journey as new characters are introduced into the tumultuous world of the Allingham clan. Meet the Mexican lawyer turned hacendado, Ramon la Garza; Hilola, a woman as wild and unpredictable as the Colorado River on which she and the young mestizo, Ramon, must travel to get home back to old Mexico; tough as nails, Old Pop, and gentle Pierce Hall, the stalwart protectors and avengers, desperately working to purify and rectify a damaged family legacy.

Time is running out. The murderers are bearing down. Will Allingham pull it off and be able to find the monster in time? Will La Garza and his wild companion escape the clutches of the deadly bully and cutthroat, Thad Hall?

Find out in Desperate Ride.

She’d become more beautiful than any young woman in the village.

Jesus Helguera She pulled her sombrero off and shook out her hair, letting the raven tresses fall onto her shoulders. She knocked the dust away from her hat. She’d become more beautiful than any young woman in the village. She was more beautiful than even Crisanto’s mother and his mother was famous throughout the land for her stunning features and lovely hair.

He handed her his canteen and she drank and let the water run down her front and onto her breasts. He was nearly incapable of speech as he stared at her, until he blurted out, nearly incomprehensibly, “Maria, marry me.”

She looked at him. She knew the day would come and knew what her answer would be. She smiled coyly at him and gave her reply. “Crisanto, you know that is not possible. You know that your family will not have this. It cannot be.” Maria's Trail

Rebecca always hated that ring. I told her it was made from a Rebel’s leg bone.

Civil War Camp Art, PVT E. Killian 1862-1863 “Nope, nope, definitely not.”Arvel laughed at the thought. “He was an Irishman, a Catholic, what they call the Green Irish.”  He began fiddling with a ring on his right hand. He licked his finger and worked the ring off, handing it to the young man. “He made a ring for every man under him. The young deputy looked it over. It was made of bone. On top was an American Eagle holding a shield, on one side the company and the other the regiment. The carving was filled in with red and black paint. “Rebecca always hated that ring. I told her it was made from a Rebel’s leg bone. She said it was
disgusting. She never did find out it was from a beef.” The deputy handed it back and Arvel slid the ring back on. “Sgt. Mike came to America to escape the British in his home country and had been in the army since he’d arrived at seventeen.” Arvel chuckled. “My God was he a funny sonofabitch. He would constantly tease us, call us ‘me babbies’. He always knew what we needed, always got it for us. We never went hungry with Sgt. Mike around. He was in the war with Mexico. He’d been shot twice, bayoneted once, and got blown up three times in one day. Well, right after I’d been assigned to him, I heard Sgt. Mike give me advice that I have remembered to this day. I can still remember him saying it, like he was standing in the room here next to me.” The Mule Tamer

“All little girls should learn guns. Then no one can bother them.”

tacosnachosburritos' photostream “I’ll show you.” He sat beside her and opened the latch. This Maria already knew but she was gracious and allowed him to show her as he loaded cartridges into each of the cylinder’s chambers. He got to the fifth one and stopped there. He held up one of the bullets. “Only five, Maria.”
“But it’s a six shooter.”
“Ah, and how many toes does my little Maria have?”
“Ten.”
“If you load six bullets in the gun, you might end up with only nine toes.” He laughed and closed the latch on the revolver. He handed it to her as he wagged his finger from side to side. “And don’t cock it until you are ready to fire.”
She nodded.
“Now, go put it back.”
The old woman harrumphed. “Under the pillow is no place for a gun.”
The old man sat down and waited for Maria to return from her room. He continued. “All little girls should learn guns. Then no one can bother them.”  Chapter V, Maria's Trail

“All little girls should learn guns. Then no one can bother them.”

tacosnachosburritos' photostream  “I’ll show you.” He sat beside
her and opened the latch. This Maria already knew but she was gracious and
allowed him to show her as he loaded cartridges into each of the cylinder’s
chambers. He got to the fifth one and stopped there. He held up one of the
bullets. “Only five, Maria.”
“But it’s a six
shooter.”
“Ah, and how many toes does my little Maria
have?”
“Ten.”
“If you load six bullets in the
gun, you might end up with only nine toes.” He laughed and closed the latch on
the revolver. He handed it to her as he wagged his finger from side to side.
“And don’t cock it until you are ready to fire.”
She nodded. 
“Now, go put it back.”
The old woman
harrumphed. “Under the pillow is no place for a gun.”
The old
man sat down and waited for Maria to return from her room. He continued. “All
little girls should learn guns. Then no one can bother them.”  Chapter V, Maria's Trail

“He could not bear to call an Indian sir.”

Queens Corps Guide “He died saving the men he tortured the most. Remember how terrible he was to my Sikhs?”

“Yes.” Halsted poured more scotch and sipped it as he stared into the fire.

Mr. Singh continued. “I remember when he was ready to die, when he knew he was going to die. It was then that he became most alive. He even called me sir. He never called me sir. He would only call me captain.” Mr. Singh smiled. “He could not bear to call an Indian sir.” Allingham

Allingham 5 Stars! The nicest review anyone could ever hope for.

 5.0 out of 5 stars Great Western, April 9, 2013 By Steve S White (Cedar Bluff, AL) - See all my reviews This review is from: Allingham (Paperback) It's hard to find a good Western these days. The events and mindset are so far removed from our actual society, it is hard to channel that mentality and pull it off in a believable and unique fashion. Anyone can write another Lone Ranger story, but to create a whole new world of characters and have them interact takes a special talent. Elmore Leonard has this talent. I appreciate his Western much more than Louis L'Amour (whom I have always felt wrote above his target audience). But there is a new author who is putting out some really great Westerns, and writing them quickly. Perhaps you have heard of his Mule Tamer series? If not, you are missing out on some exceptional reading.

The author's name is John C. Horst, and this review is about his current novel, Allingham.

The characters created for this story are superb. The flaws that each one has are so identifiable that everyone who reads this book will find a little bit of themselves in here.

Allingham is a tough as nails, by the book, no BS police officer in Hell's Kitchen in the early 1880's. You get some glimpses into his aloof demeanor and his introverted life style. As these first events unfold, Allingham is subject to a trauma which will ultimately save his life, and his humanity. We see Allingham as a machine: go to work, be efficient, socialize little, go home to a meager existence, repeat. Now he has some small touches of personality which give a glimpse into the man behind the mask.

The trauma he is subjected to, and the coinciding diagnosis are what convinces him to give up his livelihood in Manhattan and head to Canyon Diablo in the Arizona Territory, and to ultimately give up his life. He is so driven to be a successful lawman, that he wants to go out swinging for the fences.

In this cesspool of a community called Canyon Diablo, we have the usual sort of characters: miscreants, whores, thieves, and murders. But behind that, we have people struggling for an existence, children trying to find their way, and mother's looking for a way out.

In this miasma of chaos, Allingham will find a group who will cling to his magnetism. He is the rock that anchors the group and sets about the rebuilding of a town, and their lives. His rag-tag group of Deputies each has their own personal demons, some they can overcome and some that will consume them.

Allingham, too, will find revelations, heartache, and a renewed faith in human kind. He'll find other things too, but that would be a spoiler.

Now I won't go into the intermingling of the characters and dive deep into the plot. If you aren't convinced by now to read it, nothing I can type will change your mind. But hopefully, most of you have already skipped away from my review, headed to Amazon.com and bought yourself a physical or ebook copy of this wonderful book. I understand this may be the beginning of another glorious saga from Mr. Horst. While you are on Amazon, add The Mule Tamer to your cart and get started on a western journey which is on par with The Unforgiven. Gritty, raw, and taste the dust in your mouth.