Little Man, and the Dixon County War

by Stan R. Mitchell

Paul Zachary shouldn’t have accepted that badge. And he certainly shouldn’t have shot down a ruthless gunfighter in front of a crowd of onlookers at Belleville’s busiest saloon. Now that the smell of gunpowder has faded and the blood has been scrubbed off the floor, Zachary is something he never wanted to be: a damned hero. He's been written up in the papers and has more trouble on his hands than any 27-year-old man should ever have. And that was before his newfound fame proves a threat to a cruel cattle baron named McConnell...

Genres: Westerns

224 pages, Paperback

First published February 8, 2012

About the author

My name is Stan R. Mitchell, and I write exciting, fast-paced thrillers. Both military action and mystery whodunnits. I’ve written ten books to date, and been really fortunate to have sold more than 70,000 books. If you’re one of those readers, thank you.

Some of my favorite authors and influences are Tom Clancy, Vince Flynn, Robert B. Parker, and Stephen Hunter. If you enjoy reading them, then more than likely you’ll enjoy my writing.

Please note, I also write about foreign policy, as well as publish veteran interviews, here: http://stanrmitchell.substack.com.

#USMC #KindleUnlimited

Reviews

[Abibliofob]

Little Man, and the Dixon County War by Stan R. Mitchell is not a typical western but it's a great western. There's good guys and bad guys and gunslinging. There is also some underlying philosophy. It's not all about size, looks and money, a man in the right can do miracles and a determined person with some training and experience can overcome many obstacles. Paul Zachary is going after a crooked ranch owner who murdered an old friend and took his wife. Zachary know from the war between the states what it means to be shot at and even wounded men can go on fighting. If you insist on standing up against wrong people can be turned and stand with you against injustice.

[T.W. Barton]

Little man is a western tale of honor, determination, justice, and gun fights, lots of gun fights.

Paul Zachary comes from a long line of honorable men. Men whose word was their bond and have an un-resistible drive to right wrongs. Those traits have made a legacy but come at a high price and Paul is well aware that the men in his family die young, a trend he has no intentions of following.

Barley into his new job as Deputy Sherriff Paul is called to a disturbance that will test his honor, earn him his soon to be famous moniker Little Man, and change his life forever.

Fame is a fickle beast. On one hand the perks and benefits are fantastic, on the other hand it can draw unwanted attention to you. In the early twentieth century that attention for a gun fighter often spells an early death. Killing a famous gun fighter is high on the list for fortune seekers.

Love can have a strange effect on a man and for Paul a young, never married man facing a quest that surely ends with his death, the effect is as uncharacteristic as it is unexpected.

Join Paul as he fights for justice, honor, and a family legacy that weights heavily on his soul.

I loved this book. I don't read many western books but I have read all of the authors other books so I felt confident that I wouldn't be disappointed and I wasn't. This is a story filled with action from beginning to end. I could not put this book down.

[T.W. Dittmer]

Stan Mitchell's debut novel is definitely a guy's book, with a strong male protagonist and plenty of shoot 'em up action.

The characters are fleshed out fairly well, particularly the hero.

Mr. Mitchell's writing voice is like a raw, unpolished Papa Hemingway. Much like Hemingway's, the prose is straightforward and open. With the exception of "For Whom the Bell Tolls" and "the Old Man and the Sea", I actually enjoyed this book more than Papa's work.

There is not much setting description, but there is enough going to keep you amply entertained.

All in all, it was a fun read, a welcome distraction from everyday life.

[Mark Nawrocki]

a great shoot em up western
action packed from start to finish
highly recommended

[William Pericelli]

Little Man a Big Hit

Didn't expect much from this when I picked it up but it was very entertaining and the ending had a little twist to it to boot.I

[Mikel Rhodes]

A very good western.

If you like a reluctant hero who does what's right simply because it's right, a guy who doesn't quit then this is a great book for you.

[Marsha]

Little Man, and the Dixon County War by Stan R. Mitchell

This is a good book, a really good book. Written first person in the style of all the wonderful old westerns, every word in this book is important. It is exciting, mysterious, and full of wonderful characters. As a fan of Mitchell's other novels, I was not at all surprised at how well this one is plotted. From the beginning, Mitchell has a knack of pushing the reader to the ending. As much as I try, I am always just a little to the left of center.

[Beverly]

OUTSIDE MY BOX

I don't normally read westerns. I've been known to pick up a Louis L'Amour novel and enjoy his descriptions of the surroundings. This book was none of that. This story gave me the story of a man and what made him tick. It was extremely well written. If you enjoy westerns or biographical fictions you will definitely want to pick this one up.

[Sandra Burns]

Great read

Loved this character. Young lawman, had to become a gun slinger. He had killed some of the most infamous villains out there. After his best friend was killed,and his wife kidnapped, he went to rescue the wife.
Lots of action, and characters you can really care about. If you liked westerns, you will like this.

[Roy Rutledge]

Little Man, and the Dixon County War

Much bigger inside than I thought he was. A very good story told in a convincing manner. Almost like you were there.
Another good one by Stan R. Mitchell

[Frank]

It's a Western but with a little bit of Tarantino violence.

[Aida Flick]

pleasant surprise

What a fun read. Moves along quickly and easily. Characters you cheer for. Made you feel like you were back in the west during those days. Very enjoyable!

[Mark Allen]

There are no wasted words in Stan Mitchell's debut western which eschews the florid (and, let's face it, boring) descriptions of Louis Lamour or Zane Grey in favor of something leaner than thrice-dried jerky and meaner than a longhorn steer with a scorpion on its scrotum. The amount of people shot or stabbed (or, sometimes, both) in this violent tale of the Old West is quite impressive, making this a must-read for those who want their gun-blazing action swifter than a stallion with its tail on fire and who prefer their literary heroes do their talking with hard fists and cold steel rather than soft smiles and hollow words.

Mitchell has pared the story down to the bare bone yet keeps things interesting. It's a straight-forward tale of good guys versus bad guys but takes the time to let you know what makes the protagonist tick. Not a lot of time, mind you--that would interfere with moving things along to the next action scene--but enough time to ensure Little Man is not just some one-dimensional stereotype with a stetson and a sidearm.

I read Mitchell's 2nd novel, "Sold Out," first, and consider it to be a damn good read. But "Little Man" is not a damn good read...it's a damn great one. Fans of the action-western genre should consider this mandatory reading, as should anyone who enjoys a good old-fashioned tale of good versus evil played out in a hailstorm of bullets and blood.

[Carolyn Injoy]

I received a free kindle copy Little Man, and the Dixon County War by Stan R. Mitchell from Amazon in exchange for a fair review.

I don't usually read 'Westerns' but Stan Mitchell is a gifted writer. I will look for more of his work. I gave this intriguing book five stars start to finish.

Paul 'Little Man' Zachary shared some of what he learned fighting for the South: "My Captain used to say, “If you’re not muddy, you’re not low enough,” and that advice has saved my life more times than I care to count."

Little Man rode into a town with no name & entered a saloon without a name. Two men got up & left after he dragged a table over so his back was protected. "They knew blood was about to be shed and probably didn’t want to be sitting six feet away from one end of it. It’s fun and amusing to watch when you’re young, but by the time you’re in your forties like these two guys, it just loses its flavor. Wounds last longer, and recovery isn’t as smooth."

Link to purchase: http://www.amazon.com/Little-Man-Dixo...

[Jeff Benham]

If it wasn't for the fact that he has no family, You might think that Paul Zachary was a Sackett. He doesn't like bullies and he doesn't like bad guys. The fact that they might be twice his size will not cause him to back down and has earned him quite a reputation. When he learns that a murderous land baron has killed his best friend and kidnapped the man's wife, he makes plans to rescue her. Fans of modern day Western authors will like this book. This is the author's first, and hopefully not last, venture into this genre, but he has an excellent thriller series out.

[Arthur]

Little Man and the Dixon County War (#1)

Size isn't everything when you're going to measure determination and courage or a man's ability to get things done. Meet "Paul "Little Man" Zachary, former rebel soldier, current Deputy Sheriff, who proves "the bigger you are, the harder you fall." Mitchell writes a great story about all these qualities and fills the pages with action, drama, courage and desire to do what's best for another. Thanks for letting me know more about Little Man Zachary.

[Stan Mitchell]

Hey, it's my book, so of course I think it's five stars! : )

But on a serious note, I couldn't be more proud of two things with this book... A ) The amount of action crammed into it. And, B ) The pace of the book. It really moves fast, in my opinion.

[Robbie]

WESTERN
Jim read this on 1-3-15 and rated it 4.5 stars.

[Joseph Stewart]

Moves like bullet to the gut !

Story start out with a bang. Moves like a good horse at a gallop. Easy to read. Hard to put down ! You will enjoy this book.

[John]

Five Star Book

Stan R. Mitchell did a superb job at writing this novel. A True case of good battling evil, but does good always win. Read to find out.

[billy]

Little "Big" man

Good story. Enjoyed the action. Not some unbelievable bad ass. This man knew fear and how to use it to his advantage.