Red Moon

Ranger #30

by Ralph Cotton

In the dark of night during a raging storm, a criminal is on the loose in the Arizona badlands. His name is Wilson Orez. Half-Apache and a former cavalry scout, Orez is skilled with weapons, seasoned in the desert, and trained to keep a cool head while death lurks all around him. Or when it springs from his own hands.
 
Arizona Ranger Sam Burrack knows the only way to stop Orez is to kill him. But the madman has robbed a stagecoach, driven away its horses, and brutally pistol-whipped one of its passengers, leaving four unfortunate souls stranded in a desert on the verge of flooding. Now Sam must lead them to safety before he can continue his hunt for Orez -- if he doesn’t drown first.

Genres: Westerns

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 2, 2013

Reviews

[C.A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a solid western. The author presents likeable characters. He certainly knows horses. The wolves were a bit over the top. But that is pretty typical of a western. I especially liked Sam's growing relationship with his roan horse. A mutual respect born of survival. This is worth the read if you enjoy a good western.

[Barbara Lee Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

"MOTHER NATURE'S DECISIONS"

A man born of two worlds, trying to adjust to the white world, but is seen as "breed", the Indian side more accepting but there are still issues. An excellent environmentalists all Indians, only take what you need to survive. But Wilson Orez had turned rogue and was on The Rangers list of men to be apprehended dead or alive. But u know Sam Burrack hunts only human monsters. U know the worse of the worse..scary..Sam Burrack in this adventure is attuned to the monsters he hunts and his surroundings. He loves his horses
and they love him, mucho respect for each other. So how can you go wrong about a man who treats his horses as his partner, which they are his trusted friend in a unfriendly environment. This plot exposed greed and child abuse, psychopathic killers, surviving a twisters ; you know your typical Ranger Sam Burrack here we go again, what tricks are they thinking of??

[7Deadly*Sins Gunslinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic Best Lines of the Book:
"How do you decide who lives and who dies?” said Orez.

The Arizona Ranger stood staring at him.

“I keep it simple,” the Ranger said. “I carry a list of names. If your name gets on the list, you’re halfway there already.” He paused, then added, "Your name's been on that list for over a month."

I also enjoyed the characterization of the Ranger's Horses, the Roan and the Speckled Barb. Only a person who has been around Horses know that they definitely have "personalities" and truly can become attached to a person, like the Ranger in the Book!

Book begins slowly, but builds up to Arizona Ranger Sam Burrack catching up to Outlaw Wilson Orez and their final Showdown . . .under the RED MOON!

[Jerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bloody Story

Some say they wish they had lived back - in the West - not me anyone could get caught up!

[Shawn Cote · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another sturdy entry in this series from the ever reliable Ralph Cotton, who knows how to do it. Ranger Sam Burrack is a man of few words, and that's a good thing, because the more the protagonist in a traditional western talks, the less convincing they become. Cotton's dialogue is great--clipped and never over over the top. He reminds me of Elmore Leonard that way. Reading one of his books is akin to watching a Budd Boetticher Western, if the latter were alive and making movies today. Boetticher made "The Tall T" from Leonard's story "The Captives," and I think he could have made a good movie from this book, even if the Ranger is a little more Sam Elliot than Randolph Scott.

Good stuff.

[Arthur · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have little experience with Westerns, although I do like to read them occasionally. I have no framework in which to place this novel. I enjoyed it, it didn't take long to read, it certainly had the aspects of Westerns one expects. Lots of twists in this one.

[John C. Malcolm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plenty of action and turn of events.

[Kristi Duncan-priest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!!
Such a good writer.
On to book 2.

[John R. Oglesby]

The Arizona Ranger is awesome. This is a good one. It makes the Ranger seem almost human.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good western read! I enjoyed reading it and it was a fast read. The author is quite good at making me visualize, his descriptions are very good.

[Marge Donnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great western, great characters, great action, great fun! I used to never read westerns (exception: Lonesome Dove), but I now participate in June on the Range on Booktube and never miss it!

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good novel.

[Jeff]

good

[Larry Holshu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good written western. If you like westerns then this is a book to get to read.