WOLF CREEK: Bloody Trail

Wolf Creek #1

by Ford Fargo, Troy D. Smith, James Reasoner

Welcome to Wolf Creek. Here you will find many of your favorite authors, working together as Ford Fargo to weave a complex and textured series of Old West adventures like no one has ever seen. Each author writes from the perspective of his or her own unique character, blended together into a single novel. In our first adventure, the town of Wolf Creek is assaulted by a small army of former Confederate guerrillas, who rob the bank and leave dead innocents in their wake. Sheriff G.W. Satterlee and his posse must overtake the outlaws before they reach Indian Territory-but the chase is complicated by the secret pasts of several posse members... Appearing as Ford Fargo in this volume: Clay More James J. Griffin Troy D. Smith James Reasoner L. J. Martin Cheryl Pierson About the author: Beneath the mask, Ford Fargo is not one but a posse of America's leading western authors who have pooled their talents to create a series of rip-snortin', old fashioned sagebrush sagas. Saddle up. Read 'em Cowboy! These are the legends of Wolf Creek.

210 pages, Paperback

First published August 21, 2012

Reviews

[Kathleen]

(Originally published here.)

When an outlaw gang swoops into the unassuming town of Wolf Creek, Kansas, in 1871, residents are horrified by the death and destruction the former Confederate border ruffians leave in their wake. A posse composed of disparate, often antagonistic, volunteers sets out to avenge the slaughter of innocents. Before they can settle the score with the outlaws, however, posse members must settle distrust, personal rivalries, and lingering Civil War-related animosity among themselves. Oh—and fight off hostile Indians.

Not everybody survives. In true western-fiction tradition, some likable characters die in bloody, senseless ways. For those left scarred but alive, the journey offers unanticipated rewards.

Bloody Trail gets off to something of a slow start by today’s standards, due in large part to in-depth descriptions of the town and several important characters within the first chapter. Much of the first chapter is backstory: interesting but almost academic until the reader trudges on. Though readers may be tempted to skip ahead, I’d advise resisting temptation. Chapter 1’s significance can be evaluated only in hindsight. The novel’s opening is much like the town of Wolf Creek itself: unremarkable on the surface, but much deeper than it appears at first glance.

There is much to recommend about the first book in the Wolf Creek series. The breadth and depth of characters is commendable. Not a one of the posse members—a county sheriff, a Scottish doctor, a hostler, a young cowboy, a blacksmith, a store clerk, a farmer, and an enigmatic half-black, half-Seminole scout—is a western actor from Central Casting. Readers will wonder how, and whether, these men can put aside their sometimes-vitriolic interpersonal squabbles long enough to pursue a common goal. For a while, it seems they’re much more likely to kill each other than the bad guys. Even as the posse’s determination to complete its mission increases and the men start to work together, hostility seethes below the surface.

Wolf Creek is a remarkable undertaking: a series of truly collaborative novels, not anthologies. I don’t know how Ford Fargo’s component personalities pulled off the feat, but (in order of chapter contribution) Clay More, James J. Griffin, Troy D. Smith, James Reasoner, L.J. Martin, and Cheryl Pierson created a world and a population that work, and work well. Though the overall “voice” of Bloody Trail stumbles in spots (particularly between the first two chapters and the rest of the book), for the most part there’s no clear demarcation between where one author bows out and another picks up the story. The effect is nearly seamless—the literary equivalent of a relay race in which runners pass the baton without breaking stride.

Despite a touch of repetition (near the end, one of the characters relates his backstory twice) Bloody Trail whet my appetite for more. Fortunately, three sequels already exist: Kiowa Vengeance, Murder in Dogleg City, and The Taylor County War. I look forward to following established characters and meeting new ones in future volumes. Ford Fargo's personality splits into even more components in the sequels, as additional authors join the fray.

[Randy]

I may br wrong, but I believe this is the first shred universe in a western setting. Thus one is from the Western Fictioneers, a group made up of western authors. Each author has his own character hr writes and may use others in his sections, usually not making any major changes in the borrowed character.

Here we get introduced to the characters as they pursue a gang of bank robbers/murderers that has hit the town. Each person on the posse has hsi own secrets and we learn a few in this volume.

Look forward to more(I know at least two more are planned.

[Meg Mims]

Being the first novel of a series, there is a lot of "history" of characters as they're introduced - but I found that interesting (instead of annoying due to pausing the plot). The chapters (written by various authors) are woven together expertly and the style well-edited for consistency too. Once the action begins, when the town is hit by a brutal gang, it's hang-on-to-your-seat tension! Characters' secrets are slowly revealed, adding depth. I really enjoyed this first offering and will definitely be looking forward to more in the future.

[Paul]

This book brings me back to my childhood of watching old western movies with my Dad and Uncles.
Lots of character build up in this one, which helps give the reader a sense of each individuals persona.
I felt like I could see, hear and feel each emotion from the heartbreak over a death to the gritty determination of chasing down those that must be brought to justice.
I really enjoyed this, and look forward to the future books in the series.

[D. E.]

A Western About Ex North and South Warriors and the Aftermath of War

CM has penned a western which takes place in Kansas and Indian Territory. A group of men, raiders and murders and the ex Civil War members who chase them that have raised a posse. The chase begins in eastern Kansas after after the Raiders. This is an excellent read for the genre.....DEHS

[PickinDavis]

Refreshing. Not a terrific book, but interesting enough to keep you turning pages. Not so god-awful cliche either (I'm looking at your Charles G. West).

I'll keep following this series.