Fargo 07: Wolf's Head

Fargo #7

by John Benteen

The brainchild of Amazon Kindle Number One bestselling western writers Mike Stotter and Ben Bridges, PICCADILLY PUBLISHING is dedicated to reissuing classic fiction from Yesterday and Today! WOLF’S HEAD Fargo knew Lasher was behind attempts to wreck the MacKenzie logging operation. Lasher wanted the lush timberland known as the Wolf’s Head Tract for himself, and smashing MacKenzie was the first step in taking it. Teddy Roosevelt, Fargo’s old Rough Riders boss, had an interest in the situation, and wanted Lasher stopped—permanently. But Lasher was as tough as they come, and harder to catch than a greased pig. Still, when Fargo took on a job he saw it through to its violent end … or died in the trying. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Benjamin Leopold Haas was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1926. His imagination was inspired by the stories of the Civil War and Reconstruction as told by his Grandmother, who had lived through both. Ben’s father was also a pioneer operator of motion picture theatres, “ ... so I had free access to every theatre in Charlotte and saw countless films growing up, hooked on the lore of our own South and the Old West.” Largely self educated (he had to drop out of college in order to support his family), Ben wrote his first story, a pulp short for a western magazine, when he was just eighteen. But when he was drafted into the Army, his dreams of becoming a writer were put on hold. He served as a Sergeant in the U.S. Army from 1945 to 1946, and saw action in the Philippines. Returning home to Charlotte (and later Sumter, in South Carolina) in 1946, Ben married Douglas Thornton Taylor from Raleigh four years later. The father of three sons (Joel, Michael and John), Ben was working for a steel company when he sold his first novel in 1961. The acceptance coincided with being laid off, and thereafter he wrote full time. A prolific writer who would eventually pen some 130 books under his own and a variety of pen-names, Ben wrote almost twenty-four hours a day. “I tried to write 5000 words or more every day, scrupulous in maintaining authenticity,” he later said. Ben wanted to be a mainstream writer, but needed a way to finance himself between serious books, and so he became a paperback writer. Ben’s early pen names include Ben Elliott (his grandmother’s maiden name), who wrote Westerns for Ace; and Sam Webster, who wrote five books for Monarch. As Ken Barry he turned out racy paperback originals for Beacon with titles like The Love Itch and Executive Boudoir. But his agent was not happy about his decision to enter the western market, and suggested he represent himself on those sales. Ben had sent a trial novel to Harry Shorten of Tower Books. Ben’s family remembers it being A Hell of A Way to Die, written for Tower’s new Lassiter series. It was published in 1969, and editor Shorten told his new author to create a western series of his own. The result was Fargo. The success of Fargo led to the Sundance series. Jim Sundance is a half-Cheyenne gunslinger who takes on the toughest jobs in order to raise funds to fight the corrupt Indian Ring back in Washington. The short-lived John Cutler series followed, and then perhaps Ben’s crowning achievement, the Rancho Bravo novels, published under the name Thorne Douglas. Ben Haas died from a heart attack in New York City after attending a Literary Guild dinner in 1977. He was just fifty-one. Fan favourite James Reasoner has hailed Ben as “one of the best action writers of all time”.

Genres: Westerns

135 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

Pseudonym used by Ben Haas.

Reviews

[Jonathan Ammon · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better FARGO books with a unique setting (a logging camp) that features new dangers and thrills and a twistier plot than usual. Benteen (Haas) manages to continue to provide new ideas for the series that hit that sweet spot of knowing what you're getting, but not reading the same thing over and over. Piccadilly seems to have changed cover artist, and I cannot say for the better.

[Michael D. Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Timberrrr!

Exhilarating, breathless, it was as if I was riding and fighting along the side of Fargo(In my dreams) danger at every twist and turn! At my age(75) made moments of past youth, thanks! John

[S.wagenaar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great Fargo adventure. This time he's off to the Pacific Northwest at the special request of Teddy Roosevelt to help out an embattled lumber company. Seems like a rival logging outfit is trying to sabotage the current operations and men have been killed. Fargo used to be a logger/cutter back when, so he initially signs on as a common worker to figure out what's going on. Much shenanigans ensues, blood is spilled and total war erupts amid a forest fire! The historical details concerning turn of the century logging are fascinating and the action comes fast and furious. Benteen can write on hell of kick-ass, masculine adventure; very un-P.C. for those who worry about such things. I might have to tackle another Fargo adventure right away, addictive reading!

[Tim Deforest · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fargo books are always fun to read--short, fast-moving novels full of great action. This one is set in the Northwest United States. Teddy Roosevelt asks Fargo to help out a logging operation that is being sabotaged by a rival company. Teddy is interested because the current loggers are obeying new regulations about leaving the forest intact enough to regrow, whereas the bad guys will destroy the entire forest for profit.

Fargo has to deal with murderous double agents within the logging crew and later lead a security force against the bad guys while simultaneously dealing with a forest fire. The setting is unusual (as it often is in Fargo novels) and the author effectively uses this setting to construct unique and exciting fight scenes.

[Christopher Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fargo goes logging in a mythical part of the Pacific Northwest. Very rich logging territory under dispute, with sabotage wrecking a man's attempts to log out the region and get his pay. This one is pretty violent, but only in one on one conflicts, and Fargo having to face his greatest fear: heights. Very rough and rugged, manly stuff and most of the deaths are from something other than guns.

[Chris Hayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Typical

It is what it is. If you've read any Fargo books you pretty much know what you are getting. Enjoy.

[Randy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fargo's undercover in the great Northwest at Teddy Roosevelt's request. Lasher has men sabotaging Mackenzie's logging operation so that he can get the contract.