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Fighting Chance
Two wanted bandits - the Driscoll brothers - are on the run from the law Posing as rangers, they join a group of Mormons making their way along a desert trail. But they can’t hide their true natures for long. After a brawl in a tavern one of the brothers shoots a man dead. And in a desperate attempt to escape retribution they take a young woman, Annie, hostage. Obadiah Peabody normally keeps himself to himself. But Annie is like a daughter to him and he feels responsible for her safety. Does Obadiah have a Fighting Chance against the ruthless Driscoll brothers? Or will he and Annie become two more victims on their list of killings? Fighting Chance is a thrilling saga of gunplay and romance, perfect for fans of classic Western adventure. Praise for Christopher Kenworthy 'A thrilling read.' - Robert Foster, acclaimed author of The Lunar Code. ‘Kenworthy is a craftsman and entertainer.’ - Richard Foreman, bestselling author of The Sword of Rome series Christopher Kenworthy was a journalist and novelist. His other Westerns include Last Shot and Hired Gun, and he has also written two naval fiction series - the John Paul Jones adventures and the In the Dark of the Moon saga.
138 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 30, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 19, 2016
Sometimes it's more interesting to follow the story of the outlaws than the posse following. And I do mean hard, cold, morally wrong outlaws and not the bad boys with a heart of gold types. I wasn't sure where this story was going because there wasn't a clear path and there were several story elements converging and diverging at times. In the end, it was a hard fought, wild ride for which I was happy to go along side.
The story opens with the four Driscoll brothers shooting their way out of town after a bank robbery goes belly up. A posse is on their tail and is still there days later. The brothers are as different as night and day, but share the same lack of strong moral fiber. They are in this mess because one couldn't keep his hand off the women.
Soon, they encounter a party of travelers and have thoughts of helping themselves to the horses, food, and women, but this group are a bit too savvy and hard-eyed so they join the group headed south toward the Painted Desert. The now enlarged party encounter trouble and make it into a town with the help of an old time tracker, Obadiah Peabody.
Again, the brothers find trouble and this time they are backed into a corner. They grab a few women hostages, but make a deadly mistake when one is Obadiah's adopted granddaughter and the love interest of the local gunsmith and another is the daughter of the trail leader for the group they just came in with. Fleeing into the desert and taking their chances again the wilds and the native tribes is their best bet. Hard men are on their trail.
Alright, so this one was fairly straight forward until the trail party hits the town down on the desert. Then lots of plot threads enter in. I wasn't confused, but the story did lose a bit of it's tightness bringing backgrounds to all the new players and transitioning them into the story. That said, it stayed pretty the last half of the book was one wild ride of breathless moment after another. Just when it seemed things were working out, the unexpected happened and off it went again.
This one ended up with a larger cast of characters that were interesting types in and of themselves. As I said earlier, the outlaws seemed to be the focus and I was curious about them and how they interacted together and with other people. I won't say I was sympathetic to any of them, but it was interesting to get to know how they ticked and their motives. The savvy old man tracker. The strong and tough trail guide. The young yet capable and cunning gunsmith and the determined spirited young woman who had his love. They were an interesting mix of frontier types. I appreciated the humorous and sweet epilogue chapter at the end that wrapped things up and took it a bit forward to see where everyone ended up.
All in all, it was exciting and I enjoyed the adventure even when it went a few different directions. Intriguing choices for focus with the outlaws getting a strong portion of the narration. Well worth the read.
My thanks to Pioneering Press for the opportunity to read this one in exchange for an honest review.
The story opens with the four Driscoll brothers shooting their way out of town after a bank robbery goes belly up. A posse is on their tail and is still there days later. The brothers are as different as night and day, but share the same lack of strong moral fiber. They are in this mess because one couldn't keep his hand off the women.
Soon, they encounter a party of travelers and have thoughts of helping themselves to the horses, food, and women, but this group are a bit too savvy and hard-eyed so they join the group headed south toward the Painted Desert. The now enlarged party encounter trouble and make it into a town with the help of an old time tracker, Obadiah Peabody.
Again, the brothers find trouble and this time they are backed into a corner. They grab a few women hostages, but make a deadly mistake when one is Obadiah's adopted granddaughter and the love interest of the local gunsmith and another is the daughter of the trail leader for the group they just came in with. Fleeing into the desert and taking their chances again the wilds and the native tribes is their best bet. Hard men are on their trail.
Alright, so this one was fairly straight forward until the trail party hits the town down on the desert. Then lots of plot threads enter in. I wasn't confused, but the story did lose a bit of it's tightness bringing backgrounds to all the new players and transitioning them into the story. That said, it stayed pretty the last half of the book was one wild ride of breathless moment after another. Just when it seemed things were working out, the unexpected happened and off it went again.
This one ended up with a larger cast of characters that were interesting types in and of themselves. As I said earlier, the outlaws seemed to be the focus and I was curious about them and how they interacted together and with other people. I won't say I was sympathetic to any of them, but it was interesting to get to know how they ticked and their motives. The savvy old man tracker. The strong and tough trail guide. The young yet capable and cunning gunsmith and the determined spirited young woman who had his love. They were an interesting mix of frontier types. I appreciated the humorous and sweet epilogue chapter at the end that wrapped things up and took it a bit forward to see where everyone ended up.
All in all, it was exciting and I enjoyed the adventure even when it went a few different directions. Intriguing choices for focus with the outlaws getting a strong portion of the narration. Well worth the read.
My thanks to Pioneering Press for the opportunity to read this one in exchange for an honest review.
November 1, 2016
WATCH YOUR STEP
Mexican and White men raiding villages and taking the women folk to be sold in either Mexico or to the Opium Dens of California. The innocent trying to survive either you get smart or you die at the hands of the evil that live in these dusty town's. Brave men and women who are trying to make a better life for themselves and others who follow their wagons trails to the PROMISE LAND. Take a chance and enjoy this adventure..always
remember to keep your LUCIFERS DRY AND YOUR COFFEE
Mexican and White men raiding villages and taking the women folk to be sold in either Mexico or to the Opium Dens of California. The innocent trying to survive either you get smart or you die at the hands of the evil that live in these dusty town's. Brave men and women who are trying to make a better life for themselves and others who follow their wagons trails to the PROMISE LAND. Take a chance and enjoy this adventure..always
remember to keep your LUCIFERS DRY AND YOUR COFFEE
August 10, 2020
GREAT READ
A very good story of the old west!!! A good story line, characters, and plot. I would recommend this book to anyone who appreciates a good story. Mr Kenworthy has a good feel of the west!!
A very good story of the old west!!! A good story line, characters, and plot. I would recommend this book to anyone who appreciates a good story. Mr Kenworthy has a good feel of the west!!
December 4, 2016
A very good and entertaining novel. I enjoyed reading this book and recommend this book to everyone.
November 27, 2019
A plus; highly recommended.
Not really a historically-accurate western, but it's a very good read. I liked it and you will too. I expect to read more by this author.
Not really a historically-accurate western, but it's a very good read. I liked it and you will too. I expect to read more by this author.
June 21, 2022
Reasonably decent Western...interesting characters. At times the story line and descriptions were a little hard to follow. But the good guys won, the bad guys got there justice served. I could read more by this author if able to.
February 17, 2016
This book is published by Pioneering Press
September 1, 2016
Good fighting Chance
Each book I read I enjoy more. The plot and story line met in all the right places. Thanks to your staff.
Each book I read I enjoy more. The plot and story line met in all the right places. Thanks to your staff.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews