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Texas Fever
Having run the family cattle ranch while his father and older brothers were in the Civil War, Chuck McAuliffe resents being treated like a youngster when they come home
- GenresWesterns
143 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1960
37 people want to read
About the author
Donald Hamilton
104 books108 followersDonald Hamilton was a U.S. writer of novels, short stories, and non-fiction about the outdoors. His novels consist mostly of paperback originals, principally spy fiction but also crime fiction and Westerns such as The Big Country. He is best known for his long-running Matt Helm series (1960-1993), which chronicles the adventures of an undercover counter-agent/assassin working for a secret American government agency.
Hamilton began his writing career in 1946, fiction magazines like Collier's Weekly and The Saturday Evening Post. His first novel Date With Darkness was published in 1947; over the next forty-six years he published a total of thirty-eight novels. Most of his early novels whether suspense, spy, and western published between 1954 and 1960, were typical paperback originals of the era: fast-moving tales in paperbacks with lurid covers. Several classic western movies, The Big Country and The Violent Men, were adapted from two of his western novels.
The Matt Helm series, published by Gold Medal Books, which began with Death of a Citizen in 1960 and ran for 27 books, ending in 1993 with The Damagers, was more substantial.
Helm, a wartime agent in a secret agency that specialized in the assassination of Nazis, is drawn back into a post-war world of espionage and assassination after fifteen years as a civilian. He narrates his adventures in a brisk, matter-of-fact tone with an occasional undertone of deadpan humor. He describes gunfights, knife fights, torture, and (off-stage) sexual conquests with a carefully maintained professional detachment, like a pathologist dictating an autopsy report or a police officer describing an investigation. Over the course of the series, this detachment comes to define Helm's character. He is a professional doing a job; the job is killing people.
Hamilton was a skilled outdoorsman and hunter who wrote non-fiction articles for outdoor magazines and published a book-length collection of them. For several years he lived on his own yacht, then relocated to Sweden where he resided until his death in 2006.
Hamilton began his writing career in 1946, fiction magazines like Collier's Weekly and The Saturday Evening Post. His first novel Date With Darkness was published in 1947; over the next forty-six years he published a total of thirty-eight novels. Most of his early novels whether suspense, spy, and western published between 1954 and 1960, were typical paperback originals of the era: fast-moving tales in paperbacks with lurid covers. Several classic western movies, The Big Country and The Violent Men, were adapted from two of his western novels.
The Matt Helm series, published by Gold Medal Books, which began with Death of a Citizen in 1960 and ran for 27 books, ending in 1993 with The Damagers, was more substantial.
Helm, a wartime agent in a secret agency that specialized in the assassination of Nazis, is drawn back into a post-war world of espionage and assassination after fifteen years as a civilian. He narrates his adventures in a brisk, matter-of-fact tone with an occasional undertone of deadpan humor. He describes gunfights, knife fights, torture, and (off-stage) sexual conquests with a carefully maintained professional detachment, like a pathologist dictating an autopsy report or a police officer describing an investigation. Over the course of the series, this detachment comes to define Helm's character. He is a professional doing a job; the job is killing people.
Hamilton was a skilled outdoorsman and hunter who wrote non-fiction articles for outdoor magazines and published a book-length collection of them. For several years he lived on his own yacht, then relocated to Sweden where he resided until his death in 2006.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 23, 2014
I'm picky about westerns. Most authors use guns like magic wands & horses like cars. History & logic are often casualties of action. Not so with Hamilton. His characters use the correct guns, ammo & holsters. No two gun shooting & the good guys don't shoot any better than the bad guys. Horses go lame & get tired, too. How refreshing!
This was a well crafted story with tough moral problems, yet an upbeat story, in many ways. Realistic without being horribly gritty or getting bogged down in mundane details. I've read another western by him, Mad River & it was every bit as good.
Still, his finest work was the Matt Helm series (nothing like the horrible movies with Dean Martin) which features a tougher, American James Bond-like character.
This was a well crafted story with tough moral problems, yet an upbeat story, in many ways. Realistic without being horribly gritty or getting bogged down in mundane details. I've read another western by him, Mad River & it was every bit as good.
Still, his finest work was the Matt Helm series (nothing like the horrible movies with Dean Martin) which features a tougher, American James Bond-like character.
February 6, 2017
A terrific coming of age tale that tells the story of a troubled cattle drive and the young man who has to come to terms with the hardships and injustices imposed by a gang of brutal bushwhackers, a devious and doomed femme fatale, and rampant discrimination against his crew of former confederate soldiers. Hamilton brilliantly writes character interactions in ways that grow and change the characters in unexpected ways, making this far more than a typical western action novel. Special thanks to Still who alerted me to this fine novel. Five stars and highly recommended.
October 6, 2022
Donald Hamilton, well-known as the author of the Matt Helm spy series, also wrote a number of quality westerns. His most famous was “The Big Country” which was a great western film starring Gregory Peck, Burl Ives, and Chuck Conners.
Texas Fever is almost as good. He gets the weapons right for 1867 and those technical points make a difference. He understands the people of the period— both the Texans who were desperate to gEt their herds to market and the Kansas ranchers fearful of
Disease infected Texas herds. He also demonstrates knowledge that there were people on both sides seeking to take advantage of the other.
So Chuck and his crew encounter a blockade that prevents getting their herds to market. That’s the main plot and simple as it sounds it is developed into an action packed, realistic western. Our hero is an 18 year old trying to fill his father’s boots and is sort of an common character. He isn’t an exceptional fighter, strategist, or gunman. He’s more of a wet behind the ears type who is learning as he goes along.
Hamilton develops most of the characters well. The cowhands are background players. There is an evil woman, which seems to be standard fare in all of Hamilton’s material. The characters have flaws, prejudices, and at times strong character.
A fine novel and well worth the western reader’s attention.
Texas Fever is almost as good. He gets the weapons right for 1867 and those technical points make a difference. He understands the people of the period— both the Texans who were desperate to gEt their herds to market and the Kansas ranchers fearful of
Disease infected Texas herds. He also demonstrates knowledge that there were people on both sides seeking to take advantage of the other.
So Chuck and his crew encounter a blockade that prevents getting their herds to market. That’s the main plot and simple as it sounds it is developed into an action packed, realistic western. Our hero is an 18 year old trying to fill his father’s boots and is sort of an common character. He isn’t an exceptional fighter, strategist, or gunman. He’s more of a wet behind the ears type who is learning as he goes along.
Hamilton develops most of the characters well. The cowhands are background players. There is an evil woman, which seems to be standard fare in all of Hamilton’s material. The characters have flaws, prejudices, and at times strong character.
A fine novel and well worth the western reader’s attention.
March 26, 2017
"Πυρετός στο Τέξας", εκδόσεις ΒΙΠΕΡ.
Τον Φεβρουάριο του 2016 ήταν η τελευταία φορά που διάβασα βιβλίο του Ντόναλντ Χάμιλτον και η αλήθεια είναι ότι μου έλειψαν οι ιστορίες του και ο τρόπος γραφής του. Αυτό είναι το δέκατο έκτο βιβλίο του συγγραφέα που διαβάζω και αυτή την φορά δεν έχουμε να κάνουμε με αστυνομική ή κατασκοπευτική περιπέτεια, αλλά με ένα κλασικό γουέστερν. Ο Χάμιλτον έγραψε πέντε γουέστερν συνολικά, αλλά δυστυχώς αυτό είναι μάλλον το μοναδικό που έχει μεταφραστεί στα ελληνικά. Και λέω δυστυχώς, γιατί πρόκειται για ένα πολύ ωραίο και απολαυστικό γουέστερν και είμαι σίγουρος ότι και τα υπόλοιπα θα είναι του ίδιου επιπέδου.
Βρισκόμαστε στο Κάνσας του 1867, λίγα χρόνια μετά το τέλος του Εμφυλίου, σε μια χώρα που είναι γεμάτη παράνομους και σκληρούς ανθρώπους, με τις πληγές του πολέμου να είναι ακόμα ανοικτές. Λίγοι Τεξανοί καουμπόηδες οδηγούν ένα μεγάλο κοπάδι με γελάδια μέσα από την πολιτεία του Κάνσας, με σκοπό να τα πουλήσουν σε καλή τιμή. Οι Ινδιάνοι της περιοχής θα είναι οι πιο ασήμαντοι εχθροί σ'αυτό το ταξίδι, μιας και θα έχουν να αντιμετωπίσουν ζωοκλέφτες και απατεώνες που έχουν τον νόμο των Γιάνκηδων με το μέρος τους. Ο νεαρός Τσακ, πρωταγωνιστής της ιστορίας, θα μάθει ένα κάρο πράγματα για τους ανθρώπους και θα καταλάβει ότι ακόμα και μια γυναίκα μπορεί να είναι επικίνδυνη...
Ο Ντόναλντ Χάμιλτον είναι ένας εξαιρετικός συγγραφέας κατασκοπευτικών θρίλερ (δημιουργός του τρομερού Αμερικανού κατασκόπου Ματ Χελμ), αλλά με αυτό το βιβλίο αποδεικνύει ότι ξέρει να γράφει και δυνατά γουέστερν. Η ιστορία από την αρχή μέχρι το τέλος είναι δυνατή και ενδιαφέρουσα, με ένταση και αγωνία για την συνέχεια, η δράση ικανοποιητική και χωρίς υπερβολές και οι χαρακτήρες καλοσχηματισμένοι για το μέγεθος και το είδος της ιστορίας. Όσον αφορά την γραφή, δεν θα μπορούσε να μην είναι εξαιρετική, εφόσον μιλάμε για τον Ντόναλντ Χάμιλτον. Οι περιγραφές των τοπίων, των σκηνών δράσης και των χαρακτήρων λιτές και ακριβείς, με αρκετό ρεαλισμό. Η ατμόσφαιρα φοβερή. Γενικά είναι ένα από τα πιο ψυχαγωγικά γουέστερν που έχω διαβάσει... Φυσικά δεν περίμενα τίποτα λιγότερο από έναν αγαπημένο συγγραφέα...
Τον Φεβρουάριο του 2016 ήταν η τελευταία φορά που διάβασα βιβλίο του Ντόναλντ Χάμιλτον και η αλήθεια είναι ότι μου έλειψαν οι ιστορίες του και ο τρόπος γραφής του. Αυτό είναι το δέκατο έκτο βιβλίο του συγγραφέα που διαβάζω και αυτή την φορά δεν έχουμε να κάνουμε με αστυνομική ή κατασκοπευτική περιπέτεια, αλλά με ένα κλασικό γουέστερν. Ο Χάμιλτον έγραψε πέντε γουέστερν συνολικά, αλλά δυστυχώς αυτό είναι μάλλον το μοναδικό που έχει μεταφραστεί στα ελληνικά. Και λέω δυστυχώς, γιατί πρόκειται για ένα πολύ ωραίο και απολαυστικό γουέστερν και είμαι σίγουρος ότι και τα υπόλοιπα θα είναι του ίδιου επιπέδου.
Βρισκόμαστε στο Κάνσας του 1867, λίγα χρόνια μετά το τέλος του Εμφυλίου, σε μια χώρα που είναι γεμάτη παράνομους και σκληρούς ανθρώπους, με τις πληγές του πολέμου να είναι ακόμα ανοικτές. Λίγοι Τεξανοί καουμπόηδες οδηγούν ένα μεγάλο κοπάδι με γελάδια μέσα από την πολιτεία του Κάνσας, με σκοπό να τα πουλήσουν σε καλή τιμή. Οι Ινδιάνοι της περιοχής θα είναι οι πιο ασήμαντοι εχθροί σ'αυτό το ταξίδι, μιας και θα έχουν να αντιμετωπίσουν ζωοκλέφτες και απατεώνες που έχουν τον νόμο των Γιάνκηδων με το μέρος τους. Ο νεαρός Τσακ, πρωταγωνιστής της ιστορίας, θα μάθει ένα κάρο πράγματα για τους ανθρώπους και θα καταλάβει ότι ακόμα και μια γυναίκα μπορεί να είναι επικίνδυνη...
Ο Ντόναλντ Χάμιλτον είναι ένας εξαιρετικός συγγραφέας κατασκοπευτικών θρίλερ (δημιουργός του τρομερού Αμερικανού κατασκόπου Ματ Χελμ), αλλά με αυτό το βιβλίο αποδεικνύει ότι ξέρει να γράφει και δυνατά γουέστερν. Η ιστορία από την αρχή μέχρι το τέλος είναι δυνατή και ενδιαφέρουσα, με ένταση και αγωνία για την συνέχεια, η δράση ικανοποιητική και χωρίς υπερβολές και οι χαρακτήρες καλοσχηματισμένοι για το μέγεθος και το είδος της ιστορίας. Όσον αφορά την γραφή, δεν θα μπορούσε να μην είναι εξαιρετική, εφόσον μιλάμε για τον Ντόναλντ Χάμιλτον. Οι περιγραφές των τοπίων, των σκηνών δράσης και των χαρακτήρων λιτές και ακριβείς, με αρκετό ρεαλισμό. Η ατμόσφαιρα φοβερή. Γενικά είναι ένα από τα πιο ψυχαγωγικά γουέστερν που έχω διαβάσει... Φυσικά δεν περίμενα τίποτα λιγότερο από έναν αγαπημένο συγγραφέα...
June 22, 2017
I hesitated in giving this 5 stars because I had only a few days ago given 5 stars to the first book I read by this author. It made we wonder whether I was getting SOFT. To give a book 5 stars is something I do not do unless it really means something to me. No, I will not remember this book a year from now but it sure did have my undivided attention today. Hamilton did not try to write like any other western writer. He has HIS OWN style. His stories seem real.
August 24, 2014
One of the best westerns I have ever read. It is a quick read, only 143 pages, which moves without let up. No gunslingers or other western cliches. In the afermath of the Civil War, former rebels from Texas could not easily find justice as they try to drive their longhorns to a railhead across a closed Kansas border.
Hamilton wrote the book The Big Country which was made into the classic movie of the same name. He only wrote five western novels, his fame based primarily on his Matt Helm series which Dean Martin turned into a bad joke in the Helm movies he made. I have never read any of the Helm books, but after Texas Fever, I definitely will now.
Hamilton wrote the book The Big Country which was made into the classic movie of the same name. He only wrote five western novels, his fame based primarily on his Matt Helm series which Dean Martin turned into a bad joke in the Helm movies he made. I have never read any of the Helm books, but after Texas Fever, I definitely will now.
December 10, 2025
Chuck McAuliffe is on his first cattle run, with his father and older brother. It turns into a nightmare when raiders try to stampede and steal the cattle, and the inhabitants of Kansas have a quarantine in place because of "Texas fever" that they say is killing their cattle - but is it real, or is it a way to get back at Texans after the end of the Civil War?
An exciting coming of age story with plenty of plot twists to keep you off your feet.
An exciting coming of age story with plenty of plot twists to keep you off your feet.
November 9, 2018
A great little western novel. I highly enjoyed it, but why not, it’s by Donald Hamilton.
July 29, 2023
It would be better if the author took some time to describe Texas Fever in detail. After all, the book's title is Texas Fever.
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April 18, 2024This was a short novel, about an 1867 cattle drive from post Civil War Texas to markets north of there. I really enjoy Donald Hamilton's westerns.
March 2, 2024
1867. Jesse McAuliffe is back from the war. He returned with his son David, but left one behind. Chuck was too young and was left behind to care for the ranch in Texas. He resents that his father does not see all he did during the War to maintain their ranch. Instead, Jesse treats him as a child on his first cattle drive. The drive has been fraught with danger and misfortune.
One night they are attacked by rustlers. David is killed by them in the night. The scared long horns run off. The next day they run into Amanda Netherton and her injured father. They take care of his wound and discover he was probably the one who killed David.
They reach the Kansas border but are told the state in under quarantine. Texas longhorns, they are told have a fever which is killing northern cattle. They make their way west to avoid that town but are told the same thing at the next border town they come to. Then Jesse is shot in the back by the local deputy and Chuck kicked in the head by a horse. The sheriff’s daughter Jeanne Kincaid nurses him back to health
Chuck is now in charge, but his crew has been arrested and their cattle confiscated.
He comes up with a daring plan to get them back.
A good short read.
One night they are attacked by rustlers. David is killed by them in the night. The scared long horns run off. The next day they run into Amanda Netherton and her injured father. They take care of his wound and discover he was probably the one who killed David.
They reach the Kansas border but are told the state in under quarantine. Texas longhorns, they are told have a fever which is killing northern cattle. They make their way west to avoid that town but are told the same thing at the next border town they come to. Then Jesse is shot in the back by the local deputy and Chuck kicked in the head by a horse. The sheriff’s daughter Jeanne Kincaid nurses him back to health
Chuck is now in charge, but his crew has been arrested and their cattle confiscated.
He comes up with a daring plan to get them back.
A good short read.
April 14, 2011
By the author of the Matt Helm series.
Though just twelve, Chuck MacAuliffe had had to take care of the ranch when his father and two brothers went off to fight in the Civil War. At war's end the family had come home, his father minus one arm and one son, to find mother had died. Chuck was forced back into the role of child and he chafed under that. But he went along. Texans didn't complain.
Now it's two years later and the MacAuliffe crew is driving 1200 head of cattle north to Kansas where prime beef is going for twenty a head. They run into all sorts of groups, either trying to steal the herd or turn them back because of Texas fever. Te fever was real enough, in Texas it was known as Spanish or Mexican. But their herd was clean.
It didn't matter. The Kansas farmers had the law on their side. It seemed manufactured as there were always those helpful Yankees willing to take the herd off their hands for two, three dollars a head.
And suddenly, Chuck finds he suddenly has to be the cool one, the herd gone, the crew in jail, he hurt and has to plan a way to get the herd back, deal with murderers, all without becoming the same type as the ones they're pursuing.
Though just twelve, Chuck MacAuliffe had had to take care of the ranch when his father and two brothers went off to fight in the Civil War. At war's end the family had come home, his father minus one arm and one son, to find mother had died. Chuck was forced back into the role of child and he chafed under that. But he went along. Texans didn't complain.
Now it's two years later and the MacAuliffe crew is driving 1200 head of cattle north to Kansas where prime beef is going for twenty a head. They run into all sorts of groups, either trying to steal the herd or turn them back because of Texas fever. Te fever was real enough, in Texas it was known as Spanish or Mexican. But their herd was clean.
It didn't matter. The Kansas farmers had the law on their side. It seemed manufactured as there were always those helpful Yankees willing to take the herd off their hands for two, three dollars a head.
And suddenly, Chuck finds he suddenly has to be the cool one, the herd gone, the crew in jail, he hurt and has to plan a way to get the herd back, deal with murderers, all without becoming the same type as the ones they're pursuing.
January 1, 2024
Given the sheer volume of Westerns that were being pumped out in the early 60s, it's not surprising that so many of them were overly formulaic, tropey, or otherwise forgettable. A quick glance at the cover and one may assume that Texas Fever belongs in that melange, and while it does indulge in some of the Western trappings, Hamilton is able to elevate this book into something a little more. He does this primarily through compelling characters - not wholly good or evil, nor unbelievability hypercompetent as many stock Western heroes tend to be - and with his ability to write realistic and compelling action scenes.
June 18, 2020
This is an incredible western and coming in at 140 pages shows the skill of writer Donald Hamilton. The story, while sounding very simple; a father and 2 sons drive their cattle from Texas through to Kansas to sell to the US Army at a railhead, becomes very complex with many twists and turns along the way. I won't spoil any of the surprises, and there are many, but they are all well done and I did not see all of them coming despite being a genre fan for quite a while.
My copy is one of the Fawcett Gold Medal paperbacks printed in 1960s I believe.
My copy is one of the Fawcett Gold Medal paperbacks printed in 1960s I believe.
March 3, 2015
Loved the book. This is the second western I have read by Hamilton. Smokey Valley was also good.
This book was written 1960,but who cares! It is good and was written about the 1860's.
Young MacAuliff must grow up fast both when his father went to war and when they are now on the trail bringing their cattle to "market" at the railroad. Lots of action that ne'er lets up.
I will read other Donald Hamilton books.
This book was written 1960,but who cares! It is good and was written about the 1860's.
Young MacAuliff must grow up fast both when his father went to war and when they are now on the trail bringing their cattle to "market" at the railroad. Lots of action that ne'er lets up.
I will read other Donald Hamilton books.
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October 30, 2008W Ham
May 9, 2016
Western - 18 year old Chuck McAuliffe assumes leadership of a cattle drive after his brother and father are killed by outlaws and a crooked deputy.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews