SUDDEN OUTLAWED

Sudden

by Oliver Strange

Along the far reaches of the Chisholm Trail, from deadly Kansas, along hidden outlaw trails, the tall, mysterious man named James Green stopped to ask the same questions, then moved on. A legacy of hatred left to him by a dying man had sent him in search of two men … and a final, deadly reckoning.As he rode he earned a nickname that was whispered whenever men talked about gunfighters, and whenever violence ran rampant in dusty streets. They called him Sudden, and his bitter quest was relentless.The Sudden Series by Oliver StrangeThe Range Robbers (1930)The Law o’ the Lariat (1931)Sudden (1933)The Marshal of Lawless (1933)Sudden—Outlawed (1934)Sudden—Gold Seeker (1937)Sudden Rides Again (1938)Sudden Takes the Trail (1940)Sudden Makes War (1942)Sudden Plays a Hand (1950)The Sudden Series by Frederick H. ChristianSudden Strikes Back (1966)Sudden—Troubleshooter (1967)Sudden at Bay (1968)Sudden—Apache Fighter (1969)Sudden—Dead or Alive! (1970)… from Piccadilly Publishing!

Genres: Westerns

284 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1971

Reviews

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was originally published in 1935 and it certainly bears the imprint of an older tale. I still enjoyed it. "Sudden" is a great character and Oliver Strange is a good writer. The book was a bit slow for many modern readers. It certainly could have been shorter and tighter. There's also some material that stands out as seriously politically incorrect in this day and age, including the fact that Sudden rides a black horse he calls N****r. This is clearly not meant to be any kind of specific slight directed at black people but it was a little disconcerting when it popped up. Also, however, the book promotes the strong and honorable characteristics often associated with the west. Even the majority of the outlaws have honor. There is a lot in the characters to admire.

There are 9 more books in this series written by Oliver Strange. I have them all and will likely read more, although not immediately. Sudden Outlawed is the first in the series chronologically, but not the first written. The first is "The Range Robbers," written in 1930. The last was written in 1950. The series was revived for five more books by Frederick Christian, starting in 1966. I don't have any of those.

[Bert · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a book about a man who is good at everything except naming horses and empathising with the plight of first nations peoples.

[Farhad Shawkat · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nostalgic 5 star for this one. Brought back memories of the Westerns I used to read as a kid in the mid ‘80s (mostly Bengali translations of Louis L’Amour classics). Several of the Sudden books were translated as well – Sudden Makes War (আবার এরফান), Sudden Rides Again (ডেথ সিটি), Sudden Takes a Trail (দুর্বৃত্ত), my favourite Sudden – The Range Robbers (বাথান), Sudden Plays a Hand (সন্ধান) and a few more. This book (Sudden – Outlawed) I was reading for the first time.

It had more or less everything I was looking for from a Western. Sudden is the fastest gun in the West, and has plenty of opportunities to prove it. Politically incorrect, as expected, and an absolute horrible name for a horse, but if you can get past that you should enjoy the story.

June on the Range (All Western books to read this month) continues with Fallon.

[Peter Njoroge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sudden is a bit o' great puncher!

[Ian Snedden · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Sudden novels of Oliver Strange

I have read all of the Sudden books about 60years ago and really enjoyed them now I can relive that time once again through the best of western writers, not forgetting Frederick H Christian. Who took over from Oliver Strange.

[Ankur Mithal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like all other Sudden books...Classic romantic story, set in the American Wild West, with a maligned hero seeking redemption, stacked odds, dirty-playing villains, beautiful women, all the other paraphernalia. Don't think anybody has written these stories better than Oliver Strange. Unfortunately, these books don't seem to be available any more. Was lucky to find a few used copies in a bookstore called "Barter Books" in a place called Alnwick, in England a few years back.

[Avradeep Sinha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A classic old school western with gun fights,duels et al and the lead character is the fastest gun in town.

[Saquib · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brings back childhood memories. :)