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The Tall Men
WesternLarge Print EditionA soldier turned outlaw, Ben Allison was ready to earn a fortune. Together with his brother Clint he was pushing three thousand longhorns through the rough country between Texas and Montana where Crazy Horse and his fierce Oglala Sioux waited to waylay them. The tribe wanted the cattle alive and the white men dead. But theyd never come across anyone like the cold-eyed devil with the Comanche blood before . . .
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First published November 1, 1900
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About the author
Clay Fisher
62 books4 followersAlso wrote westerns as Will Henry.
Henry Wilson Allen (September 12, 1912 – October 26, 1991) was an American author and screenwriter. He used several different pseudonyms for his works. His 50+ novels of the American West were published under the pen names Will Henry and Clay Fisher. Allen's screenplays and scripts for animated shorts were credited to Heck Allen and Henry Allen.
Allen's career as a novelist began in 1952, with the publication of his first Western No Survivors. Allen, afraid that the studio would disapprove of his moonlighting, used a pen-name to avoid trouble.[3] He would go on to publish over 50 novels, eight of which were adapted for the screen. Most of these were published under one or the other of the pseudonyms Will Henry and Clay Fisher. Allen was a five-time winner of the Spur Award from the Western Writers of America and a recipient of the Levi Strauss Award for lifetime achievement.
Henry Wilson Allen was born in Kansas City, Missouri. Allen died of pneumonia on October 26, 1991 in Van Nuys, California. He was 79.
Henry Wilson Allen (September 12, 1912 – October 26, 1991) was an American author and screenwriter. He used several different pseudonyms for his works. His 50+ novels of the American West were published under the pen names Will Henry and Clay Fisher. Allen's screenplays and scripts for animated shorts were credited to Heck Allen and Henry Allen.
Allen's career as a novelist began in 1952, with the publication of his first Western No Survivors. Allen, afraid that the studio would disapprove of his moonlighting, used a pen-name to avoid trouble.[3] He would go on to publish over 50 novels, eight of which were adapted for the screen. Most of these were published under one or the other of the pseudonyms Will Henry and Clay Fisher. Allen was a five-time winner of the Spur Award from the Western Writers of America and a recipient of the Levi Strauss Award for lifetime achievement.
Henry Wilson Allen was born in Kansas City, Missouri. Allen died of pneumonia on October 26, 1991 in Van Nuys, California. He was 79.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 14, 2011
Ben and Clint Allison returned to Texas after the war to find cattle ranches broken up, herds scattered, nobody buying.
The two brothers began drifting, eventually arriving in the Montana goldfields. Their plan was to relieve some of the miners of their gold.
The new plan became something else when they heard the tale of Nathan Stark and his crazy plan. They intended to rob him of his fat money belt and that's what they did. But Stark was a talker and convinced them, that is, Ben the older brother, to throw in with the plan.
Go down to Texas, buy and gather up 3,000 head of cattle cheap, drive them to Montana for the premium prices they could get. Split the profit three ways. Stark would provide the cash, the brothers their knowledge of cattle herding and how to find men to work the herd.
Ben was still basically an honest man and quickly bought into it. Hot blooded young Clint doesn't trust Stark.
Along the way, Ben rescues Nella Dorneau from a Sioux attack and Stark and he begin competing for her attention. They encounter a band of Kansas Jayhawkers, Mother Nature in all her fury, and Crazy Horse and his band in the drive.
it was made into a film with Clark Gable and Cameron Mitchell as the brothers, Robert Ryan as Stark, and Jane Russell as Nella.
The two brothers began drifting, eventually arriving in the Montana goldfields. Their plan was to relieve some of the miners of their gold.
The new plan became something else when they heard the tale of Nathan Stark and his crazy plan. They intended to rob him of his fat money belt and that's what they did. But Stark was a talker and convinced them, that is, Ben the older brother, to throw in with the plan.
Go down to Texas, buy and gather up 3,000 head of cattle cheap, drive them to Montana for the premium prices they could get. Split the profit three ways. Stark would provide the cash, the brothers their knowledge of cattle herding and how to find men to work the herd.
Ben was still basically an honest man and quickly bought into it. Hot blooded young Clint doesn't trust Stark.
Along the way, Ben rescues Nella Dorneau from a Sioux attack and Stark and he begin competing for her attention. They encounter a band of Kansas Jayhawkers, Mother Nature in all her fury, and Crazy Horse and his band in the drive.
it was made into a film with Clark Gable and Cameron Mitchell as the brothers, Robert Ryan as Stark, and Jane Russell as Nella.
December 22, 2022
Corny. I romanticize the Western tradition in some capacity like most other folks who probably pick this book up. But this book just hits you over the head with it, and it feels more like a mid 19th century Hollywood Western than a real narrative. The near-constant gambling metaphors got to be so annoying, among many other incredibly tacky literary tricks. The characters are ridiculous at times. Very cringy to read, I couldn't do it. A little puzzled by it, because I loved "From Where the Sun Now Stands," and figured I might try some more Will Henry, but this felt more like a corny movie script.
December 13, 2018
One of the very best western story you will ever read!
I have read a very large number of western books, this is one of the best western I have read. I am seventy years old, I have read a lot of westerns. This is a book that you can't put down. It was also made into a wonderful movie which is as good as the book.
I have read a very large number of western books, this is one of the best western I have read. I am seventy years old, I have read a lot of westerns. This is a book that you can't put down. It was also made into a wonderful movie which is as good as the book.
February 17, 2015
You just can''t beat Will Henry. This is one of his best.
July 19, 2021
The Best
Great read and close to the movie. The characters a re given faces if you see the movie. Clarke Gable, Jan e Russell!l
Great read and close to the movie. The characters a re given faces if you see the movie. Clarke Gable, Jan e Russell!l
July 14, 2018
There’s a movie from the mid fifties based on this book. I haven’t seen it but based on who’s in it, it seems woefully miscast. The main characters are all meant to be in their early to late twenties. Once I finally stopped imagining Clark Gable anywhere in this story I could get on with it. The story itself is really good, really action packed. Two Texas brothers, out to make a name for themselves as bad men, rob a rich stranger in Virginia City. The stranger quickly makes it clear that the money they’ve stolen was meant to stake him in Texas cattle to drive back to Montana and the trail boss he’d already picked out was none other than the older of these two brothers, Ben Allison. They agree to head south and trail a herd back north and triple their profits. On the way south, they meet up with a girl survivor of an Indian attack. She becomes Ben’s love interest and is under utilized throughout the book. On the trail back north the group meets up with bad weather, desperadoes, Army interference and bands of Sioux led by Crazy Horse.
There’s some nice writing, especially near the end, between Ben and his wilder brother Clint, that puts me in mind for some reason of Owen Wister’s The Virginian. Just a little snippet in the middle of a much more epic story that gives these characters some depth. This copy is just over 200 pages, around 215. So it’s a quick read, but it packs a massive story into that amount of space. If you’re a fan of sweeping western stories, give this a try. It’s got a little bit of everything.
The only thing I’ll really hold against it is the unrelenting Texas drawling. It’s a bit overdone after awhile. However, the cowboys’ gift for tall tales and underplaying a phrase is a delight.
There’s some nice writing, especially near the end, between Ben and his wilder brother Clint, that puts me in mind for some reason of Owen Wister’s The Virginian. Just a little snippet in the middle of a much more epic story that gives these characters some depth. This copy is just over 200 pages, around 215. So it’s a quick read, but it packs a massive story into that amount of space. If you’re a fan of sweeping western stories, give this a try. It’s got a little bit of everything.
The only thing I’ll really hold against it is the unrelenting Texas drawling. It’s a bit overdone after awhile. However, the cowboys’ gift for tall tales and underplaying a phrase is a delight.
April 21, 2021
A good read with a cattle drive, Indians and a romance.
June 22, 2021
Loved this older western by Will Henry. Read it!
September 14, 2021
Sad. Good guys dont always live. Tall Texans are men to admire. Ben, brother Clint who knows Injun skills, money man backer Stark, beauty Nella, drive horned steers past Sioux.
July 27, 2010
I didn't realize until recently that this book was really written by Will Henry. It's one of his better ones. I like the character of Ben Allison.
February 20, 2011
Another great western!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews