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Gunsmoke #3
Blizzard of Lead
When a killer winter storm traps a pack of murderous bank robbers in Dodge, they take hostages and try to wait it out. But Marshal Dillon and his deputies aren't so patient when it comes to justice.
- GenresWesterns
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 6, 2005
1 person is currently reading
30 people want to read
About the author
Joseph A. West
49 books8 followersJoe West was born and raised in the seaside town of Saltcoats in Scotland. At 19 he became a police officer, but soon turned his love of writing into a career as a journalist, working for the Daily Mirror in London among others. In 1972 West was recruited as a reporter for the National Enquirer, and began working in the United States. Traveling the world in search of stories, West almost froze to death on an Alaska mountain, and a spider bite nearly killed him in the Amazon rainforest. 'I swelled up like a balloon and turned a real pretty violet color,' he recalls.
Now a full-time novelist, West and his wife Emily reside in sunny Lake Worth, Florida, where he enjoys tamer pursuits like canoeing the alligator-infested swamps of the Everglades. His daughter Alexandria attends a local college where she studies forensic technology. She will have absolutely nothing to do with canoes and alligators.
West researches the settings of his novels by exploring the terrain in person, usually with little more than a sleeping bag and a can of coffee.
Recently he and Emily celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary at the Lodge in Cloudcroft, New Mexico, a gift from the students at Rio Rancho High School who use West's first novel as a textbook. They then spent a month in the mountains and deserts of New Mexico, often pitching their tent where the air is thin at 9,000 feet above the flat.
Now a full-time novelist, West and his wife Emily reside in sunny Lake Worth, Florida, where he enjoys tamer pursuits like canoeing the alligator-infested swamps of the Everglades. His daughter Alexandria attends a local college where she studies forensic technology. She will have absolutely nothing to do with canoes and alligators.
West researches the settings of his novels by exploring the terrain in person, usually with little more than a sleeping bag and a can of coffee.
Recently he and Emily celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary at the Lodge in Cloudcroft, New Mexico, a gift from the students at Rio Rancho High School who use West's first novel as a textbook. They then spent a month in the mountains and deserts of New Mexico, often pitching their tent where the air is thin at 9,000 feet above the flat.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 11, 2011
Okay, I think this will be the last "Gunsmoke novelization" I read. I picked them up in the first place because I miss Gunsmoke. It's a part of my life I grew up with it, the morals and ideals exemplified and expressed were "usually" those I could identify with (though I admit the Kitty and Matt dynamic was definitely "adult level"). Even if on occasion Matt didn't arrive in time to prevent the tragedy or save the day, the evil doer was brought to justice.
The books just aren't Gunsmoke. No matter how hard the writer tries there are still too many glaring flaws for me. (to go into them I'd probably need to use a spoiler warning. Just let me say that there "again" is a huge problem where statements are made that fly directly into and against something "we learned" in the series. That bothers me and I just can't ignore it when the book is called "Gunsmoke.)...maybe this isn't not so for others, and that's okay. Enjoy.
This novel is possibly a bit better than the last I read (by the same author by the way). Could I give a half star I might. The story is set in a hostage situation. Dodge City is socked in by a blizzard with snow so thick that you can barely see, the "bad guys" hold hostages in the Long Branch, Matt and Festus are both injured.... (It occurred to me that with the extreme snow storm and everybody trapped in town that, throw in a few "undead" outlaws or evil gunfighters from another universe and the idea could have come from Stephen King). The writer seems at times (to me) to struggle with language, dialogue, and description (he seems to use the phrase "the big marshal" on every page...to break that up now and again he writes "the big lawman").The story plays out along fairly predictable western lines and as in Mr. West's last novel it works fairly well as a "generic" western. BUT, it's not Gnsmoke. The "badmen" do their thing as do the "good-guys" and we reach a finial climax...finally. Unfortunately it seemed to me that the tension and suspense ran out well before the story did.
Maybe just me.
Again I grade the book down because it wears the Gunsmoke brand and it is just not Gumsmoke. I give it 2 stars because it works as a fair to "middlin' (yes I know "fair to middling", but we always say "fair to middlin'")western.
The books just aren't Gunsmoke. No matter how hard the writer tries there are still too many glaring flaws for me. (to go into them I'd probably need to use a spoiler warning. Just let me say that there "again" is a huge problem where statements are made that fly directly into and against something "we learned" in the series. That bothers me and I just can't ignore it when the book is called "Gunsmoke.)...maybe this isn't not so for others, and that's okay. Enjoy.
This novel is possibly a bit better than the last I read (by the same author by the way). Could I give a half star I might. The story is set in a hostage situation. Dodge City is socked in by a blizzard with snow so thick that you can barely see, the "bad guys" hold hostages in the Long Branch, Matt and Festus are both injured.... (It occurred to me that with the extreme snow storm and everybody trapped in town that, throw in a few "undead" outlaws or evil gunfighters from another universe and the idea could have come from Stephen King). The writer seems at times (to me) to struggle with language, dialogue, and description (he seems to use the phrase "the big marshal" on every page...to break that up now and again he writes "the big lawman").The story plays out along fairly predictable western lines and as in Mr. West's last novel it works fairly well as a "generic" western. BUT, it's not Gnsmoke. The "badmen" do their thing as do the "good-guys" and we reach a finial climax...finally. Unfortunately it seemed to me that the tension and suspense ran out well before the story did.
Maybe just me.
Again I grade the book down because it wears the Gunsmoke brand and it is just not Gumsmoke. I give it 2 stars because it works as a fair to "middlin' (yes I know "fair to middling", but we always say "fair to middlin'")western.
March 29, 2022
The third in this series of novels based on the TV show. I do believe that the first two are better but I did enjoy this one. In this one Dillion and Festus get in a gun battle. While they took out all three gunmen, both lawmen were severely wounded, Dillion with a broke leg and Festus was shot twice in the shoulder and lost a lot of blood. When they return to Dodge and get patched up, all hell breaks loose, a gang robs the bank, a blizzard settles in causing the gunmen to return and basically take over Dodge. Dillion and Festus are badly wounded and out numbered but they will do what they must.
I recommend especially for fans of the TV show. Though West is a great writer and his work should appeal to anyone who just likes a good story.
I recommend especially for fans of the TV show. Though West is a great writer and his work should appeal to anyone who just likes a good story.
December 29, 2022
Let me start by saying I would give this 3.5 stars if I could. I thought it was a good book and well written but it was about 75 -100 pages too long. The author could have cut a couple of the side stories and it would have made for a much better book.
And the fact that Matt was running all over town, in a blizzard, on a broken leg and all it did was slow him down was kinda ridiculous. The author had to keep reminding us that Matt had a broken leg and that it hurt and that he had to hobble on a single crutch because, otherwise, it didn't stop him from doing anything.
Again, I thought it was a good book for the most part but was way too long and could have been much better.
And the fact that Matt was running all over town, in a blizzard, on a broken leg and all it did was slow him down was kinda ridiculous. The author had to keep reminding us that Matt had a broken leg and that it hurt and that he had to hobble on a single crutch because, otherwise, it didn't stop him from doing anything.
Again, I thought it was a good book for the most part but was way too long and could have been much better.
April 24, 2020
If you enjoyed the tv show, then you will enjoy this. Marshal Dillon and Deputy Festus are severely injured at the beginning of the book after chasing bank robbers. They make it back to Dodge City, Kansas as does some of the outlaws just before a blizzard hits. They have to save Miss Kitty, Doc Adams and the citizens of Dodge City from Scar Henry and Deacon Waters. There are some nice twists and turns in the story with a great ending. Now I need to find the first two of this series.
March 28, 2024
Fast fun read for Gunsmoke fans.
July 29, 2025
outstanding read with great imagery.
one of the greatest westerns I've read, packed with action, suspense, and twists. 10/10
one of the greatest westerns I've read, packed with action, suspense, and twists. 10/10
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews