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Shadow of the Lariat: A Treasury of the Frontier
Collected from the pages of Lariat magazine and other Western pulps, these 22 classic tales feature all the beloved subjects and icons—stagecoaches, gold rush towns, and whiskey bars—that represent the romance and excitement of America’s frontier. Authors such as Zane Grey (“The Great Slave”), Max Brand (“Lawman’s Heart”), Luke Short (“Brand of Justice”), and Will Henry (“The Streets of Laredo”) vividly depict the gunslingers, compadres, sheriffs, Indians, and riders of the purple sage that populate this always fascinating world.
592 pages, Hardcover
First published October 18, 1995
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December 30, 2023
Debuting in 1925, Lariat Story Magazine wasn't the first of the pulp magazines devoted to Western fiction that graced newsstands in the era between and just after the World Wars (in one or the other of which many of the authors represented here served). That honor belongs to its rival Western Story Magazine, first published in 1919. But it was apparently one of the most successful and long running, continuing until 1950. During those 25 years, most of the leading writers in the genre had work published in its pages. Contrary to the Goodreads description, not all of the 22 stories, by as many authors, collected in this anthology were first published in the Lariat, though a number of them were. But the others are by authors who contributed to it frequently, or, in the case of the three selections written after its demise, by authors who write very much in the tradition of quality and style that the Lariat exemplified.
Editor Jon Tuska (1942-2016) was, among other things, an avid reader/viewer of and well-known authority on Western fiction and films, as well as the literary agent, from 1991 on, for many leading Western-genre writers. He wrote or edited more than 30 books, many of them collections or discussions of Western fiction, or treatments of aspects of the history of the Old West. Here, besides selecting the chronologically arranged stories (just one slightly out of order), he contributed a roughly page-long bio-critical write-up about each of the represented authors, preceding their stories and including a bit of basic information about the selected story itself, such as original publication date and venue. (All of these are as informative and well worth reading.) Also, he provided a 14-page Introduction to the collection as a whole. Most of this is a very detailed summary of the origins of the Western pulp magazine tradition and especially the history of Lariat Western Stories magazine in particular, along with lengthy discussions of the careers of a number of Lariat regular contributors. (Many of the authors and stories referred to are ones I never heard of.) The level of detail here was ultimately eye-glazing; I skipped over a good deal of it, and I think it would mainly be of interest only to very serious genre buffs and academic literature scholars (if any) who don't despise Westerns on principle. But the last couple of pages provide a substantive and insightful discussion of the literary significance of the Western (which Tuska argues is America's only unique contribution to the world's literature), and the reasons for its continuing relevance and appeal.
Generally, an anthology this size will contain some stories that don't resonate with me personally. However, every single one of those here were highly rewarding to read (sometimes in different ways). I was struck by the degree of literary quality, emotional impact, concern with genuine moral struggles, and other artistic positives on display here. Character-driven storytelling and realistic, nuanced characterization is the rule. We also have some major characters or even protagonists who are morally gray, and who wrestle with ethical decisions; this adds a significant depth to the reading experience. All the protagonists are male; but strong, capable female major characters with plenty of agency abound. In a number of stories, the plotting includes a strand of clean romance (often quick-developing, but believably so in the contexts presented), and these are always presented in a way that enhances the story. In three cases, the romance is cross-racial/cultural, and this isn't presented as something that's in any way odd or embarrassing; I give the writers high marks for that. The length of the selections varies; several are just 10-12 pages long, while others are at the long end of the "short fiction" continuum.
Surprisingly, Louis L'Amour isn't represented here; but otherwise, the included authors seem to be pretty much a roll-call of leading Western writers from ca. 1920-60. (The last story, and one other one, were first published in 1961.) Because I'm not nearly as well read in this genre as in some others, every story here is new to me; and though I recognize a number of the names (being a librarian helps there!), I've only previously read work by four of them. (I'd gladly read more work by all of those represented!) As is often the case with short stories, a number of selections in this collection are hard to comment on in much detail without spoilers. But all the selections are top-notch examples of their type, and reflect well on the genre. The comments below don't touch on all of the stories, but mention some of the ones which stood out the most to me.
I did my first actual read of the work of Zane Grey only this past summer, rating his The U.P. Trail at four stars. That work exhibits commendable sympathy with Native Americans in places. He's represented here by the wonderful story "The Great Slave" (1920), set in the world of the Crow and Cree Indians of Western Canada in the late 1700s or early 1800s. His main characters are treated positively, he shows First Nations people to have the same range of moral possibilities as whites, and he depicts their culture (and spirituality) both sympathetically and with accurate detail. Two other stories both by new-to-me authors, "Payroll of the Dead" by Steve Frazee and "The Silent Outcast' by Lauren Paine, focus on situations of whites vs. Native American conflict. Neither writer subscribes to "noble savage" mythology (and both have white viewpoint characters); but both treat their American Indian characters with respect and understanding, rather than demonizing or patronizing them.
Interestingly, in introducing Les Savage, Jr., Tuska doesn't mention his corpus of stories about his iconic series character Elgera Douglas (a.k.a. "Senorita Scorpion"). But his story here, "The Beast in Canada Diablo," is likewise set in the Texas-Mexico border country and features Anglo-Hispanic intercultural interaction. It also similarly exhibits his liking for exotic, outre' plot elements (and here, the possibly supernatural --but no spoilers from me!). Emotionally evocative, violent and bloody, but ultimately beautiful, it's gripping from start to finish --a masterpiece! I'd previously read and liked "The Patriarch of Gunsight Flat" by three-time Spur Award winner Wayne D. Overholser. He's represented here by "Stage to Death" (1944), set in Oregon and revolving around a plot to rob a stagecoach. The other writer I'd previously encountered was Lewis B. Patten. My only prior experience with his work was reading his novel Vow of Vengeance, which was underwhelming, getting only two stars from me. But his story here, "Gun This Man Down" (1954), was a definite winner! This and the Overholser story are very different and distinct works; but they both (especially the latter, which has a particularly good use of physical evidence!) incorporate an element of mystery along with six-gun action.
Most readers who have any acquaintance with American pulp literature of the period will recognize the name Max Brand. That was the best-known (but far from the only!) pen name used by prolific pulp author Frederick Faust, who would ultimately write some 500 adventure-oriented books, 300 of them Westerns, plus voluminous short fiction. (Given the size of his literary output, it's an anomaly that I'd never read any of his work before; but that's indicative of my relative unfamiliarity with the Western genre.) In 1921, he had been diagnosed with a treatable but incurable heart problem which could have suddenly killed him at any time. Readers will discover that this isn't just a random factoid; it's a central factor in his experience, which will have a big influence on the plot of the selection which represents him here, "Lawman's Heart." (The title has a particularly meaningful punning quality.) All three main characters here are highly nuanced, which adds greatly to the story's impact. I'd also previously heard of Ernest Haycox, and "Stage Station" (which was twice adapted as a film, though neither time under that title) was a great introduction to his work. It stands out particularly for its sympathetically depicted female Hispanic protagonist; and it proved to be an entirely different (in a good way!) type of story than I had expected it to be.
"Lawman's Debt" (1934), by Alan Le Maye, is written from the perspective of a callow young bank robber. The story depicts the pursuit of the latter by a renowned but aging sheriff. But the whole situation, and the expectations of both men, is going to be greatly impacted by the sudden breaking of a dam under the pressure of a storm-swollen river; and how events will play out may be surprising. My only quibbles here were with the sheriff's name, "Bat Masters," and the protagonist's impossible feat, which he's looking back on when the story opens, of surprising two bank clerks and single-handedly tying them up. IMO, the lawman's name was too similar to the real-life Bat Masterson's; it had me constantly wondering if we're supposed to see this character as the real-life one (or, perhaps, a facsimile of him), and I think it would have been better to just come up with a more original moniker. And our robber here would have to use both hands to tie knots in a rope, requiring him to set down his gun; but I can't see two other men passively waiting to be tied up if they're not at gunpoint. But these are relatively minor points, which didn't at all keep me from really liking the story.
Walt Coburn was actually raised on a working ranch in Montana, where "Riders of the Purple" is set; in describing the rigors of low-tech ranch life, he was writing about a world he knew intimately. Here, he spins a tale of the bonds of friendship and the violent dangers of a largely lawless land, set against the backdrop of the real-life disastrous blizzard-ridden winter of 1886-87 (which I knew about from other sources) and the equally lethal peril of flooding from the melting snows. Born and raised in Texas, Eugene Cunningham was fascinated with and often wrote about the Texas Rangers. His series character Ware (sometimes referred to as "Ware's kid") is a Ranger, and figures here in "The House of Whispering Shadows," set in the southwestern part of the state near the Mexican border, where Anglo and Hispanic cultures interact. Though T. T. Flynn is an author previously unknown to me, I can definitely say that "The Pie River" sets up one of the most emotionally evocative (and wrenching!) premises that I've encountered in fiction, and all three of the main characters are profoundly nuanced. (Note: the titular Pie River plays no role in the tale, save that it takes place in "the Pie River Country;" and as far as I know, the river itself may be a fictional one. It doesn't show up on Google.)
Although “The Clown” is the original title that Verne Athenas gave the selection of his work that's included here, it's a misleading one, since the story actually doesn't feature a circus clown, nor really any sort of actual clownish behavior. (The editors at the Saturday Evening Post, when it was published there in 1961, gave it the title “Boy with a Gun,” which is much more accurately descriptive.) Set, judging by its details, probably in the 30s or 40s, it's also not actually a conventional Western as such, more a general fiction, coming-of-age story set in the wilds of the American West. But it's an extremely powerful, even wrenching, story with a very, very good message, and is guaranteed to remain in the reader's consciousness for a long time. Frank Bonham tended to draw his protagonists and plots from other milieus than the typical world of lawmen and ranchers/cowboys, preferring to focus on, for instance, railroad men, lumberjacks, or –as in the story here, “Furnace Flat”-- the borax miners of Death Valley. Peter Dawson's trademark humor is illustrated here by “Colt Cure for Woolly Fever.” (His real name was Jonathan Hurff Glidden, he and Frederick Dilley Glidden, who wrote under the pen name of Luke Short and is represented here by “Brand of Justice,” were brothers.) To comment very briefly about just two other stories, “Stagecoach Pass” by Giff Cheshire is an excellent “humans against nature” yarn. And despite its title, Barry Cord's “The Ghost of Miguel” is not a supernatural ghost story; but it is a great read! :-)
These tales are all solid examples of excellent, serious, high-quality storytelling. Given that fact, it's worth noting that editor Tuska frequently, though not always, deliberately chose lesser-known stories here, which had not been included in previous anthologies. That suggests something of the overall quality of the genre itself in the decades from which these examples are drawn! I'd highly recommend this book, both to all Western fans and to short fiction readers in general.
Editor Jon Tuska (1942-2016) was, among other things, an avid reader/viewer of and well-known authority on Western fiction and films, as well as the literary agent, from 1991 on, for many leading Western-genre writers. He wrote or edited more than 30 books, many of them collections or discussions of Western fiction, or treatments of aspects of the history of the Old West. Here, besides selecting the chronologically arranged stories (just one slightly out of order), he contributed a roughly page-long bio-critical write-up about each of the represented authors, preceding their stories and including a bit of basic information about the selected story itself, such as original publication date and venue. (All of these are as informative and well worth reading.) Also, he provided a 14-page Introduction to the collection as a whole. Most of this is a very detailed summary of the origins of the Western pulp magazine tradition and especially the history of Lariat Western Stories magazine in particular, along with lengthy discussions of the careers of a number of Lariat regular contributors. (Many of the authors and stories referred to are ones I never heard of.) The level of detail here was ultimately eye-glazing; I skipped over a good deal of it, and I think it would mainly be of interest only to very serious genre buffs and academic literature scholars (if any) who don't despise Westerns on principle. But the last couple of pages provide a substantive and insightful discussion of the literary significance of the Western (which Tuska argues is America's only unique contribution to the world's literature), and the reasons for its continuing relevance and appeal.
Generally, an anthology this size will contain some stories that don't resonate with me personally. However, every single one of those here were highly rewarding to read (sometimes in different ways). I was struck by the degree of literary quality, emotional impact, concern with genuine moral struggles, and other artistic positives on display here. Character-driven storytelling and realistic, nuanced characterization is the rule. We also have some major characters or even protagonists who are morally gray, and who wrestle with ethical decisions; this adds a significant depth to the reading experience. All the protagonists are male; but strong, capable female major characters with plenty of agency abound. In a number of stories, the plotting includes a strand of clean romance (often quick-developing, but believably so in the contexts presented), and these are always presented in a way that enhances the story. In three cases, the romance is cross-racial/cultural, and this isn't presented as something that's in any way odd or embarrassing; I give the writers high marks for that. The length of the selections varies; several are just 10-12 pages long, while others are at the long end of the "short fiction" continuum.
Surprisingly, Louis L'Amour isn't represented here; but otherwise, the included authors seem to be pretty much a roll-call of leading Western writers from ca. 1920-60. (The last story, and one other one, were first published in 1961.) Because I'm not nearly as well read in this genre as in some others, every story here is new to me; and though I recognize a number of the names (being a librarian helps there!), I've only previously read work by four of them. (I'd gladly read more work by all of those represented!) As is often the case with short stories, a number of selections in this collection are hard to comment on in much detail without spoilers. But all the selections are top-notch examples of their type, and reflect well on the genre. The comments below don't touch on all of the stories, but mention some of the ones which stood out the most to me.
I did my first actual read of the work of Zane Grey only this past summer, rating his The U.P. Trail at four stars. That work exhibits commendable sympathy with Native Americans in places. He's represented here by the wonderful story "The Great Slave" (1920), set in the world of the Crow and Cree Indians of Western Canada in the late 1700s or early 1800s. His main characters are treated positively, he shows First Nations people to have the same range of moral possibilities as whites, and he depicts their culture (and spirituality) both sympathetically and with accurate detail. Two other stories both by new-to-me authors, "Payroll of the Dead" by Steve Frazee and "The Silent Outcast' by Lauren Paine, focus on situations of whites vs. Native American conflict. Neither writer subscribes to "noble savage" mythology (and both have white viewpoint characters); but both treat their American Indian characters with respect and understanding, rather than demonizing or patronizing them.
Interestingly, in introducing Les Savage, Jr., Tuska doesn't mention his corpus of stories about his iconic series character Elgera Douglas (a.k.a. "Senorita Scorpion"). But his story here, "The Beast in Canada Diablo," is likewise set in the Texas-Mexico border country and features Anglo-Hispanic intercultural interaction. It also similarly exhibits his liking for exotic, outre' plot elements (and here, the possibly supernatural --but no spoilers from me!). Emotionally evocative, violent and bloody, but ultimately beautiful, it's gripping from start to finish --a masterpiece! I'd previously read and liked "The Patriarch of Gunsight Flat" by three-time Spur Award winner Wayne D. Overholser. He's represented here by "Stage to Death" (1944), set in Oregon and revolving around a plot to rob a stagecoach. The other writer I'd previously encountered was Lewis B. Patten. My only prior experience with his work was reading his novel Vow of Vengeance, which was underwhelming, getting only two stars from me. But his story here, "Gun This Man Down" (1954), was a definite winner! This and the Overholser story are very different and distinct works; but they both (especially the latter, which has a particularly good use of physical evidence!) incorporate an element of mystery along with six-gun action.
Most readers who have any acquaintance with American pulp literature of the period will recognize the name Max Brand. That was the best-known (but far from the only!) pen name used by prolific pulp author Frederick Faust, who would ultimately write some 500 adventure-oriented books, 300 of them Westerns, plus voluminous short fiction. (Given the size of his literary output, it's an anomaly that I'd never read any of his work before; but that's indicative of my relative unfamiliarity with the Western genre.) In 1921, he had been diagnosed with a treatable but incurable heart problem which could have suddenly killed him at any time. Readers will discover that this isn't just a random factoid; it's a central factor in his experience, which will have a big influence on the plot of the selection which represents him here, "Lawman's Heart." (The title has a particularly meaningful punning quality.) All three main characters here are highly nuanced, which adds greatly to the story's impact. I'd also previously heard of Ernest Haycox, and "Stage Station" (which was twice adapted as a film, though neither time under that title) was a great introduction to his work. It stands out particularly for its sympathetically depicted female Hispanic protagonist; and it proved to be an entirely different (in a good way!) type of story than I had expected it to be.
"Lawman's Debt" (1934), by Alan Le Maye, is written from the perspective of a callow young bank robber. The story depicts the pursuit of the latter by a renowned but aging sheriff. But the whole situation, and the expectations of both men, is going to be greatly impacted by the sudden breaking of a dam under the pressure of a storm-swollen river; and how events will play out may be surprising. My only quibbles here were with the sheriff's name, "Bat Masters," and the protagonist's impossible feat, which he's looking back on when the story opens, of surprising two bank clerks and single-handedly tying them up. IMO, the lawman's name was too similar to the real-life Bat Masterson's; it had me constantly wondering if we're supposed to see this character as the real-life one (or, perhaps, a facsimile of him), and I think it would have been better to just come up with a more original moniker. And our robber here would have to use both hands to tie knots in a rope, requiring him to set down his gun; but I can't see two other men passively waiting to be tied up if they're not at gunpoint. But these are relatively minor points, which didn't at all keep me from really liking the story.
Walt Coburn was actually raised on a working ranch in Montana, where "Riders of the Purple" is set; in describing the rigors of low-tech ranch life, he was writing about a world he knew intimately. Here, he spins a tale of the bonds of friendship and the violent dangers of a largely lawless land, set against the backdrop of the real-life disastrous blizzard-ridden winter of 1886-87 (which I knew about from other sources) and the equally lethal peril of flooding from the melting snows. Born and raised in Texas, Eugene Cunningham was fascinated with and often wrote about the Texas Rangers. His series character Ware (sometimes referred to as "Ware's kid") is a Ranger, and figures here in "The House of Whispering Shadows," set in the southwestern part of the state near the Mexican border, where Anglo and Hispanic cultures interact. Though T. T. Flynn is an author previously unknown to me, I can definitely say that "The Pie River" sets up one of the most emotionally evocative (and wrenching!) premises that I've encountered in fiction, and all three of the main characters are profoundly nuanced. (Note: the titular Pie River plays no role in the tale, save that it takes place in "the Pie River Country;" and as far as I know, the river itself may be a fictional one. It doesn't show up on Google.)
Although “The Clown” is the original title that Verne Athenas gave the selection of his work that's included here, it's a misleading one, since the story actually doesn't feature a circus clown, nor really any sort of actual clownish behavior. (The editors at the Saturday Evening Post, when it was published there in 1961, gave it the title “Boy with a Gun,” which is much more accurately descriptive.) Set, judging by its details, probably in the 30s or 40s, it's also not actually a conventional Western as such, more a general fiction, coming-of-age story set in the wilds of the American West. But it's an extremely powerful, even wrenching, story with a very, very good message, and is guaranteed to remain in the reader's consciousness for a long time. Frank Bonham tended to draw his protagonists and plots from other milieus than the typical world of lawmen and ranchers/cowboys, preferring to focus on, for instance, railroad men, lumberjacks, or –as in the story here, “Furnace Flat”-- the borax miners of Death Valley. Peter Dawson's trademark humor is illustrated here by “Colt Cure for Woolly Fever.” (His real name was Jonathan Hurff Glidden, he and Frederick Dilley Glidden, who wrote under the pen name of Luke Short and is represented here by “Brand of Justice,” were brothers.) To comment very briefly about just two other stories, “Stagecoach Pass” by Giff Cheshire is an excellent “humans against nature” yarn. And despite its title, Barry Cord's “The Ghost of Miguel” is not a supernatural ghost story; but it is a great read! :-)
These tales are all solid examples of excellent, serious, high-quality storytelling. Given that fact, it's worth noting that editor Tuska frequently, though not always, deliberately chose lesser-known stories here, which had not been included in previous anthologies. That suggests something of the overall quality of the genre itself in the decades from which these examples are drawn! I'd highly recommend this book, both to all Western fans and to short fiction readers in general.
June 22, 2013
A collection of 22 short stories from 22 writers which originally appeared in the Western pulp magazines of the 20s through 50s, including Lariat Story Magazine. The authors names are all well known to readers of western fiction. The writers were paid from 2 cents to 5 cents per word, depending on their agent and the magazine. Most of them, writing under two or more names could make decent money even at those rates.
A lengthy Introduction and short bio of each writer before the story give the reader a taste of what it was like to write for the pulps. Worth a read, for the history and the entertainment.
A lengthy Introduction and short bio of each writer before the story give the reader a taste of what it was like to write for the pulps. Worth a read, for the history and the entertainment.
February 21, 2016
It was fun to read long lost western stories that my grandparents probably read.
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