The Ruthless Range

by Lewis B. Patten

Jase Mellor tries to escape his notoriety as a gunfighter by taking a job at the Grandee Ranch, but soon every gunman in Colorado is seeking him out

168 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1998

About the author

aka Lewis Ford, Len Leighton, Joseph Wayne (with Wayne D. Overholser)

Lewis Byford Patten was a prolific author of American Western Novels, born in Denver, Colorado. Often published under the names Lewis Ford, Len Leighto and, Joseph Wayne.

Reviews

[Paperback Papa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes I'm just in the mood for a quick western. I usually reach for one of the twenty or so Lewis B. Pattens I have on my shelf, and have yet to be disappointed.

In this one from 1963, Jason Mellor is a reluctant gunfighter. He hates killing, but wherever he goes some young (and very foolish) wannabe just has to challenge him and try to make a name for himself. Jason always wins, and then has the dead wannabe's brothers vowing revenge and stalking his trail. Thus, Jason is always on the move, one step ahead of the hate-filled bullet that will slam into his back and end his life.

This is the story of Jason's one chance to be set free from this life...to finally find peace. It looks promising, and even the love of a beautiful woman seems within reach. But of course, such happiness will not come easy.

This is a good, if not spectacular book. Patten's writing is always great and, as usual, he manages to slip a couple of surprises into the story to keep it from being too predictable. He's about as good as there is when it comes to this type of classic western.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Ruthless Range Lewis B. Pattern, whom I tend to associate with “town” westerns, penned this “ wandering gunfighter stops to save the ranch and decides to light awhile” sub-genre. I’ve commented that most Lewis B. Pattern westerns set up the primary conflict in the first chapter but this one doesn’t. Jason Meller is a variation of The Gunfighter’s (1950) Johnny Ringo who seems doomed to wander the west being confronted by, and being forced to kill, one squirt after another in one town after another. This is a bit different as he ends up defending a Spanish Land Grant ranch where his ex-wife has hung up her shingle as a resident fancy lady. The old Mexican who owns the ranch dies and his daughter now faces resentful vultures (metaphorical ones) and the rancher’s wastrel son. Jason faces these guys, along with the brothers of the last squirt he killed. Within the formula, Patten is a pro. One pattern I see here is that the action and the suspense maintain until pretty much the last page.