The Rangeland Avenger

by Max Brand

Riley chases three drifters who abandoned his injured brother in a desert. Meeting the delicate Jig and tubby Arizona ends in trouble and a jail cell. Schiller Faust (1892-1944) was an American fiction author known primarily for his thoughtful and literary Westerns. Faust wrote mostly under pen names, and today he is primarily known by one, Max Brand. Others include George Owen Baxter, Martin Dexter, Evin Evans, David Manning, Peter Dawson, John Frederick, and Pete Morland. Faust was born in Seattle. He grew up in central California and later worked as a cowhand on one of the many ranches of the San Joaquin Valley. Faust attended the University of California, Berkeley, where he began to write frequently. During the 1910s, Faust started to sell stories to the many emerging pulp magazines of the era. In the 1920s, Faust wrote furiously in many genres, achieving success and fame, first in the pulps and later in the upscale "slick" magazines. His love for mythology was, however, a constant source of inspiration for his fiction and his classical and literary inclinations. The classical influences are particularly noticeable in his first novel The Untamed (1919), which was also made into a motion picture starring Tom Mix in 1920.

Genres: Westerns, Historical Fiction, Fiction

244 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1922

About the author

Frederick Schiller Faust (see also Frederick Faust), aka Frank Austin, George Owen Baxter, Walter C. Butler, George Challis, Evin Evan, Evan Evans, Frederick Faust, John Frederick, Frederick Frost, David Manning, Peter Henry Morland, Lee Bolt, Peter Dawson, Martin Dexter, Dennis Lawson, M.B., Hugh Owen, Nicholas Silver

Max Brand, one of America's most popular and prolific novelists and author of such enduring works as Destry Rides Again and the Doctor Kildare stories, died on the Italian front in 1944.

Reviews

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jun 17, 3pm ~~ The title and even my original review did not remind me of any part of the plot of this re-read, but I imagine something must have stayed buried inside my little brain from the first reading because this time I recognized the 'surprise' right away.

I never really know when rereading if I will still enjoy a book the same way as before, but I decided to leave my five stars for this one. I really liked it!

Originally published in 1922, the story sweeps along at a gallop almost from the beginning and rarely slows down. Riley Sinclair, another fairly typical Max Brand hero, was out for revenge against the three men who had left his brother to die in the desert after a pretty stupid accident which quite honestly was completely his own fault.

But the point was that he never should have been abandoned by his partners. The three men knew it, too. Guilty conscience plays a major role in the story, just not for Riley. He has killed before, but always in a fair fight per the code of the West, and of course his reputation is enough to scare the daylights out of the men he is hunting.

But things get a bit more complicated once Riley gets to the little town of Sour Creek. Will the hunter become the hunted?

Jun 11, 2023, 850pm ~~ Time for a reread as part of my 2023 Max Brand project. (And because I want a Western break before diving into my next Viking book.) I am curious to see if I will still rate this one five stars.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Original Review from 2014
Can't get enough Max Brand these days....loved the surprise in this one, didn't see it coming!!

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining western listening 🎶🔰

Another will written classic western pulp fiction adventure thriller novel by Max Brand. A story about a man 🚹 who is looking to revenge the death of his brother. I would recommend this novel and author to 👍 readers of pulp fiction western classic. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to Alexa read books 📚. 2023 😀👒☺

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic old-time western. Revenge, a treatise on what a friend is, gunplay, loyalty, and what makes a man a man, twists, and turns.

Lots of action.

If you are a reader of Westerns, and have not read this yet, I highly recommend it.

*****
This is in the public domain, and I obtained it through Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/10601 (less)

[Jody · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first Max Brand book and I liked it. I needed an easy read to read while sitting in the waiting room of a hospital and this one fit the bill quite nicely. I had never read any Brand before, I don't really have an excuse, and I was pleasantly surprised. There is the right amount of fighting and gunplay and this one was sprinkled with a little mystery. I will probably read more of his books in the future since they are mostly available for free for the Kindle. It was enjoyable, it stuck to the stereotypical characters and plot and it satisfied a need. What more could you ask for?

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beginning of this book I was really miserable. I have ben so excited to read a Max Brand book, and it was nothing like what I would want to read. Too much harsh words, too much anxiety. I read to escape, I don't like it when I have to close the book to escape.

Then like a sucker punch, the book opened up and showed me why it had to be like that. The Oh! I didn't see that coming at all! moment. I'm so glad I keep reading to see it.

The ending, while happy, lacked something. Maybe that's just Max Brand's way. A simple ending for a simple time.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was surprised by this "classic" cowboy story. When Riley Sinclair heads into the town of Sour Creek to seek vengeance for the death of his brother, he doesn't expect any trouble given his reputation and his skills with a gun. He is not prepared for Cold Feet, however, a man locally known for his abject lack of courage and his non existent fighting skills.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was almost halfway through this book and there was an awesome twist. Then I thought "Wasn't this written in 1922?" I'd read Max Brand westerns back in the 70s and until I read a C.J. Box story awhile back, wasn't interested in visiting the genre. Sure enjoyed this one.

[KB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wasn't too sure about this book at first. For me it had a slow beginning. Returned to re-read reviews which encouraged me to continue on. So glad I did. What an unexpected twist. A Good Read. I have already started another one of Max Brand books.

[David Braly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It has some twists to it. and a few back stories.

[Robbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

WESTERN
Jim finished this book on 5-2-16 and rated it 4.7 stars.

[VT · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book opens with four men trying to cross a desert, and one does not make it. His brother takes up the cause of inflicting vigilante justice on the three who do – those who left his brother behind – although to me it was not quite clear why this avenging brother becomes “our hero” since the morality of the situation to me seemed a bit…grey. (It’s somewhat his brother’s own fault that he died, to my way of thinking.) The entire situation that develops seems a bit on the melodramatic side, and not necessarily in a fun or good way.

The style of writing is quite simple and it’s easy to understand why these books were popular particularly in their day – this story was originally published in 1922. It’s easy, light reading, and an adventurous tale. A few times I encountered slang use that I suspect was perhaps more contemporary than historical, but I was present in neither 1922 or the “vaguely dated olde wilde west time” in which the story takes place and am certainly no expert even on today’s slang.

While moving fairly quickly, the story takes a number of twists and turns, one of which in particular took me quite be surprise – and also disappointed me, as I had begun to form hopes and notions of where the story was going and what the over all moral of the tale was going to be. I was interested to read the discussion I thought was arising about the different ways different men could demonstrate courage – and then, well, that’s not what happened.

Read the remainder of my review on my blog:
https://vtdorch.wordpress.com/2020/10...

[Jerimy Stoll · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was much less gunplay than I was expecting in a western novel written by a man who loves to expound action and adventure in his writing. AS is common with most westerns, there is an element of romance, and of course one may be certain by reading the title that the subject of revenge will be explored. I will have to admit, this book was less page-turner and more reflective than some classics I have read. Oh, but this is a classic. I would recommend this book to those who love a good western, or those who may like to burn a bit of time reflecting on the sentiments of the past. Happy reading.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good book.

The book has a lot of twists and turns with a mixture of good characters. The author fits each character in at the right time and place. The description of the county around the action fits in to make you feel like you are there. In a way this is a different kind of western, makes you wish some of today’s writers would read and take an idea of the color these older writers put in their books. Read and enjoy.

[John Lietzke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of 'The Rangeland Avenger ' by John Lietzke

As westerns go I gave the book four stars. I do not like Max Brand's writing. I do like the writings of Louis LaMore and Zane Grey.

[Frank James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic Western Novel

Max Brand was a Master storyteller. I love to read these old Westerns they are so great. They had a moral to go the story. Wasn't just shoot'em up bang, bang. There was a story! They were about life, they were about the Pioneer spirit. Good reading.

[Mack · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it, but I’m trying to understand the characters’ complete inflexibility.

[JACKSON · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book

This book shows that people can be respectful and caring at the same time. It is very well and and presented.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good story, but the "heart of gold" outlaw had some extra flaws I couldn't love him for.

[charles montgomery · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good western tale.


The author has the ability to keep the reader interested and turning pages to see what's next. The finish left me guessing though. I
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[Vijayakumar Belur · Rating 4 out of 5]

With twists in the plot keeps you engaged. Unlike many western not much super heroism.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

strong start but then meanders a bit

[Anne Patkau · Rating 1 out of 5]

The ending, "Fatty" Arizona sees girl Jig and gunman Riley avenging brother's death remember the same date and smooch after the guys' break jail, I don't understand. Arizona's change of heart, to help Riley, is another mystery. The rest, Riley's chase of the three prospecters who abandoned his brother, is fairly straightforward. The trio weren't evil though, they did return in a few hours after finding water. So was the pursuit justified?

[Cws]

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[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good