Head of the mountain

by Ernest Haycox

Book by Haycox, Ernest

191 pages, Hardcover

First published March 7, 1978

Reviews

[Karlyne Landrum · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had never heard of this author when I purloined this book from my daughter's bookshelf. Her grandfather left her his collection of Westerns, and this was one of them. What a great writer! The plot wasn't terrifically original, but the writing was superb. I'll be looking for some more of his works (died in 1950), and I hope I find lots of them. Note: he wrote "Stagecoach", John Wayne's first big starring role.

[Kellyt · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you’re familiar with the Pacific NW you’ll appreciate Haycox’s feel and accurate description for the environment in which the action takes place. It is by no means his best work but it is an enjoyable quick read. Even though it is a short story the characters are well fleshed out.

[Frode · Rating 2 out of 5]

Years ago I acquired this book along with others by Ernest Haycox and read a number of them at that time. The story was all new to me as I read it again. That means there was nothing much memorable about this hayburner. The characters are flat; the action is random; the dialogue is acceptable, and the romance is fairly predictable. There is little tension in the book as it is clear who the good and bad guys are well before the end. The only thing left in doubt by about two-thirds of the way through was how the outcome would be resolved. The good guy won in the end by both defeating the bad guy and getting the girl. A couple of twists helped the plot some, but it was pretty straightforward the whole way.