Filming for the film has been projected, starring Christopher Lee. This is a novel of religious sexuality and pagan murder. If I am a Rabbi, Jehova is my God. If I am a Mullah, Allah the merciful is He. If a Christian, Jesus is my Lord. Millions of people worldwide worship the sun. Here in Tressock, I believe the old religion of the Celts fits our needs at this time. Isn't that all you can ask of a religion? Gospel singer Beth and her cowboy boyfriend Steve, two virgins promised to each other through 'the Silver Ring Thing', set off from Texas to enlighten the Scottish heathens in the ways of Christ. When, after initial hostility, they are welcomed with joy and elation to the village of Tressock, they assume their hosts simply want to hear more about Jesus. How innocent and wrong they are. Ripping through the themes of religion, paganism, power, sex and sacrifice, "Cowboys for Christ" builds up to its gruesome, excruciating climax under the terrifying imagination of Robin Hardy.
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Editorial Reviews
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'Erotic, romantic, comic and horrific enough to loosen the bowels of a bronze statue.' Christopher Lee. Publishing News (Friday 13 Jan 06): Fans of the film The Wicker Man will leap at Cowboys for Christ, written by the film's director. I can do no better than quote from Christopher Lee, who will be starring in Cowboys for Christ: "Erotic, romantic, comic and horrific enough to loosen the bowels of a bronze statue". Bizarre Magazine 'his new book, Cowboys for Christ, is a proper, old-fashioned page-turner.' Venue Magazine 'Cowboys for Christ marks a return to 'Wicker Man' territory easy to read and very enjoyable, no boring bits and it always kept your interest. I first thought that it would be a new working of the original Wicker Man but its not really...it has a life of it own! Gary Gillies
About the Author
Artist, journalist, novelist, producer/screenwriter/director, playwright, corporate executive. Artist: Trained at the Beaux Arts and L'Ecole Des Arts Decoratifs, studied at the Ateliers of Matisse, Fernand Leger and Paul Colin. As a painter, member of The London Group, as an illustrator for La Vie Parisienne, John Bull, Odyssey etc Journalist: The New York Times, The International Herald Tribune. Novelist: The Wicker Man (with Anthony Shaffer) published sequentially by Crown ( USA), Hamlyn ( UK ) , republished , 2002, by Pan Macmillan. The Education of Don Juan published by Simon and Schuster ( USA), a Book of the Month Club seletion, by Macmillan ( UK) and in various languages including French, Italian and Japanese. Don Juan's New World, published by Freundlich books is now followed by COWBOYS FOR CHRIST to be published by Luath in 2006. Producer/Screenwriter/ director for American TV (various channels) The Frozen Moment, with Sessue Hayakawa; The Ramayana, with Uday and Ravi Shankar; Paradise Lost with Sir Ralph Richardson as God. Pride and Prejudice, with Paul Rogers and Anna Massie, The Female Line with Marietta Tree. The Bull Dance; Two, directed by Satijyt Ray;Feature Film as Writer/Director: The Fantasist, starring Christopher Cazenove, Timothy Bottoms and Moira Harris; As co- author/ director The Wicker Man, starring Christopher Lee, Brit Ekland, Diane Cilento, Ingrid Pitt. Theatre - playwright and producer: Winnie, a play with music, about Sir Winston Churchill, with Robert Hardy and Virginia Mc Kenna. Opened at the Manchester opera House, came into the West End at the Victoria Palace and toured. Corporate Executive: Managing director of Hardy, Shaffer and Associates, (later HSFA Ltd ) a television production company with branches in London, New York, Milan, Paris and Dusseldorf, M.D. of Marlborough Productions, a theatrical production company. A director of Euro Center Productions Ltd. CEO of Euro Center Time Traveller Parks (Jersey) Ltd.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By D. L. Smith
Format:Hardcover
Robin Hardy has woven a wonderful tale out of the wild border lands of Scotland set in the world of the Wicker Man. This book is by no means a sequel to that tale, but a new story drawing on inspiration from the same sources that inspired the Wicker Man (such as The Golden Bough).
Two young American Christians set off to Scotland to save souls. Beth, a gifted singer, grabs the attention of Sir Lachlan Morrison and his wife. Beth is accompanied by her fiancée of sorts, Steve. They find themselves the center of attention in Lachlan's village of Tressock. Beth is even elected the Queen of the May.
Now here is the twist. Christopher Lee has said the story is "Not a 'who done it' but a 'when are they going to do it'" and that is a very accurate way to describe the tale. None of the paganism is hidden in this story - it is set right out for the two Christian protagonists to confront if they so desire.
There are faults with the story - as pointed out by another reviewer - but the over all building of the tale to its split ending does deserve a reading.
Two young American Christians set off to Scotland to save souls. Beth, a gifted singer, grabs the attention of Sir Lachlan Morrison and his wife. Beth is accompanied by her fiancée of sorts, Steve. They find themselves the center of attention in Lachlan's village of Tressock. Beth is even elected the Queen of the May.
Now here is the twist. Christopher Lee has said the story is "Not a 'who done it' but a 'when are they going to do it'" and that is a very accurate way to describe the tale. None of the paganism is hidden in this story - it is set right out for the two Christian protagonists to confront if they so desire.
There are faults with the story - as pointed out by another reviewer - but the over all building of the tale to its split ending does deserve a reading.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
A thoroughly enjoyable read. It took a small amount of time to get into the book. But all worry was soon gone when the main part of the story started to happen after a chapter or two.
In the book, two evangelical Americans, Beth: a pop and now gospel singer and her fiancé Steve: a Texas cowboy, go to Scotland to preach the word of God. There they are met by the charismatic Laird Lachlan Morrison of the small town of Tressock and are invited to come there to preach. Little do they know that Tressock holds within it a dark secret just waiting to reveal itself to the lovely couple.
Some people have said that the story reads like a screenplay and every now and then it does. However with that being said this more simplistic approach and style of writing makes the story and characters more accessible and the reader more alert to what you might think is going on or whats going to happen.
The book is comprised of small chapters which are surprisingly effective to not only tell the story but give good character development. The characters themselves are well rounded and appealing and the last third of the book is a terrific third act to this intriguing story.
I do agree with reviews from other websites saying it would have been great if the book was longer or perhaps more verbose and descriptive of the small rites, rituals and pagan everyday symbolism that the novelisation of the Wicker Man had. However, overall its still a great read which is written differently from the WM novelisation which makes it fresh even with its similar themes.
A must read for all Wicker Man and thriller lovers or just those who like history and religion unless of course your a Wicker Man 'one and only' purist, in that case you may not like it as much as I did.
In the book, two evangelical Americans, Beth: a pop and now gospel singer and her fiancé Steve: a Texas cowboy, go to Scotland to preach the word of God. There they are met by the charismatic Laird Lachlan Morrison of the small town of Tressock and are invited to come there to preach. Little do they know that Tressock holds within it a dark secret just waiting to reveal itself to the lovely couple.
Some people have said that the story reads like a screenplay and every now and then it does. However with that being said this more simplistic approach and style of writing makes the story and characters more accessible and the reader more alert to what you might think is going on or whats going to happen.
The book is comprised of small chapters which are surprisingly effective to not only tell the story but give good character development. The characters themselves are well rounded and appealing and the last third of the book is a terrific third act to this intriguing story.
I do agree with reviews from other websites saying it would have been great if the book was longer or perhaps more verbose and descriptive of the small rites, rituals and pagan everyday symbolism that the novelisation of the Wicker Man had. However, overall its still a great read which is written differently from the WM novelisation which makes it fresh even with its similar themes.
A must read for all Wicker Man and thriller lovers or just those who like history and religion unless of course your a Wicker Man 'one and only' purist, in that case you may not like it as much as I did.
17 of 28 people found the following review helpful
By L. Morgan
Format:Hardcover
This has to be the very worst book I have ever read. Initially I was thrilled that a new book was out by this author having been a huge fan of the book and film of the Wicker Man.
The plot was frankly ludicrous, imagine if you will a world famous singing celebrity such as Britney Spears doorstepping for Jesus in downtown Glasgow and I still do not understand why the Laird was the chairman of the local nuclear power plant laughably called Nuada other than it is a pathetic and incorrect attempt to explain why the women of the town were infertile.
The characters were thin and all losely based on the characters from the Wickerman, the writng was very poor, the various plots did not develop and the author displays a quite astonishing crudeness and lack of understanding with regards to women's sexuality, form and beauty which is essential to the pagan plot of this book. All the sex scenes are crude, base couplings straight out of a top shelf mens magazine which may titillate some but are by no means representative of pagan beliefs with regard to the sacred act of lovemaking.
Thai massage parlours are mentioned several times with no real connection to the plot at all which is mystifying.
The end when it comes resembles a particularly feeble teenage gore fest movie unecessary and tedious and by that time I wished all the characters were dead so I didn't have to read any more. A very poor offering indeed from this author.
Louisa
The plot was frankly ludicrous, imagine if you will a world famous singing celebrity such as Britney Spears doorstepping for Jesus in downtown Glasgow and I still do not understand why the Laird was the chairman of the local nuclear power plant laughably called Nuada other than it is a pathetic and incorrect attempt to explain why the women of the town were infertile.
The characters were thin and all losely based on the characters from the Wickerman, the writng was very poor, the various plots did not develop and the author displays a quite astonishing crudeness and lack of understanding with regards to women's sexuality, form and beauty which is essential to the pagan plot of this book. All the sex scenes are crude, base couplings straight out of a top shelf mens magazine which may titillate some but are by no means representative of pagan beliefs with regard to the sacred act of lovemaking.
Thai massage parlours are mentioned several times with no real connection to the plot at all which is mystifying.
The end when it comes resembles a particularly feeble teenage gore fest movie unecessary and tedious and by that time I wished all the characters were dead so I didn't have to read any more. A very poor offering indeed from this author.
Louisa
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