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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
THRILLING WESTERN ACTION!!!!!!!!!, February 7, 2004
This review is from: Gunman's Song (Paperback)
Lawrence Shaw, also known as Fast Larry, has come to the town of Somas Santos when he hears that his wife has been murdered by a group of killers including Barton Talbert and Blue Snake Terril. But Shaw won't be riding the vengence trail alone. An old friend, Cray Dawson, for reasons of his own, will be riding with Larry to see that Rosa's killers receive their due justice. To make matters worse for Shaw, a group of gamblers have put a price on Shaws head for any man who guns down Fast Larry and the price goes up with each man Shaw kills. On the trail Larry & Cray stop to help a group of traveler whose wagon wheel has busted. Now in addition to the two chasing the Talbert bunch is added Jedson Caldwell, an undertaker by trade, Della Starks and Dillard Frome. After fighting off a band of Comanchero's, the group arrives at the town of Eagle Pass where Sheriff Earnest Neff is holding Talbert's brother Sidlow in jail. Shaw lets Sidlow out of jail and baits him in to a gufight. With the killing of Sidlow, Larry hope to bring Barton to Eagle Pass for a showdown. Two of Talbert's men, Willie "The Devil" Devlin and Donald Hornetti, set up a gunfight between Fast Larry and another gunman in hopes that the gunny will kill Shaw. When this attempt fails, Devlin & Hornetti head out of town to Brackett Flatts to inform Barton Talbert. Shaw has asked Dawson & Caldwell not to back his play as he looks to extract his revenge on Talbert and his bunch at Brackett Flatts. Can one man, even Fast Larry Shaw beat these odds? After all, it's not always the fastest gun who wins, but the one that shoots the straightest. GUNMAN'S SONG is another action filled, fast paced book we have come to expect from Ralph Cottom and as usual, Ralph delivers.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
GREASED LIGHTNING WITH A GUN, August 24, 2006
This review is from: Gunman's Song (Paperback)
Greased lightning: both Lawrence Shaw, the story's main character, and the story itself. I'm a little behind in my reading with some Ralph Cotton books, so just getting around to this one from 2004.
The usual cast of characters make their appearance, with the equal doses of comedy and black humor, with the good guys winning out, as usual, in the end. This one, however, has an underlying tone of pathos in that Larry and Cray are on the trail of men who not only abused but also killed Larry's wife. Though I truly enjoy the Sam Burrack ranger books, these books of Cray Dawson are very, very good; hope Ralph continues the saga into the future. As with all Ralph's books the main characters, even some of the bad guys, are very likeable, while the writing from this author is always top drawer.
While "Fast Larry" may be just a mite too large for actual life concerning both guns and women, Dawson helps keep the action and story anchored in reality. And all of Ralph's books use the 'west' for background making them fictional reading at its best.
If you enjoy a good western as I do, having hundreds on my shelves, then you will welcome Ralph Cotton books on your western shelf, too.
Recommended!
Semper Fi.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the Best Westerns I Ever Read., January 17, 2005
This review is from: Gunman's Song (Paperback)
I just now finished reading Gunman's Song by Ralph Cotton, and wow! was I impressed. Seriously, I'm a writer myself and I love it when I find a new (new to me anyhow) writer whose work I'm crazy about. This is the first one of Ralph Cotton's books that I've ever read, and it certainly won't be the last. If you like westerns, if you enjoyed Louis L'Amour and you liked Lonesome Dove, then I can pretty well guarantee you'll love Gunman's Song. Cotton can flat out tell a tall tale, he can write like nobody's business.
This is a story of a fast draw gun slinger, who is out for revenge....but it is way more than that. All the characters come alive on the page, the conversations they have are just too cool...I really can't say enough about this book. I've read a few westerns that are heads above all the rest, Lonesome Dove, The Searchers, and I'd put this one right up there with them. It's that good.
One more thing: even if you don't normally read westerns...check this one out. The interplay between the characters is so clean, so sharply focused, the dialog so crisp and interesting, the action so hardnosed and true. You can't beat Gunman's Song...it's just one awesome good western, no two ways about it.
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