Customer Reviews

River Range: A Western Trio (Leisure Western)

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In a literary carrer that stretched from 1925 to 1960, L. P. Holmes turned out over 600 short stories and novels, winning the Spur Award for SOMEWHERE THEY DIE. This Leisure Books volume brings together three of his short stories, providing a good introduction to a prolific Western author.

RIVER RANGE features three stories: "Buzzard's Brethren," the longest story of the bunch, along with "Horse Thief Trail" and "River Range." The first story stars Rick Dalton, a hot-tempered rancher fighting against a greedy cattle baron trying to start a range war. In "Horse Thief Trail," Jeff Hawn tries - unsuccessfully - to escape from the clutches of an outlaw gang. "River Range" pits Boone Logan, foreman of the Cross C Ranch, against yet another outlaw gang trying to take over the Cross C.

Though I hate to criticize a Spur Award winner, I didn't enjoy RIVER RANGE as much as I had hoped. The heroes in the first and third stories were too similar, both being hot-tempered, quick-to-take-action, type-A personailities. The middle tale - of the young lad fleeing an outlaw gang - included a plot twist that strained credulity. And all the stories involved a sweet young thing that fell into the hero's arms after the obligatory gunplay.

Having said that, I'd urge readers to give RIVER RANGE a try. Hacks don't win Spur Awards so perhaps I'm being too critical. Holmes was quite popular in his day and his work well received by literary critics.

"River Range" includes three short stories, "The Buzzard's Bretheren", "Horse Thief Trail", and "River Range". L.P. Holmes' tales originally appeared in 1941 and 1946 and this is their first appearance since then.

"Buzzard's Bretheren" starts off with 'Perhaps a superman might have stood up under the punishment of the lash without an outcry.' The Bretheren is a great tale pits Cass Denio against Slip Hankins in a High Plains battle. "Range River" features Boone Logan in a battle as he takes his 200 cattle across the Colorado River. The last story is action filled and a good inclusion to the book.

L.P. Holmes published more than 600 stories in his lifetime. This is just a sampler of his best. You owe it to yourself to find out why he is a past Spur Award winner.

www.dorchesterpub.com

Tim Lasiuta