Customer Reviews

Trailsman 208: Arizona Renegades

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Arizona Territory

Apache Pass and Butterworth Stage Stations

1861

Passengers on a stagecoach are delayed in their journey due to a broken wheel, and the desert is teeming with marauding Apaches led by war chief, Chipota. The passengers are ill equipped to confront the Apaches even with the Trailsman's expert help. The passengers cannot control their panic so Skye Fargo must spend most of his time trying to round both them and the run off or stolen stock up. Poor Skye, almost like chasing his tail, if he had one. It's inevitable that some of these pilgrims will not make it back alive, and those that do are certain to suffer from both the effects of the desert and the Apaches.

Life in the "baked hell-hole" Arizona Territory desert is well described by the author with some history of the Apaches factually described. Fairly typical western story of the ghost like Apaches, to strike now and gone again, only to reappear to attack again when it suits their advantage. Can that be a Saguaro cactus or is it a deadly Apache warrior made up to look like one? Is that sand lump with breathing tube sticking out only a bump in the sand or is an Apache warrior buried there, waiting to jump up to strike and kill? As the author states "Apaches were fierce but never reckless". Further, the author tells us that a 4 mile stretch of Apache Pass, near the only available waterhole, suffered more attacks than at any other point. Even the stage relay station has suffered so many attacks it is now shutdown and abandoned. The cavalry is short handed as well with few patrols out in this desolate area so any hope for survival must come from Fargo and these few passengers themselves.

A fairly typical, formulaic western novel, but one that makes for interesting reading by anyone following the Trailsman books.

Recommeded for all us 'Jon Sharpe' fans.

Semper Fi.