Customer Reviews

Zane Grey's Lassiter: Brother Gun (Leisure Western)

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

 

 

I bought this for my Dad as he is an avid western reader. He really liked this and said that Zane Grey is one of the best.

Beween 1968 and 1986 some 30 Lassiter westerns were published by 'Jack Slade', true western readers will know that 'Jack Slade' was in reality Willis Todhunter Ballard or as he was better known, Todhunter Ballard. Mr. Ballard passed away a couple years back, however, he left us many excellent westerns to read.

This book comes from 1985 which makes it almost the last of the Lassiter westerns, followed only by WOLVERINE in 1986. I've read numerous of the Jack Slade Lassiter westerns and from that I don't believe this one is one of the better ones, yet it can still be considered a 4-star read.

At a few points the old Lassiter breaks through, especially when he ponders stealing someone else's gold. Lassiter is a character who will kill when he has to, steal money or a gal when he can, but will generally help people when forced to do so. He is in most of the westerns a true mercenary interested first, last, and always in himself, especially where money or prostitutes are concerned. Much of that 'rascal' aspect is muted in this later western.

As stated the book can still be considered a possible 4-star venture. Whether Leisure books will reissue further Lassiter books is unknown. Recently Leisure Books from Dorchester Publishing has reissued most of the 1980s Loren Zane Grey books concerning Lassiter, but there exists the difference between day and night in Grey's and Jack Slade's characters. Both, however, offer enjoyable reading from Leisure Books for all western lovers.

Semper Fi.

You might be able to say that Lassiter was Zane Grey's greatest creation. By doing that, you may not be far off, but in a remarkable body of work, the Lassiter stories seemed to live longest and take on a life of his own.

Loren continued the life of Lassiter, as Jack Slade did in this 1985 novel. The indominitable Lassiter owes his life to Miguel Aleman. We cannot say how we repay our debts, and Juanito Aleman becomes his 'project' as he lives a life that requires legions of guardian angels. A drunken brawl claims the life of a horse trader and frontier justice demands the gallows. Lassiter takes on the gallows and the law the only way he knows.

I truly enjoyed this instalment in the life of Lassiter. His continued adventures build on the character born in the pages of early Grey fiction very well. It's not a 'classic', but it is a good read that makes us wonder why Lassiter just didn't turn into a TV series at some point.