Tag Archives: Westerns

Beecher Island by Wayne D. Overholser

November 10, 2020Book ReviewThe Mammoth Book of Westerns, Westernsskyebjenner

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Title: Beecher Island
Author: Wayne D. Overholser
In: The Mammoth Book of Westerns (Jon E. Lewis)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Westerns
Dates read: 17th October 2020
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 1970
5th sentence, 74th page: Damn that Forsyth!

Sam is in the middle of a gunfight on Beecher Island. Will they win? Will he ever get home to the farm?

This was a really wonderful description of battle. It wasn’t glorious and it wasn’t filled with people with an overzealous ideal. Rather, it was all about a young lad who just wants to go home to his farm and… well, live. Partnered with the actual descriptiveness of this all. I thought that it worked quite well.

Having said that, this really wasn’t as blood thirsty and graphically intense as some of the stories I’ve been reading lately. A nice little break if I’m being honest. It created a nice story in which battle isn’t about the glory and the blood – but rather, it’s about just wanting to go home and find your own zen.

For me, ultimately, this wasn’t so much a story about war, but about the stupidity of it. This may be my own ideals coming through. But still…

<- Blood on the Sun

Desert Command ->

Image source: Hachette Australia

Blood on the Sun by Thomas Thompson

November 5, 2020Book ReviewThe Mammoth Book of Westerns, Thomas Thompson, Westernsskyebjenner

Title: Blood on the Sun
Author: Thomas Thompson
In: The Mammoth Book of Westerns (Jon E. Lewis)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Westerns
Dates read: 10th October 2020
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 1954
5th sentence, 74th page: The other two gunmen were standing back, letting the thin man do all the talking.

The Preacher is a man who once rode into camp covered in blood. Having survived, he’s led a peaceful life. That is until the brother of the woman he loves starts to think about how much he likes guns…

I really, seriously and thoroughly enjoyed this short story. It was a really great western, and filled with the kind of characters and story line that I really love. It was also a great anti-violence, or at least attempting anti-violence kind of story. Something that I think was a great, and much needed break from too many stories about gunslingers just going to town and taking the law into their own hands…

I thought that The Preacher was a great character. Alright, I had a few flashes to another character called Preacher (Virgin River series). But I found him to be seriously likeable and a really great version of just what the good guys could do. I also loved that there was some good mystery surrounding his character that slowly got un-tweezed as the tale unfolded.

I thought this was a really cool story in the ways that Ted learnt a few needed lessons. It might have been a slightly more brutal manner in which he learnt them, but I think that they were most definitely needed. And, ultimately, they led to a good, Happily ever After at the very end. 😊

<- River Polak

Beecher Island ->

Image source: Hachette Australia

River Polak by Mari Sandoz

October 30, 2020Book ReviewMari Sandoz, The Mammoth Book of Westerns, Westernsskyebjenner

Title: River Polak
Author: Mari Sandoz
In: The Mammoth Book of Westerns (Jon E. Lewis)
Rating Out of 5: 2.5 (Readable, but not worth reading again)
My Bookshelves: Westerns
Dates read: 30th September 2020
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 1959
5th sentence, 74th page: He rambled on, but Yonak did not hear.

A story of life on the Frontier for Poles and all of the intricacies that go along with it.

This was a very calm and relaxing story. I actually quite enjoyed it, but gave it a lower rating because, as I sit here trying to write a review, I really don’t remember much. And the notes that I wrote while reading it? Less than useless…

A very calm and relaxing story.
Felt like daily life on the frontier
Little bit sad, but felt kind of hopeful for Yorvak

That’s it. That is apparently what I thought while reading this relaxing story. And I’m not even sure if I spelt the last word properly… oh well, it was still apparently a pleasant way to pass the time.

<- Emmet Dutrow

Blood on the Sun ->

Image source: Hachette Australia

Emmet Dutrow by Jack Schaefer

October 29, 2020Book ReviewJack Scahefer, The Mammoth Book of Westerns, Westernsskyebjenner

Title: Emmet Dutrow
Author: Jack Schaefer
In: The Mammoth Book of Westerns (Jon E. Lewis)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Westerns
Dates read: 29th September 2020
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 1951
5th sentence, 74th page: His voice rolled at its deepest.

Emmet Dutrow was an odd man. If you want to know just how odd, you’ll have to read the words of his neighbour in this kind of unsettling Western short story.

This, for me, highlighted just what it is about Christianity that I tend to find so disturbing – the belief that we are all sinners and somehow unforgiveable. Don’t get me wrong, I know that’s not how everyone follows their faith. But it’s the part that scares me the most. And to find it in a western short story. Well, it was somewhat surprising. But also helped to expand on my general discomfort.

I love that one of the messages in this short story is the idea that letting someone have their own experiences and make their own mistakes can actually save them from a far worst mistake. That, and, ultimately, everyone is responsible for the decisions that they choose to make in their lives. Even if there is a bit of a difficult situation that drove Jess to his actions – he was still ultimately responsible for them. And most definitely had to pay the price in the end.

Even though I quite enjoyed this story, it was really tragic. Just a reminder that when you have children, you can quite easily mess them up. And sometimes it’s done with the best of intentions (which, although the father in this freaked me out big time, he also tried). Just a truly tragic and somewhat uncomfortable short story that I’ve now experienced.

<- Great Medicine

River Polak ->

Image source: Hachette Australia

Second Hand by Rajan Khanna

October 14, 2020Book ReviewDead Man's Hand, Rajan Khanna, Weird Western, Westernsskyebjenner

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Title: Second Hand
Author: Rajan Khanna
In: Dead Man’s Hand (John Joseph Adams)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Weird western, Wild west
Dates read: 19th September 2020
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Titan Books
Year: 2014
5th sentence, 74th page: No wonder Gunsmith survived for as long as she did.

In a world where you are gifted one deck of Cards, people are constantly scrambling to find a way to prolong their powers…

Cards and gambling appear to be a fairly big aspect of westerns and the whole idea of the Wild West. So of course, in a collection of Weird Westerns, there should be one that focuses on the power of cards. And boy is it a power. I love how the cards are magical weapons. It’s such a fantastic idea, and I’m kind of hoping that there are more stories which use this idea by Khanna.

At the beginning of this short story, I was convinced that it was all about gambling and card games and the dangers of this. It wasn’t until a little further in that I realised that it was more of a gunslinger story. Just with the guns being constructed by something else – playing cards that can do powerful and very intriguing things.

This story was a little fun. And a little evil. After all, it’s a mother and daughter who try and kill each other. And then they try and kill the protagonists. And just in general, there is a lot of scheming and killing. But, nevertheless. I still really enjoyed it. And can’t wait to sink my teeth into more, similar stories!

<- Hell From the East

Alvin and the Apple Tree ->

Image source: Amazon

Great Medicine by Steve Frazee

October 11, 2020Book ReviewSteve Frazee, The Mammoth Book of Westerns, Westernsskyebjenner

Title: Great Medicine
Author: Steve Frazee
In: The Mammoth Book of Westerns (Jon E. Lewis)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Westerns
Dates read: 17th September 2020
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: He looked at his medicine then, solemnly.

Little Belly thinks that the white men have great medicine. So he steals it. Things go downhill from there…

I like that this short story touches upon issues of power, medicine and mercy. How power can be a number of things. And the symbolic importance people attach to objects in order to understand the division of power.

Having said that, I really didn’t get sucked into this. I’m truly understanding the fact at this point that although I’m going to finish the The Mammoth Book of Westerns collection, I’m really not that into Western short stories. I just find them a bit “eh” to follow and sink into.

This may not be my favourite short story. But it’s also not my least favourite, and not that bad either. It was just a pleasant, albeit forgetful twenty minutes to wile away the hours.

<- A Man Called Horse

Emmet Dutrow ->

Image source: Hachette Australia

Hell from the East by Hugh Howey

October 7, 2020Book ReviewDead Man's Hand, Hugh Howey, Weird Western, Westernsskyebjenner

Title: Hell from the East
Author: Hugh Howey
In: Dead Man’s Hand (John Joseph Adams)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Weird westerns, Westerns
Dates read: 14th September 2020
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Titan Books
Year: 2014
5th sentence, 74th page: Their final resting spot was a scrabble of tents and rickety shacks ringed by a shoddy wall of pine stumps where the best that could be said was they fed you twice a day.

He’s supposed to be fighting for his people. But sometimes hell rises in the East and there is just no escaping it…

This was a nice little, short story. It was nothing intense and completely unforgettable. But it was enjoyable and memorable. It also touched on a good topic – the darkness and horror of colonisation and invasion. The damage that is done with the arrival of colonisers and all sorts of horrible people.

One of the aspects of this story that I loved was that you never quite knew what side the narrator of the story was actually on. Whether they were “good” or “bad”. And really, who the “good” and “bad” were. For me, it helped to highlight the confusion that such a time in history could cause and create.

The conclusion of this story helps to highlight the fact that everything comes full circle. That everything will happen again and history constantly repeats. It might be stated in the fact that “hell comes from the east”. But it most certainly does. Actually, in some ways it reminded me very much of some parts of Terra Nullius.

<- Wrecking Party

Second Hand ->

Image source: Amazon

A Man Called Horse by Dorothy M. Johnson

October 5, 2020Book ReviewThe Mammoth Book of Westerns, Westernsskyebjenner

Title: A Man Called Horse
Author: Dorothy M. Johnson
In: The Mammoth Book of Westerns (Jon E. Lewis)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Westerns
Dates read: 10th September 2020
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: She complained loudly that her daughter had let herself go too cheap.

He wanted to become a man. But, instead, he became a horse.

I actually wouldn’t mind seeing the film that apparently exists because of this short story. It’s a nice, interesting and pleasant journey. Nothing that would completely change my world. But definitely enjoyable and probably worth seeing. In fact, I think that this is probably my favourite short story in the The Mammoth Book of Westerns collection so far. There was just something intriguing and fun about it.

I’m not really sure why I find this such a cheerful easy read – it’s a little dark considering the man called horse is kidnapped and there’s death and murder. And just all sorts of nonsense. But something about it just felt easy and comfortable. Definitely the kind of story that isn’t overly cheerful, but I still felt was weirdly comfortable (we just won’t read too much into that).

The part of the story that I think stuck with me most in this short story was the way in which Horse is able to grow. This is a pretty unique and intriguing coming of age story at its roots are in an experience that is not at all expected or typical. But it was most definitely enjoyable. I love how Horse grows from a boy who wants to be a man to a man who is just comfortable with who he is.

<- The Colt

Great Medicine ->

Image source: Hachette Australia

The Colt by Wallace Stegner

September 29, 2020Book ReviewThe Mammoth Book of Westerns, Wallace Stegner, Westernsskyebjenner

Title: The Colt
Author: Wallace Stegner
In: The Mammoth Book of Westerns (Jon E. Lewis)
Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one)
My Bookshelves: Westerns
Dates read: 27th August 2020
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: Hello, Bub.

This short story is about a colt that is dearly loved. But maybe not quite destined for a happily ever after…

I was kind of expecting a bit of a happy ending here. After all, this is a whole short story about a boy and his colt. And I was thinking that his love for the horse would be one of those that overcame all obstacles. That wasn’t the case. The end of this was a bit sad and gross. But it was still a good little short story.

I did struggle a little to get through this. I kept on getting confused as to how the colt broke his legs in the first place. I may have to read this again to make sure I didn’t just completely miss the point. But I honestly probably won’t. I love that this was about a boy and his horse (effectively), but I’m not really that emotionally engaged like I would have been normally.

This was a somewhat nice and cute short story. But it wasn’t really one that I felt was unforgettable and glorious. It was just… pleasant. Even though it ended kind of sadly.

<- Burn Him Out

A Man Called Horse ->

Image source: Hachette Australia

The Man With No Heart by Beth Revis

September 24, 2020Book ReviewBeth Revis, Cyborgs, Dead Man's Hand, Weird Western, Westernsskyebjenner

Title: The Man With No Heart
Author: Beth Revis
In: Dead Man’s Hand (John Joseph Adams)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Cyborgs, Weird western, Westerns
Dates read: 22nd August 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Titan Books
Year: 2014
5th sentence, 74th page: Finally, he had something worth betting on, Ray could tell.

Ray is a betting man. But when he decides to follow the mechanical spiders to try and find out where he truly comes from… all bets are off.

This short story honestly gave me a little bit of a Harry Potter déjà vu. It was such a fun, pleasant feeling. Not that the ting that gave me the Harry Potter déjà vu was all that fun and pleasant, but I love anything that thrusts me back into that world. In this case, it was the idea of “follow the spiders” that had me picturing Ron and laughing. There really was no other actual similarities. But I definitely was filled with thoughts. Happy. Positive. Bright thoughts.

This short story is honestly incredibly light and easy. It also has a great sense of hope throughout. Luckily, there is a happily ever after at the end of the story. At least, it felt like a happily ever after to me. It just finished off that feeling of completeness and hope that the rest of the short story had.

I absolutely loved the idea of alternate realities / worlds and the descriptions throughout this story. Then, there is a brilliant idea of gatekeepers and the idea that the lead character is heavily embroiled within this world. Unexpectedly so. But, still enjoyably so.

<- Holy Jingle

Wrecking Party ->

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Earth and Skye

The ramblings of a bibliophile.

Tag Archives: Westerns

Beecher Island by Wayne D. Overholser

Blood on the Sun by Thomas Thompson

River Polak by Mari Sandoz

Emmet Dutrow by Jack Schaefer

Second Hand by Rajan Khanna

Great Medicine by Steve Frazee

Hell from the East by Hugh Howey

A Man Called Horse by Dorothy M. Johnson

The Colt by Wallace Stegner

The Man With No Heart by Beth Revis