Noteworthy Reads: THE SHORTHORN KID by Hugh Pendexter

Meet the Shorthorn Kid! From where he came, no one was sure. But one thing was certain, his natural skill with a six-gun! Ride along with Tall Tim, Dick and Manuel as the Kid evolves from greenhorn to a seasoned cowhand in this string of rousing Western adventures.

That's the cover blurb for this collection of highly entertaining "pulp" tales by Hugh Pendexter and it does a good, succint job of summing what is contained within.

When Tom Roberts, head honcho at Black Dog Books, first contacted me about possibly doing an introduction for THE SHORTHORN KID - And Other Tales of the Old West, I was very honored. While, as I explain in said intro, I was at that point familiar with neither The Shorthorn Kid nor the byline of Mr. Pendexter, I was familiar with Black Dog Books and the fine line of pulp reprints being issued under their banner. As it turned out, not only was the invitation an honor but the stories I got to read in preparation for it was a great treat.

While originally written and published in the late 20s and early/mid 30s, these stories are as fresh and exciting as if they were brand new. Not only was Hugh Pendexter a sure hand with the turn of a phrase but he "knew his beans", so to speak, about the working life of "waddie" cowpokes. Sure, there are fictional flourishes of action and blazing guns, but the in-between banter and humor that takes between the Kid and his ranch hand pals comes across as real and gritty as if you were right there in the bunkhouse or out on the trail with them.

If you like Westerns and especially if you like pulp fiction from the golden age, you will want to check out THE SHORTHORN KID ... And, while you're at it, check out the whole line of exciting pulp fiction available from Black Dog Books (www.blackdogbooks.net). You'll be glad you did!