Noteworthy Reads: NO TORRENT LIKE GREED by C.J. Henderson

Late last week, I had the rare experience of receiving a nice surprise—make that two very nice surprises—in the mail.

For starters, there was a book. Always a good thing. But upon delving into it, I found it was quite a special book … a brand new, never-before-published novel-length Jack Hagee mystery thriller—NO TORRENT LIKE GREED—by my old pal C.J. Henderson!

As has been previously covered here, we sadly lost Chris just short of a year ago (July 4, 2014) when that evil beast cancer claimed him as another victim.

For many, Chris was probably a bit better known for his horror/supernatural tales, mostly in the Lovecraft vein and also several Kolchak-Night Stalker tie-ins. But I knew him first and best through his hardboiled crime books and stories featuring Jack Hagee, PI. (Although Chris was famous for saying that “everything” he wrote was hardboiled – a sentiment I myself have echoed in regard to my own writing.)

After I had the privilege of introducing Hagee to readers via a short story entitled “What You Pay For” within the pages of my small-press magazine, Hardboiled, he went on to make many more appearances over the years. But there were only three Hagee novels, the last being NOTHING LASTS FOREVER in 1994. At least none that I (nor hardly anyone else) knew about. However, a mutual friend, John L. French, did. Chris had written TORRENT back in the early/mid-nineties, when Berkley was publishing the first three, and had sent a manuscript copy to John. When Berkley decided to discontinue the series, TORRENT went on the shelf and remained largely forgotten until John recently came across his copy once again.

John promptly went to work on editing the manuscript and simultaneously making arrangements with Rich Harvey at Bold Venture Press to get the work published … the result being NO TORRENT LIKE GREED, fresh off the presses for May of 2015; though it’s vintage 1994 (taking place immediately following the events of NOTHING LASTS FOREVER). It’s also vintage Henderson/Hagee with all the grit, energy, and action readers know to expect from that pairing of byline and protagonist. As the jacket blurb promises: “What follows involves Jack and his friends with the Feds, the Russians, and an organization capable of blowing New York City off the map!”

All of this is available now as a nicely done trade paperback from Bold Venture, with an eye-catching Robert Maguire cover and an informative, heartfelt Introduction by Gary Lovisi.

Last but not least, it also features the following dedication, which warms my heart and puts a lump in my throat:

“To Wayne Dundee and Gary Lovisi – who knew a good thing when they saw it and shared it with the rest of the world.

On behalf of C.J. and all of his fans –

Thanks, guys

John L. French”

To which I can only say, for my part … the pleasure was all mine.

Noteworthy Reads: THE TITHING HERD by J.R. Lindermuth

THE TITHING HERD is an ambitious, exciting, multi-layered Western adventure. The title comes from the practice of cash-strapped Mormons, back in the middle and late 1800s, to gather up a herd of cattle to take to market in order to pay their annual tithe to the Church.

At no cost to the momentum of the book, a number of historical Mormon facts such as this are interwoven into the plot and subplots, giving this tale some distinct “learning” aspects that are quite interesting. Make no mistake, however --- there is plenty of action and suspense to propel these facts and all else along at a rate that will keep the reader eagerly turning pages.

At the core of everything is the character of Luther “Lute” Donnelly, a former lawman carrying around a pack of guilt over past deadly events that he feels responsible for allowing to happen. Said events cost him the life of his brother and also cost him the love of his life --- a Mormon widow he was ready to marry but instead ran away from due to his shame. In the interim he has been getting by on money earned from racing his prize horse but otherwise staying out on the edge of things. In his gut, though, he carries a thirst for revenge on the man who killed his brother and in his heart he still carries his love for Serene, the woman he abandoned.

Coming across a young man left double-crossed by some bandits he’d innocently fallen in with serves as a catalyst to draw Lute back into many of the things he’d been on the run from. From the lad, Tom Baskins, he hears the name “Spanish” --- the outlaw leader responsible for the death of Lute’s brother. And then, after taking Tom back to make amends with the rancher (an old friend of Lute’s) he had inadvertently wronged while in bad company, one thing leads to another and Lute suddenly finds himself not only reunited with Serene but also committed to helping her son take their tithing herd to market. Part of this is as a favor to Serene, but perhaps a greater part is that Lute expects Spanish and his gang to try and rustle the herd, thus providing the former lawman the chance he has been waiting for – to once again confront Spanish.

All of this is told in rapidly cutting-back-and-forth scenes involving numerous characters and settings, everything skillfully handled by author Lindermuth’s sure hand. You will find action, adventure, suspense, romance, and even a touch of mysticism --- interlaced with more than a few twists and surprises --- that will leave you cheering for Lute and the rest of the “good guys” and hoping to see more of them.

Strongly recommended

Noteworthy Reading/Viewing: LEGENDS & LIES - THE REAL WEST

Anyone dismissing this book or the tie-in series of TV documentaries due to a bias toward Fox New and/or Bill O’Reilly, risks missing out on some interesting and entertaining reflections on several of the Old West’s most prominent characters and events.

The TV features (as of this writing there have been four --- Jesse James, Doc Holliday, Wild Bill Hickock, Kit Carson – with Davy Crockett due in a week) are formatted much like previous works done on the Discovery and History channels. Which is to say there are narrated cinema re-enactments of the subject matter, augmented with inserted commentary by historians, authors, and related ‘experts’.

The production values of the re-enactment vignettes this time around are, in my opinion, somewhat higher than on some of the previous work. Not saying the historic facts are any more accurately detailed, just that it appears there may have more money spent on the visuals. They are actually quite good.

The corresponding book, despite the prominence of O’Reilly’s name on the cover --- BILL O’REILLY’S LEGENDS & LIES: THE REAL WEST is the complete, rather cumbersome title --- is actually written by one David Fisher, a veteran novelist and author of various non-fiction works. O’Reilly does write a lengthy Forward to the book and also speaks in a number of the commentary pieces on the TV features; using his name so prominently is clearly in recognition to his stature at Fox News and to the success of his previous mega-bestselling books.

Mr. Fisher’s writing, as it turns out, stands just fine on its own.

As might be expected, the book is more richly and completely detailed than what is covered in the TV features. The complete Table of Contents for the book (I’m not sure if all of these will appear on TV) is as follows: Daniel Boone, Davy Crockett, Kit Carson, Black Bart, Wild Bill Hickock, Bass Reeves, George Custer, Buffalo Bill and Annie Oakley, Jesse James, Doc Holliday, Billy The Kid, and Butch Cassidy. A wealth of photographs (many not commonly seen before) is also included.

Inasmuch as I had already read and learned a good deal about the factual Old West, I can’t say that I learned a whole lot of new things from this book or the TV features I’ve seen so far. But, by the same token, neither did I find any glaring errors or sharp contradictions to what I’d previously encountered … although some of the TV features (due to time constraints, I suppose) skim over or totally skip certain incidents; the book, however, does not.

At any rate, the presentations here --- in print and on screen --- are well done and entertaining and I doubt anyone with an interest in the Old West would come away disappointed.

I recommend both.

WESTERN FICTIONEERS Nominations for Fifth Annual (2015) Peacemaker Awards

This year's nominees (final results to be announced on June) are as follows:

BEST NOVEL:
THE BIG DRIFT - Patrick Dearen (TCU Press)
BUST OUT – W.M. Shockley (Western Trail Blazer)
MORGAN – Frank Roderus (Wolf Pack Publishing)
THE PIANO PLAYER – Carolyn Niethammer (Oak Tree Press)
DESPERATE STRAIGHTS – Janet Squires (Whiskey Creek Press)

BEST INDIE WESTERN:
HANGMAN’S KNOT - James Reasoner (Rough Edges Press)
OUTLAW RANGER – James Reasoner (Rough Edges Press)
LEFT HAND KELLY – Elizabeth Foley (Second Sentence Press)
FUGITIVE TRAIL – Wayne Dundee (Bil-Em-Ri Media)
TRAIL REVENGE – Wayne Dundee (Westward Tide Productions)


BEST SHORT FICTION:
THE 2ND BEST RANGER IN TEXAS – Kathleen Rice Adams (Prairie Rose Publications)
LAW DOG – Wayne Dundee (Western Trail Blazer)
THE RESURRECTION– McKendree (Mike) Long (La Frontera Publishing)
THE BUFFALO RUNNERS – D.B. Jackson (La Frontera Publishing)
GUNFIGHTER’S GIFT – Vonn McKee (Western Trail Blazer)

BEST FIRST NOVEL:
PRODIGAL GUN - Kathleen Rice Adams (Prairie Rose Publications)
COMANCHE TRAIL – Carlton Stowers (Signet)
CATTLE DRIVE – Big Jim Williams (High Noon Press)
THE PIANO PLAYER – Carolyn Niethammer (Oak Tree Press)
THE CALLING – James P. Hanley (5 Prince Publishing)

Also of note is the announcement of James Reasoner as the recipient of this year's Lifetime Achievement Award.

RON SCHEER'S EMPTY SADDLE

Ron Scheer’s death this past Saturday (4/11) left another empty saddle, and a mighty conspicuous one, amongst those of us who appreciate and still ride the trails of the Old West—if only in our imaginations, or perhaps on the screen or the pages we read and sometimes write.

Nobody appreciated that bygone time—the stories, the people, and most of all the words and unique terminology—more than Ron. He wrote about these things, along with book and movie reviews, on his blog, Buddies In The Saddle.

Like so many others, I got to know Ron largely through this blog … augmented by exchanges on my own blog, Facebook, e-mail correspondence, and my writing (which he read and insightfully critiqued). Plus, we had the “Nebraska connection”—I relocated here and fell in love with it, he originated here and never lost his love for it.

During the past year or so, after being diagnosed with cancer, Ron’s blog also became his personal journal. Much of it read like poetry—all of it rang with inspiring courage.

It saddens me to think about Ron being gone … But I’m sure glad I got to know him while he was here.

So long, buddy. Know you’re fillin' a mighty fine saddle now … Let ‘er buck!

Upon Ron’s passing, his wife Lynda communicated the loss with the following, which needs to be shared:

Ron left us early yesterday morning. A blessing to know that he has flown high--like the hawk Anne recently watched in the desert, wheeling and turning on the wind--away from pain and struggle. My heart is shattered. He was the love of my life, but he meant so much to so many people. It is comforting to know my loss is shared with all of you who knew and loved him. Anne and Jeremy are on their way here, to the desert and the enormous sky Ron loved and took so many wonderful photos of, and I look forward to a little time with them, remembering.

Thanks to you all for your kind messages.

[For years Ron has supported the Behrhorst Clinic in Guatemala, where he spent a college summer volunteering. Should you wish to make a donation, the foundation's website is aldeaguatemala.org/]

Available Now: GUNFIRE RIDGE (Bodie Kendrick - Bounty Hunter #4)

For the bounty on their heads and for the sake of personal vengeance, Bodie Kendrick is finally closing in on the notorious McLory brothers. Their trail has led him far from his normal stomping grounds down in the Southwest and brought him to the remote Pine Ridge region of northwest Nebraska.
 

The danger awaiting him when he at last faces the McLorys is bad enough.
 

But, in addition to that, he’s also under threat from members of the fiercely determined Cardiff clan who are hot on his trail in order to deliver some vengeance of their own.
 

And then there’s the pretty gal he’s become responsible for since she risked her neck to try and help him.
 

Not to mention the renegade Indians who’ve begun raising hell throughout the territory directly in their path …

Everything converges and then erupts into a violent climax on the powder smoke-shrouded heights of Gunfire Ridge!

Another gritty, action-packed adventure from Peacemaker Award-winning author Wayne D. Dundee.