![]()
Very much enjoyed this 1st of a 9 book series.
QUALMS: > a young lady opens a door for her gentleman caller, "wearing only thin panties and a man's gray undershirt." Not sure what would describe female leisure-wear in the late 1800's, but doubt such attire was prevalent.
> The hero is 44 yrs old, "retired" from marshalling due to a career ending injury. AND is captured, beaten, kicked, has his back whipped raw, gets shot badly enough the desperadoes believe him dead, yet still performs as if none of those conditions occurred.
> After a 3 year retirement where admittedly "he'd grown soft from whiskey, women, cards, and too many hours glued to his rocker reading newspapers and dime novels and smoking one cigarette after another," he also couldn't shoot well enough to hit targets, but by end of book, was hitting moving targets.
PRAISE: > the above applies to heroes in most genres, so ignored this usual use of "literary license."
> The "good guys n gals"were easy to like and did what they should in (western) novels. Villains were evil, dirty &, except for main character villains, were quickly dispatched.
> Spelling, grammar & punctuation were never a distraction. As an every-word reader, that's appreciated.
> Vulgarity/sex: (SPOILER ALERT) To my recolection, was one word - "ruttin'."
> LOTS of action/activity, which I found kept me reading for longer than anticipated. Even when I put the book down to go to sleep, mow the lawn or make a meal, I found myself wondering what was going to happen next.
To have lassoed & hog-tied my attention so completely, I guess I've been "Brandvolded."