Loved the part where the bad guy gets sorted out, like every good western dictates.
926019
Well written, it flows well, and the plot is properly developed.  I would certainly enjoy reading his books again. Thanks
259489
I liked this a lot. Good acting with a good western good guy turned vengeful gun slinger. The villian and hinch men are typical of westerns but they are good it. I enjoyed it. I say its worth lazy weekend watch you like western good guy/villian type movie.
1430254
A great western that pits two wisecracking lawmen (in the vein of Cole & Hitch, although this story predates Mr. Parker's masterpieces by more than a decade) against an evil gang that has taken over a town. It's a very exciting read, and the plot flows smoothly. The tension between the protagonists, with its undercurrent of grudging respect, puts a new twist on an archetypal plot and makes me wonder if ever a sequel was written. I'll have to investigate.
2949961
This is simply great writing. You truely can see the tough guys in front of you, hear the gunsmoke and feel the wind and sand blow into your eyes and ears - woooow.

It's like a movie. And it doesn't disappoint that movies like that have been made before. Nobody writes scenes like Robert B.Parker. Probably never will.

The story is simple. Or so it seems at first sight. A town is being terrorized by a rich guy. The townfolks ask for help. In come Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch. From then on the law is theirs. And nobody is going to change that.

The rich guy tries his best, sends in his gunslingers. They end up dead. Cole and Hitch collect the rich guy. Want a judge to put an end to the crimes that are being commited. That's when things start to get complicated for Cole. First there's Allie, a girl who's got Cole wrapped around her fingers. But then a bunch of shooters from Cole's past also enter the scene as do some 15 Kiowas.

You need to read the rest for yourself.

A great story to be read in one sitting, as I said, like the best of the Western movies. It's all about loyalty, trust and friendship.
3168125
Solid western saga with plenty of action. The story moves smoothly with good pace. There are plenty of interesting characters both good and bad. The setting description is well done. All in all, avery good book for the genre.
1670659
I enjoyed the pace with great dialogue and plenty of action between the political corruption of the bad guys and the need to put things right by the formidable hero. This page turned gets the thumbs up from me.
2322320
Classic old John Wayne and a good example of his earlier work. The action was good, John Wayne was John Wayne, the bad guys were bad, and the good guys were very good. I enjoyed every minute of the movie.
4823395
I loved the battle of conscience vs. law and the muddy line between the good guys and the bad guys.
880180
I just started reading western novels a few months ago, but by far this one was great stuff!  It tells a story that most western novel fans love - the west, good guys and the bad, guns and sharp wit and plenty of nerve.  Can't wait for the next installment!
3205535
I was in the mood for a western and picked this up for free from Amazon.  It was pretty good.  It is the beginning of a series and the ending leaves you wanting more (which is the way a series is supposed to work so no fault there).  I was pleased with the characters and the story.  We are introduced to Sam (lead character) at the beginning and we will not meet his wife until the very end but man, what a story in the middle.  This book has everything a good western is supposed to...dynamite, gunfights, fistfights, poker and dry humor.  It even has the token loveable drunk who is a great worker as long as he is sober.  There are several of these books out there and if they follow the first one in quality, they will all be good westerns.
1619889
Excellent action and a book you wanted to finish to see what happens. I love the old west and the people who believed in honor and integrity. The bad guys have to lose.
1180113
This is one of the better westerns you'll find, period.  Great performances by Luke Perry as Sheriff Austin, C. Thomas Howell as the land baron possessed by greed, and Kim Coates as Tate, all around low life gunslinger and murderer (you'll recognize him from a similar role in Open Range).

The theme is a common one in the western genre told from a slightly different angle this time, Sheriff Austin (Perry) while out hunting escaped criminals, looses his wife and son, killed by those very criminals.  He quits as sheriff and goes on the hunt for revenge, accidentally killing an innocent man.  Out of remorse, he must help the family of this man defend against land hungry Lamar Horn (Howell) and his henchmen including bought and paid for town sheriff (not the same town) and including Tate (Coates), the murderer of the Austin family.

Very Good drama and action.  Well told and paced, with logical progression.  The only real complaint is one that is common to almost every film. At times, when normally people would offer a more complete explanation of pertinent things at the moment, for some reasons writers either "save" those explanations for a "later" event or exclude them all together.  But that is common in the film industry.  You will, however, enjoy this one.  You will be happy you added it to your collection.  Incidentally, this is included in a triple feature edition with 2 other good westerns starring Kevin Sorbo, Avenging Angel and Prairie Fever.  Unless you like to have the individual art work/case for each film you can pick up the triple feature at a good value.  Enjoy!
175031
Love westerns, love this. If you enjoy westerns this is a go
3436809
I really enjoy classic westerns, and after reading the synopsis decided to give this one a try.  I was not disappointed in the least.  The plot was very unique and refreshing for the genre as a whole.  The character and story development is much more in depth and wider spread than your typical westerns.  Usually you only have a handful of characters developed fully, whereas in this book, most of the characters are fully integral to the plot.  This was my first western mystery, and will not be my last.  I plan on reading more from Cartwright after this one.
757666
The notorious Black Hood Bandits make a fatal mistake during a million dollar jewel robbery that ends their murderous spree for good. East coast detective Quinton Hilcrest journeys west on a shoestring and a prayer seeking the missing jewels in the backwoods town of Hags Bend. Within hours he is fighting for his life, ensnared in a tangle of hidden motives and the story of a beautiful outcast the town claims is a witch! Will he disappear into legend with the bandits, or be caught in the spell of the west witch?

Lance Howard writes fast paced westerns full of intrigue. His tales often have elements of horror that help to draw the reader into his stories.
This book doesn't disappoint in pace and plot. The characters are well drawn and the secret of the missing jewels is kept that until the author is ready to reveal the answer.

There's lots of action, the first chapter brimming with it - a bank robbery, a stagecoach robbery and the end of the Black Hood bandits, finishing with a cliff-hanger as to the identity of one of them that just keeps the reader turning the pages.

Hilcrest makes for a great hero, his inexperience of the West allowing Howard to insert some humourous moments.

All the threads to the story come to a satisfying end in a bloody finale.

I think all western fans will find this an enjoyable read and should make the effort to find a copy.

Recommended.
2548529
This is a well written western that takes place almost entirely in Russia.  It includes trials of the initial purpose, accomplishment, conflict and bittersweet completion.  It has all the components of a classic western with an off beat setting.

I read/listened to this using the WhisperSync option from Amazon that ties the e-book to its audio-book.  Although I had problems initially in the download of the audio-book I found the experience enjoyable.
1813797
It's hard to find a good old-fashioned western anymore. Most of those on the paperback stands are sex-in-the-west stuff. "Border Raiders" is for those of us who want the emphasis on more traditional action, and it delivers. It starts off almost leisurely, with a scene of the ranger/hero at home before the start of his mission (tracking down renegade Comanches and rustlers). The action builds gradually and, once started, gathers momentum like an avalanche. The band of rangers has real challenges to overcome in this outing.