Shootist
Sonora to Del Rio is a hundred barren miles Where the sotol weave and shimmer in the sun— Like a host of swaying serpents straying down the bare defiles When the silver, scarlet webs of dawn are spun. There are little ‘dobe ranchoes, brooding far along the sky On the sullen, dreary bosoms of the [...]
‘Way out in Western Texas, where the Clear Fork’s waters flow, Where the cattle are “a-browzin’,” an’ the Spanish ponies grow; Where the Northers “come a-whistlin’” from beyond the Neutral Strip; And the prairie dogs are sneezin’, as if they had “The Grip”; Where the cayotes come a-howlin’ ’round the ranches after dark, And the [...]
Continue reading about The Cowboys’ Christmas Ball – Larry Chittenden
5 out of 5
Old Faro Bill was a man of might In the days when the West was young, He drank a gallon of booze each night— The toughest galoot unhung! Oh, some men shrink at the sight of blood! Bill roomed in a cougar’s lair And for tobacco he carried a cud Of Mexican prickly pear! Old [...]
Continue reading about Old Faro Bill Was A Man Of Might – Robert E. Howard
A bunch of the girls were whooping it up In the old Lip-stick saloon, And the kid at the player-piano Was twanging a jazzy tune, When out of the night with perfume on his shirt And stacomb upon his hair, A young man staggered inside the door And meowed like a grizzly-bear. He kicked the [...]
Continue reading about The Kissing of Sal Snooboo – Robert E. Howard
For days they ringed us with the flame For days their swarming soldiers came The battle wrack was gory We perished in the smoke and flame, To give the world their traitor shame And our undying glory 3 out of 5 http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Alamo
From Sonora to Del Rio is a hundred barren miles Where the sotol weave and shimmer in the sun – Like a horde of rearing serpents swaying down the bare defiles When the scarlet, silver webs of dawn are spun. There are little ’dobe ranchos brooding far along the sky, On the sullen dreary bosoms [...]
You can put this one down as another of the rare novelisations worth reading and rereading. Not often that one of the screenwriters writes the novelisation, either, I suppose. The story of a sheriff who arrests the dumber brother of a wealthy rancher crimelord for murder and has to try and hold out in the [...]
“Punishment is meted out against the unjust merchant and magistrado. However, when the alarm is raised, and the entire pueblo seems to rise up against the masked avenger, Zorro is hard pressed to make any kind of escape.” 4.5 out of 5 http://traffic.libsyn.com/classictales/CT_222_Zorro_6of9.mp3
Continue reading about The Mark of Zorro Part 6 – Johnston McCulley
A good collection of western stories with the best work at the start. Later there are recurring characters in a couple – The Sonora Kid, and the big knife-wielding Grizzly Elkins. Much lead is flying in these corrupt Western towns. Except in the case of Yellow Donory, who can’t get himself shot when he wants [...]
When a man thinks he has no enemies in Kansas, unless one guy who wants to kill him and he is feuding with shows up, guess who is lying in wait in ambush? Complete with a crooked boss who wants to take over everything. Time for a Grizzly Elkins teamup. 3.5 out of 5
Put you in jail over dodgy gambling so you can be lynched to cover their bank robbery. Unless you are an incredibly strong crazy man with a good horse. 3.5 out of 5
Continue reading about Law-shooters Of Cowtown – Robert E. Howard
A man trying to rescue a girl has an interesting strategy for getting her out of the fortress of an enemy gunman. Offer himself up and tell him he has done a deal with his own gang to get him. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Vultures’ Sanctuary – Robert E. Howard
The Sonora Kid realises gutshooting a fan for throwing a legless reptile at him was an overreaction that might get his neck stretched. He defends the sheriff who comes looking for him from his gunman associates after he fails to blow his head off. 3.5 out 5
The Sonora Kid finds out the bloke holding the bag has it in for him, and the knives are out. 3.5 out of 5
Continue reading about Knife Bullet and Noose – Robert E. Howard
Suicide by gunman failure gives a new outlook. 3.5 out of 5
Continue reading about The Extermination of Yellow Donory – Robert E. Howard
The only not no-good Laramie comes back to the town his brothers terrorised to try and make up for it – and deal with a group of impostors and their scheme. 3.5 out of 5
The Man from Snowy River Banjo Paterson There was movement at the station, for the word had passed around That the colt from old Regret had got away, And had joined the wild bush horses — he was worth a thousand pound, So all the cracks had gathered to the fray. All the tried and [...]
Continue reading about The Man From Snowy River – Banjo Paterson
Not-dead Grandpa Bill, Wild. 3.5 out of 5 http://www.joerlansdale.com/stories.shtml
Multi china girl no dick ruboff sharpshooter rescue. 3.5 out of 5 http://subterraneanpress.com/index.php/magazine/spring-2009/fiction-hide-and-horns-by-joe-r-lansdale/
Whorehouse murder. 3.5 out of 5
Continue reading about Death On D Street – Kristine Kathryn Rusch
http://freeread.com.au/ebooks/e00025.txt Explosive fishing, and one slobbering mutt. 5 out of 5
http://www.joerlansdale.com/stories.shtml Bill’s off. 3 out of 5
Dad death hunt. 3 out of 5
Gunfighting’s for money. 3.5 out of 5
Uproar In Acheron – Philip Jose FarmerIt’s alive with fraud. 3.5 out of 5
Continue reading about Uproar In Acheron – Philip Jose Farmer
The Ghost Horses – Dave CreekPalaeontology shootout. 3 out of 5
New Hat – Connie Willishttp://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/sep/26/new-hat/ No mine, just millinery. 3 out of 5
A Gent From Bear Creek and Other Stories – Robert E. HowardA compilation that contains the Breckenridge Elkins fixup A Gent From Bear Creek, and a couple of rarities of Kline influenced tales of a similar ilk. A fixup of the Breckenridge Elkins stories from Action stories magazine. A most amusing bunch of tales, and [...]
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When Bear Creek Came To Chawed Ear – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608611.txt A drinking contest leads to of course, trouble, and a rock smashing declaration of love. 3.5 out of 5
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Meet Cap’n Kidd – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608611.txt Elkins find the big hard-headed hoss for him. 4 out of 5
Striped Shirts and Busted Hearts – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608611.txt Of course Elkins is going to like the only big girl he isn’t related to in his hills. 3.5 out of 5
Continue reading about Striped Shirts and Busted Hearts – Robert E. Howard
A Gent From Bear Creek – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608611.txt A fixup of the Breckenridge Elkins stories from Action stories magazine. A most amusing bunch of tales, and the compiler notes in the introduction that the hardback original of this work is one of the most sought after collectible first editions from America in the 20th [...]
Continue reading about A Gent From Bear Creek – Robert E. Howard
While Smoke Rolled – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608701.txt Bearfields, Big Noses and Fat Bears. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about While Smoke Rolled – Robert E. Howard
Wild Water – Robert E. HowardA gunman taking revenge on a wealthy landowner ends up in a storm with someone who has revenge plans on a much bigger scale. 4.5 out of 5
The Complete Action Stories – Robert E. HowardA collection of stories of two types, one are the boxing stories about Steve Costigan, usually getting into trouble in various Asian ports. The second are the hillbilly Hercules hijinks of Breckenridge Elkins and his carnage causing abilities. All of a decidedly humorous tone, in general. Complete Action [...]
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War On Bear Creek – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608841.txt All the shot, stabbed and broken people were apparently the razorback’s fault, says Elkins. 3.5 out of 5
A Stranger In Grizzly Claw – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608811.txt Of uncle’s hairpieces, mule assassination, and counterfeiting. 3.5 out of 5
Continue reading about A Stranger In Grizzly Claw – Robert E. Howard
The Scalp Hunter – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608811.txt Of uncle’s hairpieces, mule assassination, and counterfeiting. 3.5 out of 5
The Road To Bear Creek – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608801.txt Elkins is asked to help with a disagreement between his father and uncle, but some of the same old happens. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about The Road To Bear Creek – Robert E. Howard
The Riot At Cougar Paw – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608791.txt Elkins busts his brother’s foot, has to do a job for him, ends up in the slammer, but is released to protect the town from a wild man. Who happens to be his cousin. 4 out of 5
Continue reading about The Riot At Cougar Paw – Robert E. Howard
A Ring-Tailed Tornado – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608691.txt A town decides they need protection from Elkins. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about A Ring-Tailed Tornado – Robert E. Howard
Texas John Eldren – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608691.txt A town decides they need protection from Elkins. 3 out of 5
Pistol Politics – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608731.txt Spelling for campaign entertainment. 3 out of 5
Mountain Man – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608661.txt Elkins is sent to fetch a letter, but ends up in the ring. 3 out of 5
The Haunted Mountain – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608781.txt Elkins, tired of his Aunt, hires on to help out an athropologist. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about The Haunted Mountain – Robert E. Howard
Guns Of the Mountains – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608641.txt Elkins goes after some outlaws who robbed his uncle, but has a problem telling them from the law. 3.5 out of 5
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High Horse Rampage – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608651.txt Elkins goes looking for his cousin, a definite fashion victim, which involves a lot of fighting and not much cousin. 3 out of 5
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Gents On the Rampage – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608651.txt Elkins goes looking for his cousin, a definite fashion victim, which involves a lot of fighting and not much cousin. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Gents On the Rampage – Robert E. Howard
No Cowherders Wanted – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608671.txt Elkins very much worries buffalo hunters. 3.5 out of 5
Continue reading about No Cowherders Wanted – Robert E. Howard
Gents In Buckskin – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608671.txt Elkins very much worries buffalo hunters. 3.5 out of 5
A Gent From Bear Creek – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608621.txt Elkins has to stop his family trying to kill each other over some gold, and the loss of. 4 out of 5
Continue reading about A Gent From Bear Creek – Robert E. Howard
The Feud Buster – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608771.txt Elkins decides to put an end to some clan disagreements. 3.5 out of 5
Evil Deeds At Red Cougar – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608561.txt Hard core bowling, hard heads, shootouts, landslides and lying and thieving contribute to reasons Mr. Elkins does not like the titular town. 3.5 out of 5
Continue reading about Evil Deeds At Red Cougar – Robert E. Howard
Educate Or Bust – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608741.txt Elkins in pursuit of the suicidal, pretty schoolteachers and maniacs. 3 out of 5
Sharp’s Gun Serenade – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608741.txt Elkins in pursuit of the suicidal, pretty schoolteachers and maniacs. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Sharp’s Gun Serenade – Robert E. Howard
The Peaceful Pilgrim – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608631.txt Elkins gets in the middle of making a wedding happen. 3 out of 5
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Cupid From Bear Creek – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608631.txt Elkins gets in the middle of making a wedding happen. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Cupid From Bear Creek – Robert E. Howard
Politics At Lonesome Lizard – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608761h.html Elkins is asked to help with some rustlers, and finds that, well, that i sjust not the story at all. 3.5 out of 5
Continue reading about Politics At Lonesome Lizard – Robert E. Howard
Politics At Blue Lizard – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608761h.html Elkins is asked to help with some rustlers, and finds that, well, that i sjust not the story at all. 3.5 out of 5
Continue reading about Politics At Blue Lizard – Robert E. Howard
Conquerin’ Hero Of the Humbolts – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608761h.html Elkins is asked to help with some rustlers, and finds that, well, that i sjust not the story at all. 3.5 out of 5
Continue reading about Conquerin’ Hero Of the Humbolts – Robert E. Howard
Pilgrims To the Pecos – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608681.txt Guiding past some Mexicans. 3 out of 5
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Weary Pilgrims To the Road – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608681.txt Guiding past some Mexicans. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Weary Pilgrims To the Road – Robert E. Howard
The Apache Mountain War – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608751.txt Licker is a ruin. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about The Apache Mountain War – Robert E. Howard
The Long Ride Out – Lewis ShinerThe Long Ride Out – Lewis Shiner Your classic Western. Tavern, gunslinger, rapacious rancher, dodgy homesteader, daughter to rescue, and the odd snake. 3.5 out of 5
She Devil – Robert E. Howardhttp://en.wikisource.org/wiki/She_Devil Captain’s Saucy Wench slavery. 2.5 out of 5
Three-Ten To Yuma – Elmore LeonardWorking hard for the money. Bullets flying honey. 4 out of 5
Follow the Free Wind – Leigh BrackettA novelised version of the life of James Beckwourth, an half-breed that got into more adventures than you could imagine. Born just before the start of the 19th century, he got to live through the expansion west and more up into the 1860s. A trailblazer with a general, a [...]
Continue reading about Follow the Free Wind – Leigh Brackett
The Vultures Of Teton Gulch – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608151.txt The titular bunch are a gang of murderers, and they have their eyes on half a million in gold. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about The Vultures Of Teton Gulch – Robert E. Howard
The Vultures – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608151.txt The titular bunch are a gang of murderers, and they have their eyes on half a million in gold. 3 out of 5
The Last-Ride – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608131.txt An unplanned murder during a bank robbery has another sheriff on the trail of those on the lam. 2.5 out of 5
The Dying Dream Of Water – Jay Lakehttp://jaylake.livejournal.com/1306403.html#cutid1 Pony up, girl. 3 otu of 5
Giovanni Paolo’s Land – Hesba Brinsmead-HungerfordRiver bushranger discovery. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Giovanni Paolo’s Land – Hesba Brinsmead-Hungerford
The Parson Of Jackman’s Gulch – Arthur Conan Doylehttp://www.gutenberg.net.au/ebooks07/0700991.txt The odd bushranger gets involved with gold in a town near Ballarat. 3.5 out of 5
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The Mystery of Sassasa Valley – Arthur Conan Doylehttp://www.gutenberg.net.au/ebooks07/0700991.txt A couple of dodgy characters in South Africa find a treasure hidden by a legend. 4 out of 5
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My Friend the Murderer – Arthur Conan Doylehttp://www.gutenberg.net.au/ebooks07/0700991.txt A doctor has a dodgy fallen in with bushrangers prisoner to try and rehabilitate, if he can stand the place : “The surgeonship of an Australian prison is not an enviable position. It may be endurable in Melbourne or Sydney, but the little town of Perth has [...]
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Bones the April Fool Of Harvey’s Sluice – Arthur Conan Doylehttp://www.gutenberg.net.au/ebooks07/0700991.txt A town suspects the arrival of bushrangers. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Bones the April Fool Of Harvey’s Sluice – Arthur Conan Doyle
The Vultures of Whapeton – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608151.txt The titular bunch are a gang of murderers, and they have their eyes on half a million in gold. 3 out of 5
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Gents On the Lynch – Robert E. HowardA little courting sneakery. 3 out of 5
Continue reading about Gents On the Lynch – Robert E. Howard
The American’s Tale – Arthur Conan Doylehttp://www.gutenberg.net.au/ebooks07/0700991.txt Bars, gunfighters, armed poms and a nasty plant. 3.5 out of 5
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Boot-Hill Payoff – Robert E. Howardhttp://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0608131.txt An unplanned murder during a bank robbery has another sheriff on the trail of those on the lam. 2.5 out of 5
Robbery Under Arms – Rolf Boldrewoodhttp://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1198 A sterling adventure story as the charismatic bushranger Captain Starlight takes a couple of desperate young men under his wing and shows them the ropes. The older aboriginal partner of long standing becomes jealous, and ultimately will betray his boss, leading to the discovery of his secret hideout, and [...]
