.44

This classic western was copyrighted way back in 1953, and generally follows the western genre of the time. Protagonist Dan Harland is the "white hat", and there are tons of bad guys and gals. Dan can't figure out if he enjoys being a gunfighter for hire or an average man with good morals and intentions. I really enjoyed reading it, but miss the more real "sex and blood" of the modern novels, i.e., western, adventure, romance, and action that we have today. I found my used copy buried away in a tiny book store in Idaho. That copy has already made its way to Guam. If you find a copy again, go for it. A good read.

If you have stumbled across this title and are looking to see what other people say about it, please ignore the first couple of reviewers. One didn't read it, and the other ... well, the less said the better. H.A. DeRosso is a powerful talent who too soon left us. He gave us only a few stories - in any genre - but he seems tailor made for westerns. This story is harsh, and it is brutally honest. You expect in westerns for the good guy to prevail, get the girl, and ride off in the sunset. In .44 the hero prevails, but how he does it, and the cost to himself and all around him is enormous. Read this not like a L'Amour, with its terse language and simplistic characters (don't get me wrong, I like L'Amour as well). This is more like one of those noir films of the '40s, where the hero is every bit as crooked as the bad guy. Think DOA or Double Indemnity or The Postman Always Rings Twice. The closest you might find in mainstream westerns is Luke Short's Ramrod (another out of print book).This is gritty and powerful and worth every moment you spend reading it. The trouble is, when you're done, you'll want more. And there just isn't that much more. You'll find another paperback of DeRosso's (not quite as harsh), a couple of hardcover story collections, and an audio tape. He wrote few novels, a handful of stories. Hopefully one day they'll all be back in print. In the mean time, savor .44, and realize that it is a different breed from any other western you'll ever read.

H.A.DeRosso is a great author,but my favorite author is Louis Lamour.The action and suspense is wonderful.