Duel at Low Hawk

Having several of this author's books I was aware he wrote very interesting westerns, enjoying his last 3-book series on the U.S. Army and Indians. Don't know if this particular book is the beginning of a new series or just writing in a different area, specifically on lawmen. This book serves up a long trail of tracking for John Ward, a Deputy Marshal out of Fort Smith, Ark, who works for Judge Isaac Parker. The trail leads through the Nations, to Kansas Territory, to Missouri, and back to the Nations for the final meeting. With Boot Stoner killing almost anyone with whom he comes in contact, or in a couple cases killing and dynamiting. Along the trail, which is a very long trail indeed, in that many books concerned with tracking can become tedious. This one borders on that but the characters and events are too interesting for the reader to simply put down. Only a couple of criticisms: On page 70-71 Deputy Marshal John Ward cannot shoot the man using the woman as shield, BUT he could have easily shot the horse they rode on, thereby either apprehending or killing Boot Stoner. The book could then have offered us another outlaw and trail, or two different stories rather than one long story. The other misgiving in this story is that Boot Stoner is just too much larger than life in his killings and kidnapping. Especially after abused Lilly escapes and then Stoner is able to arrive at the very same place she does only to begin again his reign of terror. I just got too filled up with the diabolical Mr. Stoner and his larger-than-life killing activities, it's difficult to take much of Stoner whose personality and behavior are lower than that of a rattlesnake. With both being a deadly threat to anyone with whom they come in contact. All-in-all, this is a 5-star western and very readable. The new writing style, however, of say Ralph Cotton and now apparently Mr. West, seems to hinge on gruesome killings and latter day Vietnam 'body counts', unlike my older westerns from Luke Short, Peter Dawson, Peter Field, Ernest Haycox, well, you get the picture. Why can't western writers of today emulate Ralph Compton more leaving all the mayhem to the adult westerns. As western readers have we become that bloody? Anyway, I recommend this author and all his writings, and he has another shoot'em up due to be released early in 2008 entitled TANNER'S LAW. Look for it. Semper Fi.