Johnny Blue and the Hanging Judge

I can't remember when I've enjoyed a Western more than this second book from Joseph West. It's not just the skill he shows in weaving together history and fiction. It's how well he uses Sam'l, a scrawny redheaded and slightly self-deceived cowboy, to tell the adventures and mishaps of him and Johnny Blue. This time it's 1888 and continues from the first one (Me and Johnny Blue). The fixes Sam'l gets them into come fast and furious, each with outrageous humor and pathos. Historical characters include Buffalo Bill, painter Charles Russell, Judge Isaac Parker, lawmen Heck Thomas and Chris Madsen, evil Frank Canton. The way he deals with these historical figures shows them in a less than complimentary light. This to me makes it even more believable. The fictional characters come to life like few others I've read: gunfighter Shade Hannah, wolfer Jebadiah Anthony, Indian Red Horse, Johnny Blue's girlfriend Lo May, a couple of clergymen, and flim-flam man Doc Fortune (who appeared in the first book). With this said, don't get the wrong idea about this book. It's not "historical fiction" in the sense of trying to recount historical events fictionally. The author is simply telling a story with historical figures realistically running through it. It's a rare treat for any who like a good story in a Western setting. The worst thing about it, I don't know how anyone, including West, can keep up with this high standard of writing. But I sure hope he can.