Oasis of Blood

Skye Fargo rescues a small group of travellers heading for Paradise Valley, a new settlement of whites in New Mexico. Trouble is the Apaches claim the land as theirs and are massing to wipe the whites out. But the pioneers have God on their side - and superior firepower - and they're determined to stay put. It may be the settlers' promised land but Fargo will have to go through hell to get out alive. This has got be up there with the best of the best Trailsman books. The Manifest Destiny mixed with the power of God leading to gross stupidity sees Fargo struggle with his attempts to convince the whites to leave. Jon Sharpe writes some powerful exchanges between The Trailsman and the leader of the settlers, Frank Haxton. The action sequences are first rate as Fargo not only has to take on the Apaches but also pigheadedness and jealousy of the whites. This is a book that I found vitually impossible to put down as it raced towards it inevitable bloody climax. Excellent! Very highly recommended - buy it now!

This is the May 2006 episode in the long running Western Saga of Slye Fargo;otherwise known as The Trailsman. True to form it is a great story and a real Western in every sense of the word. From beginning to end the author keeps focus on the story,filling each page with excitement,fast-action battles,wonderful characters ,a real feel for what it was like to struggle to stay alive as the early settlers took on the enviroment,angry natives,dreamers with wild ambitions,and whatever else confronted them. Sometimes stories give the sense that the author is just writing "stuff" to fill the pages;but that is certainly not the case with this yarn. I didn't find as single page in the book that wasn't filled with action or excellent descriptions of the desert,the way of life of the Apaches,or character descriptions. As you read your way through the story;deep down you tend to think how it's all going to turn out in the end.Let me tell you;the author has a surprise in store for you!!! This episode was particularly interesting to me since I spent about 10 days in that area back in 1991 on a Birding trip. We travelled all around the back roads around Socorro,Truth or Concenquences and Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.Fortunately,we didn't encounter any Apache War Parties;however; the descriptions of the country as detailed in the book,were excellent and brought back many memories. All I can add is that it is a wonderous country and little wonder Frank Haxton so loved and was willing to fight for "his" Pleasant Valley. Books like this,is the reason I love reading Westerns.