tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post7154749996589579788..comments2024-03-27T10:50:17.270-05:00Comments on Rough Edges: Forgotten Books: Alaska Steel - John Benteen (Ben Haas)James Reasonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18049917964433932612noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-7381809338919702292010-04-27T09:36:20.083-05:002010-04-27T09:36:20.083-05:00Fargo and Sundance were two of my favorite western...Fargo and Sundance were two of my favorite western series, as was Edge. Brings back a lot of good memories of days long ago when my life was a hell of a lot simpler.Damon Sasserhttp://rehtwogunraconteur.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-48037461072171285952010-04-24T18:46:24.574-05:002010-04-24T18:46:24.574-05:00Fargo is my all time favorite western series. Also...Fargo is my all time favorite western series. Also really liked Gilman's Steele books, which were VERY similar, right down to the white hair and the shotgun.<br /><br />RJRBob Randisinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-88977534503140799862010-04-23T13:36:53.650-05:002010-04-23T13:36:53.650-05:00It's hard to tell in the little scan, but he&#...It's hard to tell in the little scan, but he's holding a rifle of some sort in his left hand, with his body blocking the view of most of it.<br /><br />That's the actual copy I read, by the way, and I did indeed pay .99 for it. I'd reveal the location of the excellent used bookstore where I bought it (not Half Price Books this time), but I'm keeping that all to myself. Bwa ha ha!James Reasonerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18049917964433932612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-61999574823600940152010-04-23T11:58:05.966-05:002010-04-23T11:58:05.966-05:00Fargo has always great moments.
I will never forg...Fargo has always great moments.<br /><br />I will never forget the ending of BORDER JUMPER´S, which I read for the first time 35 or more years ago.<br /><br />It´s a typical coming-of-age story where Fargo teaches a young cavalryman survival under fire only to muse about his predictable death because after getting the taste of fighting he will go to the trenches of WWI.<br /><br />Just a few lines, but it illustrated the difference between your typical western adventure and the senseless industrialized slaughter of the the modern war.<br /><br />Like Mr. Hocking wrote, not bad for a paperback ´action-adventure´ hero of the 1970´s.AndyDeckerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12806906746754478064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-28890594569001125662010-04-23T11:52:45.289-05:002010-04-23T11:52:45.289-05:00I guess that should have been "forecursor&quo...I guess that should have been "forecursor".Richard R.http://brokenbullhorn.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-46100935969520731272010-04-23T11:51:48.485-05:002010-04-23T11:51:48.485-05:00What is that he's holding on the cover illustr...What is that he's holding on the cover illustration? Some kind of special rifle? Is the is precursor or forcursor (if there is such a word), of the thing McQueen used in Wanted: Dead or Alive?<br /><br />Whatever, it sounds interesting, and just as soon as I read all the OTHER things I've gotten after reading FFB in the last year or so, I'll get this.Richard R.http://brokenbullhorn.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-33094235204986098052010-04-23T09:12:46.767-05:002010-04-23T09:12:46.767-05:00I have some FARGO novels...time to find them and r...I have some FARGO novels...time to find them and read a couple.Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04546161337366365635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-26476892368609099412010-04-23T08:31:21.153-05:002010-04-23T08:31:21.153-05:00It's hard to say for sure with the Lassiter se...It's hard to say for sure with the Lassiter series. A HELL OF A WAY TO DIE was credited to Haas for quite a while, but current thinking is that Peter Germano actually wrote it. HIGH LONESOME is the Lassiter title generally credited to Haas now. I wish Leisure had kept better records.James Reasonerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18049917964433932612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-71722565723780435102010-04-23T08:06:42.870-05:002010-04-23T08:06:42.870-05:00I've continued to really enjoy the Fargo serie...I've continued to really enjoy the Fargo series. Did Haas also write for the Lassiter series? I have HELL OF A WAY TO DIE here that I thought was him.Richard Proschhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08314680709014254183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-48412122027283954762010-04-23T06:33:31.063-05:002010-04-23T06:33:31.063-05:00You're right, while this is maybe not the best...You're right, while this is maybe not the best of the Fargo novels, it's still full of good stuff.<br /><br />The opening in old Hollywood is excellent, with a couple fine moments, including a telling conversation with the film star Fargo is working with. When the man admits to admiring Fargo's need to escape the pretend drama of movies and Hollywood, and go live a genuinely dangerous life, Fargo objects, saying that he's little better than a drunkard, craving that which will inevitably get him killed, buried far from home, and forgotten.<br /><br />A surprisingly sober, reflective moment for a paperback 'action-adventure' hero of the 1970's.<br /><br />John HockingAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com