Saturday Morning Western Pulp: Texas Rangers, December 1945

This is a pulp that I own and read recently. That’s my brittle, battered, and tattered copy in the scan. The dramatic, eye-catching cover, as usual, is by Sam Cherry, who never painted a bad cover as far as I’m concerned, although of course I like some better than others.

The Jim Hatfield novel in this issue, “The Timber War”, has been attributed to Tom Curry, but I believe that’s incorrect. I’m convinced this one is actually by Leslie Scott. The terms “skalleyhooting” and “big skookum he-wolf”, common in his work, are used numerous times. There are quite a few vivid descriptive passages, although maybe not as many as you often find in a Scott novel. My theory is that Scott could always fill a few pages with description when he needed to, but also that whenever an editor needed to cut a few pages, those lengthy portraits of the landscape would be his first target. The plot, which finds a hidden criminal pitting two opposing forces—in this case, loggers and cowboys—against each other for his own benefit, is also classic Scott. To be fair, that’s a common Western plot no matter who the author is. I’ve written a few loggers vs. cowboys yarns myself. But this one, including the villain’s identity and the motivation for his scheming, is pure Scott and easy to see coming if you’ve read as many of his novels as I have. As further evidence, most of Curry’s Hatfield novels feature a proxy hero who winds up with the pretty girl. That happens in “The Timber War”, too, but it’s pretty much an afterthought, not a major part of the plot like it usually is with Curry. That’s my reasoning, but basically it boils down to knowing a Scott novel when I read one, and that’s what I think this is.

But is “The Timber War” any good, you ask? Oh, heck, yeah. Hatfield is sent to get to the bottom of the trouble brewing between Justin Flint’s logging crew and Clyde Cranley’s Double C ranch outfit. Sabotage has taken place on both sides. Tensions are running high and threaten to break out into open warfare. Hatfield gets ambushed a few times, helps out both sides, and figures out what’s really going on. There’s plenty of well-written action, and the pace never lets up for long. It’s formulaic, but nobody ever worked that formula better than Scott. I had a great time reading this, as I nearly always do with his work.

“Tenor on Horseback” is the only credit in the Fictionmags Index for Matt Sprague. Was that a pseudonym, or just the only story that Matt Sprague managed to sell? I don’t know, but I can say that this story about a couple of ranchers getting mixed up with an opera company touring the West is pretty polished and entertaining. It’s a humorous yarn without ever descending into slapstick, and there’s a nice twist at the end. I liked this one more than I expected to.

The issue wraps up with a story by an author I always expect to enjoy, Johnston McCulley. “Merry Christmas, Ranger” is about a Texas Ranger’s encounter with two outlaws when all he wants to do is make it home for Christmas so he can propose to the girl he wants to marry and then resign from the Rangers. The plot is pretty simple, but McCulley executes it very well and his fast-moving prose is always fun to read. The holiday is just a minor plot device; the story could have been written just as effectively without it. But the whole thing is enjoyable, and I’d say it’s another winner for McCulley.

This whole issue is a winner, in fact. All three stories are top-notch, and I greatly enjoyed reading this pulp. It’s well worth your time if you have a copy.

Happy Fourth of July!

I hope it's a great 250th anniversary of our country's founding for those of you in the United States, and a great day for those you elsewhere, as well. This is the Second July 1922 Number of SNAPPY STORIES with a cover by Carl Becker, an artist I'm not familiar with. I've never read or even seen an actual issue of SNAPPY STORIES as far as I recall, and the only authors whose names I recognize in this one are J.U. Giesy and C.S. Montanye. So it's not a pulp in which I have a particular interest except for the covers . . . and this one ain't bad. Again, Happy Fourth of July to one and all!  

A Rough Edges Rerun Review: Way Station - Clifford D. Simak

Tucked away in an isolated corner of Wisconsin farmland is an old house that dates from before the Civil War, but it’s strangely unchanged in all that time. So is the man who lives there, Enoch Wallace, who fought with the Union Army in that conflict and is now still alive more than a hundred years later and apparently not much older than when he fought at Gettysburg. Enoch’s secret is that inside the house is an intergalactic transport apparatus, and he’s the keeper of Galactic Central’s way station on Earth.

That’s the set-up of Clifford D. Simak’s Hugo-winning novel WAY STATION, first published in 1963 and reprinted several times since. Simak was a veteran of the science fiction pulps dating back to before what’s now considered the Golden Age of those magazines, and as the pulps faded he made a seamless transition to writing well-received hardback SF novels. Although he wrote some Western stories for the pulps and later dabbled in fantasy novels as well, he’s best remembered for what some have called pastoral SF – stories and novels usually taking place in rural settings, with low-key, somewhat unsophisticated (at least on the surface) protagonists. WAY STATION fits neatly into that sub-category and may well be the best example of it I’ve encountered.

Simak was never a flashy writer. His prose style is functional and plain-spoken, like the people he writes about. In WAY STATION, the story unfolds in a gentle, leisurely fashion, with the main elements of the plot never really getting into gear until about halfway through the book. Most writers today couldn’t get away with that, but Simak makes it work. And once things do start rolling, the scope of the story rapidly expands, with the fate of entire galaxies ultimately at stake, even though all the action takes place here on Earth.

When I was younger, I read a number of Simak’s novels, and while I enjoyed them, he was never a particular favorite of mine. I think maybe I just wasn’t ready to appreciate his virtues. WAY STATION is a fine novel and has dated hardly at all. I plan to read more of his work soon.

(I swear, if I had the attention span even of a six-week-old puppy, I might be dangerous. Despite my good intentions, I haven't read anything else by Simak since this post first appeared on January 30, 2009. I still plan to one of these days, though. Bill Crider recommended CITY to me at least 40 years ago. I'll get to it.)

A Middle of the Night Music Post: Are You Gonna Be My Girl - Jet

I heard this song on the radio and was reminded of how much I like it, especially the intro. I had to look it up and was a little surprised to see that it came out in 2003. Seems like I've heard it around for longer than that. But I'm always glad to listen to it again.

Review: American Treasure Hunters #2: The Boston Tea Party Conspiracy - Andrew M. Dare

I really enjoyed the first book in the American Treasure Hunters series, THE HUNT FOR CONFEDERATE GOLD. The second book, THE BOSTON TEA PARTY CONSPIRACY, finds our three teenage heroes—brainy Ben Prescott, brawny Porter Rockwell, and jack-of-all-trades Latch McCrae—investigating another historical mystery. This time they’re trying to discover whether Samuel Adams had an ulterior motive for orchestrating the Boston Tea Party. Evidence has surfaced that Adams was really after some sort of treasure that may have been hidden among the tea, and striking a blow of American independence may not have been the reason he organized the Sons of Liberty.

So off go the trio of treasure hunters from their homes in North Carolina to Boston, where their investigation involves them with a tech mogul, a pretty history professor (there’s not even a hint of romance despite the fact that she’s only about ten years older than the guys, because these are very clean books), assorted bruisers who also believe there’s a treasure to be tracked down, some Freemasons, and at least one 250-year-old murder to be solved. Author Andrew M. Dare keeps the action racing along and also peels away the layers of the mystery in very satisfying fashion.

I think I enjoyed THE BOSTON TEA PARTY CONSPIRACY even more than the first book in the series. There’s more action as the boys find themselves up against some ruthless adversaries, and the historical mystery is intriguing and well-developed. I also liked the fact that all three of our heroes pitch in on the brain work. They’re all very likable guys. The large supporting cast from the first book is mostly absent this time around and I kind of missed them, but it was also nice seeing Ben, Porter, and Latch operating mostly on their own.

If you’re an old codger like me and grew up reading boy’s adventure series such as Rick Brant, the Hardy Boys, and the Three Investigators, the American Treasure Hunters series definitely should be on your radar. If you have young friends or relatives who are big readers, or even who aren’t, these books are aimed squarely at them. The hardcover edition of THE BOSTON TEA PARTY CONSPIRACY is already out, and the e-book edition will be released on July 7. I had a great time reading it and give it a high recommendation.

And next time around, the guys are headed for Texas and the Alamo. I can’t wait.

Review: The Case of the Lazy Lover - Erle Stanley Gardner

Erle Stanley Gardner is one of the authors I’ve been reading on a semi-regular basis for the longest time. It’s been more than sixty years since I checked out one of his Donald Lam and Bertha Cool novels from the bookmobile, and most of the years since then I’ve read at least one or two of his novels or collections.

Which brings us to THE CASE OF THE LAZY LOVER, a 1947 entry from Gardner’s Perry Mason series. As usual, this yarn gets off to a running start with Mason receiving two checks, both in the same amount but drawn on different banks, from a potential client. This puzzles Mason enough for him to do a little investigating, and he discovers fairly quickly that one of the checks is a forgery. Now he has to know why and what’s going on.

Well, also as usual, it ain’t simple. I learned a long time ago not to try to summarize the plots too much in these reviews of Gardner’s novels. They’re just too dizzying. This one involves mining claims (a favorite plot element of Gardner’s), double identities, seedy tourist courts in the mountains, a barking dog, and the old amnesia bit. And murder, of course. Got to have a murder. And naturally, Mason’s client is the one who’s arrested and charged with the crime, and for a change, it looks like he’s blundered and helped the police draw the noose even tighter around her neck!

A three-chapter-long courtroom scene forms the climax of this book, and with the able assistance of Della Street and Paul Drake, Mason saves his client and uncovers the real murderer . . . maybe. This is a rarity for Gardner, a novel in which the killer’s identity is left a little muddled. I think I know who it was, and I even figured out the most likely solution, also a rarity. But there’s no denying that the ending is a little unsatisfying.

On the other hand, Mason’s receptionist Gertie, who remains a cipher for much of the series, plays a major part in the plot of this one and turns out to be a real hoot and a great character. The long scene in which she’s involved is the high point of this book. Man, Gardner really should have made more use of her! Or maybe the fact that she hardly ever makes an appearance makes her more effective in this one, who knows.

THE CASE OF THE LAZY LOVER is a middling Perry Mason novel, to be honest, but that means it’s still more entertaining and downright fun to read than many of the current mystery novels I read (or try to read). If you’ve never read any of the series, I wouldn’t start with it, but if you’re already a long-time fan, like me, it’s well worth your time.

Sunday Morning Bonus Pulp: Thrilling Wonder Stories, Summer 1944

Let's see, we have a beautiful space babe, a stalwart hero, a ray-gun, and an octopus-like alien. Man, I love Earle Bergey's covers. The lead novella in this issue of THRILLING WONDER STORIES is by Ross Rocklynne, an author I've always found to be pretty entertaining, although I haven't read a great deal of his work. Also on hand are two well-known names in the science fiction field, John Russell Fearn writing under his pseudonym Polton Cross and Lloyd Arthur Eshbach, as well as Paul S. Powers, much better remembered these days for his stories about Sonny Tabor and Kid Wolf in WILD WEST WEEKLY. Rounding out the issue are stories by the lesser known Albert De Pina and Frank Ferry, along with an article by my old editor/mentor Sam Merwin Jr. If you'd like to check out this issue, the whole thing can be found on-line at the Internet Archive.

Now Available: The Art of Ron Lesser, Volume 3: Wild, Wild Westerns - Robert Deis and Bill Cunningham, eds.

THE WEST WAS WILD!

And no one could visualize its raw, untamed fury and pioneer spirit like artist RON LESSER. From 1959 to today, Ron has painted hundreds of book covers, movie posters, advertisements and gallery artwork depicting the drama, the people, and the colorful vistas of the Old West.

In this 3rd volume of our The Art of Ron Lesser series we examine his portfolio of work in the Western genre illustrating some of the classics from writers like Luke Short, Louis L'Amour, John Benteen, J.T. Edson, and many more. This volume is a unique look into the life and work of an artist who had a powerful impact on our pulp culture, and framed how we look at that period of American history.

The Art of Ron Lesser Vol. 3: Wild, Wild, Westerns is a companion to Vol 1: Deadly Dames and Sexy Sirens and Vol. 2: Dangerous Dames and Cover Dolls. All three showcase and provide insight into the 65+ year career of the artist and his groundbreaking work within the art, publishing, advertising, and entertainment industries.

This 3rd volume feature 150 pages of full color artwork and commentary by one of the masters of the western genre. It is a unique art book of a unique artist.

(I'm extremely proud to be part of this project. It boggles my mind a little to look at all the cover images in this beautiful volume and realize how many great books I bought and read over the decades had covers by Ron Lesser. Being able to help pay tribute to him and his work is very gratifying. If you're also a Lesser fan or just a fan of iconic paperback art, this volume is available on Amazon or directly from the publisher.)

Saturday Morning Western Pulp: Six-Gun Western, April 1950

We're still dealing with medical issues here, but I'm trying to get things back on track as much as I can. What better way than with a rather risque cover from a Trojan Western pulp? I feel like I should know who did the lurid artwork on this SIX-GUN WESTERN cover. Joe Szokoli, mebbe? I just don't know. The lead novella by E. Hoffmann Price is actually a reprint from the January 1939 issue of THRILLING ADVENTURES. Ray Gaulden, another consistently good writer, is also on hand, along with house-name Ralph Sedgwick Douglas, Frank Morris (who might well have been Mickey Spillane), and little-known Charles Getts and John White. I hope to read another Western pulp and write an actual review of it soon.

Review: Liberty and a Law Badge - Chap O'Keefe (Keith Chapman)

For those of you who don’t know, prolific Western author and occasional commenter on this blog Chap O’Keefe is really Keith Chapman, who’s been writing and editing a wide variety of genre fiction in comics, magazines, and books for many years now, in addition to his work as a journalist. LIBERTY AND A LAW BADGE is another adventure of range detective Joshua Dillard, a former Pinkerton’s operative with tragedy in his past that drives him to fight outlaws of all stripes.

As the book opens, Dillard is on his way to his latest assignment, stopping a range war in Montana and finding out who’s been rustling cattle from his employer’s ranch. Pretty standard stuff, you say? Well, maybe at first glance, but not by the time Chapman gets through throwing twist after twist into the complex plot. The Liberty of the title is actually a young woman who’s been blackmailed into a sordid affair with a crooked sheriff, who’s the brother-in-law of the cattle baron who hired Dillard, who owns the cattle that Liberty’s husband is accused of stealing. Got that? Then there’s the cattle baron’s sister, who’s married to the crooked sheriff, and she goes on a rampage when she finds out about her husband’s adulterous affair with Liberty (said affair really being nothing more than a series of rapes). Add in a brutal deputy with an agenda of his own, and there’s a whole lot for Dillard to untangle before he can straighten everything out. Naturally, that untangling involves a number of fistfights and shootouts.

This book is a lot of fun, pulpish but with a sharp, contemporary edge. The dark, complex plot, the emotional angst, and the gritty storytelling remind me very much of many Westerns published in the Fifties by Gold Medal, by authors such as Lewis B. Patten, Dean Owen, and William Heuman. The pace is very fast, the action scenes are handled well, and Joshua Dillard is a very likable hero, tough and competent enough to handle just about any situation, despite his occasional self-doubts, but not a superman by any means. You can order LIBERTY AND A LAW BADGE here or at Amazon, and if you’re a fan of hardboiled action Westerns, I definitely think you’ll enjoy it.

(This review originally appeared in a somewhat different form on December 21, 2009. I'm rerunning it now because there's a brand-new edition of LIBERTY AND A LAW BADGE available with an entertaining bonus essay about how and why the book came to be written. You can order it at the links above, they're the current ones, and I can only second my own recommendation from 2009. It's an excellent Western action yarn.)