|
|
Books > Fiction > Genre fiction > Westerns
In 1872, thirteen-year-old Will Curtis isn't prepared for the
changes that are about to occur in his young life. His mother died
six months ago while giving birth to his youngest sister, Anne.
Will is not pleased when his Pa, a cantankerous self-ordained
minister, introduces him to his new stepmother, eighteen-year-old
Mary. Will initially resents the pretty young woman, but he is
eventually overcome by her charm.
Soon after Mary's arrival, the family is guided by Will's
forty-year-old uncle, Zeke, as they leave their West Virginia home
to forge a new life on the Kansas frontier. Will is saddened when
he has to leave his best friend, Skeeter, and his dog, Crusher,
behind. The long journey by steamboat, train, and wagon is not an
easy one, but their struggles are only the beginning. While
besieged with natural disasters, family conflict, outlaws, and
death, the Curtis family also becomes involved in a deadly
vendetta.
This coming-of-age Western demonstrates Will's determination
and dedication to his family as he matures on the hardscrabble
Kansas homestead. In his five-year journey, Will reaps the rewards
of hard work, faces his foes, and discovers the wonder of love in
Into the Heartland.
In the Black Hills, Dakota Territory in 1873, budding romance ends
in tragedy resulting in Jim Early's obsessive pursuit of a giant
grizzly to the ultimate, bloody finale. Some real characters and
the frontier locale, frequent encounters with other deadly wild
animals and hornet's nest Cheyennes create a cinematic period set
through which this action drama moves from caught breath to heart
stop. The fabric of relationships is torn by racial conflict and
persisting Civil War passions. Underlying governmental intrigue,
the lure of gold, and the panorama of Custer's 7th Cavalry in
garrison and in battle contribute texture. Revenge smolders like a
smoky hot coal throughout.
THE NATIONAL BESTSELLER The second book of Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove tetralogy, Comache Moon takes us once again into the world of the American West. Texas Rangers August McCrae and Woodrow Call, now in their middle years, continue to deal with the ever-increasing tensions of adult life -- Gus with his great love, Clara Forsythe, and Call with Maggie Tilton, the young whore who loves him. Two proud but very different men, they enlist with the Ranger troop in pursuit of Buffalo Hump, the great Comanche war chief; Kicking Wolf, the celebrated Comanche horse thief; and a deadly Mexican bandit king with a penchant for torture. Assisting the Rangers in their wild chase is the renowned Kickapoo tracker, Famous Shoes. Comanche Moon closes the twenty-year gap between Dead Man's Walk and Lonesome Dove, following beloved heroes Gus and Call and their comrades in arms -- Deets, Jake Spoon, and Pea Eye Parker -- in their bitter struggle to protect the advancing West frontier against the defiant Comanches, courageously determined to defend their territory and their way of life.
|
|