Book Review: The Other Madden by Brent Towns

The world’s most sporadic blogger is back.

My fiction writing has been keeping me busy, and I’m certainly not complaining. But I’ve decided to fire up the ol’ blog once more as I have a whole crop of reviews I’m excited to share.

And I’m proud to start with The Other Madden by Brent Towns.

The book centers on outlaw Trace Madden and his attempt to go straight. He’s in love with a good (and often hilarious) woman, and he wants to do right by her. Of course, there are complications starting with the murder of his brother. There’s also an evil land baron trying to claim the Madden Family ranch.

What we get is a straight-forward, old-fashioned western with plenty of grit and a dose of heart and humor. I particularly enjoyed the character of Trace’s mother. Ma has some hilarious lines and is a hoot throughout.

Brent Towns is my kind of writer. He doesn’t include a lot of filler. He offers gun-blazing tales with lots of action, and The Other Madden is no exception. There’s no filler here. This is a very lean story and it’s all the better for it.

Some of the story is told in first-person perspective through Trace's narration and some is told in the third. Brent handles the shifts pretty well and it didn’t take me long to get accustomed to the format.

Overall, the story is never dull, and it moves along at a very brisk clip. If you want lengthy exposition and reflective contemplation, look elsewhere. If you want a shoot ‘em up with likable characters and plenty of powder burned, give The Other Madden a shot. Solid 5 out of 5.

PS…Yes, the depiction of Trace on the cover is clearly modeled after John Wayne. Hey, if it’s good enough for the Duke then it’s good enough for me!

Interview with Peter Brandvold

He goes by the name Mean Pete, but I have a secret for y'all...
He's not all that mean. In fact, he's a pretty nice guy and he was kind enough to answer some questions here on Faded Trails. Let's get right to it. Here's my interview with acclaimed and prolific author Peter Brandvold.
RF: First of all, thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. What are you currently working on, writing wise?

PB: I’m working on a series of four westerns featuring my half-breed hero Yakima Henry. The series is called BLOODY ARIZONA as is the first book. The second book, which I am just now finishing, is called WILDCAT OF THE SIERRA ESTRADA. I’m writing them under my Frank Leslie pen name.

RF: How many books have you written as of now?

PB: I lost count somewhere around 100. That includes my Longarms and Trailsmans written under pen names. So...maybe around 120 by now.

RF: What does a typical work day look like for you? Do you keep certain hours when writing? Do you try to meet a page or word count each day?

PB: I try to write 2000 words every day, and I break my day up into four chunks of 500 words each. Sometimes I write over those 500 but rarely under. I usually write 500 before 8 am. Which is when I take my wild dog out for a run. Then I write the next 500 after I get back and have breakfast. Usually another 500 after lunch, then another 500 after a nap...

RF: How many days a week do you write?

PB: Eight.

RF: When did you know you wanted to be a novelist? Also, when did you know you wanted to write westerns specifically?

PB: I knew I wanted to be a novelist or some kind of writer early on, maybe when I heard my first story. I really saw the magic in words. I probably knew I wanted to write westerns when I was watching the great western TV series of the 70s, and reading Louis L’Amour, my first favorite western writer though I’ve gone on to appreciate many more since, because there are far better ones out there.

RF: What got you interested in the western genre, be it books, television, or comics?

PB: Books and television. The first western novel I ever read was LORD GRIZZLY by Frederick Manfred, then I went on and read biographies of folks like Davy Crockett and then pulp westerns by Frank Gruber, Gordon D. Shirreffs, etc. I really fell for the pulp-style tales because they were so over the top and exciting.

RF: I know you wrote a lot of Longarm entries. How many did you scribe when it was all said and done?

PB: I wrote 30.

RF: Did you write for any other series westerns? If you can tell which ones, please do!

PB: Four Trailsman books as by Jon Sharpe.

RF: I know you’ve self-published some of your recent works. Do you like self-publishing? What are some of the benefits? What are some of the challenges?

PB: I like it because I’m my own boss and I can put up the books as fast as I can write them. On the other hand, coming from traditional publishing, I miss the advances. But my ebooks do very well, so I’m not complaining.

RF: We often hear about the demise of the western. I know several big name publishing houses recently canceled long running series. Do you think the western will ever die? Are there enough up and coming authors and readers to keep it going?

PB: The western will never die. It’s an American original and there will always be some kind of market. But all markets wax and wane. I love the western enough to ride out the ups and downs. I think there are almost too many writers out there now, and they’re somewhat muddying the western water. Too often, ebook original writers just plain do not know how to write but think they do. Readers really have to learn to discriminate so they don’t waste their time and money on some of the crap that’s getting published on Amazon right now.

RF: I know about your work in the western genre, and am a big fan! I know you’ve done some weird westerns. Are there any other genres you’ve worked in or plan to work in?

PB: I wrote a contemporary thriller called PARADOX FALLS. I thought it was pretty good but it didn’t sell very well. I think readers have pegged me as a western writer so that’s really all they want to see from me. And that’s fine with me. There’s really no other genre except possibly horror that I’d like to dabble in. I wrote a western horror, or “weird” western novel DUST OF THE DAMNED, and it has vampires and werewolves and even a dragon. Also, CANYON OF A THOUSAND EYES and its sequel NIGHT OF THE GHOST CAT.

RF: What authors have inspired you?

PB: Too many to mention. I’m a voracious reader of all genres. Well, okay, I’ll mention two wonderful western writers who’ve meant a lot to me over the years by way of inspiring me by their brilliance—Kit Prate and James Reasoner.

RF: Along those lines, if you were trying to educate someone on western fiction, who are some of the authors and what are the books you’d recommend to them?

PB: Man, that’s a tough one. Anything by Prate and Reasoner and possibly THE LONG COLD WIND by Giles Lutz, which Kit Prate recommended to me and is one of the best westerns I’ve ever read. It would be a good influence on someone just starting out.

RF: What advice do you have for wannabe writers like myself? Is there anything you wish someone would have told you when you started out?

PB: I really don’t have any advice other to write, read, write, read then write and read some more. Keep at it and, if it’s really what you want to do, don’t be deterred. If you’re deterred, then you really didn’t want it badly enough.

RF: What can we expect from Mean Pete in the future?

PB: All kinds of stuff including this Yakima Henry Quartet by my alter ego, Frank Leslie.

RF: Thank you again for taking the time to answer these questions. You’re one of the best and your books seem to just get better and better. Thanks for all the entertainment!

Western Movie Gunfights

The end of one year and the start of another usually signals awards season in the film industry. Long story short, it’s the time of year when the studios roll out their Oscar contenders. It’s also when most of the movies I don’t care about are released. I’ve never forgiven the Academy for their Smokey and the Bandit snub back in ’77, so I generally boycott the ceremony. But, that won’t stop me from handing out a few awards myself. So, let’s talk Western gunfights. It isn’t an Oscar or Golden Globe category, but it sure should be.
Best Gunfight In a Classic Western
This one, for me, goes hands down to Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. This film is one of my all-time favorites. The final battle between the Earp faction and the Clantons is one of the greatest gunfights ever filmed. True, it isn’t historically accurate in the least. But, it’s a darn good firefight. The climactic struggle is wonderfully filmed by my personal favorite director, John Sturges. It’s tense, action packed, and the perfect pay-off to a wonderful film. To see how the director’s perspective changed in ten years or so, watch Hour of the Gun. That version of the famous O.K. Corral fight is much different, but equally as effective.
Best Gunfight in a Modern Western
Open Range. Need I say more? Wonderfully choreographed and superbly filmed, the gunfight in Open Range is top notch. There’s only one gunfight in the whole movie, but it’s well worth the wait! Once the shooting starts, it goes on for about twenty minutes. That gunfight, and a whole host of other reasons, is why Open Range is on my top ten list of best movies ever made.
Most Realistic Gunfight
I’ll have to go with the final showdown in 2008’s Appaloosa. It’s quick. In fact, the first time I saw the film I was a bit disappointed. The shooting was over so fast. The whole movie just didn’t do a lot for me. The second time I saw it, I enjoyed it. Third time, I loved it. It’s now one of my favorite films.  But back to that gunfight…
I imagine that’s how Old West gunfights were (when they actually occurred): sudden and quick bursts of violence. Forget long, drawn-out fights with folks taking cover behind wagons or on top of buildings and all that. In Appaloosa, guns are drawn, used, and folks die. Plain and simple. Effective. One of the best.
Most Poignant Gunfight
Can a gunfight be poignant? I think so. And the award has to go to John Wayne’s final fight in The Shootist. Such a great movie, and such a great gunfight! It’s a film I enjoy more with each viewing. As far as the gunfight goes, it’s a bittersweet affair. We get to see some good cowboy action shooting as we say goodbye to a legend. If you haven’t seen the film, I highly recommend it. And if you’re one who believes John Wayne couldn’t act, watch The Shootist. In my opinion, his role in it was far more Oscar worthy than True Grit. But, that’s just my take, of course.
Honorable Mentions
My favorite film of all time, El Dorado, has some great gunfights (the scene where Wayne and company chase assailants into an old church and then finally into a saloon is probably my favorite sequence ever captured on film). The Professionals also contains some great scenes of western gunplay. Finally, the train shoot-out near the end of How the West Was Won is pretty amazing. I enjoy that whole film a great deal.
Biggest Let Down
I’m going to take some heat for this one. Don’t get me wrong, I love this movie. It’s a classic. It’s amazing. But the final gunfight in Shane was a bit disappointing to me. We  go the whole movie hearing hints of just how awesome Shane is with a gun. We also know Jack Palance has it coming. But the gunfight itself isn’t much. A couple of shots. A few seconds. It’s over pretty quickly. I suppose the film makes up for it with a great fistfight mid-way through. That being said, I still love Shane.
Please feel free to leave comments with your favorite western movie gunfights. I’d enjoy hearing from y’all!

Film Review: Bone Tomahawk

Y’all, I don’t even know where to start with this movie. First of all, let me say that I think it is a very well-made film. The dialogue is excellent, the pacing spot on, and visuals are stunning. S. Craig Zahler may be a first time filmmaker, but nothing about this picture says “amateur.” In fact, it is expertly crafted! The man should probably win an Academy Award (if not for directing, certainly for the writing—I can’t remember a recent movie that has such wonderful dialogue).

Like many good westerns, this is a slow burning film. The last thirty minutes or so are action packed. We’re talking edge of your seat type stuff. But until then we have time to really get to know the characters. That’s a good thing, because they’re aptly crafted. I particularly loved Deputy Chicory. I have no doubt Richard Jenkins should have won an Oscar for that role. Beyond Jenkins, the whole cast was stellar. Hey, it’s Kurt Russel in a western…you can’t beat that.

The action is adequately staged. Rather than large set pieces of major battles, we get tense, taut burst of violence. So, what’s my gripe with Bone Tomahawk? It’s savagely brutal. It’s not a huge spoiler to say the villains in this film are far from traditional. They’re cave dwelling cannibals (we find this out very early on, long before we actually see them).

Minor Spoilers Below…

We see a man split in two (this is after he’s scalped), and then consumed. Yep, that’s the level of violence we’re dealing with here. In perhaps the most disturbing part, viewers briefly see the women of the inbred cannibalistic tribe, pregnant, but amputated and blinded so they cannot escape. That didn’t sit well with me. It was effective, as I’m sure Zahler intended such a reaction. But it’s certainly not my cup of tea.

End Spoilers…

It has been described as a western-horror hybrid. However, I think it can be better described as traditional frontier tale that has a few horror elements. There is nothing supernatural in this film, and it does not fit into the “weird western” genre like Cowboys & Aliens. Some of the lines are outright funny, and there’s even some sentimental sweetness to it. A conversation regarding a flea circus is so well written, beautifully acted, and touching that one can't help but smile in the midst of all the carnage. Beyond this, the heroes are truly likable, and you’re rooting for them all the way.

Bone Tomahawk comes so close to being a perfect western! I almost added it to my cannon of classic oaters. In the end, the violence was just too off-putting for me. It’s too bad, though, as there’s a lot to love in this movie. James Reasoner recently reviewed the film, and he commented that he hopes S. Craig Zahler will try his hand at a more traditional western. I share those same sentiments. He darn near created a modern classic.

Review: Outlaw Ranger

I’ve been away for a while, but it is time to blog again! So, let’s jump right into my latest review…

Outlaw Ranger by James Reasoner is one of the best western novels I’ve read in a long time. I won’t give away any plot details (there will be no spoilers here), but I will tell you that this book is just a ton of fun! The plot isn’t overly complex, and that’s okay with me. The characters are still fully developed, and by the end of the book I felt like I knew G.W. Braddock, the Outlaw Ranger himself, pretty good. And speaking of characters, this story features one of the meanest villains I’ve come across in a long time! In fact, he’s so downright evil you’re rooting for him to get every bit of what’s coming to him.

The novel is short and that is not a knock. In fact, I think the briskness works in the book’s favor. It comes out of the gate strong and never lets up, and there’s not a dull moment to be found. Elmore Leonard once made a statement that a writer should leave out the parts readers tend to skip. In other words, dispense with the “filler.” Mr. Reasoner understands this as there’s not a lot of padding. Instead, we get a taut, lean thrill ride with more than enough action.

Unfortunately, the big publishing houses have canceled many of their Western titles. The news might sound bad, but I’m actually not worried. I feel like we’re living in a great time for Western readers and writers as the ebook era is opening up even more avenues of possibility. While we may not be able to pick up paperbacks at the local drugstore anymore, we can sign onto our Kindle and download hundreds of good titles in an instant. I’m grateful for authors like James Reasoner who are making their older titles available when possible, and releasing new works often. In fact, Reasoner launched his own publishing arm sometime back called Rough Edges Press. Not only can you find many of his works at reasonable prices, but also other talented authors to boot.

If you’re in the mood for a good, fast paced Western, check out Outlaw Ranger. Thankfully this is a series, and I’ll be reading the second and third installments soon! For more information about this book, click here.

PS…If you’re a member of Kindle Unlimited, which I highly recommend, you can read it for free!

Flop Watch: The Lone Ranger

Heading into the Independence Day (long) weekend, which will actually start Wednesday for many folks, the big question at the box office is will The Lone Ranger flop? Here are my thoughts…

As has been documented extensively, the film has an extremely high budget! It has a far higher budget than any Western should have. But, then again, this is no ordinary Western. This is a “Disney tent pole summer potentially franchise starting Western produced by Jerry Bruckheimer”. Since the budget has ballooned into the $250+ range, the film would have to come out like gangbusters to recoup that kind of investment. Going up against Despicable Me 2, I would be shocked if Ranger opened at Number 1 and owned the weekend. In fact, I’ll go on a limb now to say it won’t happen. Despicable Me 2 will most surely earn the top spot as families flock to animated features that appeal to children as well as adults (look at Monsters University, which stayed in the lead this weekend in its second week of release).

So, look for critics and industry watchers to jump on The Lone Ranger bashing bandwagon. With a troubled start (Disney scrapping the project over budget fears, then green lighting it again), and a long production history, I promise you there are those who want this movie to fail!  Also, look for critics to point to the picture as evidence of the “death of the Western,” and how the genre is no longer relevant. For those who care what critics say, this sort of word-of-mouth will hurt the film.

I expect The Lone Ranger to be a moderate success. However, with its high production cost, the odds of being a blockbuster are already stacked against this film. My hope is that a sequel is still green lit, as I long for more big-budget Westerns on the silver screen. My final prediction: The Lone Ranger will not be a flop the epic proportion of Heaven’s Gate, but it will not exactly set the box office on fire, either. I hope I am wrong, but we’ll know this weekend. Have you seen the film? Let me know in the comments section what you think of it.

Forgotten Gem: Backlash

One of my favorite directors…in fact maybe my absolute favorite director…is John Sturges. I will not take the time to list all of the Sturges movies I like, but I am particularly fond of his westerns. Recently, I had the chance to catch one of his oaters that I haven’t seen before. Backlash, from 1956, is excellent! I had not heard of the film until I came across it on Encore Westerns, but I am glad I found it!

The movie stars (the underrated, in my opinion) Richard Widmark, joined by Donna Reed. I will not give too much away regarding the plot (no spoilers here), and will only say that the story revolves around Widmark searching for the man who left a group of men stranded. This man ran off with quite a sum of gold, leaving others behind to be slaughtered by Apaches. The search for this man, and the quest to learn his identity, is well handled and very suspenseful. In fact, the premise, and suspense that stems from it, has caused some reviewers to classify this film as a “psychological western.” This subgenre is known for building slow burning suspense, relying more on tension rather than scenes of action (the original 3:10 to Yuma is a good example). Backlash certainly has elements of this, but make no mistake, there is a ton of action in this picture! In fact, I was amazed at just how many gunfights there were. The film practically opens up with one, and never slows down. Widmark battles a band of gunfighting brothers, Apaches, hired gunhands, and a ruthless cattle rancher.

The film is only 90 minutes, and the story moves along at a brisk pace with little to no filler. It’s a lean, action-packed gem of a western with excellent pacing, an exciting story, and great acting. I am not sure why this movie is not more well-known, or why it has not received a wide DVD release. It is a forgotten treasure that every western fan should see. It’s just the type of movie I love, and while not a masterpiece of epic filmmaking or groundbreaking, I give it a perfect 5 stars out of five.

Film Review: Riders of the Purple Sage

In the 1990s (and a couple of years beyond), TNT was the “best little movie studio on television.” In other words, they produced some darn good original pictures, and in particular, some darn good Westerns. As a teenager in the ‘90s, I tried to catch as many of them as I could (this was in the days before the blessed invention known as the DVR, and my VCR recording skills weren’t particularly great). Somehow I missed Riders of the Purple Sage from 1996, and have been waiting to see it ever since. It has been on VHS for a number of years, but until recently was not on DVD. I would check for the DVD release several times a year (along with one of my favorites, The Avenging Angel) but was always disappointed to discover it was still not available…until now! Thanks to the Warner Brothers Archives, most of the TNT Originals are now on DVD, and I for one could not be happier. As a devoted and loyal Western fan, I recognized that TNT has given us some of the best modern films in the genre. Thankfully, they do not seem as much like a made-for-television movie as does, say, Hallmark Originals (this is not to say Hallmark doesn’t have some good Westerns, but even the best ones feel like long episodes of a television series, not necessarily a movie). TNT offered great casts, great stories, and some good action.

I say all of this to get around to my review of Riders. Based upon the Zane Grey novel from 1912, this version stars Ed Harris as Lassiter and Amy Madigan as Jane Withersteen. I will admit, I have never read the entire book, but only pieces here and there for a Western literature class I took in college. But, I did notice this filmed version has several differences from the novel. First of all, Zane Grey specifically identified the villains of his story as being Mormons. The 1996 movie does not actually mention Mormonism by name, and I am alright with this. I believe Grey unfairly characterized Latter-day Saints in his book, so I’m fine with that aspect being omitted. In the movie, it is simply a sect of some religious order that is not overtly identified.

Secondly, the movie completely omits a side plot regarding the adoption by Jane Withersteen of a young girl. But, the book may be overly plot heavy, so some trimming was certainly needed in adapting the work for screen.

The movie moves along a bit slowly at times, but I actually never lost interest. In fact, the cinematography is great, and I almost got the feeling that I was actually in Southern Utah watching the storms roll in over the mesas. The beauty of the landscapes alone was enough to hold my interest. But the plot moves along at a fairly good pace, and there are some gunfights sprinkled throughout to keep things interesting. And speaking of gunfights…minor spoiler alert…the final gunfight taking place at the church is one of the best Western gunfights filmed in the last few decades. It had this fan of cowboy action shooting very happy!

Overall, I give TNT’s Riders of the Purple Sage a rating of 4 out of 5. It is a beautifully filmed Western, with a strong story and great acting. The plot drags just a bit in the middle, keeping the film from scoring a perfect five. But, the action packed final twenty minutes makes for some great viewing.

If you are interested in purchasing Riders of the Purple Sage, it can be bought directly from Warner Brothers or from Amazon. Happy watching.