Frank Bonham war ein produktiver Autor, der für seine Western und Jugendromane gefeiert wurde. Seine Werke für junge Erwachsene, angesiedelt in harten, realistischen städtischen Kulissen, prägten die 1960er Jahre und schöpften oft aus seiner umfangreichen Erfahrung mit Pulp-Magazinen. Bonham fing gekonnt die raue Essenz des Lebens ein, sei es in der Prärie oder in den Straßen der Stadt. Seine Fähigkeit, fesselnde Erzählungen zu schaffen, die mit Authentizität bestachen, sicherte ihm einen bleibenden Platz in der amerikanischen Literatur.
Jim Harlan had to rawhide a railroad across some of the wildest country of New Mexico, but the cattlemen of the Magdalena Basin had an even tougher job. They had to try to stop him! What Harlan knew about railroading was slung from his belt, but it was more than enough.
Searching for a missing man in the Arizona territories was a job Henry Logan was eager to take. His lungs, damaged from malaria during the Spanish-American War, could use a rest. But when the people of Nogales got the mistaken impression that he was a gunman instead of a gunsmith, Logan suddenly found himself the target of jeers -- and bullets.
"Rodeo Killer" is the tale of smoldering and violent conflicts among New Mexico cattle ranchers, cattle buyers, and breeders of horses for the rodeo circuit. "Mission Creek", in the Red river region of Texas, is the background for this fiery tale of Ruel Starrett, who has struggled all his life to gain a foothold in ranching.
A pair of action-packed tall tales from Western master Frank Bonham The first story, Trouble in Temescal, is set in Los Angeles in the days following the Mexican-American War, and tells the tale of two entrepreneurial mustangers, Hank Ashwood and Red Wolfe, who have driven a herd of horses from New Mexico to California for resale. But their efforts to sell the animals to one of the Mexican hacendados, Dona Julia de la Torre, owner of Rancho Temescal, are hampered by a scabrous group of squatters led by Owen Pike, bent on claiming rights to her land, and who have the racially biased ownership laws at their backs. The second story, King of the Defiances, is the story of Big Jim Jackson, who intends to make a fortune by logging off the best railroad-tie timber in Arizona, and his clash with former manhunter Troy Cameron, the leader of a group of small cattle ranchers who stand in Jackson's way. Jackson now holds notes on the ranchers' land and plans to foreclose if the notes aren't met on time. And he has a hired crew of gun hands ready to use force against anyone who resists.
""Sergeant Forson's Dirty-Shirt Army" first appeared under the title "Sergeant Finney's Dirty-Shirt Army" in Dime Western (6/46)"--Title page verso.
This collection features five compelling western tales centered on men who exhibit unwavering courage and resilience. Each story explores themes of honor, conflict, and the struggle for justice in a rugged landscape, highlighting the characters' determination to defend their beliefs and protect their way of life. The narratives capture the essence of the western genre, showcasing the trials and triumphs of individuals who confront adversity head-on.
With his riveting, action-packed stories, Frank Bonham has long been known as one of the premier writers of the West. This volume brings together some of his most memorable works and intriguing characters, including: two riverboat partners whose sympathies lie with opposing sides during the War Between the States, a former army captain on the trail of the embezzler who framed him, a rancher who risks his life by refusing to "harvest" wild mustangs for their hides, and a mapmaker pressed into service by a gang of outlaws to help them find a lost army payroll. In each story, Bonham draws you back in time to experience the way of the West as it really was.
This collection of seven stories showcases Bonham's diverse style, memorable characters, well-researched historical detail, and riveting action sequences.
Outcasts of Rebel Creek collects four of the best stories from one of the finest writers of the genre. Frank Bonham captures all the action and adventure of the most colorful characters to ever ride the West. In this volume, you'll meet a gambler trying to clear his family name, a resourceful rancher who has to fight both a terrible drought and an unscrupulous cattle buyer, rough-and-tumble outlaws trying to survive the harsh High Sierras, and a young Texan who undertakes a gritty drive to Mexico during the Civil War. Bonham's writing is so vivid you can almost hear the creak of harness leather, smell the powder smoke, and feel the trail dust.
The collection features Grif Holbrook, a seasoned troubleshooter and shotgun guard for the Butterfield line, navigating the challenges of stagecoach life. Each short novel showcases his blend of toughness and kindness, set against a backdrop of action-packed adventures. With vivid characters and the excitement of blazing six-guns, these tales capture the spirit of the Wild West through Grif's experiences on the trail.