Wednesday 30 July 2008

The Savage Journey

 as by Richard Wyler
HarperTorch, October 2004

This book is a reprint of a 1968 original. The author behind the pseudonym is Mike Linaker.

Luke Kennick left the army after blaming himself for the massacre of his patrol. Now he’s agreed to return to the scene of the slaughter in an attempt to take the Comanche Kicking Bear across the Llano Estacado for trial. Kicking Bear had lead the war party who wiped out Kennick’s men. Behind come more Comanche warriors looking to free their leader. If that wasn’t enough three vengeance hungry white men are hunting Kennick and Kicking Bear too, wanting to kill them both. Then Kennick comes across the woman, lost and alone, with nowhere to go...and Kennick finds a reason not to die in this hostile land.

For a book over 35 years old this novel stands up well against anything being published today. Its outlooks and storytelling style not seeming dated in anyway.

As to be expected from Mike Linaker the book moves at a fast pace with plenty of action and includes and number of twists and turns.

The descriptions of landscapes, heat, and pride driven motivations gripped from the first paragraph to the last. The well drawn characters come-uppance, at times, a surprise. A book I found hard to put down.

Gert a copy here.

2 comments:

Gary Dobbs/Jack Martin said...

I read this book recently - It's great.

AC said...

Well written with good characterisation and a fast pace. An enjoyable and exciting read.