The Guns of Sapinero

as by Frank Leslie
Signet, October 2009

Colter Farrow may be young, but ever since his stepfather was savagely murdered, his blood has boiled with a rage just as great as any man’s. Now, riding with a Remington as his only company, he sets out on a journey for justice.

The bloodied path of vengeance leads him to the town of Sapinero – a place that harbors men without conscience or guilt. The inexperienced Colter wants to settle some scores, but he’s unnerved by the murderous darkness that lurks within his own heart. As his list of targets grows and the harsh truths behind his stepfather’s brutal death are laid bare, Colter realizes that revenge can claim more than just his life.

The gruesome, and very visual, descriptions of a man crucified in a wagon bed being feasted upon by vultures whilst still alive, sets the tone for this book beautifully. The story is packed with savage, and bloody, killings and torture (brandings), but it’s not just the violence that hits hard, so do the emotions that fuel Farrow’s quest. Seeing him change from being a carefree cowhand to questioning his abilities to track down his stepfather’s killers, struggling with his inexperience with killing and surviving in this brutal land, fearing how to tell his stepmother the truth about her husband, all make for fascinating, and gripping, reading.

Of course it’s no secret to western fans that Frank Leslie is a pseudonym used by Peter Brandvold and this book definitely lives up to our expectations of his work, and introduces us to his latest hero, as this book is the first in a new series.

There’s even a brief guest appearance by one of Peter Brandvold’s other heroes, Lou Prophet, that has a lasting impact on Colter Farrow.

The Guns of Sapinero is a well-told, fast moving, violent, story that is a terrific introduction to Colter Farrow and has me eagerly awaiting the publication of the next book in the series, The Killers of Cimarron.