Sunday 12 June 2011

Rancho Diablo #1


SHOOTER’S CROSS
By Colby Jackson
An ebook, October 2010

Army Scout Sam Blaylock rode into the small Texas town of Shooter’s Cross looking for deserters, not trouble.

While up in the mountains, he discovered a wilderness plagued by nature and haunted by superstition, but one that he thought he could tame with his experience and strong back.

He didn’t know he was going to have to kill to keep the home he planned for his family, but he didn’t let that stop him. Sam had been looking for a home for his family for years. That search had been interrupted by the Civil War.

Now Sam is putting down roots, and not even the Devil himself can stand in the way.

This really is a top class read and a great introduction to the Rancho Diablo series. It sets the scene superbly and introduces the reader to a great set of characters. The background to the town of Shooter’s Cross and that of York Peak makes for compelling reading that forces the reader to continue to see how Blaylock can tame the wilderness he hopes to build his new home upon.

Of course it isn’t just the land, with its sulphurous waters he has to deal with. There are those who want to steal his money and those who wonder what hidden treasures the land may hold, men who will do anything to take this for their own. How Blacklock deals with these men provides action packed reading with a terrific and well described fight towards the end.

Colby Jackson knows how to pace a book, people it with characters you’ll want to read more about, no matter which side of the law they ride on. He provides some fascinating information on how Blaylock solves the problems of the land. He also includes many moments of humour such as the reasons Blaylock buys certain items and is blasting a cave.

Once finished I found myself eager to see what new challenges await these memorable characters and as it happens I can find out now as there are already two more books available in this series, and a fourth due to be released sometime this month.

There is also a spinoff series planned, the first of which should appear this autumn and is called Shooter York: about the man who gave Shooter’s Cross its name.

Colby Jackson is a pseudonym shared by Mel Odom, James Reasoner, and Bill Crider, this first book being written by Mel.

Shooter's Cross is available as both a paperback and an ebook.



2 comments:

David Cranmer said...

A very fine series.

Overstreet said...

My first western ("Overstreet" by Samuel Ben White) will be published in July of this year for Kindle and Nook. Would love to have you read and review it. How can I get a copy to you?