RED SUN

By William Terry

NEL, July 1972

A train carrying a Japanese delegation with a golden ceremonial sword for President Grant is robbed by outlaws led by Link and Gauche. When Gauche double-crosses Link and leaves him for dead, Link is ordered to team up with Kuroda, one of the ambassador's samurai bodyguards, who has a week to recover the sword or commit 'hara-kiri'. Kuroda will also kill Link before taking his own life. Hoping to find out from Gauche where the gang buried the loot from the train before Kuroda can kill him, Link tries to unsuccessfully escape from the samurai. Soon a truce is formed between the American and the Japanese samurai and they close in on Gauche but a new threat is waiting for them all, a band of Comanche warriors eager to take all their lives.

One of three film novelisations written by William Terry, whose real name was Terry Harknett, whom westerns fans will know better as his pseudonym George G. Gilman behind which he wrote the extremely successful Edge series. 

Terry told me that his movie novelisations were based on the screenplays and that he didn’t get to see the film before writing the book. He was also given information on who would be starring in the film so he could base his characters descriptions on them. When reading this book, it is very easy to imagine the actors in the leading roles, and hear their voices too. 

The clash of cultures makes for some humorous scenes that add a light-hearted feel to the story but it is not a comedy western. The plot is simple yet entertaining and the many action scenes can be quite brutal at times although nowhere near as graphic as Harknett’s series westerns. 

If you’ve seen the film or are a fan of Terry Harknett’s writing, then this is a must read for you. If you like stories where cultures clash then this is a tale you will probably enjoy. I also think anyone who likes westerns should find this a worthwhile read. 

Red Sun is a 1971 Franco-Italian Spaghetti Western that was directed by Terence Young (better known perhaps for his James Bond films). Red Sun starred Charles Bronson, Toshirō Mifune, Alain Delon and Ursula Andress. The original screenplay was by Denne Bart Petitclerc, William Roberts, and Lawrence Roman, from a story by Laird Koenig.