THE TOUGH TEXAN

I love western movies. I love western TV shows. But I have to confess that when it comes to the printed page, I've read very few western novels. I took an English class in college on the western but the only two books I can remember reading are THE VIRGINIAN by Owen Wister and SHANE by Jack Schafer. 

Since my college days, I've read a handful of Elmore Leonard westerns, all of which I enjoyed but then, I have yet to NOT enjoy any Leonard book I've read. And a couple of years ago I inherited a box of Louis L'Amour paperbacks (and other westerns)  from my late father-in-law. I've read a few of the L'Amour books (reviews are posted on this blog) and enjoyed them but I have yet to be convinced that L'Amour was anywhere near as good a writer of westerns as Leonard was. 

Among the other westerns I got from Lawrence was THE TOUGH TEXAN by Will Cook. I finished reading it yesterday evening and, based on the strength of this novel alone, I have to rank my admittedly short list of favorite western writers as follows: 

1. Elmore Leonard 

2. Will Cook.

 3. Louis L'Amour. 

Cook (1922-1964) wrote 56 novels over the course of his career, two of which, THE DRIFTER and TWO RODE TOEGTHER have been made into movies. THE TOUGH TEXAN was first published in September 1963. That's the cover of the first paperback printing pictured above. The edition I read, also published by Bantam, came out in July, 1980 with completely different cover art. Gotta admit, I think the art on the first edition is terrific and it does kinda sorta capture a scene in the book. I'd post a scan of the edition I read but it's pretty beat up and well read. 

THE TOUGH TEXAN is the story of young drifter Martin Hinshaw, who, having tried his hand at rodeoing (and failing), decides to join up with the Texas Rangers in Laredo. The year is 1905 and the very first automobiles are beginning to dot the South Texas landscape along with the new fangled weapons mass produced by Germany, the Mauser rifle and a new model of machine gun (lighter and more powerful than the existing Gatling gun). 

Hinshaw and his fellow Rangers are up against Pedro Vargas, a Mexican outlaw in command of his own private army. Someone on the Texas side of the border is supplying Vargas with these new weapons and Vargas is planning an all out attack on Laredo, South Texas and beyond. It's up to the new recruit and the seasoned veterans of this legendary law enforcement organization to stop the threat of Vargas and his guns. 

Cook paints vivid portraits of all of the players. The characters are more complex and flawed than those found in the pages of a L'Amour novel and many a racial epithet is delivered by some of the "good guys". The violence when it comes is sudden and unexpected and several characters that I was sure would live meet swift and brutal deaths. 

Hinshaw and the Rangers win out in the end but not before the loss of several key players on both sides of the law. THE TOUGH TEXAN lives up to it's name. It's a tough, gritty western that delivers the goods with both barrels blazing. 

Thumbs up.