Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)LAW OF THE GUN, a 2010 Pinnacle Books release, offers up 17 gunfighter-themed stories from the likes of John Jakes, Elmer Kelton, Johnny D. Boggs, Loren Estleman and others. The book's back cover proclaims that LAW OF THE GUN turns the mythical figure of (the gunfighter) upside down, inside out and every way but loose." Well, ok.
I've been reading an awful lot of Les Savage, Max Brand and Will Henry books lately so maybe I've become jaded but...I wasn't all that impressed by most of the stories in LAW OF THE GUN. Most read like stories commissioned for an anthology; spec work. I enjoyed several stories - Ken Hodgson's 'As Good as the Bad,' 'Inferno' by William and J. A. Johnstone, John Duncklee's 'Bounty Hunter' and John Nesbitt's 'Hap' - but most of the others seemed formulaic efforts, entertaining enough but nothing out of the ordinary, nothing very inspiring. Also, I don't know that LAW OF THE GUN upends the gunfighter legend so much as it presents 17 western tales, some of which are marginally connected with the gunfighter theme.
Having said that, I could be way off-base on LAW OF THE GUN. If you're a fan of westerns, pick up a copy. It sells for $6.99. You may find it's a perfectly wonderful collection of shoot-em-up's. I didn't. Your call, folks.
*****
Better 'gunfighter' anthologies include James C. Work's GUNFIGHT! and Robert Randisi's BLACK HATS and BOOT HILL.
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