Pulp Gold -part two

Part one of this review can be found HERE

Interview with Laurie Powers who was largely responsible for getting this book into print can be found HERE

Laurie's introduction covers much of her grandfather Paul Power's (pictured) life and his work for the pulp magazine particularly Wild West Weekly which published the Sonny Tabor stories, four of which which are collected here. All in all he wrote 453 stories for the pulp magazine, under several different names. It is an interesting introduction that gives a taste of what it must be like to have been a writer on the production line they called the pulps. Anyone wanting more information on Wild West Weekly and Paul Powers in particular will want to check out Pulp Writer: 20 Years in the American Grub street which is Paul Powers memoirs but added to that Laurie writes detailed essays each end of the book. It's one of the best books I've read on the pulps.

Now back to Desert justice - there are four novellas in all, the first of which we covered in part one of this review. The remaining stories are Sonny Tabor's Gun School, Sonny Tabor and the Border Blackbirds and finally Kid Wolf Rounds up Sonny Tabor.

Sonny Tabor's Gun School sees out hero hiding out when outlaw, Jed Shaw comes across him. Sonny doesn't trust the men but let's him share his campfire. However the posse searching for Shaw comes across them and they proceed to hang both Jed and Sonny. This is a powerful piece of writing and when Sonny is himself hung, only to be cut down at the last moment, the description of the event is a harrowing, powerful piece of writing. Pulp readers back in the day must have been reading this section with their mouth agape - I know I was. Sonny is wrongly thought to be part of the vicious King Johnny's gang and he is to be taken back to town for trial however the wily outlaw soon gets the drop on his captors and escapes but is wounded in his flight. Sonny is aided by a kindly schoolteacher and soon the showdown comes in which Sonny not only has to face the law but also the King Johnny gang.

It's an excellent story from the glory days of western fiction - think the old Lone Star western serials and you'll have the taste of these pieces. All action, no nonsense and Sonny Tabor is a protagonist with a touch of Billy the Kid about him. No wonder he was one of Wild West Weekly's most popular characters.

Check back later this week when I will look at the final two stories in this great book of wild west classics.

Desert Justice is available HERE