Got my copy in the post today and it's an excellent looking book. The cover art is vividly reproduced and gives the book a hip look - it gives the impression that the western, far from being an outdated genre is all about the here and now. Which is a point James Reasoner makes in his excellent introduction to the collection - Those who avoid it (the western) thinking that the western is an outdated genre and has no relevance to today's world simply don't understand what they're missing. The western has a universality that is just stunning.
And the range of subjects covered by the writers of this collection reflect the entire human condition - revenge, greed, love, hate are all subjects raised somewhere within these pages.
Course I'm proud and honoured to have a story of mine, The Gimp, included in the collection, but this book would be a must for me regardless of that fact. Western anthologies are thin on the ground and when one comes along like this, you just have to snap it up.
My story - The Gimp, deals with a young boy, who overcomes his physical handicap in order to achieve his dreams. It originally went under the working title of The Youngest Gun but editor, Nik Morton suggested the current title. Gimp being a derogatory word, thrown at the character. I'm grateful to him for that - it's a far punchier title and a little bit rebellious in these overly PC times. Anyway, I hope, readers enjoy it but if they don't - well, there are also twenty other stories from writers who sure know how to spin a yarn.
Lance Howard's tale, Billy is a beautiful, tender tale with the author handling the subject of Downs Syndrome responsibly and sensitively. And that's just one of the many highlights within these covers. Each and every story, selected by Nik Morton and Charles Whipple, is an example of the best of the modern western genre.
Any fan of the west will want this book - check it out HERE
1 comment:
Great story in a great book. Am enjoying this collection and its predecessor very much.
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