Monday, January 25, 2016

PASSIN THROUGH

PASSIN THROUGH



- Louis L'Amour -

A no-named drifter was just "passin' through" your typical Western town. Sat down for a drink at the local saloon. Ended up shooting a prominent local gunslinger.
Passin' Through was the name he was given, but, passing through was not what he ended up doing. There was a big stinkin' pile of trouble that he stepped in while passin' through, and as a good hearted western man he cleaned it up - with his fists and his guns.
This novel was a quick and exciting read. It was slightly different than many other L'Amour novels in that the hero - Passin' Through - does not win every battle. He does win the war, but, he takes a few bullets, loses half of his blood, and needs a few weeks to heal some broken ribs.
Deep down I think this book was a lesson about karma. Just my thoughts.
This book is available on Amazon - PASSIN THROUGH

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

THE SPECIALIST

THE SPECIALIST - A Talent For Revenge



I picked up this exciting looking book at the Bibles for Mission Thrift store for only 50 cents! Well, let me tell you this book is worth at least double that, at least!
If you want to escape reality and enter a world of fiction this is the book for you. It is so fictitious that there is no way it could be confused with any sort of reality.
This is the first book in 'The Specialist' series. First one I have read too. This 'Specialist' is a real action hero. He fights for the good guys by killing scores of bad guys. And, he seems almost indestructible. He is also smooth with the ladies, wink wink. A James Bond type guy...but, a bit more on the psychotic side.
The story could easily have been made into an 80's action movie starring Steven Seagull with a lot of over the top karate moves and bulls-eye shooting. This 'Specialist' manages to show off all his skills starting with a parking lot brawl, moving onto a racy encounter with his lady friend, then onto his snorkeling prowess and his underwater explosives knowledge, followed by his tree fort building skills, and of course his sniping skills. He even manages to single handedly storm a castle style compound surrounded by electric fencing, filled with dimwitted henchmen, and one evil madman.
Not to give away the ending, but, his mission to save the girl was thwarted as the girl ended up saving herself! So, this is a good book for the feminists out there too.
The writing was basic and right to the point, none of that literary mumbo jumbo to take away from the action, and there were even a few phrases I have never seen used before. Eg. He drove his boat towards the chateaux like it was a hard-on. Not sure exactly how to interpret that, but, it sounds like The Specialist means business! Doesn't it?
Would I read another one of these books? Probably. I'm a closet paperback action novel junky!