Review of Buffalo Trail by Jeff Guinn
From goodreads.com:
Buffalo Trail: A Novel of the American West
by Jeff Guinn
New York Times–bestselling author of The Last Gunfight Jeff Guinn once again brings the Old West to life in the grand follow-up to Glorious.
After barely escaping nemesis Killer Boots in the tiny Arizona Territory town of Glorious, Cash McLendon is in desperate need of a safe haven somewhere—anywhere—on the frontier.
Fleeing to Dodge City, he falls in with an intrepid band of buffalo hunters determined to head south to forbidden Indian Territory in the Texas Panhandle. In the company of such colorful Western legends as Bat Masterson and Billy Dixon, Cash helps establish a hunting camp known as Adobe Walls. When a massive migration of buffalo arrives, Cash, newly hopeful that he may yet patch things up with Gabrielle Tirrito back in Arizona, thinks his luck has finally changed.
But no good can come of entering the prohibited lands they’ve crossed into. Little do Cash and his fellows know that their camp is targeted by a new coalition of the finest warriors among the Comanche, Cheyenne, and Kiowa. Led by fierce Comanche war chief Quanah and eerie tribal mystic Isatai, an enormous force of two thousand is about to descend on the camp and will mark one of the fiercest, bloodiest battles in frontier history.
Cash McLendon is in another fight for his life—and this time running is not an option.
From amazon.com:
Editorial Reviews
“Guinn makes lively characters of historical buffalo hunters, and his imaginative take booms like a Sharps .50 as cultures collide across the Cimarron River…Guinn's research brings to life the daily lives of the Comanche…Few Westerns reach the level of Lonesome Dove, but Guinn's latest is a better, more rambunctious tale than the trilogy's opener.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Full of historical notable figures from the Old West, this second volume in Guinn’s trilogy not only provides a buoyant narrative but also several lessons in Western history. This title is so well constructed that it could stand alone (for readers new to the trilogy). Guinn skillfully ties his carefully constructed prolog outlining the Massacre at Sand Creek (1864) to a lone female warrior he imagines at the Second Battle at Adobe Walls.”—Library Journal
“A grand effort, and Quanah and his bogus medicine man, Isatai, are an entertaining pair.”—Booklist
About the Author
Jeff Guinn is the bestselling author of numerous works of fiction and nonfiction, including Manson, The Last Gunfight, and Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie & Clyde. A former books editor at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and an award-winning investigative journalist, Guinn is a member of the Texas Institute of Letters and the Texas Literary Hall of Fame. He lives in Ft. Worth.
Leona's Review:
This is my first read by Jeff Guinn and one I wanted to read because of the Texas Panhandle.
From goodreads.com:
Buffalo Trail: A Novel of the American West
by Jeff Guinn
New York Times–bestselling author of The Last Gunfight Jeff Guinn once again brings the Old West to life in the grand follow-up to Glorious.
After barely escaping nemesis Killer Boots in the tiny Arizona Territory town of Glorious, Cash McLendon is in desperate need of a safe haven somewhere—anywhere—on the frontier.
Fleeing to Dodge City, he falls in with an intrepid band of buffalo hunters determined to head south to forbidden Indian Territory in the Texas Panhandle. In the company of such colorful Western legends as Bat Masterson and Billy Dixon, Cash helps establish a hunting camp known as Adobe Walls. When a massive migration of buffalo arrives, Cash, newly hopeful that he may yet patch things up with Gabrielle Tirrito back in Arizona, thinks his luck has finally changed.
But no good can come of entering the prohibited lands they’ve crossed into. Little do Cash and his fellows know that their camp is targeted by a new coalition of the finest warriors among the Comanche, Cheyenne, and Kiowa. Led by fierce Comanche war chief Quanah and eerie tribal mystic Isatai, an enormous force of two thousand is about to descend on the camp and will mark one of the fiercest, bloodiest battles in frontier history.
Cash McLendon is in another fight for his life—and this time running is not an option.
From amazon.com:
Editorial Reviews
“Guinn makes lively characters of historical buffalo hunters, and his imaginative take booms like a Sharps .50 as cultures collide across the Cimarron River…Guinn's research brings to life the daily lives of the Comanche…Few Westerns reach the level of Lonesome Dove, but Guinn's latest is a better, more rambunctious tale than the trilogy's opener.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Full of historical notable figures from the Old West, this second volume in Guinn’s trilogy not only provides a buoyant narrative but also several lessons in Western history. This title is so well constructed that it could stand alone (for readers new to the trilogy). Guinn skillfully ties his carefully constructed prolog outlining the Massacre at Sand Creek (1864) to a lone female warrior he imagines at the Second Battle at Adobe Walls.”—Library Journal
“A grand effort, and Quanah and his bogus medicine man, Isatai, are an entertaining pair.”—Booklist
About the Author
Jeff Guinn is the bestselling author of numerous works of fiction and nonfiction, including Manson, The Last Gunfight, and Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie & Clyde. A former books editor at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and an award-winning investigative journalist, Guinn is a member of the Texas Institute of Letters and the Texas Literary Hall of Fame. He lives in Ft. Worth.
Leona's Review:
This is my first read by Jeff Guinn and one I wanted to read because of the Texas Panhandle.
This book is historical and a good read for those who have an interest in
the American West. It will encourage the reader to read and find more
information on the characters as well as the area.
I will describe the book as a harsh reality of the times. It is about buffalo hunters and also some wars between the White Man and the Indians. The book is very descriptive of the killings and what happened to the people when they were dying and after their death. It is full of history and except for the main character, Cash McLendon, most of the main characters are real people. As I was reading this book Gene Barry, who played Bat Masterson of the TV series, was on Fantasy Island. Adobe Walls has a history that precedes the arrival of the men and one woman who occupied the place. I have listed some links of the history of Adobe Walls.
I will describe the book as a harsh reality of the times. It is about buffalo hunters and also some wars between the White Man and the Indians. The book is very descriptive of the killings and what happened to the people when they were dying and after their death. It is full of history and except for the main character, Cash McLendon, most of the main characters are real people. As I was reading this book Gene Barry, who played Bat Masterson of the TV series, was on Fantasy Island. Adobe Walls has a history that precedes the arrival of the men and one woman who occupied the place. I have listed some links of the history of Adobe Walls.
I was surprised to find that the Tonkawa Indians were cannibals. I lived in the Tonkawa Springs development in Round Rock, Texas. Maybe this is more than one wants to know but as I said, this book is full of harsh reality.
Cash is trying to make money so he can go back to his love, Gabrielle, who is in Arizona. Quanah wants the white man gone.
Every other chapter is about Cash and what is happening with his group and the other is about Quanah, the Comanche war chief and what is happening with his group. The switching back and forth does not confuse the reader and gives an idea of what is in the minds and plans of each group.
I won a complimentary copy of Buffalo Trail from www.goodreads.com. This is an uncorrected proof copy but I did not see and errors. The opinions are my own.
I debated on a 4 or 5 star because of the language and graphic
details but this is historical and so I will give it a 5 star rating. I will
admit I skipped over some of the more graphic details.
Check the links I have added for some additional
information.
http://www.legendsofamerica.com/tx-adobewalls.html
http://www.legendsofamerica.com/tx-adobewalls.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_Walls,_Texas
Jeff Guinn may be found at:
Leona Olson
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