HELL ON HOOFS by Lance Howard

Hell On Hoofs is the way that the dime novels have dubbed gun for hire John Laramie.
Laramie is a troubled soul who is looking to retire from his way of life and believes that the town of Lancerville might be just the place to lose himself. But Lancerville is a town that is living in fear and the reason why is soon explained to him by a bargal, Bethany Lewis. All this after she has drugged him and tied him to her bed.
It appears that the problem is her half-brother, Drake, who is the problem and all Bethany wants is for Laramie to kill him.
Laramie is a reluctant hero who is battling his own inner demons. So, too, is his antagonist.
However, this is a Lance Howard book and nothing therein is that simple. The characters have depth to them and the reader is in no doubt about their strengths and weaknesses. This in turn takes the storyline to an unexpected conclusion.

Sadly, Lance Howard, died earlier this year at the age of 50.
Reading this book reminded me of the talent that has been lost.
After my stroke the second book that I read was by Lance Howard. When I joined the Black Horse Western group, he was the first to greet me. For me it was a magic moment. Howard, along with the group, encouraged me to write again. I am not alone when I say that he will be missed.

It may be a prophetic title but May sees the publication of a new Black Horse Western by Lance Howard called 'Twilight Trail'.

BANDIDAS (2006)

Bandidas directed by Espen Sandberg and Joachim Roenning.

Luc Besson is best know for movies like 'Leon' and 'Colombiana' so it was interesting to discover this overlooked western movie.

The pairing of Salma Hayak as the spoilt rich Sara with Penelope Cruz's poor farmer's daughter Maria was a piece of good casting.

The story centres around the New York Bank and Trust buying up land to invest in a railroad. Their representative is a cold-blooded killer, Tyler Jackson (Dwight Yoakam) who has a way with words. When a farmer says that the only way Jackson will get his hands on the land was over the farmer's dead body - Jackson obliges.
Control of the local bank passes to the New York Bank after Jackson kills Sara's father and triggers the union of the banker's and the farmer's daughters.
They engage the services of former bank robber Billy Buck (Sam Shepherd) to teach them how to go about getting revenge on Jackson and the Bank. What they learn is how to bond - then how to rob banks.
It is not long before it comes clear that Tyler Jackson and his gang are looking to line their own pockets and leads to a showdown on a train.
But not before they meet up with New York policeman, Quentin Cooke (Steve Zahn), who brings in something that I cannot recall in a western - forensic science. It is the use of this that Cooke is able to reveal that Sara's father was murdered. He is then seduced by Sara and Maria into helping them.

This film has a good script with enough action, pace and with lacings of comedy that makes for an enjoyable 90 minutes.

FOREVER CAME TODAY

FOREVER CAME TODAY (c Ray Foster 2012)

As he had always done at this time of year Albert Proctor sat in the pew closest to the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. He always made a point of being here just to see Violet.
Each year she came. At first she, like many others, would place a poppy on the tomb and stand there and speak soft words. He could see her lips shape the words: ‘I love you – forever.’ She would often wipe, self consciously, a tear from her eye and walk away. But nowadays, things had changed. The numbers had withered away like the years as had the poppies. Only Violet had never changed. She had aged yet the tears that she shed and the words that she whispered were just as real.
Although she left a poppy Albert knew that it would be swept away. These days the tomb had to be left unmarked so that dignitaries who knew nothing of war could lay their wreaths.
Albert shifted in the pew.
Something was wrong.
This year Violet had not come.
No poppy fell upon the tomb.
Albert was disturbed.
As darkness fell and the doors closed, Albert shuffled away. Only to stop as he caught the whiff of a familiar scent. Lavender water.
He turned to see her standing there in a beam of moonlight.
She smiled, looking radiant as she took his arm. He smiled back.
“I missed you, darling,” Albert said. “I thought you weren’t going to come.”
She could only stand and stare and think how handsome he looked in his uniform. The uniform that he was so proud to wear the day he marched off to war.
“I haven’t been well, Albert darling,” Violet explained. “But, as you can see, I am much better now – now that you and I are together again.”

Blogger

Recently new blogs from here have had to be published via a roundabout route.
The Wowzio thing has disappeared - hasn't been seen for some time.
People leave comments - but I can't reply.
I read other peoples' blogs - David Cranmer, Patti Abbott, James Reasoner, Gary Dobbs et al - just can't leave a comment.
Everywhere I go I'm told to sign in - and arrive back at the dashboard where I'm already signed in.
Tried with this computer.
Tried with my laptop.
Tried with the library computer.
Tried with my son's blackberry thingy.
My daughters, granddaughters and sons have tried via their computers and discovered that the problem exists no matter what they do.

For a while I thought that this was just happening to me. Until someone else e-mailed me to say that I wasn't alone and that they had heard from someone else that their blog had gone the same way.

So what has Blogger.com got to say about that? Dunno, as soon as you hit the 'contact us' button you get 'You have to be signed in to do that' kind of message.

Maybe, I shouldn't have tried the updated Blogger interface.

It seems that every year Broken Trails has been hit. Last year it was wrong security certificates - spam - etc. Now it has reached the stage where I'm thinking three strikes and I'm out of here.
I'll continue to read blogs but won't be able to comment.

MOTORCYCLE ACTION GROUP: ACTION THIS DAY

Take a good look at this picture. The customisation to this bike involved the likes of old stainless steel bread bins. It was built as a tribute to Captain America - the comic book hero.
We can do this.
I recall that even back in the sixties that many of the old Rockers or bikers made spare parts for our bikes. Even back then manufacturers' parts were pretty expensive.
So, from simple beginnings the customisation of bikes has grown.
Rat bikes, streetfighters, custom bikes and trikes are all around us now. Love them or hate them - you have to admire the workmanship; the artistic design - poetry in motion.
So, why change something that doesn't need fixing?
Yes, the EU wants to bring in regulations that effectively ends the customisation of bikes. Trikes would cease to exist unless they came from a manufacturer.
And - because they don't have a brain between them - this government will rubber stamp a regulation that, effectively, outlaws individuality.

So, if you are out and about today and your journey is delayed it is because there is a MAG demonstration.
From 1 pm you will find bikes and trikes in the slow lane for about 20mins. And while this may be a touch disruptive I hope that some of the car drivers join in.

Love or hate bikers - your car will be next. No more custom cars or hotrods.
Any EU Regulation takes away OUR individuality - takes away who WE are.

Demos will take place on M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, M6, M8, M9, M20, M25,M40, M42 and M62. Also, A1, A12, A14, A34, A38, A55 and A90 - and those are just for starters.

For once, forget any prejudices - your individuality could be next.

JOHN BURKE - R.I.P.

Sadly, I have to write and report that the author John Burke died on the 20th September 2011 after a long illness.

John Burke was an inspirational writer and he will be missed.
My condolences go to his family and my thanks to Bronwen Burke who left a comment to advise of his death.

Some more about the life and work of John Burke can be found earlier on this site.

DEAD ISLAND by Mark Morris

In the beginning there was the trailer that millions tuned into. Dead Island looked to be the must have game of the year. Both the game and the novel were released on the 9th September and sold out on the day. Telephoned 'Game' and was told by that the game had not been released.
Seven days on and without anymore copies of the game to be found in stores or on-line I began to think that the hype was in full swing. I could imagine that the distributors were sitting around laughing as they made gamers hungry for the game.

Fortunately, Bantam have issued the novelisation of the game by Mark Morris. And a good job too for, having now read the book, I don't really need the game.

So four heroes and heroines are off on their hols (well, three are) on the paradise island of Banoi. One hit wonder Sam B is ready to make a comeback; ex-NFL footballer Logan is on holiday and Sydney cop, Purna, is taking time out after she has killed off a child abuser. The hotel receptionist, Xian Mai makes up the fourth. The thing they have in common is an immunity to the virus that is about to turn the population of Banoi into zombies.
It is a gory fight for survival as each character tries to deal with an unreal scenario. Zombies only exist in games - right? Each of the four have to come to terms with a very real enemy - and it turns out that zombies are just a minor problem.
I loved the moment where they come across a book rack that has Nevil Shute and Harold Robbins novels.

Mark Morris has produced one of the best game novelisations to date. He lives in Yorkshire. His first novel 'Toady' was published in 1989. Since then he has written sixteen books including four for the 'Dr Who' series. He is now working on the novelisation of a 1970s Hammer film 'Vampire Circus'.