BLACK HORSE WESTERNS - 2009

It has been a good year for the Black Horse Western with many of the writers appearing in the various best seller charts. What with Jack Martin's debut novel hogging the No 1 spot for weeks on end like The Beatles did some years back. Lance Howard had one week with seven slots out of ten. And two other debut novels by Terry James and Thomas McNulty took the No 1 spot as well.
More importantly it is good to see that more and more people are reading Black Horse Westerns.
2009 saw the return of Terry Murphy after a long absence and 2010 will see long awaited new novels from Chuck Tyrell and Derek Rutherford.
A couple of BHW writers, while still riding for the brand, have branched out to publish their new novels. Notably, Chap O'Keefe with his paperback editions under the BHE label and Neil Hunter who has self published the latest Jason Brand novel 'Devil's Gold'.
My own personal favourites of the year were Terry James 'Long Shadows'. I have to admit to a bit of a bias here as Terry James deals, in part, with memory loss (something that I know about). Other western writers like Louis L'Amour have touched on the subject as in 'A Man Called Noon' but Terry James took the idea further.
Another that engrossed me was Ross Morton's 'The $300 Man'. Not only was his hero Corbin Molina disbled by the loss of his hand but Ross Morton through his character made the reader realise that Molina was en-abled. Top class writing.
David Whitehead is one of those writers who you would think was born in the saddle and a Colt .45 strapped to his waist and not London's East End. This year he collaborated with Alfred Wallon to produce 'All Guns Blazing' under the name of Doug Thorne.
It is good to see that some of David Whitehead's earlier books are to be reprinted.
Finally, Rory Black, an alias for writer Michael D.George,keeps his Iron Eyes series alive. The character is not your usual brand of hero - he is scarred and flawed - but the delivery is of the kind that says - well, to me - can't wait for the next one.
Reviews of books and authors mentioned here can be found at Western Fiction Review (http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com) along with many other Black Horse Westerns released during 2009.
Well, that's my look at Black Horse Westerns for 2009.

WILD BUNCH WEDNESDAY - The Story With No Name

Respected western writer Jim Griffin is the author of Part 22 of this exciting adventure. It can be found at The Culbin Trail (http://ijparnham.blogspot.com)
Parts 1-16 and 17-21 can be found at this site as well.

SUMMER GLAU - TERMINATOR

Arnold Schwarzenegger is the iconic Terminator.
At least that is what I thought until I watched both seasons of 'Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles'.
It is not easy to top the original Terminator but Summer Glau as Cameron does do just that. I don't think that I have seen anyone of late who has that magical screen presence that Summer Glau brings to the role. Her actions are controlled and her face expressionless yet manages to convey so much that she commands attention and dominates her scenes even when she is just standing in the background.

Summer Glau was born in San Antonio, Texas back in 1981 and trained to be a ballerina until an accident ended that career. So she took to acting by appearing in an episode of 'Angel' as - a ballerina. As an actor she appeared in several episodes of 'The Unit' and 'The 4400' as well as playing River Tam in the series 'Firefly' and the movie follow up 'Serenity'. None of which I've seen.

As the Terminator, Cameron, Summer Glau has made the role her own and I hope that she gets the opportunity to reprise the role in a movie version.
Yet, Summer Glau, does have an ambition. With '3:10 To Yuma' as one of her favourite western movies she would love to play a role in a western movie. Hope she gets her wish.

'TIS THE SEASON

Season's Greetings to everyone who passes by this way.

If you want some good festive reading may I suggest:
INN TIME a Seasonal Short Story to be found at http://nik-writealot.blogspot.com
or
A bit of festive - he says with a chuckle - fare at http://ijparnham.blogspot.com

WILD BUNCH WEDNESDAY - Story With No Name

Back in 1859 when Charles Dickens took over the magazine 'All The Year Round' he followed a formula that had been used in 'Household Words'. In 'All The Year Round' he wrote the first chapter for a story called 'The Haunted Mansion' and Wilkie Collins, Mrs. (Elizabeth) Gaskell, Adelaide Proctor, George Sala and Hesba Stretton followed on with a chapter each.
140 years on and a bunch of western writers and enthusiasts are following on with that tradition with 'The Story With No Name'.
The Story With No Name continues with part 21 from Black Horse Western writer, Jack Martin, over at The Tainted Archive (http://tainted-archive.blogspot.com) where you can find connections to the previous 20 parts.
Jack Martin made his Black Horse Western debut this year with the publication of 'The Tarnished Star' and, already at the top of the best seller charts, 'Arkansas Smith' to be published next March.
Jack Martin, also, has a short story 'The Gimp' in the forthcoming Express Westerns Anthology 'A FISTFUL OF LEGENDS' where there are stories by other contributors to 'The Story With No Name' like I.J.Parnham, Jack Giles, Chuck Tyrell and Peter Averillo.
AND don't forget there is a chance for you to get your hands on a copy before the publication date of 31st Janauary 2010.
For the USA check out http://davycrockettsalmanack.blogspot.com
For the UK and the Rest Of The World go to http://ijparnham.blogspot.com

Friday's Forgotten Books - THE EDGE OF THE SWORD by Anthony Farrer-Hockley

Well, this is the final Friday's Forgotten Book of 2009.
Next year will be the 70th anniversaries of various events of World War 2.
Also it will be the 60th Anniversary of that 'forgotten' war known as The Korean War.
That is what 'THE EDGE OF THE SWORD' is about. Although, the story in this book is fact, Anthony Farrer-Hockley writes this book in such a way that it is like reading a rivetting novel.
The opening part of the book involves the role played by the 1st Battalion, the Gloucestershire Regiment - known as the Glorious Glosters.
It follows the battle that took place between 22nd April 1951 to the 25th April 1951 leading up to the Glosters' last stand on Hill 235 while defending the eastern crossing of the Imjin River. The battle itself was epic in scale. By the time orders came through to pull back Hill 235 was surrounded by the Chinese army.
This last stand not only ensured that the Belgian and American forces fell back on a prepared UN line but that the road to Seoul was firmly shut against the advancing Chinese Army.
Eventually, the hill fell to the Chinese and the survivors of the Glosters were taken prisoner. From here on Anthony Farrer-Hockley tells of the dreadful conditions; the interrogations in the Pyongyang Political Prison where he underwent
with other p.o.ws, pyschological treatment aimed at capturing the mind and spirit as well as the body. Also life with the Chinese both in the camp and outside of it. For Farrer-Hockley made several amazing and gripping escape attempts.
The Battle Of The Imjin River earned the Glorious Glosters two Victoria Crosses, a George Cross and several D.S.Os. And a Unit Citatation from the US Army.
From a quiet opening, the lull before the hectic scenes of battle to the tension of the escape attempts this book, rarely, lets the reader take a pause.
One of the best books about the Korean War.

COMMANDO: BATTLE OF BRITAIN SCRAMBLE!

'Achtung Spitfeuer!'
It is 1940 and Britain stands alone against the German might. Spitfires, Hurricanes, Defiants and antiquated Gloster Gladiators and Fairey Battles are the only aircraft that can stop Hitler from crossing the English Channel.
To mark the 70th Anniversary of The Battle Of Britain Commando Comics have released a new anthology of 10 stories that feature tales of the air war.
These stories range through that of a Czech pilot who has to become a fighter ace because his name is Richtofen. The sons of two World War One aces find themselves in confrontation. Then there are the stories of revenge.
The magic of Commando Comics is not just in the stories but in the black and white illustrations. In this collection they are 25% larger than the originals so that the details stand out. Not only that but it is handy for those of us with aging eyes.
This volume comes with an introduction by former Commando editor, George Low, and a forward by Calum Laird, the current editor.
Good Christmas gift. Like the logo says 'Commando for action and adventure'.