First Blood

by Jack Schaefer

Jesse Harker was just a raw kid, but they pinned a tin star on him and forced him to make a man's decision—kill or be killed....
First Blood is a stirring saga of the Old West, full of the heroism, brutality and unquenchable passion of a crude country struggling to be a nation, by the author of the famous and immortal Shane.

Genres: Westerns, Fiction

126 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1953

About the author

Schaefer was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of an attorney. He graduated from Oberlin College in 1929 with a major in English. He attended graduate school at Columbia University from 1929-30, but left without completing his Master of Arts degree. He then went to work for the United Press. In his long career as a journalist, he would hold editorial positions at many eastern publications.

Schaefer's first success as a novelist came in 1949 with his memorable novel Shane, set in Wyoming. Few realized that Schaefer himself had never been anywhere near the west. Nevertheless, he continued writing successful westerns, selling his home in Connecticut and moving to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1955.

In 1975 Schaefer received the Western Literature Association's Distinguished Achievement award.

He died of heart failure in Santa Fe in 1991. Schaefer was married twice, his second wife moving to Santa Fe with him.

Schaefer's novel Monte Walsh was made into a movie in 1970, with Lee Marvin in the title role, and again in 2003 as a TV movie starring Tom Selleck. Shane was also made into a movie and a series.

from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Sch...

Reviews

[Robert Hepple · Rating 4 out of 5]

First published in 1953, 'First Blood' is a novelette about a young stagecoach driver, Jess Harker, and follows the events that occur after his stagecoach is robbed. The events cause him to re-evaluate his relationship with his closest friends, and does involve some excellent character portraits. My copy included a bonus in the short story 'Jacob'.

[Harley Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

When his stagecoach is robbed, Jesse Harker gets involved with the pursuit of the thieves and murders who killed the guard and a passenger. Good western story. The author's close attention to detail provides realism to this tale of a young stagecoach driver in the old west.

[Rodney Haydon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jack Schaefer is a master Western storyteller. This is another solid story, and I need to search out more of his books.

[Pate Hubbard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Book! Jack Schaefer really knows how to write a good western. His plots can seem at first to be very cliche, but the way he handles his characters and setting are anything but. First Blood is really the story about a young man having to grow up and the struggle between law and vigilantism in the developing west. The characters are expertly drawn and develop really nicely throughout the story. Overall just a great book.