Shadow Rider

by William Colt MacDonald

"KOKO......"Only four men knew what it meant.Vietnam vets. One was a doctor. One was a lawyer. One was a working stiff. One was a writer. All were as different as men could be----yet all were bound eternally together by a single shattering secret.And now they joined together again on a quest that could take them from the graveyard and fleshpots of the Far East to the human jungle of New York.....hunting an inhuman ghost of the past risen from nightmare darkeness to kill and kill and kill.......

Genres: Westerns

Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1950

Reviews

[David Colwell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Written almost like a X-Bar-X title. In other words very adolescent, but with some swearing. It was hard to place it time-wise. They mostly rode horses, yet there were also cars that would go 100mph. So I couldn't figure out exactly when it was supposed to be taking place.

[Katherine Loyacano · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Shadow Rider by William Colt MacDonald is a rattling good time. Dale Stephens, the Gila Shadow, is among the willows after robbing the Cashton Savings Bank. He crosses the border into Mexico, ending up at the Golden Cactus for a breather and a hearty meal. Stephens soon finds himself in a fix because he has no money to pay for his chow. Lucky for him, Pascal Santiagio, a wealthy Mexican official, joins him at his table. Santiago is in a bit of a fix himself. Together, they hatch a plan, wrangle up two cowpunchers (Rug and Lamp), and get out of dodge without losing life or limb. Santiago realizes that the Gila Shadow's got sand and a good heart, so he offers Dale an opportunity to stop riding the outlaw trail. Santiago's proposal gives Dale a chance at redemption, clearing his name, and making a new life for himself if he can take down El Gato Montes, a cold-blooded killer who is feared throughout Mexico and wanted by Santiago to settle an old score.

The Shadow Rider is my second Gunsmoke Western, and I had a great time reading it. Despite being an outlaw, Dale Stephens is a likeable character and a western Robin Hood. His chance encounter with Pascal Santiago at the Golden Cactus gives Dale a chance to right his wrongs, help out a whole bunch of people, and find love on the range. Yes, there is a little romance tucked among the pages of this little western treasure. I love the storyline, the characters, and all the western slang, lingo, and phrases. It is fast-paced with lots of action and plenty of humor. I reckon I'll continue reading these Gunsmoke Westerns.

[Jeff Dickison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty fair old western (Copyright: 1942) would have been even better if it hadn't been filled with dadgum concarned "cowboyese" that was used at that time. Bandit agrees to help Texas rancher recover gold stolen by Mexican bandits. Recommended to fans of westerns. The blurb at the top of this page is for the wrong book.