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Johnny Vengeance
Linford Western Library.
At fifteen he watched four men murder his father and mother. That day he knew what the rest of his life was going to be like. First he taught himself to draw faster than any man in the West. Then he set out, slowly, patiently, to track the killers. Johnny Vengeance knew he'd find them and make them remember that bloody day - and it would be the last memory they'd ever have.
At fifteen he watched four men murder his father and mother. That day he knew what the rest of his life was going to be like. First he taught himself to draw faster than any man in the West. Then he set out, slowly, patiently, to track the killers. Johnny Vengeance knew he'd find them and make them remember that bloody day - and it would be the last memory they'd ever have.
- GenresWesterns
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1969
21 people want to read
About the author
Frank Gruber
149 books19 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Frank Gruber was an enormously prolific author of pulp fiction. A stalwart contributor to Black Mask magazine, he also wrote novels, producing as many as four a year during the 1940s. His best-known character was Oliver Quade, “the Human Encyclopedia,” whose adventures were collected in Brass Knuckles (1966), and will soon be republished in ebook format as Oliver Quade, the Human Encyclopedia,featuring brand-new material, from MysteriousPress.com, Open Road Integrated Media, and Black Mask magazine.
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Frank Gruber was an enormously prolific author of pulp fiction. A stalwart contributor to Black Mask magazine, he also wrote novels, producing as many as four a year during the 1940s. His best-known character was Oliver Quade, “the Human Encyclopedia,” whose adventures were collected in Brass Knuckles (1966), and will soon be republished in ebook format as Oliver Quade, the Human Encyclopedia,featuring brand-new material, from MysteriousPress.com, Open Road Integrated Media, and Black Mask magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 28, 2025
"People come to places...places that mean something to them."
A short, endearing if a little cliche-riddled Western novel, I discovered Johnny Vengeance in a free book shop - this gorgeous little 115 page dime novel (95 cents to be exact) in an old 70s print. I HAD to grab it, and I'm sure glad I did.
Johnny Vengeance follows the coming-of-age of Johnny Welker, the son of a Ferryman and his wife who were brutally violated and murdered by four no-good outlaws. Johnny sees only one path in life from there - revenge, no matter the cost. Throughout the novel, Johnny becomes a master at quick-draw, a cold hard killer of bad men on his voyage across the west during the great railroad booms of the mid-late 1800s.
The story was very simple - Johnny finds the men, Johnny kills the men - but the matter of factness of the novel was extremely endearing to me. Cramming a kid's life from 15 to 24 could be a chore in so little pages, but Frank Gruber seemed efficient in brevity. Less is more here. That said, the book did suffer slightly from the same old western cliches, cliches I enjoy, but when its one after the other it can feel a little too close to a pastiche than a work of authenticity. Then again...maybe this is the point. This novel was written in 1954, and was no doubt bought by some young buck in a dime store. It was a 95¢, and clearly exists to evoke the classic spirit of the west. So...I can't fault it too harshly for that.
The characters were tight, though quite simple, often feeling really like a vessel for Johnny's vengeance, rather than their own characters. I did enjoy one character a lot though, a rough-riding gunslinger watching the railroads for bad folk that evoked a Rip Dutton feeling about him: a very cool dude.
Overall, I did have a good fun time with it. I liked it, but didn't love it, much like the vibe of the TCM black and white westerns of the 50s, when westerns were a dime and dozen. That said, I would definitely read more Frank Gruber westerns in the future for some much needed wild west vibes when the moment comes.
Shoutout to the hungover cowboy in a restaurant struggling to eat his ham and eggs, keeping it real even all those years ago: "Guessin' I better be moseyin' down to the ranch..." He grimaced. "That's the trouble with goin' on a toot. The mornin' after."
A short, endearing if a little cliche-riddled Western novel, I discovered Johnny Vengeance in a free book shop - this gorgeous little 115 page dime novel (95 cents to be exact) in an old 70s print. I HAD to grab it, and I'm sure glad I did.
Johnny Vengeance follows the coming-of-age of Johnny Welker, the son of a Ferryman and his wife who were brutally violated and murdered by four no-good outlaws. Johnny sees only one path in life from there - revenge, no matter the cost. Throughout the novel, Johnny becomes a master at quick-draw, a cold hard killer of bad men on his voyage across the west during the great railroad booms of the mid-late 1800s.
The story was very simple - Johnny finds the men, Johnny kills the men - but the matter of factness of the novel was extremely endearing to me. Cramming a kid's life from 15 to 24 could be a chore in so little pages, but Frank Gruber seemed efficient in brevity. Less is more here. That said, the book did suffer slightly from the same old western cliches, cliches I enjoy, but when its one after the other it can feel a little too close to a pastiche than a work of authenticity. Then again...maybe this is the point. This novel was written in 1954, and was no doubt bought by some young buck in a dime store. It was a 95¢, and clearly exists to evoke the classic spirit of the west. So...I can't fault it too harshly for that.
The characters were tight, though quite simple, often feeling really like a vessel for Johnny's vengeance, rather than their own characters. I did enjoy one character a lot though, a rough-riding gunslinger watching the railroads for bad folk that evoked a Rip Dutton feeling about him: a very cool dude.
Overall, I did have a good fun time with it. I liked it, but didn't love it, much like the vibe of the TCM black and white westerns of the 50s, when westerns were a dime and dozen. That said, I would definitely read more Frank Gruber westerns in the future for some much needed wild west vibes when the moment comes.
Shoutout to the hungover cowboy in a restaurant struggling to eat his ham and eggs, keeping it real even all those years ago: "Guessin' I better be moseyin' down to the ranch..." He grimaced. "That's the trouble with goin' on a toot. The mornin' after."
July 4, 2013
Johnny Vengeance (1954)
This is a very predictable but workmanlike western by Frank Gruber. This is very reminiscent of the film version of Nevada Smith. Four killers murder a fifteen year old boy’s parents and leave him wounded. He trains himself, along with the help of a gunman to avenge them. In the end he throws his gun out the window. But when he throws his gun out the window, it hits a rock and kills this guy who has a fifteen year old son. Our hero rides away, not knowing that he is going to be tracked down by the kid years later. Okay, so I made up everything that happens after Johnny throws the gun out the window. But you have to admit it would explain the proliferation of stories like this.
This is a very predictable but workmanlike western by Frank Gruber. This is very reminiscent of the film version of Nevada Smith. Four killers murder a fifteen year old boy’s parents and leave him wounded. He trains himself, along with the help of a gunman to avenge them. In the end he throws his gun out the window. But when he throws his gun out the window, it hits a rock and kills this guy who has a fifteen year old son. Our hero rides away, not knowing that he is going to be tracked down by the kid years later. Okay, so I made up everything that happens after Johnny throws the gun out the window. But you have to admit it would explain the proliferation of stories like this.
August 31, 2016
A solid tale of revenge. Cliche ridden, but for the time it was written that was the norm. I will definitely be seeking out more of Frank Gruber's novels.
June 6, 2016
It was a Western, but....
January 5, 2020
I loved this book.
Last year I finally got hooked on westerns - thanks to Elmore Leonard. Someone had said, “westerns are basically hard boiled/noir stories, set in the west, rather than the city.” EL convinced me of this.
I’d never heard of FG until researching, non-traditional/darker westerns.
This book delivered in spades.
Classic “western vengeance” opener, with a slight twist. Johnnys age plays a huge factor in this story. Everyone he meets is relevant, and the ending is solid and satisfying.
FG’s writing reminds me of pulp favorites Paul Cain, Gil Brewer, and Charles Williams.
Very clean writing. Zero clutter. Every word has purpose and meaning, reminding me of a Kurt Vonnegut quote, “Every sentence should reveal something or project the story forward.” FG really understands this. Great book. Fun read. Knocked it out in an afternoon.
Last year I finally got hooked on westerns - thanks to Elmore Leonard. Someone had said, “westerns are basically hard boiled/noir stories, set in the west, rather than the city.” EL convinced me of this.
I’d never heard of FG until researching, non-traditional/darker westerns.
This book delivered in spades.
Classic “western vengeance” opener, with a slight twist. Johnnys age plays a huge factor in this story. Everyone he meets is relevant, and the ending is solid and satisfying.
FG’s writing reminds me of pulp favorites Paul Cain, Gil Brewer, and Charles Williams.
Very clean writing. Zero clutter. Every word has purpose and meaning, reminding me of a Kurt Vonnegut quote, “Every sentence should reveal something or project the story forward.” FG really understands this. Great book. Fun read. Knocked it out in an afternoon.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews