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Morgan Kane #1
Without Mercy
Morgan Texas Ranger, unmatched gunslinger, cool poker hand, and hot-blooded lover of women. At the tender age of 16, he avenged the murders of his parents. Ever since, he's lived by one kill or be killed. Kane is unpredictable, impulsive, and reckless, but Major Monroe of the Rangers puts up with his drinking, his violence, and his erratic work ethic - because his skills as a gunman outweigh his vices. Without Mercy begins with a poker game. Kane is a born he can't resist a big pot. Con men lure him into a trap, using a ravishing seductress, Allison MacKay, as the bait. Her beauty proves too tempting. Kane falls into her clutches.He's shot, thrown from a train, and left for dead. Big mistake. As Kane himself said, "When you shoot a man, you better make sure he's dead."A star-shaped scar will forever mark his right hand, a scar to match the Ranger’s star he carries. But that's Kane's gun hand. The gun hand of a Ranger is the difference between life and death—are you faster than the man shooting at you?The stakes are high this time. Kane is gambling with his life.Can he survive?From Louis Masterson’s epic Morgan Kane series, Without Mercy is a wild ride and a gripping introduction to a riveting anti-hero.This is book number 1 of 83 in the best-selling Morgan Kane series.
154 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1966
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May 4, 2016
”A ray of light was thrown out on to the platform and then the darkness was complete again. Kane’s eyes grew accustomed to the weak moonlight. There were three men round him. He could not see their faces. The iron edge of the barrier pressed into the small of his back and guns shone. A voice said: ‘First the gun hand, Kane!’
His right hand was lifted clear of his body and forced over the barrier. Oaths and curses flowed from Kane’s twisted lips. A hard ball of fear blocked his throat. The man in front of him lifted his arm. Kane felt the cold mouth of the barrel against his palm.
For heaven’s sake...he hadn’t thought of…!
The blow numbed Kane’s arm right up to the shoulder. For a moment he stood there--stiff as a post--his brain not accepting the fact that his right hand had a hole blown through it. Then the pain came.”
DO NOT UPCHUCK ON YOUR KEYBOARD THIS IS FX MAKEUP, BUT VISUALLY WOW!
Morgan Kane is a Texas Ranger who is addicted to the three muses of vice: whiskey, women, and gambling. He never met a whiskey he wouldn’t drink. He never met a woman that he didn’t want to seduce and gambling...well now... that is as necessary as breathing.
Kane killed a man by the name of Rex Duncan in St. Louis. Rex’s brother Troy flanked by two psychopathic gunmen decide to set a trap for Morgan. Any good trap needs honey and there is one honeypot that is more than willing to be bait. Rex’s girlfriend the luscious, the lovely, the tempestuous vixen Allison MacKay wants to make sure that Kane pays.
Duncan arranges a card game on the train that Kane is travelling on, knowing that Kane won’t be able to resist. Through an elaborate system Duncan cheats and cleans Kane out of his complete savings. Queue Allison, who happens to be riding in the same railcar as Kane. In need of consoling, he is soon handling her curves as deftly as an Italian count.
He gets to second base.
With another passenger in the room, asleep...but still gee whiz willikers.
Impassioned by Allison, drunk on whiskey which he drank steadily during the poker game, and befuddled by his incredibly bad luck at cards his normal cautious nature has been compromised. The Duncan gang shoots him a couple of times and throws him off the train.
Classic mistake.
Kane is the kind of guy that you stand over and shoot him six times and then you reload and shoot him another six times. You don’t take any chances that you’ve left him alive.
*Sigh*
Bond, James Bond. Kane, Morgan Kane
As he is convalescing Kane can’t quit thinking about Allison. The passion she has inspired has taken a dark turn.
”He could still feel her breasts against his hand and the excitement he had experienced when she had returned his kiss, willingly and shamelessly. Something had happened to him that night on the train. She had filled him with a desire that could only be extinguished in one way. He knew it--and hated her for it. For that desire could never be satisfied. He knew that for the rest of his life he would always feel that uneasiness in his body--he might never find peace again. He hated her even more with a burning, intense hatred--just as he had always hated ties or restrictions.”
He was burning alright like a forest fire south of the border if you know what I mean.
Kjell Hallbing, a Norwegian, writing as Louis Masterson wrote 83 Morgan Kane books between 1966-1978 which sold twenty million copies worldwide. In 1969 he chucked his job as a bank employee and began writing full time. This book reminded me a bit of the Swedish writer Donald Bengtsson Hamilton who wrote the Matt Helm series that probably is as close as noir fiction has come to an American James Bond. There is going to be a Morgan Kane major motion picture. They are releasing the books in anticipation of the movie. WR Books was kind enough to send me a paperback review copy, since I’m a book Luddite and I don’t seem to ever get around to reading ebooks.
The prolific Kjell Hallbing AKA Louis Masterson.
The prose of this series is similar to a piece of salt stained leather left out in the desert sun to bleach, crinkle, and bake into hardboiled sentences that will leave your tongue dry and your eyes squinting as you too will feel the heat of the sun and the cold emptiness of revenge.
3.5 STARS bumped to 4 because that is just the kind of guy I am.
His right hand was lifted clear of his body and forced over the barrier. Oaths and curses flowed from Kane’s twisted lips. A hard ball of fear blocked his throat. The man in front of him lifted his arm. Kane felt the cold mouth of the barrel against his palm.
For heaven’s sake...he hadn’t thought of…!
The blow numbed Kane’s arm right up to the shoulder. For a moment he stood there--stiff as a post--his brain not accepting the fact that his right hand had a hole blown through it. Then the pain came.”
DO NOT UPCHUCK ON YOUR KEYBOARD THIS IS FX MAKEUP, BUT VISUALLY WOW!
Morgan Kane is a Texas Ranger who is addicted to the three muses of vice: whiskey, women, and gambling. He never met a whiskey he wouldn’t drink. He never met a woman that he didn’t want to seduce and gambling...well now... that is as necessary as breathing.
Kane killed a man by the name of Rex Duncan in St. Louis. Rex’s brother Troy flanked by two psychopathic gunmen decide to set a trap for Morgan. Any good trap needs honey and there is one honeypot that is more than willing to be bait. Rex’s girlfriend the luscious, the lovely, the tempestuous vixen Allison MacKay wants to make sure that Kane pays.
Duncan arranges a card game on the train that Kane is travelling on, knowing that Kane won’t be able to resist. Through an elaborate system Duncan cheats and cleans Kane out of his complete savings. Queue Allison, who happens to be riding in the same railcar as Kane. In need of consoling, he is soon handling her curves as deftly as an Italian count.
He gets to second base.
With another passenger in the room, asleep...but still gee whiz willikers.
Impassioned by Allison, drunk on whiskey which he drank steadily during the poker game, and befuddled by his incredibly bad luck at cards his normal cautious nature has been compromised. The Duncan gang shoots him a couple of times and throws him off the train.
Classic mistake.
Kane is the kind of guy that you stand over and shoot him six times and then you reload and shoot him another six times. You don’t take any chances that you’ve left him alive.
*Sigh*
Bond, James Bond. Kane, Morgan Kane
As he is convalescing Kane can’t quit thinking about Allison. The passion she has inspired has taken a dark turn.
”He could still feel her breasts against his hand and the excitement he had experienced when she had returned his kiss, willingly and shamelessly. Something had happened to him that night on the train. She had filled him with a desire that could only be extinguished in one way. He knew it--and hated her for it. For that desire could never be satisfied. He knew that for the rest of his life he would always feel that uneasiness in his body--he might never find peace again. He hated her even more with a burning, intense hatred--just as he had always hated ties or restrictions.”
He was burning alright like a forest fire south of the border if you know what I mean.
Kjell Hallbing, a Norwegian, writing as Louis Masterson wrote 83 Morgan Kane books between 1966-1978 which sold twenty million copies worldwide. In 1969 he chucked his job as a bank employee and began writing full time. This book reminded me a bit of the Swedish writer Donald Bengtsson Hamilton who wrote the Matt Helm series that probably is as close as noir fiction has come to an American James Bond. There is going to be a Morgan Kane major motion picture. They are releasing the books in anticipation of the movie. WR Books was kind enough to send me a paperback review copy, since I’m a book Luddite and I don’t seem to ever get around to reading ebooks.
The prolific Kjell Hallbing AKA Louis Masterson.
The prose of this series is similar to a piece of salt stained leather left out in the desert sun to bleach, crinkle, and bake into hardboiled sentences that will leave your tongue dry and your eyes squinting as you too will feel the heat of the sun and the cold emptiness of revenge.
3.5 STARS bumped to 4 because that is just the kind of guy I am.
November 13, 2017
I AM TEXAS RANGER.
I am a gambler. I am a fighter. I am a drinker. My job: to hunt and kill evil men. My friends are very few.
I look like a beautiful hawk. I make women moan at the sight of me, but I am no lover. Women are an attachment; women are not for me. But I like the smell of them. I sleep naked in my bed, or in their beds, but always alone - alone in my heart. Pity the lonely Texas Ranger!
I live in the Old West, at the end of that era, the heroes all dead, the gunfighters mainly fools, they name themselves Kid This and Kid That.
I live in a novel that is often terribly written. But sometimes not. A laconic novel. A pulpy novel. A novel where buzzards make cries like ravens, where rats whimper and rub themselves against your leg. A novel where the villains are surprisingly three-dimensional. These villains are fully formed and live real lives; they live until they abruptly die. The novel was written by a Norwegian; he wrote many such novels. It is a hypnotic novel in its laconic, pulpy, often terrible way. You will read it cover to cover in one sitting.
I am a hero that does feel fear, that does cry. But if you shoot me, best make sure I am dead. I breathe revenge as I breathe air. My name is Morgan Kane.
I AM TEXAS RANGER!
I am a gambler. I am a fighter. I am a drinker. My job: to hunt and kill evil men. My friends are very few.
I look like a beautiful hawk. I make women moan at the sight of me, but I am no lover. Women are an attachment; women are not for me. But I like the smell of them. I sleep naked in my bed, or in their beds, but always alone - alone in my heart. Pity the lonely Texas Ranger!
I live in the Old West, at the end of that era, the heroes all dead, the gunfighters mainly fools, they name themselves Kid This and Kid That.
I live in a novel that is often terribly written. But sometimes not. A laconic novel. A pulpy novel. A novel where buzzards make cries like ravens, where rats whimper and rub themselves against your leg. A novel where the villains are surprisingly three-dimensional. These villains are fully formed and live real lives; they live until they abruptly die. The novel was written by a Norwegian; he wrote many such novels. It is a hypnotic novel in its laconic, pulpy, often terrible way. You will read it cover to cover in one sitting.
I am a hero that does feel fear, that does cry. But if you shoot me, best make sure I am dead. I breathe revenge as I breathe air. My name is Morgan Kane.
I AM TEXAS RANGER!
October 21, 2013
This book was a Goodreads Giveaway from WR Films Entertainment Group
As such, I owe my review to them here.
Rating: 3.5* of five
It's an amazement to me that Louis Masterson, born Kjell Hallbing, is pretty much unknown in the US. His character Morgan Kane, violent gambling sociopathic killer, is the perfect expression of a Western hero. I can only guess American publishers in the 1970s were reluctant to bring a Norwegian author's translated works to a market that was moving away from Westerns as a primary entertainment source.
I don't read in Norwegian, so I don't know if the translation is faithful or not. I can say that the plot is the reason to read the book. It's a revenge story, setting Kane against multiple enemies after he loses a rigged poker hand and is wiped out. He's not mad because he's lost a lot of money...$10,000 was a huge fortune for most folks in the nineteenth century, more money than most would earn in a decade...he's wounded in his vanity because he was set up.
The twists and the turns of his plot to revenge himself are unrealistic, and the details of Texas are pretty much not accurate (I'm being polite, the banks of the Brazos were "almost beautiful" oh dear), and there are some what-the-heck moments like a woman smelling of hibiscus flowers...what? she washed her hair in hibiscus tea or something?...but the reason I kept reading was simple. It's a revenge story set in Texas! This is Western-watching and -reading Nirvana. And the bodies of the baddies pile up with agreeable celerity, I must admit.
The movie shoot-'em-up made from this is a-gonna be a hoot. The production is completely locked down, no one associated with it is talking, and there isn't even a release date for the film that I can find. The fun will include Kane making Bond look sensitive and wimpish around women, too.
All in all, a testosterone-fest and a great chance to make the cash registers ring with twenties from every lonely Clint Eastwood-in-the-movies fan alive. Well spotted at last, Hollywood!
I'll go see the movie.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
As such, I owe my review to them here.
Rating: 3.5* of five
It's an amazement to me that Louis Masterson, born Kjell Hallbing, is pretty much unknown in the US. His character Morgan Kane, violent gambling sociopathic killer, is the perfect expression of a Western hero. I can only guess American publishers in the 1970s were reluctant to bring a Norwegian author's translated works to a market that was moving away from Westerns as a primary entertainment source.
I don't read in Norwegian, so I don't know if the translation is faithful or not. I can say that the plot is the reason to read the book. It's a revenge story, setting Kane against multiple enemies after he loses a rigged poker hand and is wiped out. He's not mad because he's lost a lot of money...$10,000 was a huge fortune for most folks in the nineteenth century, more money than most would earn in a decade...he's wounded in his vanity because he was set up.
The twists and the turns of his plot to revenge himself are unrealistic, and the details of Texas are pretty much not accurate (I'm being polite, the banks of the Brazos were "almost beautiful" oh dear), and there are some what-the-heck moments like a woman smelling of hibiscus flowers...what? she washed her hair in hibiscus tea or something?...but the reason I kept reading was simple. It's a revenge story set in Texas! This is Western-watching and -reading Nirvana. And the bodies of the baddies pile up with agreeable celerity, I must admit.
The movie shoot-'em-up made from this is a-gonna be a hoot. The production is completely locked down, no one associated with it is talking, and there isn't even a release date for the film that I can find. The fun will include Kane making Bond look sensitive and wimpish around women, too.
All in all, a testosterone-fest and a great chance to make the cash registers ring with twenties from every lonely Clint Eastwood-in-the-movies fan alive. Well spotted at last, Hollywood!
I'll go see the movie.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
August 26, 2013
Before I give my review, three things.
First: The version I read is a recent reprint from WR Films. They contacted me through my blog and asked if I would read and review this book as they are planning to re-release them all as eBooks and have movies to tie the books into. I said yes but Westerns aren't my thing, and they sent me a free copy anyway. I won't enter this version into the Goodreads database 'cause I don't work for Amazon for free. Also, there's no ISBN.
Second: The book is riddled with typos, misspellings, mispunctuations, and general careless editing. I wasn't reading for editing, just turning down corners whenever I found a mistake on a page. 14 pages (out of 124) are dog-eared.
Third: The cover claims that the series was an international bestseller for Mr. Louis Masterson (a pseudonym of Norwegian writer Kjell Hallbing).
So, Westerns aren't my thing, but I've read a few. Enough, say, to recognize a good Western written by a good writer. This reads as if it had been translated using Google, and I find it significant that there is no translator credited anywhere in the colophon. Actually, it sounds like it was translated by Google and then rewritten by a screenwriter. The publisher has Films in their name, leaving me to suspect all sorts of dark things. Primarily, that they don't give a good rat's ass about the book, but are just trying to drum up publicity for the next blockbuster. I care about books too much to approve of this shoddy effort.
There are a lot of breasts in this book, all belonging to very young vixens and temptresses who are forever arching their backs so their nipples strain against the fabric. The hero is steely-eyed, a quick draw, and a helluva card player. Sometimes he drinks. Sometimes he kills bad guys. He never, never falls in love. But those nipples, boy howdy, they haunt him. He can ride a horse, and climb silently into windows. Every woman he talks to falls in love with him for no apparent reason. He can sew up his own gunshot wounds by puncturing his own skin and tying it up with bits of his shirt.
I can sort of see the ghost of what might have been a book that, even if it wasn't for me, might have been worth reading when it was new in 1971. But this version? No. Oh, HELL NO.
First: The version I read is a recent reprint from WR Films. They contacted me through my blog and asked if I would read and review this book as they are planning to re-release them all as eBooks and have movies to tie the books into. I said yes but Westerns aren't my thing, and they sent me a free copy anyway. I won't enter this version into the Goodreads database 'cause I don't work for Amazon for free. Also, there's no ISBN.
Second: The book is riddled with typos, misspellings, mispunctuations, and general careless editing. I wasn't reading for editing, just turning down corners whenever I found a mistake on a page. 14 pages (out of 124) are dog-eared.
Third: The cover claims that the series was an international bestseller for Mr. Louis Masterson (a pseudonym of Norwegian writer Kjell Hallbing).
So, Westerns aren't my thing, but I've read a few. Enough, say, to recognize a good Western written by a good writer. This reads as if it had been translated using Google, and I find it significant that there is no translator credited anywhere in the colophon. Actually, it sounds like it was translated by Google and then rewritten by a screenwriter. The publisher has Films in their name, leaving me to suspect all sorts of dark things. Primarily, that they don't give a good rat's ass about the book, but are just trying to drum up publicity for the next blockbuster. I care about books too much to approve of this shoddy effort.
There are a lot of breasts in this book, all belonging to very young vixens and temptresses who are forever arching their backs so their nipples strain against the fabric. The hero is steely-eyed, a quick draw, and a helluva card player. Sometimes he drinks. Sometimes he kills bad guys. He never, never falls in love. But those nipples, boy howdy, they haunt him. He can ride a horse, and climb silently into windows. Every woman he talks to falls in love with him for no apparent reason. He can sew up his own gunshot wounds by puncturing his own skin and tying it up with bits of his shirt.
I can sort of see the ghost of what might have been a book that, even if it wasn't for me, might have been worth reading when it was new in 1971. But this version? No. Oh, HELL NO.
January 23, 2014
(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted illegally.)
This is truly one of the more bizarre books we've ever received here at CCLaP headquarters; and unfortunately, unlike normal, I don't mean that in a good way today. Supposedly a popular American-style Western series in Norway where the author is from (his real name is not "Louis Masterson" but Kjell Hallbing, and the first volume originally came out almost half a century ago), 80 titles in size now and with a collective 20 million copies sold, this first-ever English edition of volume one arrived with great fanfare from one "WR Films" production company, with big talk about how this is in the process of getting made into the next fabled Big Hollywood Summer Franchise; but then when I sat down and actually read it, I learned that it's more like some weird Saturday Night Live sketch come to true life, where they're making fun of a northern European who decided one day to write an American Western "Shprokets" style, all weird and obtuse and with something indefinably off about the whole thing. This then led me down the rabbithole of the stranger and stranger WR Films, and all the truly weird inconsistencies inherent in their operations: their CEO is supposedly the former president of Warner Home Video, for example, which would make one assume them to be a company with millions to spare, yet their cover letter arrived on plain "Home Depot Special" laserprinter paper obviously outputted on some cheap home personal printer. Then there's the book's official website which turns out to point only to a big ad for cheap pharmaceuticals; and there's the fact that their cover letter declared them to be not WR Films at all but Velocity House Publishing, which based on my research seems to be one of those sceevy "franchise incubation factory" companies (you know, like James Frey's) that attempt to take an unknown author's franchise idea and "cook" it into a viable moneymaking bestseller and Hollywood production deal, through such ethically questionable activities as search-engine manipulation and the like. Whew, what a huge amount of behind-the-scenes hands and money that's already been attached to a mediocre Western that reads almost like a parody of itself!
Ultimately there's a detail here that neatly encapsulates everything wrong with Texas Ranger Morgan Kane #1: Without Mercy (and wrong with the entire "franchise incubator" concept for that matter, a bottom-line-oriented approach to publishing that tends to do yucky things like refer to novels as "content units" and "information reports"), which is that this book went out with literally dozens of obvious typos and punctuation errors, badly typeset and with too small a font; and while regular readers know that I'm usually very tolerant of such small mistakes when they come from basement presses, trying to put out an entire novel for fifty bucks and with one employee, this is from a company that's trying to present itself publicly as no less than the next Dreamworks, and from a company with that kind of staff and budget, the quality of this book is unacceptable, simply unacceptable. I consider it a real insult to me as a reviewer, and especially a reviewer who kindly offers to automatically review any book that a person takes the trouble to send me, to be forced to deal with a manuscript that's in such amateurish shape, from a company who should both know better and who has the money to do better; and if I could offer a little piece of advice to the executives over there at WR Films, before you spend any more money on fancy production design sketches, do us all a favor and hire a f-cking proofreader first.
Out of 10: 0.7
UPDATE: See this fellow Goodreads review for a parody of the type of bizarrely off-kilter "Shprockets" style dialogue I was talking about. Nothing you can put your finger on, but that still makes you squint and say, "What, are you Norwegian or something?"
This is truly one of the more bizarre books we've ever received here at CCLaP headquarters; and unfortunately, unlike normal, I don't mean that in a good way today. Supposedly a popular American-style Western series in Norway where the author is from (his real name is not "Louis Masterson" but Kjell Hallbing, and the first volume originally came out almost half a century ago), 80 titles in size now and with a collective 20 million copies sold, this first-ever English edition of volume one arrived with great fanfare from one "WR Films" production company, with big talk about how this is in the process of getting made into the next fabled Big Hollywood Summer Franchise; but then when I sat down and actually read it, I learned that it's more like some weird Saturday Night Live sketch come to true life, where they're making fun of a northern European who decided one day to write an American Western "Shprokets" style, all weird and obtuse and with something indefinably off about the whole thing. This then led me down the rabbithole of the stranger and stranger WR Films, and all the truly weird inconsistencies inherent in their operations: their CEO is supposedly the former president of Warner Home Video, for example, which would make one assume them to be a company with millions to spare, yet their cover letter arrived on plain "Home Depot Special" laserprinter paper obviously outputted on some cheap home personal printer. Then there's the book's official website which turns out to point only to a big ad for cheap pharmaceuticals; and there's the fact that their cover letter declared them to be not WR Films at all but Velocity House Publishing, which based on my research seems to be one of those sceevy "franchise incubation factory" companies (you know, like James Frey's) that attempt to take an unknown author's franchise idea and "cook" it into a viable moneymaking bestseller and Hollywood production deal, through such ethically questionable activities as search-engine manipulation and the like. Whew, what a huge amount of behind-the-scenes hands and money that's already been attached to a mediocre Western that reads almost like a parody of itself!
Ultimately there's a detail here that neatly encapsulates everything wrong with Texas Ranger Morgan Kane #1: Without Mercy (and wrong with the entire "franchise incubator" concept for that matter, a bottom-line-oriented approach to publishing that tends to do yucky things like refer to novels as "content units" and "information reports"), which is that this book went out with literally dozens of obvious typos and punctuation errors, badly typeset and with too small a font; and while regular readers know that I'm usually very tolerant of such small mistakes when they come from basement presses, trying to put out an entire novel for fifty bucks and with one employee, this is from a company that's trying to present itself publicly as no less than the next Dreamworks, and from a company with that kind of staff and budget, the quality of this book is unacceptable, simply unacceptable. I consider it a real insult to me as a reviewer, and especially a reviewer who kindly offers to automatically review any book that a person takes the trouble to send me, to be forced to deal with a manuscript that's in such amateurish shape, from a company who should both know better and who has the money to do better; and if I could offer a little piece of advice to the executives over there at WR Films, before you spend any more money on fancy production design sketches, do us all a favor and hire a f-cking proofreader first.
Out of 10: 0.7
UPDATE: See this fellow Goodreads review for a parody of the type of bizarrely off-kilter "Shprockets" style dialogue I was talking about. Nothing you can put your finger on, but that still makes you squint and say, "What, are you Norwegian or something?"
May 6, 2015
3.5
Disclaimer: I received a free copy for review. I also like Westerns, more so to watch.
Note: Louis Masterson is Norwegian, and the copy I received doesn’t say if it is translated (and if so by whom). I am presuming it is translated, and please be aware that some criticism might be due to the translation. Also note that the copy was produced by the film company that is developing Morgan Kane as a film.
The inner page of Morgan Kane: Without Mercy describes the title character as “the 19th century equivalent of James Bond . . . “. It is an apt description, though in this volume at least, Kane is not a spy. The main problem that I had as a reader of this first volume was simply the female characters. There are a total of five, and all are stereotypes. In many ways, the three central ones are James Bond stereotypes. There is the evil temptress, the virginal good girl, and the non-virginal good girl. I also have to admit, as a woman, describing each woman in terms of her breasts was a bit of a turn off. Furthermore, and this might be a translation issue, the idea of father thinking how attractive his daughter’s breast and hips are, then having said daughter wiggle her hips to torment her father is disturbing. (Note that there is not incest. There really isn’t a suggestion of it. I do not think the father in question desires his daughter. It just was a weird and slightly uncomfortable passage).
Despite the problem of the James Bond women, I actually thought this was a likable book, and I can understand the drive to turn it into a movie. Kane was left for dead and wants revenge. Typical plot. While Masterson’s young females are flat, Kane is an intriguing character – neither wholly saint nor wholly sinner. He seems to be the love children of Dirty Harry and the Lone Ranger. Unlike James Bond, while he might be attracted to a woman, he does keep his hands off those he knows are too young or naïve.
It is both the character of Kane and the quick paced plot that make the book worth reading. The book is short, and most readers could finish it quite easily in a two hour period. The pacing is really excellent. There is no unneeded detail, no repetition. It is refreshing. The villains are more than just mustache twirling dastards. Furthermore, they do not take stupid pills after running into the hero.
In some ways, the book is a descendent of those dime novels that were popular in the Old West. One of those books that made people head West. Or perhaps it is a descendent of The Wild West Shows. If you like Eastwood in Westerns, M7, or Tombstone; this is a worthy read. While the women may be more in the vein of Moore's Bond movies, Kane himself and the plot are more Craig or Connery.
It is an enjoyable action story. I can see why WR Films Entertainment Group wants to make a movie of it. I don’t understand why Masterson is better known in the US. But at least now I have a Western series to read again.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy for review. I also like Westerns, more so to watch.
Note: Louis Masterson is Norwegian, and the copy I received doesn’t say if it is translated (and if so by whom). I am presuming it is translated, and please be aware that some criticism might be due to the translation. Also note that the copy was produced by the film company that is developing Morgan Kane as a film.
The inner page of Morgan Kane: Without Mercy describes the title character as “the 19th century equivalent of James Bond . . . “. It is an apt description, though in this volume at least, Kane is not a spy. The main problem that I had as a reader of this first volume was simply the female characters. There are a total of five, and all are stereotypes. In many ways, the three central ones are James Bond stereotypes. There is the evil temptress, the virginal good girl, and the non-virginal good girl. I also have to admit, as a woman, describing each woman in terms of her breasts was a bit of a turn off. Furthermore, and this might be a translation issue, the idea of father thinking how attractive his daughter’s breast and hips are, then having said daughter wiggle her hips to torment her father is disturbing. (Note that there is not incest. There really isn’t a suggestion of it. I do not think the father in question desires his daughter. It just was a weird and slightly uncomfortable passage).
Despite the problem of the James Bond women, I actually thought this was a likable book, and I can understand the drive to turn it into a movie. Kane was left for dead and wants revenge. Typical plot. While Masterson’s young females are flat, Kane is an intriguing character – neither wholly saint nor wholly sinner. He seems to be the love children of Dirty Harry and the Lone Ranger. Unlike James Bond, while he might be attracted to a woman, he does keep his hands off those he knows are too young or naïve.
It is both the character of Kane and the quick paced plot that make the book worth reading. The book is short, and most readers could finish it quite easily in a two hour period. The pacing is really excellent. There is no unneeded detail, no repetition. It is refreshing. The villains are more than just mustache twirling dastards. Furthermore, they do not take stupid pills after running into the hero.
In some ways, the book is a descendent of those dime novels that were popular in the Old West. One of those books that made people head West. Or perhaps it is a descendent of The Wild West Shows. If you like Eastwood in Westerns, M7, or Tombstone; this is a worthy read. While the women may be more in the vein of Moore's Bond movies, Kane himself and the plot are more Craig or Connery.
It is an enjoyable action story. I can see why WR Films Entertainment Group wants to make a movie of it. I don’t understand why Masterson is better known in the US. But at least now I have a Western series to read again.
February 26, 2018
Legendaarse pulp-kangelase Morgan Kane terve sarja avapauk ja esimene etteaste. Siin on juba kõik elemendid, mis järgnevas 80-osalises sarjas veel korduvalt ette tulevad: viskikaanimine, kõikide naiste hoobilt rajalt maha võtmine, duellid coltidega, pahade mahakõmmutamine, ebainimlike sepitsuste kimpu langemine ja üleinimliku tahtejõu ja tihti ka deus ex machina abil neist välja rabelemine.
Klassika ja kuld. Kõik mida sa oled tahtnud teada Metsikust Läänest, on siin olemas.
Klassika ja kuld. Kõik mida sa oled tahtnud teada Metsikust Läänest, on siin olemas.
August 27, 2013
"The Wild West Returns With Morgan Kane, Texas Ranger"
From one of the most famous authors, Kjell Hallbing under the pseudonym Louis Masterson, has written 83 novels featuring Morgan Kane. The series has sold over 20 million copies in Europe. "Without Mercy" is the third eBook in the series, following "El Gringo" and El Gringo's Revenge. Losing a poker hand of four sevens to a straight flush is hard to take. For Texas Ranger Morgan Kane, it represents a loss of $10,000. Though he appears calm, his spine is tingling. He doesn't begrudge the monetary loss, but the three men at the poker table had fooled him. There are no obvious signs that they cheated, but he feels he'd been sucked in with wins before the big bomb had been dropped on him. Morgan had stopped in St. Louis returning from a mission to Illinois to capture a swindler from Waco, Texas. He was forced to kill the swindler. Little did he know that one of the men at the poker table was the swindler's brother, who knows of his brother's demise. Troy Duncan is out for revenge for his brother, and the first step is stripping Morgan of his money. The second stage is more savage. I haven't read a western novel in a very long time, but I amazed myself by being swept away into the old west as if I was watching an old black and white western. Morgan Kane is definitely no wimp; in fact, he acts more as a vigilante driven to overcome challenges. This book is very exciting, though brutal in parts, but also has a touch of romance, as well as the drive to survive. All this makes for an outstanding story, one you won't want to put down. I look forward to reading more Morgan Kane stories. Also, a movie project is in the works, "Morgan Kane: The Legend Begins" and I look forward to seeing it on the silver screen.
From one of the most famous authors, Kjell Hallbing under the pseudonym Louis Masterson, has written 83 novels featuring Morgan Kane. The series has sold over 20 million copies in Europe. "Without Mercy" is the third eBook in the series, following "El Gringo" and El Gringo's Revenge. Losing a poker hand of four sevens to a straight flush is hard to take. For Texas Ranger Morgan Kane, it represents a loss of $10,000. Though he appears calm, his spine is tingling. He doesn't begrudge the monetary loss, but the three men at the poker table had fooled him. There are no obvious signs that they cheated, but he feels he'd been sucked in with wins before the big bomb had been dropped on him. Morgan had stopped in St. Louis returning from a mission to Illinois to capture a swindler from Waco, Texas. He was forced to kill the swindler. Little did he know that one of the men at the poker table was the swindler's brother, who knows of his brother's demise. Troy Duncan is out for revenge for his brother, and the first step is stripping Morgan of his money. The second stage is more savage. I haven't read a western novel in a very long time, but I amazed myself by being swept away into the old west as if I was watching an old black and white western. Morgan Kane is definitely no wimp; in fact, he acts more as a vigilante driven to overcome challenges. This book is very exciting, though brutal in parts, but also has a touch of romance, as well as the drive to survive. All this makes for an outstanding story, one you won't want to put down. I look forward to reading more Morgan Kane stories. Also, a movie project is in the works, "Morgan Kane: The Legend Begins" and I look forward to seeing it on the silver screen.
September 10, 2013
Morgan Kane is a Texas ranger. He is also a gambler. However for him it is more about the game than it is about the money. Good thing as Kane loses ten thousand dollars in three minutes...ouch. Kane does not realize that it is part of a set up. Kane gets on the train to go to the next location. It is on the train that Kane meets the lovely Allison. Kane and Allison go outside on the platform to get some air and get more familiar with each other when suddenly Kane is surrounded by several men. Kane's shooter hand is blasted with a bullet and he is shot again and tossed from the train. Kane awakes to find himself alive. He vows revenge. Boy will he get his revenge.
I love a good western. Cowboys have a special place in my heart. Texas Rangers are tough, make good characters and kick ass. I can remember watching Chuck Norris as Texas Ranger. To me honest if I had not been contacted to review this book, I would not have ever known about it. This would have been a shame. While there is predictability in the story, I still had a enjoyable time reading this book. Most of the characters are not very memorable but that is ok because it was Kane that really made this book a good time for me. He is someone I picture when I think of westerns. He is kind of like a legend. You have heard of him but you are not really sure if he exists. He hangs around just long enough to get the job done and leave. The love interest in this book was not up to par. I found her weak. this book is a fast, paced, read. After reading this book, I am interested to see the movie version. Hopefully it will be good. Morgan Kane: Without Mercy draws with both guns a blaze.
October 23, 2013
Revenge is a double-edged sword!
Although I don't usually read westerns, the offer to read this one in exchange for an honest review got me interested. Kane is more than a typical gunslinger lawman. The author portrays a rounded character with fears and doubts that could end his career. When the clever gang leader set out to destroy Kane, they wanted to take away everything that the lawman treasured, his money, his skill, and his life. Kane must drag himself back from the brink of death and face his own demons before he can extract his own deadly revenge. A lessor man might give up, might let himself die. A lessor man would not be Morgan Kane.
From the first page I was hooked by the gritty story, cheering Kane on as he fought back from disaster. If Hollywood doesn't cast a hunky guy in the role of Morgan Kane and make a blockbuster movie from this book, they've lost their greedy minds. Morgan Kane is Zorro, Wolverine, Indiana Jones, and Superman rolled into one. The author created a better hero because he portrayed the man's humanity. Kane faces the enemy with a tremor in his gut because he's afraid he might not be as fast on the draw as he used to be. Revenge may be a double-edged sword, but Morgan Kane sharpened both edges with his determination. If you love westerns, if you love stories about heroes, you'll love Morgan Kane.
Although I don't usually read westerns, the offer to read this one in exchange for an honest review got me interested. Kane is more than a typical gunslinger lawman. The author portrays a rounded character with fears and doubts that could end his career. When the clever gang leader set out to destroy Kane, they wanted to take away everything that the lawman treasured, his money, his skill, and his life. Kane must drag himself back from the brink of death and face his own demons before he can extract his own deadly revenge. A lessor man might give up, might let himself die. A lessor man would not be Morgan Kane.
From the first page I was hooked by the gritty story, cheering Kane on as he fought back from disaster. If Hollywood doesn't cast a hunky guy in the role of Morgan Kane and make a blockbuster movie from this book, they've lost their greedy minds. Morgan Kane is Zorro, Wolverine, Indiana Jones, and Superman rolled into one. The author created a better hero because he portrayed the man's humanity. Kane faces the enemy with a tremor in his gut because he's afraid he might not be as fast on the draw as he used to be. Revenge may be a double-edged sword, but Morgan Kane sharpened both edges with his determination. If you love westerns, if you love stories about heroes, you'll love Morgan Kane.
August 26, 2013
Louis Masterson’s Morgan Kane: Without Mercy is traditional Western adventure with Texas rangers, gunslingers, farmers protecting their daughters, railway tracks crossing the wide open spaces, violence, deception and romance. First in the series, it introduces a complex character through immediate action, avoiding long descriptions and backstories. The method works well. Readers are immediately pulled into the mystery of why and how Kane gets cheated at cards. We follow him onto the train and wonder at the beautiful woman who sits near him. We watch as fear proves a powerful force, even for a fearsome ranger, and Kane is immediately real—not invincible, not all-wise, not without flaws, and not even overly handsome.
A novel where the hero overcomes serious adversity, where options narrow and the path not taken is definitely alluring, Without Mercy has the fast violent action of a 60s TV series, nicely balanced with scenes of beauty and temptation. The women fall for Kane, and so will readers—it’s a quick fun read that takes you back to a time when heroes’ superpowers were a steady aim and a healthy recovery from pain.
Disclosure: I received a free copy from the publisher with a request for my honest review.
A novel where the hero overcomes serious adversity, where options narrow and the path not taken is definitely alluring, Without Mercy has the fast violent action of a 60s TV series, nicely balanced with scenes of beauty and temptation. The women fall for Kane, and so will readers—it’s a quick fun read that takes you back to a time when heroes’ superpowers were a steady aim and a healthy recovery from pain.
Disclosure: I received a free copy from the publisher with a request for my honest review.
October 7, 2013
"Morgan Kane - Without Mercy" is a straightforward Western story of a Texas Ranger who recovers from the brink of death to seek revenge on those that tried to kill him. The book description gives away the entire premise of the story, and there weren’t any surprises or twists along the way.
Overall, I thought the story was an average Western read with typical characters, but some of the words and scenes seemed a bit out-of-place for the Westerns I’ve read. For example, characters “gesticulated” wildly, Kane had a hint of “erotic self-assurance”, and at one point Kane felt up a young lady on a train. I’m used to reading Louis L’Amour and Elmore Leonard, and I don’t recall any of their stories including this type of language or action.
The transition between scenes and/or different points of view was a bit abrupt at times, and I often checked to see if I had accidentally skipped a page. This might have something to do with the fact that the book was originally written in Norwegian later translated to English.
DISCLOSURE
Velocity House Publishing sent me a complementary review copy. I don’t have a relationship with the publisher, and the free copy didn’t influence my review.
Overall, I thought the story was an average Western read with typical characters, but some of the words and scenes seemed a bit out-of-place for the Westerns I’ve read. For example, characters “gesticulated” wildly, Kane had a hint of “erotic self-assurance”, and at one point Kane felt up a young lady on a train. I’m used to reading Louis L’Amour and Elmore Leonard, and I don’t recall any of their stories including this type of language or action.
The transition between scenes and/or different points of view was a bit abrupt at times, and I often checked to see if I had accidentally skipped a page. This might have something to do with the fact that the book was originally written in Norwegian later translated to English.
DISCLOSURE
Velocity House Publishing sent me a complementary review copy. I don’t have a relationship with the publisher, and the free copy didn’t influence my review.
September 25, 2012
Book 1 in a series of 83 about Texas Ranger (later US Marshall) Morgan Kane.
Spoiler!
Kane is introduced with his abilities and shortcomings. The baddies aim to kill Kane to get revenge after Kane killed the leaders brother. They device a plan to humiliate him and leave him to die slowly in the desert. Kane survives, heals, retrain his shooting abilities and goes after them.
Easy to read western literature that is fairly well written without taking itself too seriously.
As most of the books about Kane it is a 3 - 6 hour read. The plot is simple. The build towards climax easy to follow. The bad guys are presented well enough to fear them but not enough to care what happens to them.
PG some profanity plus violent and sexual contents but nothing too serious.
Spoiler!
Kane is introduced with his abilities and shortcomings. The baddies aim to kill Kane to get revenge after Kane killed the leaders brother. They device a plan to humiliate him and leave him to die slowly in the desert. Kane survives, heals, retrain his shooting abilities and goes after them.
Easy to read western literature that is fairly well written without taking itself too seriously.
As most of the books about Kane it is a 3 - 6 hour read. The plot is simple. The build towards climax easy to follow. The bad guys are presented well enough to fear them but not enough to care what happens to them.
PG some profanity plus violent and sexual contents but nothing too serious.
November 16, 2012
Why do I feel bad for liking this book?
Should I have an aversion against reading westerns?
Maybe. There is alot of bad western books.
this is definitly not one of them
So, why do I like this book?
I read this book ages ago.. And I still remember it..
It stayed with me.
And that is because Mr. Kjell Hallbing/ Masterson is a
good writer. This is the book, of all those I have read,
that left me with most pictures.. This drove my imagination
throughout the whole book.
It`s a great read. Simple, easy to read - funny, tragic...
It`s about love, revenge, poker, whiskey - all that is great.
Great book, by a good writer.
April 1, 2020
Kjell Hallbing used to churn these novels out at the rate of one a month and of course the stories suffer for it. They are, to put it bluntly, hackwork. The inspiration for the series seems to have come from Ian Fleming's James Bond novels as well as the then equally popular spaghetti Westerns. A rather unsavory mixture and not the sources you should go to, not if you are aiming for authenticity.
It doesn't help that Morgan Kane isn't a very interesting character. In fact, he comes across as rather stupid as well as opinionated, and he drinks way too much, something that often clouds his judgment at the wrong moment. When Killer Kane (an appellation he shares with the more famous nemesis of Buck Rogers) hits a new town he usually heads for the nearest saloon or brothel instead of visiting the local sheriff, which would have made more sense if you are a Texas ranger looking for an outlaw and not just a country bumpkin out for a "good" time.
Kjell Hallbing was once asked why he wrote westerns and he answered that it was the one genre where it was the easiest for an author to wing it. In other words, write about something that your audience knows little or nothing about and you can rest assured that no one will call you out for the mistakes you're bound to make. That seems rather mercenary to me. Enough said.
Well, not quite. Kjell Hallbing apparently wasn't the only Norwegian author who thought so. Finn Halse, a lawyer who wrote popular fiction in his spare time, was equally productive and churned out reams of westerns under pen names like Tex Miller, Freddy March and Ramon Costello. None of his novels have been translated into English. But they're actually more fun the Kane novels since they take themselves less seriously.
It doesn't help that Morgan Kane isn't a very interesting character. In fact, he comes across as rather stupid as well as opinionated, and he drinks way too much, something that often clouds his judgment at the wrong moment. When Killer Kane (an appellation he shares with the more famous nemesis of Buck Rogers) hits a new town he usually heads for the nearest saloon or brothel instead of visiting the local sheriff, which would have made more sense if you are a Texas ranger looking for an outlaw and not just a country bumpkin out for a "good" time.
Kjell Hallbing was once asked why he wrote westerns and he answered that it was the one genre where it was the easiest for an author to wing it. In other words, write about something that your audience knows little or nothing about and you can rest assured that no one will call you out for the mistakes you're bound to make. That seems rather mercenary to me. Enough said.
Well, not quite. Kjell Hallbing apparently wasn't the only Norwegian author who thought so. Finn Halse, a lawyer who wrote popular fiction in his spare time, was equally productive and churned out reams of westerns under pen names like Tex Miller, Freddy March and Ramon Costello. None of his novels have been translated into English. But they're actually more fun the Kane novels since they take themselves less seriously.
December 5, 2022
Så har jeg lest min første Morgan Kane bok.
Deler av den er ganske bra. Underholdende om en revolverman, slik en kan se det for seg.
Men kvinnene er noe av det mest endimensjonale jeg har sett fremstilt i en bok.
Rene fantasier fra prepubertale fjortiser, som bare vil at kvinner skal dåne for en flott man.
Men Morgan Kane karakteren kan jeg lese mer om
Deler av den er ganske bra. Underholdende om en revolverman, slik en kan se det for seg.
Men kvinnene er noe av det mest endimensjonale jeg har sett fremstilt i en bok.
Rene fantasier fra prepubertale fjortiser, som bare vil at kvinner skal dåne for en flott man.
Men Morgan Kane karakteren kan jeg lese mer om
November 20, 2018
It's OK
I'm not sure if it's the writing or the translation to English but the book is kinda clunky. The story's not bad but it's not very original either.
The book is OK but I doubt I'll read any of the others.
I'm not sure if it's the writing or the translation to English but the book is kinda clunky. The story's not bad but it's not very original either.
The book is OK but I doubt I'll read any of the others.
November 21, 2013
Pulp works truly fascinate me. Typically, they employ an economy of language to create a whole world fresh on the page, one where right and wrong are easily identified. Authors have no trouble serving up a hero to cheer and a villain worthy of our hissing at; but this doesn’t mean that every tale told is a tale worth telling … if you catch my drift. Origin tales in pulp can be particularly challenging if the lead character – be he a gambler, a drifter, an avenger – are not clearly drawn, clearly defined, and clearly worth being followed.
That said, WITHOUT MERCY is an acceptable first adventure that brings Morgan Kane (nearly) back from the dead; sadly, it just isn’t all that memorable.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the kind of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last three paragraphs for my final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
Morgan Kane is not having the time of his life. He’s been shot. He’s been thrown from a train. He’s been left for dead. And now he’s understandably angry. Thankfully, he’s been found and nurtured back to good health. When the time is right, he’ll set out after those who did him wrong, and he’ll repay their transgressions against him … without mercy! (See how that works, folks?)
For clarity, WITHOUT MERCY was first published in 1966; and, according to current stats, the entire MORGAN KANE catalogue has become a bit of a reading sensation, apparently dominating the eBooks charts over at iTunes. I’ve also read that there’s some interest in a major motion picture, and, based on the story I read, I can certainly see how that might work to everyone’s benefit. As a product of the 1960’s, it bears a lot of similarities with other pulp-ish and/or hard-boiled titles, though I’d personally say it owes more to pulp reading than it does vintage crime. I’ve only read a handful of Westerns in my life; while this one isn’t my favorite, it’s certainly an entertaining adventure.
The chief struggle I had with WITHOUT MERCY is the overall blandness of its characters. At the start of the tale, Kane is ‘damaged goods’ – he falls prey to a beautiful woman and her dastardly companions – so it goes without saying that maybe he’d be a mind hard to get into. However, as the tale goes on and he recovers, he never rises to the level of ‘bookshelf hero’ that would put him alongside such other memorable creations as Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer or even Ian Fleming’s James Bond. He just isn’t all that interesting – he’s a Texas Ranger, and he doesn’t appear to be “out for blood” despite the fact that he was just left for dead, though Masterson would have you believe that Kane’s on his own mission for vengeance – and neither are those who shot him and threw him off a moving train.
To his credit, Kane starts to come alive as a character in the latter half – he’s well but still wounded by what he’s been through. There’s greater purpose to a man driven to see justice served than there ever is in the set-up for tragedy he suffers; and once Masterson delivers the motivation the book gets much better. Still, that’s a long way to go without much ‘gumption,’ as one of the regulars of Kane’s era might put it.
Also, I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that this edition (dated 2013 on the back cover but might only be a reprinting of a 1971 version) has more than a few typographical errors in it. While I can be forgiving of a few, the more there are the more I am pulled out of the narrative as a reader … and that’s never a good thing. If it were my property, I’d certainly pay it a bit more time and give it more attention to clean up some of those matters first; then it might be worth re-launching an all-new printing in 2016 commemorating its 50th anniversary. But this current version left me a bit wanting.
MORGAN KANE: WITHOUT MERCY is written by Louis Masterson. The book is published by Velocity House Publishing, though Amazon.com lists that there’s a digital version available via WR Films Entertainment Group, Inc. at the low, low price of $3.99, a bargain (indeed) if you can get it.
RECOMMENDED. There’s nothing all that wrong with a quick read like WITHOUT MERCY; it’s just that – so far as this reader is concerned – there’s nothing all that memorable about it, either. The characters all feel a bit bland – even the hero! – and the situation and circumstances are not all that dissimilar to the origins of, say, the Lone Ranger, a true Texas Ranger if there ever was. Still, as a first story, it’s a solid set-up of the character of Morgan Kane and the world he inhabits; I’d definitely be inclined to watch for more down the road, but, based on this tale, I wouldn’t rush to pick one up any time soon.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Velocity House Publishing provided me with a complimentary copy of MORGAN KANE: WITHOUT MERCY by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review.
That said, WITHOUT MERCY is an acceptable first adventure that brings Morgan Kane (nearly) back from the dead; sadly, it just isn’t all that memorable.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the kind of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last three paragraphs for my final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
Morgan Kane is not having the time of his life. He’s been shot. He’s been thrown from a train. He’s been left for dead. And now he’s understandably angry. Thankfully, he’s been found and nurtured back to good health. When the time is right, he’ll set out after those who did him wrong, and he’ll repay their transgressions against him … without mercy! (See how that works, folks?)
For clarity, WITHOUT MERCY was first published in 1966; and, according to current stats, the entire MORGAN KANE catalogue has become a bit of a reading sensation, apparently dominating the eBooks charts over at iTunes. I’ve also read that there’s some interest in a major motion picture, and, based on the story I read, I can certainly see how that might work to everyone’s benefit. As a product of the 1960’s, it bears a lot of similarities with other pulp-ish and/or hard-boiled titles, though I’d personally say it owes more to pulp reading than it does vintage crime. I’ve only read a handful of Westerns in my life; while this one isn’t my favorite, it’s certainly an entertaining adventure.
The chief struggle I had with WITHOUT MERCY is the overall blandness of its characters. At the start of the tale, Kane is ‘damaged goods’ – he falls prey to a beautiful woman and her dastardly companions – so it goes without saying that maybe he’d be a mind hard to get into. However, as the tale goes on and he recovers, he never rises to the level of ‘bookshelf hero’ that would put him alongside such other memorable creations as Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer or even Ian Fleming’s James Bond. He just isn’t all that interesting – he’s a Texas Ranger, and he doesn’t appear to be “out for blood” despite the fact that he was just left for dead, though Masterson would have you believe that Kane’s on his own mission for vengeance – and neither are those who shot him and threw him off a moving train.
To his credit, Kane starts to come alive as a character in the latter half – he’s well but still wounded by what he’s been through. There’s greater purpose to a man driven to see justice served than there ever is in the set-up for tragedy he suffers; and once Masterson delivers the motivation the book gets much better. Still, that’s a long way to go without much ‘gumption,’ as one of the regulars of Kane’s era might put it.
Also, I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that this edition (dated 2013 on the back cover but might only be a reprinting of a 1971 version) has more than a few typographical errors in it. While I can be forgiving of a few, the more there are the more I am pulled out of the narrative as a reader … and that’s never a good thing. If it were my property, I’d certainly pay it a bit more time and give it more attention to clean up some of those matters first; then it might be worth re-launching an all-new printing in 2016 commemorating its 50th anniversary. But this current version left me a bit wanting.
MORGAN KANE: WITHOUT MERCY is written by Louis Masterson. The book is published by Velocity House Publishing, though Amazon.com lists that there’s a digital version available via WR Films Entertainment Group, Inc. at the low, low price of $3.99, a bargain (indeed) if you can get it.
RECOMMENDED. There’s nothing all that wrong with a quick read like WITHOUT MERCY; it’s just that – so far as this reader is concerned – there’s nothing all that memorable about it, either. The characters all feel a bit bland – even the hero! – and the situation and circumstances are not all that dissimilar to the origins of, say, the Lone Ranger, a true Texas Ranger if there ever was. Still, as a first story, it’s a solid set-up of the character of Morgan Kane and the world he inhabits; I’d definitely be inclined to watch for more down the road, but, based on this tale, I wouldn’t rush to pick one up any time soon.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Velocity House Publishing provided me with a complimentary copy of MORGAN KANE: WITHOUT MERCY by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review.
January 3, 2024
Tähdet koskevat koko pokkarisarjaa.
Tuli aikoinaan luettua kolme kertaa ja sitten myytyä pois.
Nyt ostin nämä jälleen ja luen neljättä kertaa :)
Tuli aikoinaan luettua kolme kertaa ja sitten myytyä pois.
Nyt ostin nämä jälleen ja luen neljättä kertaa :)
December 27, 2013
Morgan Kane: Without Mercy by Louis Masterson
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4/5
Morgan Kane is all man: he is tough and rugged, worldly and wise, and, both a lover and a fighter. Kane loves his whisky as much as he loves his women, he is an accomplished poker player, can spot a cheat a mile away, believes wholeheartedly in justice, is quick with a revolver and, is absolutely dedicated to his job as a Texas Ranger. For thirty plus years, simple living, travel, and dedication to his work have been all that Morgan Kane needs. Oh sure, there have been a bevy of beauties to warm his bed but none he cared to stick around for. And while he down his fair share of alcohol and has won and lost at the poker table, he has never had a gambling or drinking problem.
Then there is the night that everything in Kane’s world begins to unravel: he loses roughly twenty grand at the poker table, he wasn’t able to spot the very cleverly hidden cheat, he got blind drunk and woke up the next morning with a splitting headache and a ticket to Fort Worth. Still puzzling over the previous nights’ events, Kane boards the train only to find himself seated across from a beautiful woman who seems nothing but interested in him. Seemingly, things are looking up until the moment Kane finds himself jumped from behind by three men who shoot him, more than once and throw him over the side of the train.
Left for dead, Kane is certain his life will never be the same. He has a gaping wound in his side, his shooting hand has been obliterated and he is pretty sure he was meant to die. While he is (mostly) certain of all those things, he is at all certain about the who or the why of the affair. And that, is reason enough to live. Though the recovery is hard, Kane makes the most of it and eventually finds his way back into the real world. With the help of a long-time, trusted friend and fellow Ranger, Kane discovers the location of the men (and woman!) who tried to take his life and sets out on a mission of justice.
The Bottom Line: Without Mercy started out just a bit slow but once the action began it kept up a steady and very good pace until the last chapter when there is a mad and somewhat weird race to the finish. Without Mercy is not my normal genre but I was so into this book and looking forward to a slammin’ ending. Unfortunately, what I got was awkward and so fast that I literally thought I had missed something and flipped back through the previous pages to be sure I didn’t miss anything. So, with the exception of the wonky ending, I really enjoyed Without Mercy and would certainly recommend it to all YA+ readers.
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4/5
Morgan Kane is all man: he is tough and rugged, worldly and wise, and, both a lover and a fighter. Kane loves his whisky as much as he loves his women, he is an accomplished poker player, can spot a cheat a mile away, believes wholeheartedly in justice, is quick with a revolver and, is absolutely dedicated to his job as a Texas Ranger. For thirty plus years, simple living, travel, and dedication to his work have been all that Morgan Kane needs. Oh sure, there have been a bevy of beauties to warm his bed but none he cared to stick around for. And while he down his fair share of alcohol and has won and lost at the poker table, he has never had a gambling or drinking problem.
Then there is the night that everything in Kane’s world begins to unravel: he loses roughly twenty grand at the poker table, he wasn’t able to spot the very cleverly hidden cheat, he got blind drunk and woke up the next morning with a splitting headache and a ticket to Fort Worth. Still puzzling over the previous nights’ events, Kane boards the train only to find himself seated across from a beautiful woman who seems nothing but interested in him. Seemingly, things are looking up until the moment Kane finds himself jumped from behind by three men who shoot him, more than once and throw him over the side of the train.
Left for dead, Kane is certain his life will never be the same. He has a gaping wound in his side, his shooting hand has been obliterated and he is pretty sure he was meant to die. While he is (mostly) certain of all those things, he is at all certain about the who or the why of the affair. And that, is reason enough to live. Though the recovery is hard, Kane makes the most of it and eventually finds his way back into the real world. With the help of a long-time, trusted friend and fellow Ranger, Kane discovers the location of the men (and woman!) who tried to take his life and sets out on a mission of justice.
The Bottom Line: Without Mercy started out just a bit slow but once the action began it kept up a steady and very good pace until the last chapter when there is a mad and somewhat weird race to the finish. Without Mercy is not my normal genre but I was so into this book and looking forward to a slammin’ ending. Unfortunately, what I got was awkward and so fast that I literally thought I had missed something and flipped back through the previous pages to be sure I didn’t miss anything. So, with the exception of the wonky ending, I really enjoyed Without Mercy and would certainly recommend it to all YA+ readers.
September 18, 2013
Morgan Kane: Without Mercy by Louis Masterson is the first book in this western series which was originally published in English starting in 1971. The books have been issued in eBook format and caught the eye of the film industry.
Morgan Kane has lost all his money in a game of poker in St. Louis, while he senses that the game was rigged, he can’t prove it, so he shrugs it off and heads back to Texas. However, the crooks who took his money also have a personal vendetta against the Ranger and use a beautiful woman as bait.
The gang leaves Kane to die alone in the dessert, but our hero gets saved, ironically, buy buzzards flying above him
Without Mercy by Louis Masterson was the first western I have read and it left me with a taste for more. I loved the character of Morgan Kane, an old world cowboy with the ethics and morality of a new world superhero. Mr. Kane even has his kryptonite – alcohol, gambling and, of course, women.
I liked that Morgan Kane is a flawed hero (but aren’t they all?), he is afraid of not being able to do his job (a Texas Ranger), and afraid of not being able to shoot after his hand has been shot . Kane smokes too much, drinks too much and gambles too much – but he takes life in stride. Masterson triggers Kane’s fear and thoughts of revenge is unlikely places, much like real life when certain events, or smells, or words trigger unrelated emotions (or related only in your mind).
Kane struggles with many things, nothing comes easy to him except, maybe, shooting. I found it hilarious that Kane is a chick magnet that simply cannot succeed in shaking women off of him. Everywhere he goes he has young women practically throw themselves at him at a time, mind you, when getting a man was difficult, a woman easy, and single parents were unheard of unless one died.
He obviously reminded me of myself!
But I digress… this short book also introduces the reader to Charlie Katz, another Texas Ranger that seems to be one of the few true friends Kane has and helped shape Kane to be the man he is. The final gunfight (isn’t there always?) is written extremely well and made me want to read more of Morgan Kane’s adventures.
For more reviews and bookish posts please visit: http://www.ManOfLaBook.com
Morgan Kane has lost all his money in a game of poker in St. Louis, while he senses that the game was rigged, he can’t prove it, so he shrugs it off and heads back to Texas. However, the crooks who took his money also have a personal vendetta against the Ranger and use a beautiful woman as bait.
The gang leaves Kane to die alone in the dessert, but our hero gets saved, ironically, buy buzzards flying above him
Without Mercy by Louis Masterson was the first western I have read and it left me with a taste for more. I loved the character of Morgan Kane, an old world cowboy with the ethics and morality of a new world superhero. Mr. Kane even has his kryptonite – alcohol, gambling and, of course, women.
I liked that Morgan Kane is a flawed hero (but aren’t they all?), he is afraid of not being able to do his job (a Texas Ranger), and afraid of not being able to shoot after his hand has been shot . Kane smokes too much, drinks too much and gambles too much – but he takes life in stride. Masterson triggers Kane’s fear and thoughts of revenge is unlikely places, much like real life when certain events, or smells, or words trigger unrelated emotions (or related only in your mind).
Kane struggles with many things, nothing comes easy to him except, maybe, shooting. I found it hilarious that Kane is a chick magnet that simply cannot succeed in shaking women off of him. Everywhere he goes he has young women practically throw themselves at him at a time, mind you, when getting a man was difficult, a woman easy, and single parents were unheard of unless one died.
He obviously reminded me of myself!
But I digress… this short book also introduces the reader to Charlie Katz, another Texas Ranger that seems to be one of the few true friends Kane has and helped shape Kane to be the man he is. The final gunfight (isn’t there always?) is written extremely well and made me want to read more of Morgan Kane’s adventures.
For more reviews and bookish posts please visit: http://www.ManOfLaBook.com
January 10, 2014
I was contacted by Velocity Publishing House and asked if I would write a review, after they had seen my reviews on Goodreads. The book is apparently being reissued after 30 years as it is about to be turned into a movie. I checked out the book on Goodreads first as I had not heard of it before. They had been written by a Norwegian writer named Kjell Hallbing, who went by the pseudonym Louis Masterson in the early 1960s to 1980s. He wrote a total of 85 books for the series, though Morgan Kane is also featured in a second series of books as well. I was lucky enough to get paperback copy of the book.
Normally I'm not a huge fan of westerns, but I figured why not? I really enjoyed the beginning and middle part of the story, but the ending was a bit anti-climatic and didn't match the rest of the book, in my opinion. I get that they're setting it up for an extended series, but it just ended so suddenly that it took me by surprise. I will say that since I've been watching the AMC show "Hell on Wheels," I did kind of imagine the main character Cullen as the main character in this book - which made him a bit more likable as well. I think they were probably going more for Clint Eastwood though in "A Fistful of Dollars," as evidenced by the cover images and the fact that the main character does come off as a total badass.
Morgan Kane is a Texas Ranger. He makes a living tracking down criminals and getting rid of them. One day, he tracked down and killed a man, whose gang turns around and gets him back two-fold. First they fleeced him of all his money and then took him out, or so they thought. He ends up in a valley with a gun wound in his back and a hole through his gun hand. Everyone thinks he's dead and he pretty much thinks he's finished too. But he manages to survive and is coming after them. Will he be able to get his revenge? To find out read the first book of the Morgan Kane series. 3 1/2 stars.
Normally I'm not a huge fan of westerns, but I figured why not? I really enjoyed the beginning and middle part of the story, but the ending was a bit anti-climatic and didn't match the rest of the book, in my opinion. I get that they're setting it up for an extended series, but it just ended so suddenly that it took me by surprise. I will say that since I've been watching the AMC show "Hell on Wheels," I did kind of imagine the main character Cullen as the main character in this book - which made him a bit more likable as well. I think they were probably going more for Clint Eastwood though in "A Fistful of Dollars," as evidenced by the cover images and the fact that the main character does come off as a total badass.
Morgan Kane is a Texas Ranger. He makes a living tracking down criminals and getting rid of them. One day, he tracked down and killed a man, whose gang turns around and gets him back two-fold. First they fleeced him of all his money and then took him out, or so they thought. He ends up in a valley with a gun wound in his back and a hole through his gun hand. Everyone thinks he's dead and he pretty much thinks he's finished too. But he manages to survive and is coming after them. Will he be able to get his revenge? To find out read the first book of the Morgan Kane series. 3 1/2 stars.
August 25, 2013
Texas Ranger Morgan Kane had two weaknesses: gambling and women. They both were used to trip him up. First, he was skinned of ten thousand in a rigged poker game. Then a woman lured out of a train car where the three men jumped him.
They put a bullet through his gun hand, then one into his stomach, which knocked him off the platform and into a valley through which the train was running.
A neat plan except for one thing. They didn't kill him. By luck, his pistol was tucked into the front of his belt and the bullet glanced off, creasing his side instead of plowing into his gut.
His recovery took time. A small rancher found him first and saved his life. Then his old partner, Charlie Katz, found him, gave him money, and said heal. The Rangers had marked him dead. Katz knew another secret as well. In looking for his friend, he'd found the three men and woman looking as well and knew their names. That was kept secret until Kane was ready.
The gun hand healed, but left him with a star shaped scar in the palm. The ring finger was useless and he compensated with a leather band that joined it with the middle finger. If not fast as he used to be, he was fast enough.
Now it was time to go after the four who tried to destroy him.
The Morgan Kane series ran to 83 books in Norway beginning in 1971, The author was Kjell Halbing under the name Louis Masterson. Eleven million copies were sold in Norway alone, twenty million in the rest of Europe. Kane got new life in the ebook world and for the first time, an American release.
I was given an opportunity to get one of a thousand copies of the new series printed up for review purposes. A movie is in the planning stages as well.
I loved what I read(took me only a few hours this morning) and look forward to future volumes as they are being released.
They put a bullet through his gun hand, then one into his stomach, which knocked him off the platform and into a valley through which the train was running.
A neat plan except for one thing. They didn't kill him. By luck, his pistol was tucked into the front of his belt and the bullet glanced off, creasing his side instead of plowing into his gut.
His recovery took time. A small rancher found him first and saved his life. Then his old partner, Charlie Katz, found him, gave him money, and said heal. The Rangers had marked him dead. Katz knew another secret as well. In looking for his friend, he'd found the three men and woman looking as well and knew their names. That was kept secret until Kane was ready.
The gun hand healed, but left him with a star shaped scar in the palm. The ring finger was useless and he compensated with a leather band that joined it with the middle finger. If not fast as he used to be, he was fast enough.
Now it was time to go after the four who tried to destroy him.
The Morgan Kane series ran to 83 books in Norway beginning in 1971, The author was Kjell Halbing under the name Louis Masterson. Eleven million copies were sold in Norway alone, twenty million in the rest of Europe. Kane got new life in the ebook world and for the first time, an American release.
I was given an opportunity to get one of a thousand copies of the new series printed up for review purposes. A movie is in the planning stages as well.
I loved what I read(took me only a few hours this morning) and look forward to future volumes as they are being released.
September 9, 2013
This is based on a promo copy that was sent to me for review.
I don't read a lot of westerns, so I was intrigued to try out one by prolific western writer Louis Masterson, a Norwegian author of the '70s, better known in Europe than in America at present.
The plot of the book is simple enough: Kane is shot and left for dead following a Poker game gone wrong. The rest of the (quite short) book is about what comes next, and as the title suggests, it may be without mercy.
Masterson's writing is generally grim and gritty. This isn't a romanticized western, but instead one where people are wounded and can even die. I found this depiction of the west an interesting one. I also enjoyed the heavy focus on a wide cast of characters. We get some attention on Kane and his friends, but more on the foursome who had plotted Kane's demise. At first, their characterization is terrifically grim, but that slowly opens up as we learn more about them. In any case, the multiple point of views was definitely one of the book's strengths.
Though a short book, the writing isn't overly terse. In fact my only complaint about the writing itself is that it occasionally feels a bit cliched — mainly when Masterson is talking about women and the possibility of romance. Beyond that we have a nice picture of the west and an action oriented plot within.
However, I can't speak as well of the translation and editing. The most distracting thing was the frequent and incorrect use of dashes "—", when periods or semicolons should have been used instead. There were also occasional editing problems, and the prose sometimes felt a little staccato, when I suspect a different translation might have been more polished.
Still, I enjoyed this Kane tale and found it an interesting portal into a time and place.
I don't read a lot of westerns, so I was intrigued to try out one by prolific western writer Louis Masterson, a Norwegian author of the '70s, better known in Europe than in America at present.
The plot of the book is simple enough: Kane is shot and left for dead following a Poker game gone wrong. The rest of the (quite short) book is about what comes next, and as the title suggests, it may be without mercy.
Masterson's writing is generally grim and gritty. This isn't a romanticized western, but instead one where people are wounded and can even die. I found this depiction of the west an interesting one. I also enjoyed the heavy focus on a wide cast of characters. We get some attention on Kane and his friends, but more on the foursome who had plotted Kane's demise. At first, their characterization is terrifically grim, but that slowly opens up as we learn more about them. In any case, the multiple point of views was definitely one of the book's strengths.
Though a short book, the writing isn't overly terse. In fact my only complaint about the writing itself is that it occasionally feels a bit cliched — mainly when Masterson is talking about women and the possibility of romance. Beyond that we have a nice picture of the west and an action oriented plot within.
However, I can't speak as well of the translation and editing. The most distracting thing was the frequent and incorrect use of dashes "—", when periods or semicolons should have been used instead. There were also occasional editing problems, and the prose sometimes felt a little staccato, when I suspect a different translation might have been more polished.
Still, I enjoyed this Kane tale and found it an interesting portal into a time and place.
November 13, 2013
Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book for review purposes. The opinions below are entirely my own.
I can write this review in two sentences: If you love Westerns, you'll love this. If you don't, you won't.
The rest of this is dedicated to those still on the fence.
Calling this a typical Western would be an understatement. Morgan Kane is a purveyor of every trope and tradition of the genre, for better and for worse. It's got thrilling gun fights and enough testosterone for a whole MLB team (sorry guys!) but is sorely lacking for three-dimensional characters and a broad, engaging cast. As for the leading man, well, men would want to be him and women would want to- I'm not sure I can detail that on a family site, but you catch my drift.
To both the author's and the translator's credit, the writing is positively vivid - I could feel the great outdoors, smell the gunsmoke - it really felt like the old West.
So, it is what it is, and unapologetically so. If you long for the glory days of the likes of Eastwood and Wayne, Morgan Kane is your new literary best friend. If you just want to try out the genre and see if it's for you, this book will absolutely tell you. But if you're looking for plot twists and powerful women, I'm afraid you'll have to keep looking.
And as a side note, I won't even address the racism, as it's been covered very effectively by other reviewers. Just be aware that this book is over 50 years old, and while it cannot be defended for its caustic treatment of Mexican-Americans, it is not unexpected.
Questions? Comments? Leave one below, or feel free to contact me at SeanOnAmazon@gmail.com.
I can write this review in two sentences: If you love Westerns, you'll love this. If you don't, you won't.
The rest of this is dedicated to those still on the fence.
Calling this a typical Western would be an understatement. Morgan Kane is a purveyor of every trope and tradition of the genre, for better and for worse. It's got thrilling gun fights and enough testosterone for a whole MLB team (sorry guys!) but is sorely lacking for three-dimensional characters and a broad, engaging cast. As for the leading man, well, men would want to be him and women would want to- I'm not sure I can detail that on a family site, but you catch my drift.
To both the author's and the translator's credit, the writing is positively vivid - I could feel the great outdoors, smell the gunsmoke - it really felt like the old West.
So, it is what it is, and unapologetically so. If you long for the glory days of the likes of Eastwood and Wayne, Morgan Kane is your new literary best friend. If you just want to try out the genre and see if it's for you, this book will absolutely tell you. But if you're looking for plot twists and powerful women, I'm afraid you'll have to keep looking.
And as a side note, I won't even address the racism, as it's been covered very effectively by other reviewers. Just be aware that this book is over 50 years old, and while it cannot be defended for its caustic treatment of Mexican-Americans, it is not unexpected.
Questions? Comments? Leave one below, or feel free to contact me at SeanOnAmazon@gmail.com.
October 3, 2013
Texas Ranger Morgan Kane had two weaknesses: gambling and women. They both were used to trip him up. First, he was skinned of ten thousand in a rigged poker game. Then a woman lured out of a train car where the three men jumped him.
They put a bullet through his gun hand, then one into his stomach, which knocked him off the platform and into a valley through which the train was running.
A neat plan except for one thing. They didn't kill him. By luck, his pistol was tucked into the front of his belt and the bullet glanced off, creasing his side instead of plowing into his gut.
His recovery took time. A small rancher found him first and saved his life. Then his old partner, Charlie Katz, found him, gave him money, and said heal. The Rangers had marked him dead. Katz knew another secret as well. In looking for his friend, he'd found the three men and woman looking as well and knew their names. That was kept secret until Kane was ready.
The gun hand healed, but left him with a star shaped scar in the palm. The ring finger was useless and he compensated with a leather band that joined it with the middle finger. If not fast as he used to be, he was fast enough.
Now it was time to go after the four who tried to destroy him.
The Morgan Kane series ran to 83 books in Norway beginning in 1971, The author was Kjell Halbing under the name Louis Masterson. Eleven million copies were sold in Norway alone, twenty million in the rest of Europe.
Kane got new life in the ebook world.
They put a bullet through his gun hand, then one into his stomach, which knocked him off the platform and into a valley through which the train was running.
A neat plan except for one thing. They didn't kill him. By luck, his pistol was tucked into the front of his belt and the bullet glanced off, creasing his side instead of plowing into his gut.
His recovery took time. A small rancher found him first and saved his life. Then his old partner, Charlie Katz, found him, gave him money, and said heal. The Rangers had marked him dead. Katz knew another secret as well. In looking for his friend, he'd found the three men and woman looking as well and knew their names. That was kept secret until Kane was ready.
The gun hand healed, but left him with a star shaped scar in the palm. The ring finger was useless and he compensated with a leather band that joined it with the middle finger. If not fast as he used to be, he was fast enough.
Now it was time to go after the four who tried to destroy him.
The Morgan Kane series ran to 83 books in Norway beginning in 1971, The author was Kjell Halbing under the name Louis Masterson. Eleven million copies were sold in Norway alone, twenty million in the rest of Europe.
Kane got new life in the ebook world.
January 22, 2014
In the grand tradition of shoot-em-up, thrilling westerns, Kane: Without Mercy does not fail to excite its reader. Morgan Kane is every man's hero...tough, smart, handsome and every woman's desire...tough, smart, and handsome. He is all man...born with a healthy mix of fear and confidence.
Duped by a beautiful woman, Allison MacKay and a trio of blood-thirsty criminals led by boyfriend, Troy Duncan, Kane is shot in the revolver hand and stomach and thrown from the train he is riding on, left for dead. What this foursome doesn't realize, though, is that Kane is one tough customer. He nurses himself back to health with the help some good people.
Now, he's out for revenge. Plotting carefully, swiftly, and cunningly he trails his prey and administers his own version of justice.
A thrilling read, one which fans of Westerns will love, but those who are not fans will enjoy just as much, Morgan Kane: Without Mercy is an un-put-downable book sure to capture the reader's attention.
A friendly caution: this series was written in the 1970s and thus there are some politically incorrect passages with its big-breasted women and somewhat racial terms that can be demeaning and will (and should be) viewed in that light, but remembering the time in which it was written should supply the reader with, not a means to excuse those terms, but a reason for their inclusion.
Thank you to Kylie Hallett, Velocity House Publishing, and Goodreads for this copy.
Duped by a beautiful woman, Allison MacKay and a trio of blood-thirsty criminals led by boyfriend, Troy Duncan, Kane is shot in the revolver hand and stomach and thrown from the train he is riding on, left for dead. What this foursome doesn't realize, though, is that Kane is one tough customer. He nurses himself back to health with the help some good people.
Now, he's out for revenge. Plotting carefully, swiftly, and cunningly he trails his prey and administers his own version of justice.
A thrilling read, one which fans of Westerns will love, but those who are not fans will enjoy just as much, Morgan Kane: Without Mercy is an un-put-downable book sure to capture the reader's attention.
A friendly caution: this series was written in the 1970s and thus there are some politically incorrect passages with its big-breasted women and somewhat racial terms that can be demeaning and will (and should be) viewed in that light, but remembering the time in which it was written should supply the reader with, not a means to excuse those terms, but a reason for their inclusion.
Thank you to Kylie Hallett, Velocity House Publishing, and Goodreads for this copy.
February 11, 2014
I was asked to read and review this copy and received a free copy in order to do so so I feel obligated to review it even though I don't have strong emotions about it either way. And that was a long run on sentence!
I feel like I stepped into the middle of a long ongoing series, but after checking it appears this is the first in a long ongoing series. Maybe after reading a few more I would start to like the main character, or hate him, or feel some sort of strong emotion toward him, but I really don't have the desire to. The book was well-enough written, except at the end where a bunch of stuff started happening and I couldn't really keep it straight. I think it might have been the formatting on the Kindle book or maybe the translation(?) but there weren't obvious scene breaks at the end when it was really needed.
I am not huge on Westerns (they are actually near the bottom of my list) and that is where I felt like this fell. I am not big on guys with huge ego's either. I felt like his weaknesses were a bit contrived, but considering this was originally written in the 70's it could be I am just a bit jaded and cynical.
This is the kind of book I picked up at the RV park when travelling with my parents and searching through the books to try and find ANYTHING to read that wasn't a Harlequin romance book. So if you see this book at an RV, truck, or rest stop. It's worth a read.
I feel like I stepped into the middle of a long ongoing series, but after checking it appears this is the first in a long ongoing series. Maybe after reading a few more I would start to like the main character, or hate him, or feel some sort of strong emotion toward him, but I really don't have the desire to. The book was well-enough written, except at the end where a bunch of stuff started happening and I couldn't really keep it straight. I think it might have been the formatting on the Kindle book or maybe the translation(?) but there weren't obvious scene breaks at the end when it was really needed.
I am not huge on Westerns (they are actually near the bottom of my list) and that is where I felt like this fell. I am not big on guys with huge ego's either. I felt like his weaknesses were a bit contrived, but considering this was originally written in the 70's it could be I am just a bit jaded and cynical.
This is the kind of book I picked up at the RV park when travelling with my parents and searching through the books to try and find ANYTHING to read that wasn't a Harlequin romance book. So if you see this book at an RV, truck, or rest stop. It's worth a read.
August 30, 2013
I'm giving the story a 3 star rating. But the translation and flow and grammar...maybe half of a star. The sentence structure and lack of congruity in many parts made this difficult to enjoy. It's got a pretty good premise. But when I look at the book as a whole, I'm left scratching my head. It jumped from one setting to another so quickly in places that I thought maybe I missed a chapter break or a page or something and kept going back, but I didn't. Not sure if someone left whole chunks of the book out while translating it or what. Like others have said, there is not a translator mentioned. What's up with that? I'm wondering if someone actually read the book after they translated it because they'd have seen that some of the sections make no sense. So basically it probably would make a good made for TV movie, but as a book....not so much. Maybe if you really like Westerns and don't care about character depth or the flow of the storyline, you would like it. I just don't see it. Not one of the characters is well-developed except maybe Kane. It could have been much better had he just stayed in the town with Linda's family and become a lawman or something. It's just pretty much a kind of good story that's a hot mess in execution.
April 30, 2015
Morgan Kane, Texas Ranger, gambler and loves pretty women is one tough old west hero. In the book Morgan Kane, Without Mercy, he gambles and drops twenty-thousand dollars, becomes the victim of four people out for revenge that use a pretty woman as bait to take him unaware, shoot his gun hand and gut, drop him off a moving train and leave him for dead. Of course, our hero doesn't die and after he heals, he finds the four and shows no mercy, just as they did him.
Kane's character is true to life for the period and type of man he is, so I found that as I routed for him to find justice, some things about his character were not attractive but very realistic. The story moved quickly and developed in a nice typical Western but held a few surprises along the way to keep it interesting to the very end. If you enjoy a good Western hero with no frills, a hard hitting lawman out to get the bad guys, then you should enjoy this short novel, as I did. Louis Masterson's Morgan Kane, Without Mercy is a old style Western with no frills and the hero is not a good guy that lives happily ever after.
Kane's character is true to life for the period and type of man he is, so I found that as I routed for him to find justice, some things about his character were not attractive but very realistic. The story moved quickly and developed in a nice typical Western but held a few surprises along the way to keep it interesting to the very end. If you enjoy a good Western hero with no frills, a hard hitting lawman out to get the bad guys, then you should enjoy this short novel, as I did. Louis Masterson's Morgan Kane, Without Mercy is a old style Western with no frills and the hero is not a good guy that lives happily ever after.
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