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Savage Texas #2
A Good Day to Die
In Hangtree, Texas, any day could be your last. For on the heels of the Civil War, Hangtree is drawing gamblers, fast women and faster gunmen. Amidst the brawls and shooting, the land-grabbing and card-sharking, two men barely hold the boomtown together: Yankee Sam Heller and Texan Johnny Cross. Heller and Cross can't stand the sight of each other. And Hangtree needs them more than ever.
A Comanche named Red Hand leads a horde of warriors on a horrific path of bloodshed and destruction, with Hangtree sitting right in Red Hand's path. For a town bitterly divided, for Heller and Cross, the time has come to unite and stand shoulder to shoulder--and fight, live or die for their little slice of heaven called Hangtree.
A Comanche named Red Hand leads a horde of warriors on a horrific path of bloodshed and destruction, with Hangtree sitting right in Red Hand's path. For a town bitterly divided, for Heller and Cross, the time has come to unite and stand shoulder to shoulder--and fight, live or die for their little slice of heaven called Hangtree.
- GenresWesterns
441 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
116 people are currently reading
105 people want to read
About the author
William W. Johnstone
1,040 books1,392 followersWilliam W. Johnstone is the #1 bestselling Western writer in America and the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of hundreds of books, with over 50 million copies sold. Born in southern Missouri, he was raised with strong moral and family values by his minister father, and tutored by his schoolteacher mother. He left school at fifteen to work in a carnival and then as a deputy sheriff before serving in the army. He went on to become known as "the Greatest Western writer of the 21st Century." Visit him online at WilliamJohnstone.net.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 27, 2014
This was my first time reading a Johnstone book. I am somewhat of a "western" buff having grown up on Saturday matinees of: Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Lash Larue, Tim Holt, and the other short cowboy films where the good guy always wore the white hat.
The problem that I had with this book is its lack of realism. Having fired firearms for more than sixty years, I can attest to the fact that shooters do miss -- especially when they are being fired upon. In Johnstone's effort, the gunfighters simply never miss.
Also Sam Hellar, the former Union soldier had a Winchester 1866 which had the barrel shortened and stock removed. He also had a "screw in" extension and stock which attached to the "mule's leg" cutoff gun. I doubt that the mechanical and tooling ability were evident in 1866 to do this conversion. And if it was -- how would the sights achieve a consistent alignment.
I kept waiting for the story to have some degree of realism in the Indian fighting and gun battles but they just never emerged. If one likes a lot of blood and gore with the good guys (if there were any) always winning, this will supply some light entertainment. For those who like a little more depth and reality to a story, another author would probably be a better selection.
The problem that I had with this book is its lack of realism. Having fired firearms for more than sixty years, I can attest to the fact that shooters do miss -- especially when they are being fired upon. In Johnstone's effort, the gunfighters simply never miss.
Also Sam Hellar, the former Union soldier had a Winchester 1866 which had the barrel shortened and stock removed. He also had a "screw in" extension and stock which attached to the "mule's leg" cutoff gun. I doubt that the mechanical and tooling ability were evident in 1866 to do this conversion. And if it was -- how would the sights achieve a consistent alignment.
I kept waiting for the story to have some degree of realism in the Indian fighting and gun battles but they just never emerged. If one likes a lot of blood and gore with the good guys (if there were any) always winning, this will supply some light entertainment. For those who like a little more depth and reality to a story, another author would probably be a better selection.
November 11, 2024
I really liked the first book in the Savage Texas series, but this one topped it. I like the Sam Heller character and also Johnny Cross. Plenty of action in this book. Also had the depth to clearly show the animosity against the North in Texas after the civil war. And it clearly showed off the prejudices from both sides that existed in some people between the Mexican Tejanos and the white settlers. I think it delved into these types of nuances better than most William W. Johnstone books, and created better understanding of complexities and tensions.
January 24, 2024
A good day to Die
Well, this was a great western story, no doubt. It was full of action as the commanches were plotting on attacking this small town in Texas. Along the way they attacked ranchers and people on the trail. Definitely a bloody battle and not for the squeamish or young readers.
Well, this was a great western story, no doubt. It was full of action as the commanches were plotting on attacking this small town in Texas. Along the way they attacked ranchers and people on the trail. Definitely a bloody battle and not for the squeamish or young readers.
September 29, 2018
A Good Day to Die
Full of guts, glory and gory. Just wait for it. This is a book written for the cowboy in you. A book worth the price. You bow legged wanna be cowboys will enjoy the mayhem between the pages. So, "Giddy Up."
Full of guts, glory and gory. Just wait for it. This is a book written for the cowboy in you. A book worth the price. You bow legged wanna be cowboys will enjoy the mayhem between the pages. So, "Giddy Up."
November 4, 2023
too many filling words. William Johnston did not write this.
Too many words. It felt like the writer filled the book with as many adjectives as possible. His descriptions were way to wordy. I’ve read about 130 Johnstone books and this was not him.
Too many words. It felt like the writer filled the book with as many adjectives as possible. His descriptions were way to wordy. I’ve read about 130 Johnstone books and this was not him.
July 14, 2017
Another good western.
January 17, 2018
EXCELLENT
This book is NOTHING like the run of the mill 10 cent Western. It is a well crafted novel of ranchers, rancheros, Mexicans and others.
A GREAT READ!!!!
This book is NOTHING like the run of the mill 10 cent Western. It is a well crafted novel of ranchers, rancheros, Mexicans and others.
A GREAT READ!!!!
February 9, 2018
The 2nd book in the series. Great story line - swiftly moving plot . Good read.
Read
April 7, 2020great
August 6, 2021
Yankee Sam sees hundreds of Comanches on warpath to ranches, Mex spread, coach, need for truce in Southern town.
Read
September 5, 2022A whole lot of killing in this book
August 3, 2012
The second book in the series, again, as in the first book, a good story with problems. 441 pages of story, it had way too much filler. A minimum of fifty pages could have been cut and made it better. Page after page of torture by Comanche, covering every possible thing that could be done.
Unnecessary.
The author spends six pages "introducing us to a family about to be slaughtered, describing mother, father, so, and daughter, how they came to be there from where they come before the Comanche even showed up.
Unnecessary.
Yankee Sam Heller and Rebel Johnny Cross are not quite partners, but they respect each other. The town of Hangtree, Texas is where they live.
The book has two story lines involving them that eventually come together.
In Hangtree, an immature gunman named Bliss Stafford thinks he's in love with one of the whores. She wants nothing to do with him, but what he wants, he thinks he's supposed to have. The owner, Damon Bolt, is protecting her.
When Stafford takes a shot at Bolt, he's given a chance to back off. But drunk and sure of his invincibility, he draws on the saloon owner. Forced to defend himself, Bliss Stafford is killed.
Which doesn't set well with Lance Stafford, the boy's father, and his two older brothers. Ostensibly, cattleman, the ranch hands are mostly gunmen. They want revenge on him and the whore for "causing" it all.
Johnny Cross sides with Bolt, a friend of his.
While that's building up, Sam Heller is out hunting and runs into evidence of of Comanche slaughter. He saves a young girl from getting raped and killed, but not before her family are all killed. Now he's on the run with her, trying to get back to Hangtree to warn them of the coming raid he's seen.
He arrives back in town, the Comanche hot on his tail, just as the Staffords are about to shoot it out with Bolt, Cross, and a few men. Hostilities are suspended while they have to deal with the Indian attack.
But you know they showdown will have to come.
I liked the story, but to much filler. Not sure I will try anymore. The first book seemed to be missing a plot line. A showdown was set up, then was not shown, the characters talking about it later. I think it had been there, but someone edited it out. Anything else would have just been bad writing. That book had 314 pages of story and six pages of title page, synopsis, and copyright details for 320 pages. But the listing on Amazon said 352 pages.
If one doesn't mind an exorbitant amount of filler, recommended.
Unnecessary.
The author spends six pages "introducing us to a family about to be slaughtered, describing mother, father, so, and daughter, how they came to be there from where they come before the Comanche even showed up.
Unnecessary.
Yankee Sam Heller and Rebel Johnny Cross are not quite partners, but they respect each other. The town of Hangtree, Texas is where they live.
The book has two story lines involving them that eventually come together.
In Hangtree, an immature gunman named Bliss Stafford thinks he's in love with one of the whores. She wants nothing to do with him, but what he wants, he thinks he's supposed to have. The owner, Damon Bolt, is protecting her.
When Stafford takes a shot at Bolt, he's given a chance to back off. But drunk and sure of his invincibility, he draws on the saloon owner. Forced to defend himself, Bliss Stafford is killed.
Which doesn't set well with Lance Stafford, the boy's father, and his two older brothers. Ostensibly, cattleman, the ranch hands are mostly gunmen. They want revenge on him and the whore for "causing" it all.
Johnny Cross sides with Bolt, a friend of his.
While that's building up, Sam Heller is out hunting and runs into evidence of of Comanche slaughter. He saves a young girl from getting raped and killed, but not before her family are all killed. Now he's on the run with her, trying to get back to Hangtree to warn them of the coming raid he's seen.
He arrives back in town, the Comanche hot on his tail, just as the Staffords are about to shoot it out with Bolt, Cross, and a few men. Hostilities are suspended while they have to deal with the Indian attack.
But you know they showdown will have to come.
I liked the story, but to much filler. Not sure I will try anymore. The first book seemed to be missing a plot line. A showdown was set up, then was not shown, the characters talking about it later. I think it had been there, but someone edited it out. Anything else would have just been bad writing. That book had 314 pages of story and six pages of title page, synopsis, and copyright details for 320 pages. But the listing on Amazon said 352 pages.
If one doesn't mind an exorbitant amount of filler, recommended.
December 19, 2012
I continue to find more novels by this author to read. I haven't even reached the mid-way point, of reading all of them. I believe that I have many days of good reading ahead of me.
August 24, 2016
William Johnstone is an outstanding author. This is a great read.
December 27, 2016
Standard Pulp Western.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews