Arizona!

Wagons West #21

by Dana Fuller Ross

Where there is no law and order, the renegade will prety on the weak and innocent. West of Yuma, beneath the red sandstone bluffs, the comancheros reigned with brutal terror. A motley crew of savagte men, they rode with lust in their hearts and cruelty on their minds. For until brave men rose up to stop them, these desperadoes - like evil doers everywhere - made fear their ally in a battle for the land.
ARIZONA! To a sun-scorched frontier the Winchester rifle promised redemption from a hell of outlaw tyranny. In the hands of brave cavalry officers such as Cindy Holt's new husband, Reed Kerr, this superior weapon could be the ture peacemaker of the West. But treachery has no honor, and an ambush could cut down youth and hope, not just in Yuma, but abroad, where Wet Pointer Capt. Henry Blake undertook a dangerous secret mission...and in Kentucky where famous scout Toby Holt - son of legendary wagonmaster Whip Holt - took aim at a scoundrel's heart. These men are forced to face their most dangerous enemies and with their hearts, minds, and bullets, protect and defend family, country, and decency in the epic ARIZONA!

Genres: Historical Fiction, Westerns, Historical, Fiction

350 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 1, 1988

About the author

Dana Fuller Ross is a pseudonym used by Noel B. Gerson and James M. Reasoner.

Noel Gearson specializes in historical military novels, westerns, and mysteries. He also writes under the pseudonyms, "Dana Fuller Ross.", Anne Marie Burgess; Michael Burgess; Nicholas Gorham; Paul Lewis; Leon Phillips; Donald Clayton Porter; Philip Vail; and Carter A. Vaughan. He has written more than 325 novels.

James Reasoner (pictured) is an American writer. He is the author of more than 150 books and many short stories in a career spanning more than thirty years. Reasoner has used at least nineteen pseudonyms, in addition to his own name: Jim Austin; Peter Danielson; Terrance Duncan; Tom Early; Wesley Ellis; Tabor Evans; Jake Foster; William Grant; Matthew Hart; Livia James; Mike Jameson; Justin Ladd; Jake Logan; Hank Mitchum; Lee Morgan; J.L. Reasoner (with his wife); Dana Fuller Ross; Adam Rutledge; and Jon Sharpe. Since most of Reasoner's books were written as part of various existing Western fiction series, many of his pseudonyms were publishing "house" names that may have been used by other authors who contributed to those series

Reviews

[Chris Gager · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm getting near the end of "The Fifties" and have (kind of)impulsively decided to start another book. This one is a part of a series from the 80's that presents a historical fiction tale set in mostly western states. Except for the first book("Independence") and the last book, all are titled after a specific state - except for "Dakota"(two states - I assume) This book was the latest in the publishing line as of the printing of this particular paperback.

A bit of research reveals that there were three more books in the series after this one. The author's name is a pen for team of two writers.

Well into this book now and am wondering when the Arizona part will take plot precedence. So far there's been precious little time spent there and the part visited is Yuma, which is way down in the SW corner. Otherwise, we've spent more time in Europe. WTF?

I'm getting near the homestretch in this one and have decided to lower my rating to 2.5* merely because of false representation in both the title and the cover illustration. Last night's reading FINALLY settled into some nice action in the SW Arizona desert, but then moved on back to Kentucky and will no doubt be moving to Spain tonight. Then there are the more minor side-scenes that took place during a cholera outbreak in Independence, Missouri visited by folks from the Columbia River valley in the Pacific Northwest. Interesting coincidence ... a few nights ago I read the short story by Alan Gurganis(sp?) in the latest New Yorker. ALSO about a cholera outbreak, though this one took place some 25 years earlier in western Illinois. BTW, the time of this story(stories, actually) is 1873. I can only wonder at why a book titled "Arizona!" has so far had so little to do with the place. By the end of the book not one of the books main characters(except for the body of a dead guy) is physically present in the Arizona Territory. Sheesh ... The widow of the dead guy actually winds up in Maine at the end of this book. In the company(as in teacher-student) with a fictionalized Winslow Homer.

Ahhhh ... the ending of the book plus the little back-of-the-book promo for "New Mexico!"(the next-to-last book in the series) clued me in to the fact that this book is actually a chapter in an ongoing saga, which continues in "New Mexico!" ... whatever.

- 2.5* rounds down to 2*.

[Greg Kerr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok ... don’t start with the 21st book in a 24 book series.

I have read two other novels (true historical fictions) by Noel Gerson, so as I approached my 40th anniversary in Arizona I thought it would be an interesting ‘semi-historical’ read about my adopted state. Let see, Cindy Kerr (no relation) gets to Fort Yuma on page 222 (which is actually in California) and leaves Yuma (the AZ border town) on page 289. This means that one of the four main characters are physically in Arizona for 18.7% of a novel entitled ‘Wagons West Arizona!’. The rest of the novel takes place in Germany, England, Spain, Maine, Missouri, Kentucky, Oregon and California.

That said, it was actually a very interesting read: part ranchers vs. desperadoes; part pony soldiers vs. renegades; and part international political thriller. I doubt I’ll go back and read the previous 20 books, but maybe those ‘entitled’ for other states in which I once lived: CA (#5), CO (#7), and TN (#17). There are other Gerson books that I have already circled as future reads.

[Mgsmith · Rating 4 out of 5]

May sound somewhat repetitive here but I got hooked on the first book and it was like an addiction.
The author shows how the westward movement affected families and individuals while placing them within history itself.

[Amanda Eiden · Rating 4 out of 5]

they’re dropping like flies 🥲 i just want to know how Toby is truly invincible while everyone else gets shot once and they’re dead instantly

i enjoyed reading about the cholera outbreak, appendectomy, and even some of the military stuff in Arizona—which is never the case for me in these books, but the stakes were high in this one!

i am growing very tired of Henry’s story, though—why TF are we getting involved in Spain’s king being appointed this deeply, go spend time with your son for a change!

on the book cover has to be Toby + Alexandra (although the text says she has auburn, not blonde hair). and just a reminder that he’s 32 and she’s 18, and toby’s housekeeper referred to her as a child in this book

[Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed. I enjoy historical fiction, but this one really didn't give me a good sense of the land and the times. It felt very disjointed as it jumped around to different states (and countries) and their characters. And as far as the plot - there were only a few suspenseful moments.

[Lisa Marks · Rating 3 out of 5]

From the wilds of Arizona to the horse farms of Kentucky, adventure is found!

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was better than the last one, so either they switched authors again, got a co-author, or an editor went "hold up". Three stars because it is actually a glorious cover- though I should note that the only blondes in the story are Toby and his sister Cindy, who he is not rescuing in the plot of the story. (In fact, the number of later book covers in this series having Toby with a blonde who could only be his sister in the terms of the story is a choice). Three stars also because the Cindy bits were pretty good, though the killing of her husband just feels like a plot point. (She had to marry him in order for her to be there as the plot calls for, he has to die because otherwise x wouldn't happen. IT is a bit obvious.)

It is clearly pointed out that Alexandria is 18, though the bit at the beginning takes about Janessa becoming a woman at 13, and no, that doesn't mean a period (though it doesn't mean sex either. She just doesn't act like any 13 year old in the universe). But considering that there does seem to be a bit of a time jump, Alex would have been 17 when she met Toby so ick for the last book still stands. Also marrying a woman who is only 5 years older than your daughter is a bit disgusting.

The problem with Alex here is that if Jonah has been with the family that long, wouldn't he have had been a slave at one point? But the book just totally fails to address that. Not surprising considering it was written in the 80s, I suppose.

Also Henry's German Baroness who succumbed to a young hot American manly man (snort) hid her pregnancy from him so their sex life wouldn't lose heat (it helped that he traveled to America). PLEASE.

[Partridge Public]

Ross, Dana Fuller PB

[Cws]

W Ros

[Debbie West · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of my favorite books in this series! has more of the old West flavor, which some books had lost.

[Michael Garreffa` · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second Time I am Reading this Series....