When You Comin' Back, Range Rider?

by Charles Heath

Vintage TV tie-in paperback

Genres: Media Tie In, Fiction

208 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 1, 1984

About the author

Over the years, I have travelled extensively and kept journals, with the idea that one day all of those places would become locations in books.

Notebooks filled with odd characters, people and incidents observed, and whole tracts of stories written when the on the spot inspiration has been a driving force.

All of this is the basis of the first three novels, Sunday In New York, set, of course, in New York, probably my favourite city in the world, “Echoes From The Past’ equally set in New York, Brooklyn Heights and Philadelphia. The third, The Devil You Don’t, travels through Europe, starting in Geneva, moving to Rome, then Sorrento, and then to Venice.

Now, my passion to write is fuelled by travel and fine dining. When I take a break from these, I get to torment my three wonderful grandchildren whom I active encourage to read as much as they can, and more recently write.

As for almost every other writer, I would not be able to do any of this without my wife who has put up with my moodiness, days locked away in a room trying to punch out another 2,000 words, and yet despite everything still puts up with me.

I wish I could say the same for our cat. Alas, I am still trying to work out how to be his friend!

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Daniel Running Bear discovers a local rancher, Bus Carter, is protecting grazing areas for his cattle by shipping wild mustangs to a pet food factory in Mexico, he enlists the help of The A-Team. At the same time, Colonel Lynch has been sidelined to a desk job for his failure to capture the fugitives and General Bullen has sent the overzealous Colonel Decker to track them down. After some LA-based adventures (including BA’s truck going into the San Pedro harbour), Hannibal and the team arrive in Arizona to confront Carter’s henchmen. After kidnapping Carter’s niece, the team are on the offensive and utilise everything they can, including a train called Abigail and Howling Mad Murdock, whose alter-ego The Range Rider, will come to save the day with his trusty horse Thunder.

Another excellent novelisation (from a 2-part episode) of the (second) series, for me this is exactly what the A-Team was all about - there’s plenty of action, a lot of humour (between the team themselves and also other characters, such as a couple on Hollywood Boulevard who think Decker is George Peppard) and a decent resolution to the story. The main characters (all clearly defined on the show by then) are well drawn but so too are the supporting cast, especially Jake the train driver and Carter. The Arizona locations are well described, the train based action is gripping (and the shoot-outs are much more subdued, making me think this was written from the shooting script) while the pace is spot on, the story racing from one set-piece to the next. In addition, there’s a nice gritty element to it, with the fate of the mustangs not being glossed over, as well as plenty of more adult references at the film premiere Face sets up (cocaine use and low cut dresses especially). Well written, thorough involving, I really enjoyed this re-read to the extent I wanted to watch the double-episode as soon as I’d finished it. For a returning A-Team fan, I’d very much recommend it.

[colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

read 06.23.84