The Wildcatters

Fargo #8

by John Benteen

The East Texas oilfields came in with a boom. Rivers of money gushed from the ground. Along with the money came the speculators, the wheelers and dealers – and the killers. Fargo followed the money and excitement clear across Texas. Trouble is Fargo’s business – other people’s trouble. They know him from Alaska to Panama and the smart ones get out of his way. The ones who aren’t so smart get a gun barrel laid across the nose, or if Fargo’s short on time, they get killed. Fargo kills, but he doesn’t enjoy it. It’s a job. And he’s good at it.

Genres: Westerns

Mass Market Paperback

First published March 1, 1975

About the author

Pseudonym used by Ben Haas.

Reviews

[Tim Deforest · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great story in the series. This one is set in Oklahoma, where oil has been discovered and a boom town has popped into existence. Fargo arrives because he figures that an opportunity to get some of the huge amounts of money being made will pop up.

He gets an offer from the guy who more or less runs the town to ramrod his enforcers/thugs. But the guy makes a mistake in how he makes this offer--giving Fargo an ultimatum to work for him and leave. This drives Fargo into an opposing camp, helping out a man who refuses to sell out and wants to drill on his own small plot of land.

The ensuing plot involves ambushes, betrayals, lots of nitroglycerin being exploded, a fast-draw encounter on main street and a brutal fist fight while wading through knee-deep oil in the pitch dark.

There's also an interesting bit of melancholy when Fargo muses that his way-of-life will soon be gone as the last remnants of the Old West fade away. He realizes, for instance, that the fast-draw encounter may be the last one that ever occurs. But Fargo is Fargo and he'll keep living the life he chooses until someone does shoot a little faster.

[Josh Hitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series. It's hard not to enjoy them, they are all action. Fargo is a great character, he is deeply flawed but at the same Time he has a strong moral code that he lives by. Always fun to read the weapon scene in these where Fargo us going through his trunk inspecting his arsenal of weapons. In this he goes to an oil boom town in Oklahoma, since he knows where there is big money there will be a need for fighting men. Of course he doesn't take the easy money (don't tell Fargo what to do is the lesson) he goes in with an underdog and they put up their own oil rig. But the big boss of the area swore no one else would drill that land and he has the funds and mercenaries to back it up, including a man Fargo knows and is friendly with who could be his equal.

Highly recommended if you just want a down and dirty western. Though these do have some modern aspects this is early 20th century, you have some early automobiles and even Fargo is sensing that maybe his time of going from trouble to trouble is ending. That maybe civilization is catching up to him.

[Christopher Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty short story this time; Fargo gets a bit in over his head, and there's actually an old west showdown. Its interesting how he admits his era is almost over as civilization spreads and you can't get away with what you used to.

This time Fargo is in Oklahoma digging for oil, hooking up with an oilman for a huge payoff. Of course, its never enough, Fargo always blows through whatever he earns in a hurry.

[Michael D. Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wild Cat Massacre!

Fargo doing what comes second nature to his kind! Always seeking adventure, fortune, and all in the immediate can produce! Willing to chance, most of time serving those in need, and always come out on top! When will his way of life fade? Those who have lived this type of life have created all that is good and built for future world history!

[Kevin]

Fargo comes to the oil town of Golconda, run by a bully named Tull Brasher. Fargo hitches his ride to Brasher's competitor, causing friction to simmer until it's destined to boil over.

[Randy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's 1915. Fargo comes to the Texas oil town, Golconda, looking to make some money. He ends up siding with Curt Russell against Tull Brasher, the town bully intent on owning all the producing oil wells.

[Les Wolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

An educational book in that it describes the early days of oil well drilling at the turn of the last century. A good adventure book if a bit far-fetched. It's always hard to believe that anybody could be as lucky and as tough as some of our adventure book heroes.

[Jeff Dickison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay western set in early 1900's in Oklahoma as wildcatters try to bring in a well while fighting off the town bigwig. Recommended to western fans.