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Dead Man's Crossing
1854 -- the Gold Rush is still going strong. Who better to guide a wagon train from San Antonio to California than Jake Moran, the Hero of Chapultapec in the Mexican War? Trouble is, Jake's not really a hero, though he's the only one who knows it. Fifteen hundred miles of forbidding desert make Jake want to turn down the position, but the emigrants of the California Company are depending on him, and he can't let them down. The company faces thirst, cholera, and Comanche raids. In addition, Jake confronts the enmity of Tyler Hampton, wealthy promoter of the California Company, the man whose leadership position has been taken away and given to Jake. Jake may not be a hero when the company pulls out, but he better become one if they're going to survive.
259 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1987
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 26, 2015
Jake Moran is in San Antonio when cholera breaks out. Down on his luck and desperate to get out of town before the disease really takes hold, he signs on to a wagon train heading west to California.
The trip promises a fortune in gold. It also promises a world of trouble. The route to California goes right through the heart of the Comancheria. Because of the cholera, the company's departure is unexpectedly hasty. Not all the wagons have made it. They will be passing right through the heart of hostile Indian territory with a scant company of settlers. Worse yet, the company financier, Tyler Hampton is an ego-maniacal blowhard who jealously guards him authority - even if it puts the company in danger.
The story is good, but it feels as if it is from a different time. The settlers are all uniformly good. The Comanches are the bad guys. Definitely not something that would be a mainstream publication today. Think a John Wayne movie instead of a Clint Eastwood movie. Regardless, the book is fun and enjoyable.
Three stars out of five. Read if you enjoy your westerns.
The trip promises a fortune in gold. It also promises a world of trouble. The route to California goes right through the heart of the Comancheria. Because of the cholera, the company's departure is unexpectedly hasty. Not all the wagons have made it. They will be passing right through the heart of hostile Indian territory with a scant company of settlers. Worse yet, the company financier, Tyler Hampton is an ego-maniacal blowhard who jealously guards him authority - even if it puts the company in danger.
The story is good, but it feels as if it is from a different time. The settlers are all uniformly good. The Comanches are the bad guys. Definitely not something that would be a mainstream publication today. Think a John Wayne movie instead of a Clint Eastwood movie. Regardless, the book is fun and enjoyable.
Three stars out of five. Read if you enjoy your westerns.
August 8, 2021
Dead Man’s Crossing, Book 1 in the Jake Moran Western Trilogy, is a classic western yarn, spun in the in the style of such iconic authors as Zane Grey, Louis L’Amour, Elmer Kelton, Luke Short, and William W. Johnstone. First published in 1987 as a Fawcett Paperback, they republished it in E-book format in 2012. I first read Dead Man’s Crossing 34 years ago as a paperback and became a Robert Broomall fan. I read that book so many times that all the pages fell out. Now, I have it in my library once again as an E-book.
Jake Moran is a flawed human being, an ordinary man. A failure and a coward in his own eyes, he is looked upon as being a hero by others because of misunderstood or misinterpreted acts that took place in his past during the war. Moran is only trying to get out of San Antonio before the Cholera strikes when he encounters an old acquaintance from the war and is recruited to help guide a wagon train west to California. In less than a day on the trail, his friend, the wagon train captain is killed by indians and they elected Moran to become their new captain because they perceive him to be heroic and able to lead them through the indians hordes to safety.
Jake is forced to face his fears and feeling of inadequacies over and over again as the marauding Indians continue to harass them, stealing their horses and cattle, killing them one by one. Moran finds himself fighting not off not only the Indians attacks but water shortages and even the cholera as members of the wagon train start to fall victims to it. If all that isn’t enough, he has a real enemy among the members of the wagon train. The man, Tyler Hampton, the other members of the train chose Jake to replace as their leader after Comb’s death. After Hampton takes a bull whip to him when his back was turned, Moran beats him into submission with his fist. Beaten down, Hampton swears an oath that he will kill Moran when they get to safety.
This story ends in a way that will leave you saying. I knew that Jake would get his charges to safety, but I didn’t see how he was going to pull it off. You will leave this book wanting to read Book 2 and 3 in The Jake Moran Trilogy.
Jake Moran is a flawed human being, an ordinary man. A failure and a coward in his own eyes, he is looked upon as being a hero by others because of misunderstood or misinterpreted acts that took place in his past during the war. Moran is only trying to get out of San Antonio before the Cholera strikes when he encounters an old acquaintance from the war and is recruited to help guide a wagon train west to California. In less than a day on the trail, his friend, the wagon train captain is killed by indians and they elected Moran to become their new captain because they perceive him to be heroic and able to lead them through the indians hordes to safety.
Jake is forced to face his fears and feeling of inadequacies over and over again as the marauding Indians continue to harass them, stealing their horses and cattle, killing them one by one. Moran finds himself fighting not off not only the Indians attacks but water shortages and even the cholera as members of the wagon train start to fall victims to it. If all that isn’t enough, he has a real enemy among the members of the wagon train. The man, Tyler Hampton, the other members of the train chose Jake to replace as their leader after Comb’s death. After Hampton takes a bull whip to him when his back was turned, Moran beats him into submission with his fist. Beaten down, Hampton swears an oath that he will kill Moran when they get to safety.
This story ends in a way that will leave you saying. I knew that Jake would get his charges to safety, but I didn’t see how he was going to pull it off. You will leave this book wanting to read Book 2 and 3 in The Jake Moran Trilogy.
September 27, 2019
An RB. Western Action Adventure (DMC) (JMB. - 1)
RB. has penned a western action adventure which begins p.s. In San Antonio, TX. When a small wagon train pulls out for EL. Paso. The first two weeks are uneventful, but then the Comanches show up and it's a running fight to the next fort. The people of the wagon train fight off the Indians, but they continued to be whittled down. They finally reach water, but cholera has taken its toll on the young and old. This is an excellent read for the genre.....DEHS
RB. has penned a western action adventure which begins p.s. In San Antonio, TX. When a small wagon train pulls out for EL. Paso. The first two weeks are uneventful, but then the Comanches show up and it's a running fight to the next fort. The people of the wagon train fight off the Indians, but they continued to be whittled down. They finally reach water, but cholera has taken its toll on the young and old. This is an excellent read for the genre.....DEHS
November 17, 2019
Good old fashioned western
Broomall has a way of telling stories about the downtrodden and flawed humans that populate his worlds. These men and women ultimately find themselves in a way that reveals the uplifting power of the human spirit and we are all bette for it, the characters and his readers.
Broomall has a way of telling stories about the downtrodden and flawed humans that populate his worlds. These men and women ultimately find themselves in a way that reveals the uplifting power of the human spirit and we are all bette for it, the characters and his readers.
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June 25, 2021Best Western I've read in a while.
Story grabbed me from the beginning and wouldn't let me go. I don't know how realistic it is because I've never been in that situation. But it sure kept my attention and my admonition for the main characters Jake kept growing as I read. A hero that never quite realized was one.
Story grabbed me from the beginning and wouldn't let me go. I don't know how realistic it is because I've never been in that situation. But it sure kept my attention and my admonition for the main characters Jake kept growing as I read. A hero that never quite realized was one.
October 25, 2020
Being hooked on a Series.
Not many books that have kept me awake reading all night.. Excellent work with words to describe the moment that the bullet hits,, the taste of the bitters...
Not many books that have kept me awake reading all night.. Excellent work with words to describe the moment that the bullet hits,, the taste of the bitters...
August 3, 2017
Ok
Good story, but drags a bit. Same situation keeps occuring. Makes for a good fairly easy read. Will try book 2.
Good story, but drags a bit. Same situation keeps occuring. Makes for a good fairly easy read. Will try book 2.
April 11, 2018
I, personally, have problems with a hero who is obviously competent but still determined to see himself in a negative light.
The book is well written but depressing.
The book is well written but depressing.
December 14, 2018
Great Story!
I truly enjoyed this book. It is well written and edited and interesting and exciting from start to finish. Too bad so many good people died.
I truly enjoyed this book. It is well written and edited and interesting and exciting from start to finish. Too bad so many good people died.
March 9, 2020
Great story telling
A hero like you’ve never read about .a regular joe with all the fears and hurts and secrets like the rest of us. Truly well written honest writing
A hero like you’ve never read about .a regular joe with all the fears and hurts and secrets like the rest of us. Truly well written honest writing
November 13, 2020
Great Book. Ready for the next one
November 5, 2024
What’s the next book?
I can’t wait to read the next book in this exciting series. The west was our first and final frontier, that is.
I can’t wait to read the next book in this exciting series. The west was our first and final frontier, that is.
May 18, 2020
Recommend
Action packed novel with lots of action. Jake is a man of action and the hero of this novel A man to be recond wth.
Action packed novel with lots of action. Jake is a man of action and the hero of this novel A man to be recond wth.
July 10, 2014
Great read for men
This is the first historical western I have ever read and I really enjoyed it. This group of travellers in the old west keeps running into one problem after another. So the suspense is almost continuous. As soon as they solve one difficulty and pay the price in lost wagons and animals than they encounter a new challenge. They also lose people along the way and the reader feels loss as someone he knew.. It was hard to put down.
This is the first historical western I have ever read and I really enjoyed it. This group of travellers in the old west keeps running into one problem after another. So the suspense is almost continuous. As soon as they solve one difficulty and pay the price in lost wagons and animals than they encounter a new challenge. They also lose people along the way and the reader feels loss as someone he knew.. It was hard to put down.
July 10, 2014
Mighty Fine READING!!
Over the years I have read many a Western novels! But I got to say, this book is one of the most enjoyable reads. I was gripped with complete interest to the very ending. This is my first reading of Mr Broomall, but it certainly will not be my last!!!
Over the years I have read many a Western novels! But I got to say, this book is one of the most enjoyable reads. I was gripped with complete interest to the very ending. This is my first reading of Mr Broomall, but it certainly will not be my last!!!
July 21, 2014
jake thinks he s a coward but its far from the truth . he was lead a party to california but it wont be easy the comanches are on their trail....another winner from my favorite western author
April 8, 2017
"DON'T MESS WITH JAKE MORAN"
Jake Moran is a cowboy with a lot of baggage. He's been portrayed as a hero in a mexican war, which depicted him as winning the war by himself, the men in his legion were down for the count, and they watched him as he headed for the fort with his sword raised and his men took it as a rally and away they all went thus winning that particular battle. But it's almost comical because Jake went the wrong way because he had become discombobulated by a possible bullet glazing his head...from that moment on he had become part of American folklore a western hero. He's nervous and sometimes he shakes because of tense situations or from his consumption of alcohol who knows better than Jake Moran. He's funny and he's smart, even though he doesn't think so. You'll enjoy this adventure and raring to read Book-2...drink that drink Jake Moran and keep it moving...watch out doggies cause here he comes.
Jake Moran is a cowboy with a lot of baggage. He's been portrayed as a hero in a mexican war, which depicted him as winning the war by himself, the men in his legion were down for the count, and they watched him as he headed for the fort with his sword raised and his men took it as a rally and away they all went thus winning that particular battle. But it's almost comical because Jake went the wrong way because he had become discombobulated by a possible bullet glazing his head...from that moment on he had become part of American folklore a western hero. He's nervous and sometimes he shakes because of tense situations or from his consumption of alcohol who knows better than Jake Moran. He's funny and he's smart, even though he doesn't think so. You'll enjoy this adventure and raring to read Book-2...drink that drink Jake Moran and keep it moving...watch out doggies cause here he comes.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews