The California Trail

Trail Drive #5

by Ralph Compton

From bestselling author Ralph Compton—the bold saga of a trail-blazing cattle drive in the blistering heat of the California gold rush. The only riches Texans had left after the Civil War were five million maverick longhorns and the brains and brawn to drive them north to where the money was. But it all took a wild and dangerous turn on the California Trail, a passage overrun with dreamers, schemers, and gold… Gold fever has hit California, and suddenly the land is full of hungry pioneers. For Texas brothers Gil and Van Austin, it means a chance to sell their well-grazed longhorns after years of hard ranching and a death-defying cattle drive up through Mexico. The only thing that stands between them and California is a scorching desert, swollen rivers, a barrage of Indian attacks, and a passel of outlaws. And while the Texans are ready and willing to take it all on, there’s one thing they’re not prepared the ultimate act of treachery, greed, and back-stabbing deceit. . .

Genres: Westerns, Fiction, Historical Fiction

385 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Ralph Compton (April 11, 1934—September 16, 1998) was an American writer of western fiction.

A native of St. Clair County, Alabama, Compton began his writing career with a notable work, The Goodnight Trail, which was chosen as a finalist for the Western Writers of America "Medicine Pipe Bearer Award" bestowed upon the "Best Debut Novel". He was also the author of the Sundown Rider series and the Border Empire series. In the last decade of his life, he authored more than two dozen novels, some of which made it onto the USA Today bestseller list for fiction.

Ralph Compton died in Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 64. Since his passing, Signet Books has continued the author's legacy, releasing new novels, written by authors such as Joseph A. West and David Robbins, under Compton's byline.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/ralphc...

Reviews

[Themountainbookie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this as an audio book. The reader was fantastic. The story line mediocre. This is not the best western I’ve read but love hearing a western. This book is your typical western, nothing new to see here but also nothing bad here to read.

[Leonard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another very good trail book. A lot of detail and again, I enjoyed the Prologue.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another very good trail book. A lot of detail and again, I enjoyed the Prologue.
Intriguing Western tale. The dangers encountered during a cattle drive from Texas to California.

[Connlou Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

(c)1994 Full of action, and danger. It is a time of gold fever, and brothers face many dangers during a cattle drive. Certainly a must read for western book lovers

[Peter Charleston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing Western tale. The dangers encountered during a cattle drive from Texas to California.

[Ludwig · Rating 4 out of 5]

good enjoyment