Forty Loads

by Brett Cogburn

Outnumbered, outgunned, and hell-bent on beating the odds.
 
When the beautiful McGaffney twins hire Faro Wells to escort them to New Mexico to claim their inheritance, Faro thinks his luck has finally turned. But a world of trouble stands between him and the supposed a raging war, hostile Indians, and every raider on the wild frontier. Not to mention the South’s most famous villain, the Black Knight, is hard on Faro’s trail. And the twins may be the worst trouble of all…

Genres: Westerns

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 2, 2014

Reviews

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brett Cogburn is the best western writer around. He checks all the boxes when it comes to both realism and historical content. This particular novel takes place during the American Civil War and he includes even a historical general and some insight into the New Mexico campaign, including the battle for Glorieta Pass. Along the way he manages to present correctly horsemanship, etiquette, the rough side of the wild west, combat with Apaches, etc. all while doing the one thing most western authors don't-- getting the weapons period correct. This novel takes place NINE years before the introduction of the gun we saw all of our television heroes carry (with few exceptions) and Cogburn notes the cap and ball nature, and the calibers. His description of the LeMat revolver (which had bullets and a single 20 gauge shotgun shell) along with the other weapons are spot on.

In regards to his character development, I am glad that none of his heroes are the fastest gun alive type. In fact, the hero of this one doesn't seem capable of hitting the broad side of a barn. This character is a lot like the Widowmaker Jones character, without the reputation of being a roughneck. He is a gambler and he is dead broke when two sisters hire him to take him to get the gold from their father's hidden mine in New Mexico. The girls seem different as night and day, though they are twins. Will romance be in the air? The plot is somewhat similar to some of the author's Widowmaker series, but he manages to flesh it out in ways that don't make it seem a simple rewrite.

The basic bad guy is a one-eyed outlaw who likes to quote great literary works. Not exactly original, but the presentation was quite interesting. The young Cherokee boy who joins up with our hero is a most interesting character and his history, which is slowly revealed, seems real and uncontrived.

Cogburn writes the best westerns I have ever read, with the possible exception of True Grit, which I consider to be the best western novel ever. I appreciate his careful research as well as the historical notes at the end of every book. This man is what Louis L'Amour attempted to be without full success, even as good as L'Amour was.

If you like westerns, you have to read Cogburn. When I first saw the name and his claim to be descended from the real Rooster Cogburn-- I thought it was simply a marketing gimmick-- but he is the real deal.,

[Bo Everett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty Good Book. Not Bad Entertainment.