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Waco #1
Waco's Badge
Law beyond the limits ... In wide-open Arizona, outlaws run rampant, since the authority of the local marshal ends at his town's borders. A different breed of peace officer is needed, and rancher Bentram Mosehan has accepted the responsibility of organizing a new Arizona State Police force. He's looking for men who are brave, honest, and lightning fast with a six-gun -- talents that a drifter named Waco and his amigo, Doc Leroy, possess in abundance. But the two young Texans remember all too well their run-ins with the Lone Star law, and thelast thing Waco and Doc want is to wear a badge. But Mosehan knows these are men you need at your side when all Hell breaks loose. And Waco'll be facing one tough choice once the bullets start flying in serve ... or die.
- GenresWesterns
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
36 people are currently reading
206 people want to read
About the author
J.T. Edson
183 books79 followersJohn Thomas Edson is an English writer of Westerns.
He was born in 1928.He was obsessed with Westerns from an early age and often "rewrote" cowboy movies that he had seen at the cinema. One thing that always intrigued him was the minutiae—how did the baddie's gun jam? What were the mechanics of cheating at cards? How did Westerners really dress and speak?
His writing was helped to develop by a schoolteacher who encouraged him. Now lives in Leicester, Leicestershire.[citation needed]
During his 20s and 30s, Edson served in His Majesty's Armed Forces for 12 years as a Dog Trainer. Cooped up in barracks for long periods, he devoured books by the great escapist writers (Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert McCraig, Nelson C. Nye and Edgar Wallace). He also sat through hours of movies starring John Wayne, Randolph Scott, Errol Flynn and his all-time favourite, Audie Murphy.
His first appearance in print was "Hints On Self-Preservation when attacked by a War Dog" in the Osnabrück camp magazine Shufti in 1947. Acquiring a typewriter in the early 1950s and putting it to good use while posted to Hong Kong, by the time of his discharge he had written 10 Westerns, an early version of Bunduki and the first of the short detective-type stories starring Waco.
Upon leaving HM forces, JT won second prize (with Trail Boss) in the Western division of a Literary Competition run by Brown & Watson Ltd, which led to the publication of 46 novels with them, becoming a major earner for the company.
He had the need for supplementary income from time-to-time and also served as a postman, and the proprietor of a fish 'n' chip shop. Furthermore, he branched out as a writer and wrote five series of short stories (Dan Hollick, Dog Handler) for the Victor boys papers, and wrote the "box captions" for comic strips, which instilled discipline and the ability to convey maximum information with minimum words.
His writing career forged ahead when he joined Corgi Books in the late '60s, which gave JT exposure through a major publishing house, as well as the opportunity to branch out from the core Westerns into the Rockabye County, the science-fiction hero Bunduki and other series.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._T._Edson
He was born in 1928.He was obsessed with Westerns from an early age and often "rewrote" cowboy movies that he had seen at the cinema. One thing that always intrigued him was the minutiae—how did the baddie's gun jam? What were the mechanics of cheating at cards? How did Westerners really dress and speak?
His writing was helped to develop by a schoolteacher who encouraged him. Now lives in Leicester, Leicestershire.[citation needed]
During his 20s and 30s, Edson served in His Majesty's Armed Forces for 12 years as a Dog Trainer. Cooped up in barracks for long periods, he devoured books by the great escapist writers (Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert McCraig, Nelson C. Nye and Edgar Wallace). He also sat through hours of movies starring John Wayne, Randolph Scott, Errol Flynn and his all-time favourite, Audie Murphy.
His first appearance in print was "Hints On Self-Preservation when attacked by a War Dog" in the Osnabrück camp magazine Shufti in 1947. Acquiring a typewriter in the early 1950s and putting it to good use while posted to Hong Kong, by the time of his discharge he had written 10 Westerns, an early version of Bunduki and the first of the short detective-type stories starring Waco.
Upon leaving HM forces, JT won second prize (with Trail Boss) in the Western division of a Literary Competition run by Brown & Watson Ltd, which led to the publication of 46 novels with them, becoming a major earner for the company.
He had the need for supplementary income from time-to-time and also served as a postman, and the proprietor of a fish 'n' chip shop. Furthermore, he branched out as a writer and wrote five series of short stories (Dan Hollick, Dog Handler) for the Victor boys papers, and wrote the "box captions" for comic strips, which instilled discipline and the ability to convey maximum information with minimum words.
His writing career forged ahead when he joined Corgi Books in the late '60s, which gave JT exposure through a major publishing house, as well as the opportunity to branch out from the core Westerns into the Rockabye County, the science-fiction hero Bunduki and other series.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._T._Edson
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 23, 2025
I discovered the works of JT Edson many years ago, and I have thoroughly enjoyed his tales of Dusty Fog and the Hardin clan. I bought many of these books back in the day and continued following the various series as they came out.
The Waco Kid stories are not his best, but they are well worth the read if you enjoy Westerns. They are an acquired taste, but I think you will enjoy them. An easy read and an enjoyable time.
The Waco Kid stories are not his best, but they are well worth the read if you enjoy Westerns. They are an acquired taste, but I think you will enjoy them. An easy read and an enjoyable time.
April 19, 2018
Do not waste money
One of Edson's bad ones. Reworked short story, terrible as all the reworked ones are. Extremely disappointing and not worth time invested
One of Edson's bad ones. Reworked short story, terrible as all the reworked ones are. Extremely disappointing and not worth time invested
April 20, 2018
Great Book!
I liked this story as it depicts the old west as it must have been. At least to some extent.
I liked this story as it depicts the old west as it must have been. At least to some extent.
September 4, 2014
I do actually like this story, but I think it's because Waco is my favorite character and I love the stories about his time as an Arizona Ranger, which this book sets up. I had read the rest of the series many, many times before getting my hands on this one and it really does serve to bridge between Return to Backsight--the last of the Floating Outfit series to contain Waco--and the Waco series. Every once in awhile JT goes off on some tangent, in this case it is the history of stagecoach travel and was less than riveting. He also spends too much time describing the 'Summer Complainants' and their activities. Aside from this we are given the back story on Captain Mosehan and Sergeant Glendon. When Waco and Doc Leroy enter the picture they are finishing up a job for Colonel Raines, with whom they had been staying while Waco recovered from injuries sustained in Return to Backsight, after which they are planning on rejoining the floating outfit. The book's plot is loosely based on the first short story in Sagebrush Sleuth (the second of the Waco series) but there are some major discrepancies; In the short story Doc and Waco were working for the ranch managed by Mosehan and Waco claimed to have not met Belle Starr when in fact they had met in Mulrooney. The expanded version makes for a much smoother transition between series.
November 10, 2013
3 stars
Was disappointed in this J.T. Edson. So far this is my least favorite book written by J.T. Edson.
Lots of long boring descriptions of stage coaches. Does have some familiar characters Waco, Doc and Belle Starr.
Like most of J.T. Edson' stories their are gun fights, women fighting. Likeable characters.
This is telling why the Arizona State Police force is needed. Why some don't want the force being started and others do.
The stage is held up with a bunch of inside information. A couple of the crooks let it slip the name of head outlaw was Belle. Some of the victims believed it was the famous Belle Starr gang. While one does not believe it was.
I hope more of J.T. Edson's floating outfit come out as ebooks.
Publisher: HarperCollins e-books (May 19, 2009) 288 pages ASIN: B0029PBVBQ
Was disappointed in this J.T. Edson. So far this is my least favorite book written by J.T. Edson.
Lots of long boring descriptions of stage coaches. Does have some familiar characters Waco, Doc and Belle Starr.
Like most of J.T. Edson' stories their are gun fights, women fighting. Likeable characters.
This is telling why the Arizona State Police force is needed. Why some don't want the force being started and others do.
The stage is held up with a bunch of inside information. A couple of the crooks let it slip the name of head outlaw was Belle. Some of the victims believed it was the famous Belle Starr gang. While one does not believe it was.
I hope more of J.T. Edson's floating outfit come out as ebooks.
Publisher: HarperCollins e-books (May 19, 2009) 288 pages ASIN: B0029PBVBQ
March 10, 2020
This was not as impressive as the many other JT Edson books ia have read and loved... this was so-so. Very few (and far away) inetersting pieces. would not recommend to anyone
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews