Longarm

Longarm #1

by Tabor Evans

Used BooK

Genres: Westerns, Fiction, Mystery

272 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 1, 1978

About the author

Tabor Evans is the author of the long-running Longarm western series, featuring the adventures of Deputy U.S. Marshal Custis Long. Tabor Evans, is a house pseudonym used by a number of authors. The pseudonym of Tabor Evans would begin in the 1970s when Lou Cameron established it for the Jove Books publishing label. Lou Cameron helped create the character and wrote a number of the early books in the series. The first book was published in 1978. Other authors known to have written books in the series include Melvin Marshall, Will C. Knott, Frank Roderus, Chet Cunningham, J. Lee Butts, Gary McCarthy, James Reasoner, Jeffrey M. Wallmann, Peter Brandvold and Harry Whittington. In addition there are 29 "Giant" editions published as well.

The Longarm series is a mainstay of the "adult western" genre which arose in the 1970s. These books are distinguished from classical westerns by the inclusion of more explicit sex and violence.

Reviews

[Scott Rhee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love westerns. Not many people today can say that and mean it. It's just not a genre that many people can relate to, I guess. In fact, it's a sad fact that generations of kids today have probably never read a western, other than the occasional short story in English class by Stephen Crane or Mark Twain.

Strangely enough, the genre persists, with most western fans keeping relatively quiet about it. Boasting that one loves westerns is, well, let's fact it, uncool. So be it. As long as there are authors out there still publishing westerns, there will be readers like me devouring them.

I recently discovered a long-running western series by an author named Tabor Evans. It's most likely a pseudonym, but that's neither here nor there. (Rumor has it that "Tabor Evans" is a pseudonym used by many different authors for this series, most of whom---again, according to rumor---are best-selling romance authors.)

The series features a muscular handle-bar mustachioed protagonist called Longarm. His real name is Custis Long, and he's a U.S. Marshal. What is most surprising about this series is not the fact that Evans has been publishing novels steadily since the '70s and that there are over 400 books in the series (which can probably be explained by the fact that some of the books are probably reprinted under different titles and/or the aforementioned rumor about different ghost writers).

What is most surprising is the fact that Evans is actually a pretty darn good writer of westerns.* He has a knack for description, a good sense of pacing, and a concocter of interesting plots. He also has a propensity for ridiculously graphic sex scenes, which are scattered liberally throughout his novels. They'd be almost shocking if they weren't so hilarious. Seriously, Evans's sex scenes are an absolute joy. Even my wife was laughing hysterically when I read her one aloud.

"Longarm", the first in the series, has Marshal Long traveling to a town called Crooked Lance in the West Wyoming Territory, a town so insignificant you can't find it on any map. Apparently, vigilantes (there is no official "Law" to speak of in Crooked Lance) have arrested Cotton Younger, a cow-thief and young cousin of Jesse James. Longarm thinks he has an easy job of getting to Crooked Lance, picking up Younger, and bringing him back to trial in federal courts. From the get-go, though, nothing about the job is easy.

First, there's the fact that another Deputy Marshal tried it first, and no one has heard from him since. When Longarm does eventually find the town, he has already been shot at and ambushed by mysterious snipers. The list of suspects is a long one: a married couple of bounty hunters, a Canadian Mounty, an old gold-panner out for revenge, a Texas sheriff, and just about everyone else in the shady little no-nothing town.

Oh, yeah, there's also the possibility that Jesse James and his gang are holed away in the woods in hopes of breaking out little cuz from the hoosegow. Never mind the fact that the man everybody thinks is Cotton Younger may not even be Cotton Younger anyway. It's a confusing mess, but Longarm doesn't care. He has a job to do, and he aims to do it. Replete with amusing dialogue, unusual characters, a who-dunnit, the requisite number of shoot-outs, and those wonderful sex scenes, "Longarm" is a fun, quick read. I plan on reading all 400+ books in the series.

* I discovered, later, that "Tabor Evans" is the pseudonym for a team of many writers, mostly of romance fiction, that take turns writing novels based on a template. This explains why many Longarm novels are heavy on romance and sex rather than gunplay. This is perfectly acceptable to me.

[Benjamin Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deputy US Marshal Custis “Longarm” Long is asked to travel to the small town of Crooked Lance in Wyoming territory for two reasons. One is to bring back a jailed man who answers the description of Cotton Younger, reputed cousin of Cole Younger and potential provider of intel on the location of Jesse and Frank James and others of the Younger/James gang. The other is to find out what happened to Deputy Kincaid who had already been dispatched on the same mission but is now missing.

This is the first volume of hundreds of Longarm novels to follow. Frankly, I wasn’t expecting much, suspecting this would be in the same vein as other long “adult” western series that were manufactured monthly from the 1970s – 2010s. Lou Cameron is the man behind the Tabor Evans pseudonym and gets much of the credit for creating the Longarm character and series. Indeed, he also gets a lot of credit from me for this particular book, a much better reading experience than I expected.

True, Longarm is a bit of an over-the-top character and despite his easy-going style and mannerisms, manages to remain one or two steps ahead of the rest of the characters, and the reader. Not only is he a crack shot and a female magnet, he displays a remarkable intellect and ability to solve cases and get his man. Misdirection is one of his primary tools and his cleverness is awe inspiring. He wastes no words or actions on that which is beyond his control. And when things get complicated, he simplifies them and "eats the apple one bite at a time."

I doubt readers will turn to this series for historical realism but as long as they come for adventurous fun mixed with some explicit spicy scenes, then I can heartily recommend this one. Several noted authors have contributed to this series (and many I’ve never heard of) so individual titles will surely run the gamut of quality. But I will likely try another one or two in the future, hoping for another as fun as this one.

[Chuck Byrd · Rating 4 out of 5]

All the great western tropes
outlaw hero
native Americans
pretty girls
not so pretty girls
horses
trains
sex and violence
A true American classic

[Jay Kawasaki · Rating 3 out of 5]

“If folks ain’t smart, they have to be good. Dumb and wicked is a fearsome combination.”

[Stiobhard · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think it was one of the rule books of the Boot Hill RPG that was bemoaning in the 80s that this is what the western novel had devolved into. And I guess that is true. I fear that these days other popular genres are going in the same direction.

Its mostly erotic scenes with plot to fill in the space in between. That said, of the ones I read, now many years ago, this is one of the memorable ones so it gets a few stars for that. Though it certainly was an example of formula writing because you could predict what would happen in each chapter because every book in the series followed the same pattern. That said my interest at the time was in European made western movies and western themed role playing games and it suited me well enough for those purposes then.

These books' hero had more than a passing resemblance of Tom Sellecks character in Magnum PI. That TV series came out a few years later so that may be a coincidence. But all the "Old Son" bits of the book with Long talking to himself did resemble Selleck's voiceovers in the TV series more than a little.

The one thing is the cover art, though. Its still kitsch-y and lurid but in a way that's kind of a testament to the times it was made for.

There was a spin off series of books as well called Lone Star which in retrospect might be more interesting now. It was still the same sex and gunslingers format but that other series involved a female gunfighter and her Japanese martial artist companion.

I guess it shows how little there was to read in this genre at the time as these were what filled the western section in Waldenbooks and BDalton at the local Mall. But when I tried to sell my collection to Half Price Books a few years later, HPB would not even take them, and I tossed them in the dumpster behind the bookstore in exasperation. Now I imagine they are collector's items because I do not see them in stores anymore.

[Josh Hitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Closer to a 3.5, it's a solid western along with the normal silly sexual encounters of an adult western. Though Lou Cameron was a solid writer and this one had me kind of stumped, had an almost Perry Mason type of ending. Also the humor aside from the crazy adult scenes was fun. Again the tale itself was well done, with Long, a deputy US Marshal, having to pick up a crook named Cotton Younger from a vigilante group out in the middle of nowhere. Younger is a cousin of the James brothers and there are alot of people after him to see if he knew where the James were at. On top of that another deputy was already sent to get him and nothing was ever heard from him again.

Recommended if you are a fan of adult westerns. I find alot of them amusing and some like this one better written and with a better story then most would think. However not sure I would read several in a row, though are fun for a quick change here and there.

[Matt Kight · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the very first Western I've ever read and I basically loved it! I'm a bit surprised I enjoyed it as much as I did but I credit the easy good time to this style of adult westerns starting in the late 70's. Although I expected some gunplay and a few saucy scenes, I also found the 200+ page story to be packed with an interesting little mystery and a bit of a romp through a small cow town called Crooked Lance with a colorful cast of characters - both lawful and otherwise. But this also Book 1 of a straight up men's adventure series with plenty of action scenes and enough double-crossing and manipulating characters to keep the reader guessing exactly where the story's going. I'd recommend this to anyone that finds my above description even remotely appealing and I definitely look forward to reading more of Longarm's adventures in the wild west.

[Kurt Weber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took me two years to struggle through this one.

[Malum · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first Longarm novel isn't half bad, with some good action and even a bit of a mystery.

[Bradley Schlieper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second time reading this. As a premiere edition to this long run adult western series, it’s a decent length with a few twists and turns.

[Jordan Jones · Rating 1 out of 5]

Long arm and most westerns is this type of short and each month literature smut

[Jeff J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book in the Longarm series, a mashup of western and crime genres.

[Tony Hills · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was shockingly good. Not the best western I have ever read, it didn't make me consider the purpose of life, the universe and everything but it was well written and entertaining.

[Dan Panke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now this is one junkie western. Although I love westerns, aside from Longarm, this book has a bunch of unrealistic characters. My reading more books in the series is questionable.

[SamT]

I read another Longarm book earlier this year and found it so poorly written that I vowed not to read any of the other books in the series.
Then I went to a bookstore dealing in used books that had several hundred of the Longarm books for sale including the first one in the series. I thought I would give Longarm another try and suprisingly, I enjoyed this one because the outcome was not clear until the end.
The character called Longarm is actually Deputy U.S. Marshall Custis Long who works out of the Denver Federal Marshall's office in about 1880. Longarm is typical of those heroes of the old West. He is a lover, a fighter, a wild horse rider, and a pretty good judge of Indians.
Longarm is sent up in the Wyoming Territory to bring home a prisioner who is being held by a vigilante committee. He shoots several men, has his way with several women (actually some of them have their way with him), and he is rescued by the Utes whom he has befriended in the past.
My favorite quote from the book comes when Longarm is sitting around the campfire with the widow Stover who isn't sure a murderer should be hung for his crime.
Longarm tells the widow, "We don't hang folks because they have killed someone. We hang 'em in order that someone else won't get killed.''
The author's name,Tabor Evans, is a pseudonym for several authors who write the Longarm books.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is likely to become my new not-so-guilty pleasure. This is the first in a series of several hundred books that have been coming out for 30 years. This first installment introduces us to US Marshal Custis Long, better known as Longarm. We have a western-action-mystery here with a dose of random gratuitous sex thrown in for fun. Although not terribly explicit, the sex scenes border on erotic and ridiculous and embarrassingly enough I rather enjoyed them.

Longarm is off to Wyoming to investigate the disappearance of a fellow US Marshal and to bring back a prisoner who is thought to have connections to the James-Younger gang. A bunch of other lawmen show up claiming rights to the same prisoner. The characters are well fleshed out and downright hilarious. My favorite being the gun toting midget and his wife. I could read a whole book of just their adventures.

A lot of fun to read. My only complaint is there are way too many typos. And tracking down the next 300+ books may prove to be difficult.

[Merwyn Haskett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Previously reviewed at The Taze Files.