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Against All Odds: A Western Adventure
The first book in a brand new Western adventure series from Dave P. Fisher!
The war was near to ending when Confederate Major Jason Wells was mortally wounded. Sergeant Nolan Callahan stuck with him in a futile attempt to get him to help. The Major’s last dying act was to grip Nolan’s arm and say, ‘I have cattle land in Arizona, I give it to you. In Tucson, see a man named Seabrooke – tell him’. Nolan wondered on the Major’s dying words. He knew nothing of Arizona, but he would keep it in mind.
Lee’s surrender came only days later. Nolan returned home to Arkansas, as did his brothers, and a Texas friend. Telling them about the Arizona land, they volunteered to go with him to see what it was. He agreed it was worth a look, setting off a thousand-mile journey into the wild lands of west Texas. The danger-wracked venture proved to be anything but easy, but as they survived the elements, outlaws, Comanches, and Apaches their wild land savvy grew.
Reaching Tucson, Nolan found Thaddeus Seabrooke at the land office. The property was half of an old Spanish land grant Jason Wells had purchased. Seabrooke tells Nolan, ‘It’s yours, if you can hold it against the Apaches, cattle thieves, Yankee carpetbaggers, and Emiliano Zamora. The odds are against you’. Here was the seed to a cattle empire. The odds be damned, they would hold it!
The war was near to ending when Confederate Major Jason Wells was mortally wounded. Sergeant Nolan Callahan stuck with him in a futile attempt to get him to help. The Major’s last dying act was to grip Nolan’s arm and say, ‘I have cattle land in Arizona, I give it to you. In Tucson, see a man named Seabrooke – tell him’. Nolan wondered on the Major’s dying words. He knew nothing of Arizona, but he would keep it in mind.
Lee’s surrender came only days later. Nolan returned home to Arkansas, as did his brothers, and a Texas friend. Telling them about the Arizona land, they volunteered to go with him to see what it was. He agreed it was worth a look, setting off a thousand-mile journey into the wild lands of west Texas. The danger-wracked venture proved to be anything but easy, but as they survived the elements, outlaws, Comanches, and Apaches their wild land savvy grew.
Reaching Tucson, Nolan found Thaddeus Seabrooke at the land office. The property was half of an old Spanish land grant Jason Wells had purchased. Seabrooke tells Nolan, ‘It’s yours, if you can hold it against the Apaches, cattle thieves, Yankee carpetbaggers, and Emiliano Zamora. The odds are against you’. Here was the seed to a cattle empire. The odds be damned, they would hold it!
173 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 25, 2024
304 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
Dave P. Fisher
111 books39 followers I have been a writer of adventure novels of the Old West. I have now branched out to writing contemporary crime novels with a suspense/mystery base. What I feel makes these unique is that they are set in the modern West and Alaska, as opposed to exotic world and big city settings. They involve average people and local law enforcement agencies.
My writing influence comes from my ancestral roots. Mountain men, voyageurs, pioneers, and explorers make up the branches of my family tree. My paternal grandfather was Blackfoot Indian from Montana. My maternal grandfather was a Minnesota lumberjack, both men were born in the 1800’s.
As a lifelong outdoorsman I have inherited that pioneer blood and followed in the footsteps of both my families. I have experienced life in the Alaska bush, as well as the wilderness of the Rocky and Cascade Mountains, as a working cowboy, guide, horsepacker, hunter, and trapper.
I also spent several years as a Colorado Deputy Sheriff. This experience in the law enforcement field allows me an intimate insight to the system that I weave into my new crime genre stories.
I incorporate all of my experiences into my stories to ingrain them with authenticity and draw the reader into the story by their realism and a personal knowledge of the people and lifestyle involved.
I have near to 500 fiction and non-fiction works published. Included are: 19 novels and short story collections, 70 short stories, and inclusion in 18 anthologies. I am the first 3 time winner of the Will Rogers Medallion Award, in 2008 for Best Western Fiction, and again in 2013 for Best Western Humor, and 2014 for Best Western Novel. Nine of my short stories have earned Reader’s Choice Awards.
My writing influence comes from my ancestral roots. Mountain men, voyageurs, pioneers, and explorers make up the branches of my family tree. My paternal grandfather was Blackfoot Indian from Montana. My maternal grandfather was a Minnesota lumberjack, both men were born in the 1800’s.
As a lifelong outdoorsman I have inherited that pioneer blood and followed in the footsteps of both my families. I have experienced life in the Alaska bush, as well as the wilderness of the Rocky and Cascade Mountains, as a working cowboy, guide, horsepacker, hunter, and trapper.
I also spent several years as a Colorado Deputy Sheriff. This experience in the law enforcement field allows me an intimate insight to the system that I weave into my new crime genre stories.
I incorporate all of my experiences into my stories to ingrain them with authenticity and draw the reader into the story by their realism and a personal knowledge of the people and lifestyle involved.
I have near to 500 fiction and non-fiction works published. Included are: 19 novels and short story collections, 70 short stories, and inclusion in 18 anthologies. I am the first 3 time winner of the Will Rogers Medallion Award, in 2008 for Best Western Fiction, and again in 2013 for Best Western Humor, and 2014 for Best Western Novel. Nine of my short stories have earned Reader’s Choice Awards.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
December 17, 2025
FOUR VETERANS OF THE CIVIL WAR HEAD FROM ARKANSAS TO ARIZONA FOR A CHANCE TO BE CATTLE BARONS
12/16/25 Review:
☆☆☆☆☆
Against All Odds: A Western Adventure (The Dragoon Cattle Company Book 1) by Dave P. Fisher is a western novel that has just about something for everyone. It's well written, action-packed, full of intriguing scenarios, characters that are strong with the determination to survive and have sound morals and firm family values.
Two brothers stand together at the end of the Civil War fighting against the odds to survive and protect those on their side of the battle hoping to see their home and family in one piece. The other brother, fighting for the North. The brothers struggle against highway bandits on their way from the final battle of the North and South to head home to their family's farm in the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas. Once there, even though the war between the North and the South is over, they have to deal with Southern Bushwhackers, Northern Jayhawks, and Highway Bandits who are out to take from the little of what is on hand by those cities and residents who survived the war and have little to nothing due to the lack of supplies.
While fighting one of the final battles of the Civil War, Sergeant Nolan Callahan of the Confederate Army inherits a land deed from a dying friend that sets the brothers and a friend of Levi, who's Nolan's older brother who served on the Union Army side on an adventure across Arkansas, Texas, and New Mexico to Tucson, Arizona to find just the extent of what Nolan had inherited. During their trip, they have to defend themselves against assassins, Comanches, Comancheros, Apaches, and the hardships of the trail and elements.
This being the first book that I have had the chance to read by Dave Fisher, I can honestly say that I am highly impressed with his writing. Having finished this first book in this five book series, I am truly looking forward to reading how Nolan, Billy, Levi, Tom, and Mateo start the next chapter of their lives building a place to call their own in the Dragoon Mountains outside Tucson, Arizona. If you enjoy a good western series, you will not be disappointed in reading this book.
Quotes:
"There need be no mercy extended to cruel and violent murderers who pray on the weak and innocent."
Biblical quote:
Psalm 37, verse 20;
"But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume away."
"A bluff only works for so long, then you have to back it up."
"There's always something to be thankful for, sometimes you just have to stop being lazy and look for it."
"Beauty is only skin deep. But ugly goes plum to the bone."
12/16/25 Review:
☆☆☆☆☆
Against All Odds: A Western Adventure (The Dragoon Cattle Company Book 1) by Dave P. Fisher is a western novel that has just about something for everyone. It's well written, action-packed, full of intriguing scenarios, characters that are strong with the determination to survive and have sound morals and firm family values.
Two brothers stand together at the end of the Civil War fighting against the odds to survive and protect those on their side of the battle hoping to see their home and family in one piece. The other brother, fighting for the North. The brothers struggle against highway bandits on their way from the final battle of the North and South to head home to their family's farm in the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas. Once there, even though the war between the North and the South is over, they have to deal with Southern Bushwhackers, Northern Jayhawks, and Highway Bandits who are out to take from the little of what is on hand by those cities and residents who survived the war and have little to nothing due to the lack of supplies.
While fighting one of the final battles of the Civil War, Sergeant Nolan Callahan of the Confederate Army inherits a land deed from a dying friend that sets the brothers and a friend of Levi, who's Nolan's older brother who served on the Union Army side on an adventure across Arkansas, Texas, and New Mexico to Tucson, Arizona to find just the extent of what Nolan had inherited. During their trip, they have to defend themselves against assassins, Comanches, Comancheros, Apaches, and the hardships of the trail and elements.
This being the first book that I have had the chance to read by Dave Fisher, I can honestly say that I am highly impressed with his writing. Having finished this first book in this five book series, I am truly looking forward to reading how Nolan, Billy, Levi, Tom, and Mateo start the next chapter of their lives building a place to call their own in the Dragoon Mountains outside Tucson, Arizona. If you enjoy a good western series, you will not be disappointed in reading this book.
Quotes:
"There need be no mercy extended to cruel and violent murderers who pray on the weak and innocent."
Biblical quote:
Psalm 37, verse 20;
"But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume away."
"A bluff only works for so long, then you have to back it up."
"There's always something to be thankful for, sometimes you just have to stop being lazy and look for it."
"Beauty is only skin deep. But ugly goes plum to the bone."
October 2, 2024
I really enjoyed this book as it held my interest from the beginning to end. Great characters, a good story to lead you into the next books in this series. I really like the personality of each one of these characters, the way they have bonded together, and the way they meet trouble head on and eliminate it using both there brains and there guns! Looking forward to the next book in the series.
July 4, 2024
A great start for a new series. I’m already hooked and waiting on book 2. Mr. Fisher is an outstanding western writer as he does a superb job of knowledge about locations and the existing culture of each area he passes through on his adventure.
October 22, 2024
Nice!
Story moves along quickly and characters are believable and interesting. I want to read the next one too, and I hope there will be many more. Plus they would make great Audible books!
Story moves along quickly and characters are believable and interesting. I want to read the next one too, and I hope there will be many more. Plus they would make great Audible books!
February 18, 2025
Dedicated veterans tackle the Wild West....
The young veterans fight their way across the barren and wild west to answer the request of a trusted friend. Exciting action and brave young men will keep your attention throughout.
The young veterans fight their way across the barren and wild west to answer the request of a trusted friend. Exciting action and brave young men will keep your attention throughout.
December 12, 2024
What an old west novel should be🐺💀🔫🔪🐎
ADULT Historical Western 🐺💪🔫🔪🐎💀.
This novel begins during the civil war with the tale of 3 brothers From Arkansas Territory. 2 of them fight for the south and the other 1 fights for the union army But they never hold a grudge. All 3 are lucky enough to survive The war and make their way back home and then the adventure begins to the west.
The book is well researched and thought out.
Of course there is violence and lawlessness Because after the civil war there was much of that..
I got this e-book from Amazon 📚 with kindle unlimited.
ADULT Historical Western 🐺💪🔫🔪🐎💀.
This novel begins during the civil war with the tale of 3 brothers From Arkansas Territory. 2 of them fight for the south and the other 1 fights for the union army But they never hold a grudge. All 3 are lucky enough to survive The war and make their way back home and then the adventure begins to the west.
The book is well researched and thought out.
Of course there is violence and lawlessness Because after the civil war there was much of that..
I got this e-book from Amazon 📚 with kindle unlimited.
February 24, 2025
informative
I appreciate it when an author brings historical relevance to fiction. This book draws you into the lives of the characters and brings you into what people in their circumstances likely faced. The war and following years were likely brutal and Mr. Fisher does an excellent job of describing the hardships, albeit in a palatable form for those who don’t want to delve too deeply into the depressive issues burdening so many at the time. Looking forward to the next segment of the series!
I appreciate it when an author brings historical relevance to fiction. This book draws you into the lives of the characters and brings you into what people in their circumstances likely faced. The war and following years were likely brutal and Mr. Fisher does an excellent job of describing the hardships, albeit in a palatable form for those who don’t want to delve too deeply into the depressive issues burdening so many at the time. Looking forward to the next segment of the series!
Read
September 13, 2024A tale well told with and courage cemented by friendship
A rousing tale that begins at the end of the civil war when brother from opposite sides reunite on return to Arkansas. The are a band of brothers who welcome others in peace and punish those who try to profit from peace. Their long journey west is rewarded with a a chance to build a cattle ranch - if they can hold on to it.
A rousing tale that begins at the end of the civil war when brother from opposite sides reunite on return to Arkansas. The are a band of brothers who welcome others in peace and punish those who try to profit from peace. Their long journey west is rewarded with a a chance to build a cattle ranch - if they can hold on to it.
January 31, 2025
Hell of A Great Read
I seldom care to read anything regarding the U.S.A. Civil War anymore. But I'm sure glad that I read through the first page of this book, though. It is more than just the start of the rebuilding of our country. It is this in spades; including people representing the many aspects of our country. This is a very well written and exciting adventure story that I'm sure glad I didn't miss. I like it.
I seldom care to read anything regarding the U.S.A. Civil War anymore. But I'm sure glad that I read through the first page of this book, though. It is more than just the start of the rebuilding of our country. It is this in spades; including people representing the many aspects of our country. This is a very well written and exciting adventure story that I'm sure glad I didn't miss. I like it.
November 25, 2024
Solid Western Fiction
I was entertained by this gritty novel which has a strong main character and good supporting characters which I expect to be further developed as the series continues. Time and place is well described, the storyline is intriguing, and the details appears to be well researched. I plan to read the next book in the series.
I was entertained by this gritty novel which has a strong main character and good supporting characters which I expect to be further developed as the series continues. Time and place is well described, the storyline is intriguing, and the details appears to be well researched. I plan to read the next book in the series.
April 13, 2025
Against all Odds
What a great book! Great story and totally absorbing all the way through. Five experienced ex Confederate and Yankee Amy soldiers who have come into a large Ranch now have to hold out against Apaches, Carpetbaggers, Cattle thieves and ruthless Cattle Barons. Look like a really interesting second book to find and read. Can’t wait.
What a great book! Great story and totally absorbing all the way through. Five experienced ex Confederate and Yankee Amy soldiers who have come into a large Ranch now have to hold out against Apaches, Carpetbaggers, Cattle thieves and ruthless Cattle Barons. Look like a really interesting second book to find and read. Can’t wait.
September 1, 2024
A good read
Excellent adventure story! Not the same old western formula of a beautiful girl and her ranch being saved by a hardy hero from a greedy, evil land baron. I can't wait to read book 2 of the Dragoon Cattle Company.
Excellent adventure story! Not the same old western formula of a beautiful girl and her ranch being saved by a hardy hero from a greedy, evil land baron. I can't wait to read book 2 of the Dragoon Cattle Company.
December 26, 2024
Good Historic Novel
I expect mistakes. But didn't find them. When I read the biography I understood. I will suggest to others that like western to read Dave Fisher. The read was enjoyable. Thanks
I expect mistakes. But didn't find them. When I read the biography I understood. I will suggest to others that like western to read Dave Fisher. The read was enjoyable. Thanks
February 6, 2025
Enjoyable Read
Move a little slow at times, but it was a good read. The usual characters I like to see. it’s historical narrative of civil war and with those people trying to find their way after the war
Move a little slow at times, but it was a good read. The usual characters I like to see. it’s historical narrative of civil war and with those people trying to find their way after the war
July 10, 2024
Alway a great read
For the civil war to taming the west good follow thru! Makes. For a good follow up!!!! Thankslook forward to many more.
For the civil war to taming the west good follow thru! Makes. For a good follow up!!!! Thankslook forward to many more.
July 13, 2024
Yes! Another excellent book by this author. Can't wait for the next one. Read and enjoy!
July 17, 2024
great book
Love the writing by this author and the storyline. Great adventures and trials for the main characters
Hope for more in this series
Love the writing by this author and the storyline. Great adventures and trials for the main characters
Hope for more in this series
August 27, 2024
I really ended this book.
I had trouble putting the story down after I started. I had to to get to the end so I could find out what would happen next.
I had trouble putting the story down after I started. I had to to get to the end so I could find out what would happen next.
November 10, 2024
good storyline
Strong characters. Great adventure and actions. Introducing new characters that bring in new adventures. Good story. Can’t wait to see more of these characters
Strong characters. Great adventure and actions. Introducing new characters that bring in new adventures. Good story. Can’t wait to see more of these characters
November 21, 2024
Enjoyable reading
Time to move on to the second book. Book 1 has been very interesting without many idle or boring pages.. Good job Dave Fisher.
Time to move on to the second book. Book 1 has been very interesting without many idle or boring pages.. Good job Dave Fisher.
November 26, 2024
Great storyline!
I really enjoyed this book, not often you get the other side of the war between the state's. Loved the no quit attitude of these men.
I really enjoyed this book, not often you get the other side of the war between the state's. Loved the no quit attitude of these men.
December 21, 2024
good start
I see where the story broke where it did. Made for a short read.
Hopefully it gets fleshed out in the next volume.
I see where the story broke where it did. Made for a short read.
Hopefully it gets fleshed out in the next volume.
January 15, 2025
great read
Hope there many sequels to come with this well thought out and written book showing a family growing through the years !!!
Hope there many sequels to come with this well thought out and written book showing a family growing through the years !!!
March 25, 2025
Page turner
Very exciting and action packed and well written by somebody who really knows his stuff. Includes amazing details and geography.
Very exciting and action packed and well written by somebody who really knows his stuff. Includes amazing details and geography.
December 16, 2025
Good fead
Three brothers and one soldier friend survive the war between the states, and are joined by a Mexican man rescued from the apaches, and set out to claim 50,000 acres in Arizona territory. The deed given to one soldier by a mortally wounded Confederate Major. The journey from Arkansas to Arizona holds many dangerous obstacles, human mostly. Looking forward to learn if the men will succeed.
Three brothers and one soldier friend survive the war between the states, and are joined by a Mexican man rescued from the apaches, and set out to claim 50,000 acres in Arizona territory. The deed given to one soldier by a mortally wounded Confederate Major. The journey from Arkansas to Arizona holds many dangerous obstacles, human mostly. Looking forward to learn if the men will succeed.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews