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When To Fire
Readers Favorite 5-Star Medal
LitPick 5-Star Award
Literary Titan Silver Award for fiction.
In search of his family on the wild frontier, the Pistol Kid battles lawmen, befriends natives, and gains psychic visions that echo through time. Readers Favorite declares, "Five Stars! A fast-paced yarn filled to the brim with action, adventure, mystery and intrigue." Literary Titan calls When To Fire, "A thrilling and imaginative ride, seamlessly blending the grit of the Wild West with the wonder of Science Fiction." LitPick says, “The book isn't a shootout or outlaw story. It's a tale of loss, redemption, and attempting to find meaning in the thick of it all. It surprised me in the best way possible.”
From the award-winning author of the coming-of-age novel To the Top of Greenfield Street.
LitPick 5-Star Award
Literary Titan Silver Award for fiction.
In search of his family on the wild frontier, the Pistol Kid battles lawmen, befriends natives, and gains psychic visions that echo through time. Readers Favorite declares, "Five Stars! A fast-paced yarn filled to the brim with action, adventure, mystery and intrigue." Literary Titan calls When To Fire, "A thrilling and imaginative ride, seamlessly blending the grit of the Wild West with the wonder of Science Fiction." LitPick says, “The book isn't a shootout or outlaw story. It's a tale of loss, redemption, and attempting to find meaning in the thick of it all. It surprised me in the best way possible.”
From the award-winning author of the coming-of-age novel To the Top of Greenfield Street.
126 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 13, 2025
1 person want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 15, 2025
When to Fire, Ryan Standley's latest novella, is a captivating blend of classic Western grit and mind-bending science fiction. What begins as a traditional tale of a legendary gunslinger on the run evolves into a narrative filled with unexpected twists reminiscent of Planet of the Apes. Standley's ability to merge these genres creates a story that is both surprising and thrilling. The novella introduces us to a trio of infamous bandits: Chaske, Euna, and Matt Frimm, known as the Pistol Kid. Their exploits across the frontier, robbing banks to fund the Native cause against an oppressive federal government, form the story's foundation. When a heist goes awry, Chaske is killed, leaving Euna and Matt to navigate a dangerous path of survival, rebellion, and personal discovery—all while chasing the mystery of Matt’s missing parents.
Initially, the plot unfolds with a familiar, almost predictable rhythm. The Pistol Kid channels a Robin Hood-like charm, a rogue with a noble heart hidden beneath his swagger. Euna, too, follows a well-worn archetype of the strong, determined outlaw. Yet, as the story progresses, these familiar tropes give way to something far more intricate. After an audacious bank heist spirals into chaos, the narrative takes a sharp turn. Matt gains access to a mysterious power that transforms him into a "Seer," granting visions of the past and future. This newfound ability elevates him from a sharpshooting outlaw to a near-supernatural force. Standley uses these powers to craft exhilarating action scenes, where Matt’s precognitive edge allows him to dominate gunfights with uncanny precision, solidifying his place as a larger-than-life hero.
Despite its brevity, When to Fire develops its characters with remarkable depth. Matt’s powers serve not only as a narrative device for thrilling action but also as a lens to explore both his and Euna’s motivations, vulnerabilities, and shared history. Euna’s ultimate fate is revealed early, yet this knowledge heightens, rather than diminishes, the emotional stakes and tension as the story unfolds. Standley's novella excels as a fusion of cowboy adventure and speculative fiction, anchored by an intriguing central mystery. The hints at a broader mythology suggest a world ripe for further exploration, leaving readers eager for a sequel that could delve deeper into its lore. If there’s a flaw, it’s that When to Fire ends too soon. Its rapid pace keeps the story moving but leaves little time to fully savor the rich world Standley has created. Just as the momentum reaches its peak, the novella concludes, leaving readers yearning for more.
In When to Fire, Ryan Standley delivers a thrilling and imaginative ride, seamlessly blending the grit of the Wild West with the wonder of science fiction. It’s a story that sticks with you, not just for what it is but for the tantalizing promise of what it could become.
Initially, the plot unfolds with a familiar, almost predictable rhythm. The Pistol Kid channels a Robin Hood-like charm, a rogue with a noble heart hidden beneath his swagger. Euna, too, follows a well-worn archetype of the strong, determined outlaw. Yet, as the story progresses, these familiar tropes give way to something far more intricate. After an audacious bank heist spirals into chaos, the narrative takes a sharp turn. Matt gains access to a mysterious power that transforms him into a "Seer," granting visions of the past and future. This newfound ability elevates him from a sharpshooting outlaw to a near-supernatural force. Standley uses these powers to craft exhilarating action scenes, where Matt’s precognitive edge allows him to dominate gunfights with uncanny precision, solidifying his place as a larger-than-life hero.
Despite its brevity, When to Fire develops its characters with remarkable depth. Matt’s powers serve not only as a narrative device for thrilling action but also as a lens to explore both his and Euna’s motivations, vulnerabilities, and shared history. Euna’s ultimate fate is revealed early, yet this knowledge heightens, rather than diminishes, the emotional stakes and tension as the story unfolds. Standley's novella excels as a fusion of cowboy adventure and speculative fiction, anchored by an intriguing central mystery. The hints at a broader mythology suggest a world ripe for further exploration, leaving readers eager for a sequel that could delve deeper into its lore. If there’s a flaw, it’s that When to Fire ends too soon. Its rapid pace keeps the story moving but leaves little time to fully savor the rich world Standley has created. Just as the momentum reaches its peak, the novella concludes, leaving readers yearning for more.
In When to Fire, Ryan Standley delivers a thrilling and imaginative ride, seamlessly blending the grit of the Wild West with the wonder of science fiction. It’s a story that sticks with you, not just for what it is but for the tantalizing promise of what it could become.
May 23, 2025
When I was reading When To Fire, it felt as if I was sitting around a campfire listening to an old Western legend. It follows the story of Matthew Frimm or "The Pistol Kid." He is a young sharpshooter with a rough past and a reputation that is growing faster than he can keep up with. He's constantly out on the Western frontier trying to chase the long lost memories of his parents, but life keeps getting in the way when a bank robbery goes wrong and his best friend Chaske is killed. He then joins up with Chaske's wife Euna and goes on the hunt for missing answers about his parents. He begins to have these visions, which show both past and future things that end up directing him along this adventure, leading him to question if the universe trying to tell him something. He gets hunted by the deputy, and he learns that he can't outrun the guilt of killing his best friend forever. The chase ends in Chaske's hometown, where a mysterious relic could give Matthew the answers he's been looking for.
Opinion:
When to Fire features a world that genuinely sucks you in. It feels like you're sitting shotgun with "The Pistol Kid" through dusty townships, open ranges, and vistas that have you wondering what's real and what's more otherworldly.
My favorite aspect of the story is the character development. Frimm starts pretty much like your standard Western outlaw, but once you're invested in the story, you get a feel for his heart, his guilt, his pain, and his yearning for something more. Euna is an excellent character, too. She's not just there as a supporting character, but as a promotion to a main side character because she has strength and an understated presence of her own that does a tremendous amount of work in building the emotional nature of the story.
The pacing of the plot is great, alternating action and running scenes with quieter, more introspective scenes so you can catch your breath and connect with the characters. Frimm's hallucinations add another level of suspense, so you're never quite sure what's real and what's destiny.
The book isn't a shootout or outlaw story. It's a tale of loss, redemption, and attempting to find meaning in the thick of it all. It surprised me in the best way possible.
Opinion:
When to Fire features a world that genuinely sucks you in. It feels like you're sitting shotgun with "The Pistol Kid" through dusty townships, open ranges, and vistas that have you wondering what's real and what's more otherworldly.
My favorite aspect of the story is the character development. Frimm starts pretty much like your standard Western outlaw, but once you're invested in the story, you get a feel for his heart, his guilt, his pain, and his yearning for something more. Euna is an excellent character, too. She's not just there as a supporting character, but as a promotion to a main side character because she has strength and an understated presence of her own that does a tremendous amount of work in building the emotional nature of the story.
The pacing of the plot is great, alternating action and running scenes with quieter, more introspective scenes so you can catch your breath and connect with the characters. Frimm's hallucinations add another level of suspense, so you're never quite sure what's real and what's destiny.
The book isn't a shootout or outlaw story. It's a tale of loss, redemption, and attempting to find meaning in the thick of it all. It surprised me in the best way possible.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews