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The Floating Outfit #2
.44 Caliber Man
The brainchild of Amazon Kindle Number One bestselling western writers Mike Stotter and Ben Bridges, PICCADILLY PUBLISHING is dedicated to reissuing classic fiction from Yesterday and Today!
.44 CALIBER MAN
The Flores brothers thought they were very smart. Vicious, evil bandidos, they laughed at the law. They laughed too when they first saw Colin Farquharson, for they had never come across a kilted Scotsman before.
“What is it, a man or woman?” one of them whooped.
Seconds later Adàn Flores lay dead, and though he escaped immediate retribution, from then on the Flores gang had one idea in mind—the killing of Colin Farquharson.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
John Thomas Edson was born at Worksop, Nottinghamshire, on February 17 1928, the son of a miner who was killed in an accident when John was nine. He left Shirebrook Selective Central School at 14 to work in a stone quarry and joined the Army four years later.
As a sergeant in the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, Edson served in Kenya during the Emergency, on one occasion killing five Mau Mau on patrol. He started writing in Hong Kong, and when he won a large cash prize in a tombola he invested in a typewriter.
On coming out of the Army after 12 years with a wife and children to support, Edson learned his craft while running a fish-and-chip shop and working on the production line at a local pet food factory. His efforts paid off when Trail Boss (1961) won second prize in a competition with a promise of publication and an outright payment of £50.
The publishers offered £25 more for each subsequent book, and with the addition of earnings from serial-writing for the comic Victor, Edson was able to settle down to professional authorship. When the comic's owners decided that nobody read cowboy stories any more, he was forced to get a job as a postman (the job had the by-product of enabling him to lose six stone in weight from his original 18).
Edson's prospects improved when Corgi Books took over his publisher, encouraged him to produce seven books a year and promised him royalties for the first time. In 1974 he made his first visit to the United States, to which he was to return regularly in search of reference books. He declared that he had no desire to live in the Wild West, adding: "I've never even been on a horse. I've seen those things, and they look highly dangerous at both ends and bloody uncomfortable in the middle. My only contact was to shoot them for dog meat."
His heroes were often based on his favourite film stars, so that Dusty Fog resembled Audie Murphy, and the Ysabel Kid was an amalgam of Elvis Presley in Flaming Star and Jack Buetel in The Outlaw.
Before becoming a recluse in his last years, JT's favourite boast was that Melton Mowbray was famous for three things: "The pie, Stilton cheese and myself but not necessarily in that order."
.44 CALIBER MAN
The Flores brothers thought they were very smart. Vicious, evil bandidos, they laughed at the law. They laughed too when they first saw Colin Farquharson, for they had never come across a kilted Scotsman before.
“What is it, a man or woman?” one of them whooped.
Seconds later Adàn Flores lay dead, and though he escaped immediate retribution, from then on the Flores gang had one idea in mind—the killing of Colin Farquharson.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
John Thomas Edson was born at Worksop, Nottinghamshire, on February 17 1928, the son of a miner who was killed in an accident when John was nine. He left Shirebrook Selective Central School at 14 to work in a stone quarry and joined the Army four years later.
As a sergeant in the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, Edson served in Kenya during the Emergency, on one occasion killing five Mau Mau on patrol. He started writing in Hong Kong, and when he won a large cash prize in a tombola he invested in a typewriter.
On coming out of the Army after 12 years with a wife and children to support, Edson learned his craft while running a fish-and-chip shop and working on the production line at a local pet food factory. His efforts paid off when Trail Boss (1961) won second prize in a competition with a promise of publication and an outright payment of £50.
The publishers offered £25 more for each subsequent book, and with the addition of earnings from serial-writing for the comic Victor, Edson was able to settle down to professional authorship. When the comic's owners decided that nobody read cowboy stories any more, he was forced to get a job as a postman (the job had the by-product of enabling him to lose six stone in weight from his original 18).
Edson's prospects improved when Corgi Books took over his publisher, encouraged him to produce seven books a year and promised him royalties for the first time. In 1974 he made his first visit to the United States, to which he was to return regularly in search of reference books. He declared that he had no desire to live in the Wild West, adding: "I've never even been on a horse. I've seen those things, and they look highly dangerous at both ends and bloody uncomfortable in the middle. My only contact was to shoot them for dog meat."
His heroes were often based on his favourite film stars, so that Dusty Fog resembled Audie Murphy, and the Ysabel Kid was an amalgam of Elvis Presley in Flaming Star and Jack Buetel in The Outlaw.
Before becoming a recluse in his last years, JT's favourite boast was that Melton Mowbray was famous for three things: "The pie, Stilton cheese and myself but not necessarily in that order."
- GenresWesterns
136 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1969
57 people are currently reading
310 people want to read
About the author
J.T. Edson
185 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 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 24, 2013
A man wearing a skirt attracts a lot of attention in post-Civil War Texas, and little of it good. Colin Farquharson insists on retaining his native Scottish dress but to do so unarmed on the Texas frontier could get him killed. At least it provides a distraction for the bandits attempting to rob the stage he's on and a distraction is all his fellow passenger, the Ysabel Kid, needs. Unfortunately the leader of the bandits is killed in the process and his brothers blame Colin and come looking for him. If he's going to stay alive long enough to impress mustanger's daughter Jeanie Schell, Colin will have to learn to use a gun and he'll find no better teachers than the fighting men of the newly formed floating outfit. The second part of this story is told in A Horse Called Mogollon.
March 4, 2025
J.T. Edson's ".44 Calibre Man" is a rollicking Western adventure that showcases the author's signature blend of fast-paced action, historical detail, and gritty characters. As part of Edson's extensive catalogue of Western fiction, this novel continues his tradition of creating vivid frontier narratives that have earned him a dedicated following.
The story follows one of Edson's recurring characters through a series of confrontations in the American West. True to Edson's style, the protagonist displays exceptional skill with firearms—particularly the .44 calibre revolver that gives the book its title—and finds himself embroiled in conflicts that require both his quick thinking and quicker trigger finger.
Edson's writing is characteristically sparse and direct, with an emphasis on action over introspection. His descriptions of gunfights are particularly detailed, reflecting his enthusiasm for firearms and their historical accuracy. While modern readers might find some of the dialogue and characterisations somewhat dated, they remain authentic to the period and the genre's conventions.
The novel benefits from Edson's extensive knowledge of Western history, though he takes creative liberties with historical events and figures as needed to serve his narrative. His attention to detail regarding weapons, clothing, and frontier life adds a layer of authenticity that Western enthusiasts will appreciate.
For fans of traditional Western fiction, ".44 Calibre Man" delivers exactly what the genre promises: heroic gunslingers, tense standoffs, and frontier justice. While it may not convert readers unfamiliar with or uninterested in the genre, those who enjoy authors like Louis L'Amour or Max Brand will find much to appreciate in Edson's straightforward storytelling and action-packed plot.
The story follows one of Edson's recurring characters through a series of confrontations in the American West. True to Edson's style, the protagonist displays exceptional skill with firearms—particularly the .44 calibre revolver that gives the book its title—and finds himself embroiled in conflicts that require both his quick thinking and quicker trigger finger.
Edson's writing is characteristically sparse and direct, with an emphasis on action over introspection. His descriptions of gunfights are particularly detailed, reflecting his enthusiasm for firearms and their historical accuracy. While modern readers might find some of the dialogue and characterisations somewhat dated, they remain authentic to the period and the genre's conventions.
The novel benefits from Edson's extensive knowledge of Western history, though he takes creative liberties with historical events and figures as needed to serve his narrative. His attention to detail regarding weapons, clothing, and frontier life adds a layer of authenticity that Western enthusiasts will appreciate.
For fans of traditional Western fiction, ".44 Calibre Man" delivers exactly what the genre promises: heroic gunslingers, tense standoffs, and frontier justice. While it may not convert readers unfamiliar with or uninterested in the genre, those who enjoy authors like Louis L'Amour or Max Brand will find much to appreciate in Edson's straightforward storytelling and action-packed plot.
April 30, 2020
Some of the names mentioned in these novels are real people.
That is where the similarity ends.
In many ways these are modern versions of the old dime novels. The only similarity to the truth are the fact that... The author mentions real people.
However if you just want to read an old fashion cowboy shoot em up, that's what these books are.
That is where the similarity ends.
In many ways these are modern versions of the old dime novels. The only similarity to the truth are the fact that... The author mentions real people.
However if you just want to read an old fashion cowboy shoot em up, that's what these books are.
November 1, 2019
First read this series in paper backs
I trust read this series in original paper backs in the nineteenth sixties or seventies, I had over the years collected any J.T. Edison, book I could find. Unfortunately during hurricane Ike I lost all my stuff.
I trust read this series in original paper backs in the nineteenth sixties or seventies, I had over the years collected any J.T. Edison, book I could find. Unfortunately during hurricane Ike I lost all my stuff.
January 28, 2022
Another great J T Edson classic western which has confirmed my decision to re-visit the Floating Outfit series, many of which I read way back in the 1970s/80s. Only this time I will read them in chronological order. Good old escapism at its finest.
April 1, 2018
Fine!
This is a great and exciting book full of adventure while overcoming trying circumstances. It is well written and edited.
This is a great and exciting book full of adventure while overcoming trying circumstances. It is well written and edited.
August 2, 2018
Enjoyable, good guys win in the end. Predictable. Same Routine. But it's escapism at its best.
August 9, 2020
44 Caliber Man
Thank you J. T. Edson for a great read. I really enjoyed this book. I look froward to many more 📖 books.
Thank you J. T. Edson for a great read. I really enjoyed this book. I look froward to many more 📖 books.
August 20, 2024
Good Story
I thoroughly enjoyed it. I sincerely hope that the rest of you out there it as much I did. Enjoy
I thoroughly enjoyed it. I sincerely hope that the rest of you out there it as much I did. Enjoy
October 9, 2025
Another great, traditional Western. Going to have to collect the whole series…
February 25, 2017
"MUSTANG ROUND-UP"
An insight into the lives of horse catchers and tamers of the west. How they search for herds of wild mustangs in the mountains on the prairies. Another great action pack adventure of "The Floating Outfit",lead by Captain Dusty Fog and his three compadres, who all will fight to the last man defending freedom; protecting their homesteads. Fast moving, no bogged conversations they cause you to lose interest in the adventure at hand. Intriguing names of the Native American tribes who populated both Texas and Northern Mexico, who probably don't exist anymore. I like "The Floating Outfit"take a chance and enjoy this series, you won't be disappointed...
An insight into the lives of horse catchers and tamers of the west. How they search for herds of wild mustangs in the mountains on the prairies. Another great action pack adventure of "The Floating Outfit",lead by Captain Dusty Fog and his three compadres, who all will fight to the last man defending freedom; protecting their homesteads. Fast moving, no bogged conversations they cause you to lose interest in the adventure at hand. Intriguing names of the Native American tribes who populated both Texas and Northern Mexico, who probably don't exist anymore. I like "The Floating Outfit"take a chance and enjoy this series, you won't be disappointed...
June 10, 2015
Westerns
One of the best stories I have read by this author. In comparison to LL, JT Edison is just as good in keeping interest in his story. I had not read this book, but others with the same characters (The floating Outfit),, and have enjoyed all of them.
One of the best stories I have read by this author. In comparison to LL, JT Edison is just as good in keeping interest in his story. I had not read this book, but others with the same characters (The floating Outfit),, and have enjoyed all of them.
June 29, 2010
Picked this up at the cabin and really enjoyed it.
December 27, 2024
The Flores Brothers did not realise their mistake, because Colin was friends with Dusty Fog, Mark Counter and the Ysabel Kid.
June 5, 2015
Enjoyable western novel from Englishman Etson. Here a young Scot visits and quickly assimilates into the Texas culture.
October 1, 2015
Excellent
I am enjoying reading the books I read years ago. I remember that I prefer the Floating Outfit stories to some of the other books. Characters are better in my opinion.
I am enjoying reading the books I read years ago. I remember that I prefer the Floating Outfit stories to some of the other books. Characters are better in my opinion.
September 30, 2016
Good read
I had read some of these books before, year's ago to tell the truth. It was as good as the others I read.
I had read some of these books before, year's ago to tell the truth. It was as good as the others I read.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews