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The Gunfighter
Asininity is just your typical peaceful town in the Wild West – but it’s Marshal Barjack’s town, and around him, nothing stays peaceful for long.
One day brings the meanest gunfighter in the West – nicknamed the Widowmaker – into town, and though he says he wants to live a quiet life, the whole town’s on the edge of their seat.
Who has he come to kill this time?
At everyone’s insistence, Barjack does his job to suss out what the Widowmaker really wants – but wouldn’t you the guy’s actually real friendly once you share a drink or two with him…
Trouble’s brewing in Asininity, and it looks like it ain’t coming from the Widowmaker.
It’s looking like Barjack may need to work together with the fearsome gunfighter to bring peace back to town – if such a thing is possible.
Praise for Robert J. Conley
“Conley portrays the rough and tumble frontier from the Indian point of view… Veteran novelist Conley works on three levels: murder mystery, frontier political potboiler, and the search for personal identity.” — Booklist
“Conley [is] in the ranks of such writers as… Louise Erdrich… and W.P. Kinsella as literary interpreters of the Indian experience.” — Sunday Journal-Star (Lincoln, NE)
“Conley [is] among the most productive and inventive of modem Western novelists” — Dale L. Walker, Rocky Mountain News
“Conley speaks with a clear Cherokee Indian voice to show how his tribe’s cultural characteristics have survived centuries of abrupt change to give readers an understanding of the fullness and humanity of the Cherokees as a people.” — The Cherokee Advocate
Robert J. Conley (1940-2014) was an acclaimed Cherokee author with over fifty books to his name, winning the Spur Award for Best Western Novel twice, as well as another Spur Award for a short story. He was also awarded the 2014 Owen Wister Award for Lifetime Contributions to Western Literature.
Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent digital publisher. For more information on our titles please sign up to our newsletter at www.endeavourpress.com. Each week you will receive updates on free and discounted ebooks. Follow us on Twitter: @EndeavourPress and on Facebook via http://on.fb.me/1HweQV7. We are always interested in hearing from our readers. Endeavour Press believes that the future is now.
One day brings the meanest gunfighter in the West – nicknamed the Widowmaker – into town, and though he says he wants to live a quiet life, the whole town’s on the edge of their seat.
Who has he come to kill this time?
At everyone’s insistence, Barjack does his job to suss out what the Widowmaker really wants – but wouldn’t you the guy’s actually real friendly once you share a drink or two with him…
Trouble’s brewing in Asininity, and it looks like it ain’t coming from the Widowmaker.
It’s looking like Barjack may need to work together with the fearsome gunfighter to bring peace back to town – if such a thing is possible.
Praise for Robert J. Conley
“Conley portrays the rough and tumble frontier from the Indian point of view… Veteran novelist Conley works on three levels: murder mystery, frontier political potboiler, and the search for personal identity.” — Booklist
“Conley [is] in the ranks of such writers as… Louise Erdrich… and W.P. Kinsella as literary interpreters of the Indian experience.” — Sunday Journal-Star (Lincoln, NE)
“Conley [is] among the most productive and inventive of modem Western novelists” — Dale L. Walker, Rocky Mountain News
“Conley speaks with a clear Cherokee Indian voice to show how his tribe’s cultural characteristics have survived centuries of abrupt change to give readers an understanding of the fullness and humanity of the Cherokees as a people.” — The Cherokee Advocate
Robert J. Conley (1940-2014) was an acclaimed Cherokee author with over fifty books to his name, winning the Spur Award for Best Western Novel twice, as well as another Spur Award for a short story. He was also awarded the 2014 Owen Wister Award for Lifetime Contributions to Western Literature.
Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent digital publisher. For more information on our titles please sign up to our newsletter at www.endeavourpress.com. Each week you will receive updates on free and discounted ebooks. Follow us on Twitter: @EndeavourPress and on Facebook via http://on.fb.me/1HweQV7. We are always interested in hearing from our readers. Endeavour Press believes that the future is now.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2001
103 people are currently reading
229 people want to read
About the author
Robert J. Conley
81 books36 followersRobert J. Conley was a Cherokee author and enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation, a federally recognized tribe of American Indians. In 2007, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Native Writers' Circle of the Americas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
February 28, 2016
Serious?
Are you serious? I don't care to hate any honest attempt at writing, but this was close. Still, I had to give it a two for some effort. After all, this book was free as a kindle edition. I generally don't read westerns or at least I haven't since I was about 18. Nevertheless, I thought I'd give it a try, but this is nothing even close to a Louis L'Amour or a Zane Grey.
The story line was too predictable and amateurish, but the attempt to use vernacular of the period and location was... well, let's just say it was distracting and eventually irritating. I can't really recommend this to anyone.
Are you serious? I don't care to hate any honest attempt at writing, but this was close. Still, I had to give it a two for some effort. After all, this book was free as a kindle edition. I generally don't read westerns or at least I haven't since I was about 18. Nevertheless, I thought I'd give it a try, but this is nothing even close to a Louis L'Amour or a Zane Grey.
The story line was too predictable and amateurish, but the attempt to use vernacular of the period and location was... well, let's just say it was distracting and eventually irritating. I can't really recommend this to anyone.
February 12, 2016
The marshall is old, fat, and a drinker but keeps the peace in Asinity. A professional gunfighter rides into and everyone becomes scared that he is after them. A lynch mob tries to hang the gunfighter but the members are arrested. At the trial the marshall and gunfighter are shot by seven brothers. When the two recover, they give chase to the surviving brothers. There are sexual situations. This was a free review copy from Endeavor Press.
May 10, 2016
I have never read a western quite like this one before.
It defies category.
However, I was laughing out loud several times as I was reading it. And laughter is really important in our lives these days...........so I am gonna go crazy and award it all of five stars.
It defies category.
However, I was laughing out loud several times as I was reading it. And laughter is really important in our lives these days...........so I am gonna go crazy and award it all of five stars.
February 5, 2016
A different kind of western
Written the way the main character speaks, this was a pleasure to read. A good story. ~ ~ ~ ~
Written the way the main character speaks, this was a pleasure to read. A good story. ~ ~ ~ ~
March 1, 2016
This book is published by Pioneering Press
July 10, 2018
I loved The Gunfighter but at the same time I'm a little embarrassed that I read it. If any of my friends actually check it out they will be saying "What has come over Ruth? Has she lost her mind?"
First off the description did not alert me to what I was getting into but once I started reading I couldn't quit laughing. I would describe this book as 'Gunsmoke' the way it really was -- not the sanitized mid-century TV version that we grew up watching!! All the characters with all their warts showing were there and were easily recognizable for anyone who ever saw the show. I'm still smiling as I think about it now.
I recommend it but you have to realize it is a bit of a spoof. Whether the author, Robert J Conley, meant it to be or not, I don't know.
First off the description did not alert me to what I was getting into but once I started reading I couldn't quit laughing. I would describe this book as 'Gunsmoke' the way it really was -- not the sanitized mid-century TV version that we grew up watching!! All the characters with all their warts showing were there and were easily recognizable for anyone who ever saw the show. I'm still smiling as I think about it now.
I recommend it but you have to realize it is a bit of a spoof. Whether the author, Robert J Conley, meant it to be or not, I don't know.
October 3, 2018
Good story but hard to read
I liked the story, but I do not like it when authors write using strange spellings, dialect, and colloquialisms. Using dialect and weird spelling made it difficult to read the book. Because of this, I am not really sure if the Mitchell's name. Maybe this is one book in a series, and the Mitchell's name is given in another book. Since I am not a fan of dialect and strange spelling, I cannot recommend this book, this author, or this genre. It is only the fact that the story is good that prevented me from giving it one star. If you don't mind strange spelling and dialect, you might enjoy this book.
I liked the story, but I do not like it when authors write using strange spellings, dialect, and colloquialisms. Using dialect and weird spelling made it difficult to read the book. Because of this, I am not really sure if the Mitchell's name. Maybe this is one book in a series, and the Mitchell's name is given in another book. Since I am not a fan of dialect and strange spelling, I cannot recommend this book, this author, or this genre. It is only the fact that the story is good that prevented me from giving it one star. If you don't mind strange spelling and dialect, you might enjoy this book.
March 14, 2017
Funny and great action.
A fun book to read. A very good western story to boot! The book language by the main character is funny and probably more true to life than in most books. Loved it!
A fun book to read. A very good western story to boot! The book language by the main character is funny and probably more true to life than in most books. Loved it!
October 9, 2019
I don't know that have had as much fun reading any series as much as I enjoy reading Barjack. While not the typical western "hero" he comes off to me as one authentic character. I love the close tie ins to past books in the series. It's just plain fun to read for me.
November 6, 2017
Enjoyable book as always
March 11, 2019
The Gunfighter
This was a good read done more or less with tongue in cheek. The author has used the phonetic spelling and grammar of the day to make it more interesting.
This was a good read done more or less with tongue in cheek. The author has used the phonetic spelling and grammar of the day to make it more interesting.
Read
May 16, 2020Fairly good reading
A bit on the slow side though.
It's impossible to inhibit so much booze in such a way a short while.
A bit on the slow side though.
It's impossible to inhibit so much booze in such a way a short while.
May 19, 2020
Gunfighter
It's just a really good read and not one that will put you to sleep. But with the Baijack name that kept changing well...
It's just a really good read and not one that will put you to sleep. But with the Baijack name that kept changing well...
September 6, 2021
A really fun bang, bang, shoot-em up western!
April 22, 2025
Written in cowboy dialect which I found delightful! A fun read
February 19, 2016
I bought this book because it was hailed as a great one by an award-winning author. I like Westerns (I'm a huge fan of Louis L'Amour and Lonesome Dove is my 2nd favorite book), so I thought I'd give it a try.
The town of Asinity is set on its ear when Herman Sly, a gunfighter-for-hire with a reputation as one who never misses, passes through and decides that it's the perfect place for him to "rest up." Several men in the town challenge him because they all think someone in their past hired him to kill them. Turns out that's not the case. But lots of other events transpire and the ride was fun. Spoiler - the book did not end the way I expected, which was a pleasant surprise.
The story is told from the perspective of the town's marshal, Barjack. He's got a reputation for cleaning up the town, but his favorite hobbies are drinking and boffing the madam at the whore house/saloon where he's part owner.
After Sly comes to town, Barjack befriends him and they set off on an adventure together where I was sure one or both would be killed.
Some may be put off by the style of the writing and Barjack himself. Barjack talks in the vernacular of the old west. He "done rid out" on several occasions; "et" his food, etc. He's married, sleeps with the town madam and doesn't like his own son. I was put off by the ebook's inability to decide whether his name was Barjack or Baijack.
All in all, though, it was an entertaining story with a happier ending than I expected. Would I read another? Maybe. From what I've read this author writes fantastic books about native Americans in the old West, so I may try one more before deciding about the author.
The town of Asinity is set on its ear when Herman Sly, a gunfighter-for-hire with a reputation as one who never misses, passes through and decides that it's the perfect place for him to "rest up." Several men in the town challenge him because they all think someone in their past hired him to kill them. Turns out that's not the case. But lots of other events transpire and the ride was fun. Spoiler - the book did not end the way I expected, which was a pleasant surprise.
The story is told from the perspective of the town's marshal, Barjack. He's got a reputation for cleaning up the town, but his favorite hobbies are drinking and boffing the madam at the whore house/saloon where he's part owner.
After Sly comes to town, Barjack befriends him and they set off on an adventure together where I was sure one or both would be killed.
Some may be put off by the style of the writing and Barjack himself. Barjack talks in the vernacular of the old west. He "done rid out" on several occasions; "et" his food, etc. He's married, sleeps with the town madam and doesn't like his own son. I was put off by the ebook's inability to decide whether his name was Barjack or Baijack.
All in all, though, it was an entertaining story with a happier ending than I expected. Would I read another? Maybe. From what I've read this author writes fantastic books about native Americans in the old West, so I may try one more before deciding about the author.
October 10, 2023
The Gunfighter, Robert Conley (western)
Jeff Book Review #175
2001's "The Gunfighter" is about a drunk, vulgar, fat town marshall who makes friends with a professional killer and a fat hooker and it might be the dumbest, stupidest western I've ever read. Okay, no, that would be "Old Cowboys Never Die," but this one is a close second.
Verdict: Short and dumb. Not sure if it was an attempted spoof or if Conley lost a bet or something.
Jeff's Rating: 1 / 5 (Bad)
movie rating if made into a movie: R
Jeff Book Review #175
2001's "The Gunfighter" is about a drunk, vulgar, fat town marshall who makes friends with a professional killer and a fat hooker and it might be the dumbest, stupidest western I've ever read. Okay, no, that would be "Old Cowboys Never Die," but this one is a close second.
Verdict: Short and dumb. Not sure if it was an attempted spoof or if Conley lost a bet or something.
Jeff's Rating: 1 / 5 (Bad)
movie rating if made into a movie: R
February 11, 2016
Marshall Baijack tells this story in first person and what a story it is – although it might take you a bit to get into the dialect Baijack uses it is a fun read all in all.
Marshall Baijack is not a learned man but he has managed to clean up Asininity by the time Herman Sly “The Widowmaker” rides into town. Sly kills for money but never draws his gun first and more than one person in town thinks he might have come to kill them. The story has gunfights, fistfights, drunks, a whore with a heart of gold, and a whole lot more. Part of the story is the development of the friendship between Sly and Baijack and what an interesting friendship it is. If you are looking for a sometimes humorous bawdy brawling Western then this book might be one you should pick up.
Thank you to Endeavour Press for the copy of this book to read and review.
Marshall Baijack is not a learned man but he has managed to clean up Asininity by the time Herman Sly “The Widowmaker” rides into town. Sly kills for money but never draws his gun first and more than one person in town thinks he might have come to kill them. The story has gunfights, fistfights, drunks, a whore with a heart of gold, and a whole lot more. Part of the story is the development of the friendship between Sly and Baijack and what an interesting friendship it is. If you are looking for a sometimes humorous bawdy brawling Western then this book might be one you should pick up.
Thank you to Endeavour Press for the copy of this book to read and review.
February 21, 2016
Sometimes a book in a very specific genre manages to transcend that genre. This is one such book and although billed as a western, it will appeal to a much wider audience if it manages to break out, which it richly deserves to do. Not many authors can manage that in such a constrained field but Conley, in his depiction of the town of Asininity (such an evocative name) and his nuanced characterization and clever dialogue succeeds admirably. The small town is alarmed at the arrival of a notorious gunfighter, and the people greet him with fear and suspicion. But he makes friends with the town’s marshal and the ensuing events surprise both residents and readers of this amusing tale. Well-paced, well-plotted and with some laugh out loud moments, I found the book clever and engaging, well-written and good fun.
March 9, 2016
Excellent Western. This book has exactly what you want in an Action Western, a professional Gunfighter that can draw a gun faster than any other man. Herman Sly is called a Widow Maker and Undertaker for a very good reason. If you go up against him in a gun fight, then you are pretty much dead. I love it that the town marshal and part time bar owner Baijack has his wife shooting at him. There is plenty of action and humor, along with some very likable characters. After reading this book, I can see how the Author has won awards. This book is well written and very entertaining.
January 31, 2016
A good old fashioned, rip roaring shoot 'm up!
Couldn't help visualizing the story as an early black & white western movie starring Walter Brennan & Henry Fonda as the two main characters & narrated in the voice of Walter Brennan. This is no slick, romantic fairytale view of the Old West. The action is unabashedly violent & the character's are raw & gritty. Some unexpected humor was icing on the cake. I'll be reading more of Robert J. Conley.
Couldn't help visualizing the story as an early black & white western movie starring Walter Brennan & Henry Fonda as the two main characters & narrated in the voice of Walter Brennan. This is no slick, romantic fairytale view of the Old West. The action is unabashedly violent & the character's are raw & gritty. Some unexpected humor was icing on the cake. I'll be reading more of Robert J. Conley.
February 14, 2016
Ok but not by much
The story was just so so, some twists but there was just something missing. Maybe as a short story,still needs something. The writer seems to be new to this ,might want to re-read some classic ,and modern day western,then read his and make some adjustments. I'll read 1 more and make my decision.
The story was just so so, some twists but there was just something missing. Maybe as a short story,still needs something. The writer seems to be new to this ,might want to re-read some classic ,and modern day western,then read his and make some adjustments. I'll read 1 more and make my decision.
May 12, 2010
As he's a writer of Westerns I would never have read Conley if it hadn't been my job; I set this edition of the book for Thorndike Press and was pleasantly surprised to find it really quite funny and less of a time-waster than some of the much more serious books that I worked on.
February 7, 2016
Thought it a little much at first, with all the Western dialect written in. As I got into it, the writing found a pace that was not just comfortable but enjoyable. I have to say it was a good read and I will read this authors work again.
May 5, 2016
Not a bad read
I wanted something different to read and this book appealed to me. It's an easy read once you get over the first person narrative but definitely worth persevering with.
I wanted something different to read and this book appealed to me. It's an easy read once you get over the first person narrative but definitely worth persevering with.
February 9, 2016
Not great literature but a fun read. The accent and dialectic grammar took a bit to get used to. Hard drinking, quick guns and tempers were the standard with a great deal of 'right and legal' issues thrown into the mix.
March 2, 2016
If you like whiskey ...
The main character, Baijack, drinks from start to finish of this one. It's a gritty and boozy look at the wild west, complete with the regular characters and a couple of unexpected laughs. It's worth a read just to learn how Baijack can fly ...
The main character, Baijack, drinks from start to finish of this one. It's a gritty and boozy look at the wild west, complete with the regular characters and a couple of unexpected laughs. It's worth a read just to learn how Baijack can fly ...
February 11, 2016
Nice little story but a pain to read when one of the protagonist name isn't kept constant throughout the book.
February 7, 2016
Rollicking good
Almost feels like you are right there in the story - excellent use of western style and prose - look forward to more of the same
Almost feels like you are right there in the story - excellent use of western style and prose - look forward to more of the same
February 13, 2016
Dimestore read! Comical and entertaining.
A fair read. Good for killing time, and for a good chuckle. I'd definitely recommend it for the dimestore novel fans!
A fair read. Good for killing time, and for a good chuckle. I'd definitely recommend it for the dimestore novel fans!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews