Vengeance Rider: A Ralph Compton Novel

Buck Fletcher #3

by Ralph Compton, Joseph A. West

Vengeance Rider: A Ralph Compton Novel by Joseph A. West

Genres: Westerns, Fiction

Audiobook

First published May 24, 2004

About the author

Ralph Compton (April 11, 1934—September 16, 1998) was an American writer of western fiction.

A native of St. Clair County, Alabama, Compton began his writing career with a notable work, The Goodnight Trail, which was chosen as a finalist for the Western Writers of America "Medicine Pipe Bearer Award" bestowed upon the "Best Debut Novel". He was also the author of the Sundown Rider series and the Border Empire series. In the last decade of his life, he authored more than two dozen novels, some of which made it onto the USA Today bestseller list for fiction.

Ralph Compton died in Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 64. Since his passing, Signet Books has continued the author's legacy, releasing new novels, written by authors such as Joseph A. West and David Robbins, under Compton's byline.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/ralphc...

Reviews

[Tyler Cole · Rating 2 out of 5]

The plot of the story was weak. There were several twists and turns but nothing too captivating. The calico cat that Buck rescued from being tormented was a nice thought but was totally unnecessary and really didn't add anything to the story. The ending was inconclusive.

[Peter Charleston · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amiable western tale.

[Justin Jauregui · Rating 4 out of 5]

If our into the right hands, this would make a great movie

[Bernie Ideker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Western. Did not go into great descriptive details which I appreciate. Happy ending which I appreciate. Looking forward to more of the author’s books.

[Milo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely not your average Western. Joseph West is one hell of a writer.
Very worth the read.

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

The race to recover a horse from thieves leads Fletcher to an old friend, Doc Holiday. Holiday is gravely ill with TB - the same disease Fletcher's small daughter has. The stolen race horse was the hope that Fletcher had to win enough money to send his daughter to a clinic in Switzerland. Doc was motivated to help as a sufferer of the same disease.

The trek from North Dakota where Fletcher owns a ranch to Arizona is filled conflict and challenges. When the horse was stolen Fletcher's ranch hand was murdered. Fletcher tracks the killer along with the horse. Having once been a gun-slinger Fletcher realizes his skills are rusty, but he continues the chase with determination and with the help of the skills of Doc Holiday

[Christopher Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent read, with more of a L'Amour feel than Compton's books. This book is the completion of notes by Ralph Compton by Joe West (possibly a pseudonym?) following the angry quest by an old gunfighter to recover his horse, save his daughter's life, and avenge the death of a cowboy in his hire.

On the way, Buck Fletcher joins up with the mythical Doc Holliday who historically was only involved in one known gunfight, but has developed into a deadly gunhand in western lore. The tale moves along fairly well but has a strangely episodic feel, like a serialized magazine tale or movie than a single novel. The ending is a bit vague and sort of a cliffhanger, but the immediately preceding vignette was very satisfying.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

West always delivers a reliable, traditional western. There are some beautiful descriptions in this one.

[Leonard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written western novel. I enjoyed reading about Slaughter's ranch in Cochise County. A page turner and hard to put down. Fun the way he feeds in western names on some characters.

[Dennis O'Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed the storyline and the characters