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O'Malleys of Texas #2
Dead Aim
From Western Writers of America Spur Award-winning author Dusty Richards comes a thrilling new chapter in the O'Malley family saga, a blazing American epic of blood, bullets, and brotherhood set deep in the heart of Texas . . .
Long John O'Malley is only nineteen years old, but he's no greenhorn. The oldest and boldest of the O'Malley brothers, Long John cut his teeth tangling with Comanche at the tender age of sixteen. He risked his life to rescue a group of captive women settlers--and forged his own destiny as a hero in the making.
Now he's taking on his biggest challenge yet: riding shotgun on a wagon train across the hostile Nebraska Territory. It's a treacherous trail, and it's not long before the young Texan is earning his paycheck by fighting off a tribe of bloodthirsty Sioux. But the real test lies in the journey ahead--a genuine ride to hell and back, from the Rocky Mountains to Sante Fe and all the way home--that will either make Long John O'Malley a living legend . . . or a dead one.
Long John O'Malley is only nineteen years old, but he's no greenhorn. The oldest and boldest of the O'Malley brothers, Long John cut his teeth tangling with Comanche at the tender age of sixteen. He risked his life to rescue a group of captive women settlers--and forged his own destiny as a hero in the making.
Now he's taking on his biggest challenge yet: riding shotgun on a wagon train across the hostile Nebraska Territory. It's a treacherous trail, and it's not long before the young Texan is earning his paycheck by fighting off a tribe of bloodthirsty Sioux. But the real test lies in the journey ahead--a genuine ride to hell and back, from the Rocky Mountains to Sante Fe and all the way home--that will either make Long John O'Malley a living legend . . . or a dead one.
- GenresWesterns
432 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published January 30, 2018
52 people are currently reading
372 people want to read
About the author
Dusty Richards
100 books73 followersAuthor of over 85 novels, Dusty Richards is the only author to win two Spur awards in one year (2007), one for his novel The Horse Creek Incident and another for his short story “Comanche Moon.” He is a member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and the International Professional Rodeo Association, and serves on the local PRCA rodeo board. Dusty is also an inductee in the Arkansas Writers Hall of Fame. He currently resides in northwest Arkansas. He was the winner of the 2010 Will Rogers Medallion Award for Western Fiction for his novel Texas Blood Feud and honored by the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2009.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 11, 2018
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley to read and review.
DEAD AIM by Dusty Richards is the last book released just after the death of the author in January 2018 from injuries suffered in an automobile accident the previous month of December 2017.
THE O’MALLEYS OF TEXAS was the first book in the series, and this is the follow up that was clearly intended to set the path for the next book in the series based on the life and times of Long and Harp O’Malley, who take on a cattle drive in the aftermath of the Civil War having survived and protected others having been Texas Rangers involved in several Comanche attacks against settlers.
Long is now traveling with a wagon train of settlers, and is largely responsible for their survival of an attack by the Sioux with plans to see the Rockies before returning home to his family.
Soon after, he rescues a young squaw by purchasing her from a man after defending them from a group of violent men, and a relationship is forged with intent to marry.
Once again Long finds himself defending another group from an attack, only to lose the young squaw due to a stray shot during the fight, after having planned to take her back home as his wife.
Continuing on his trek to the Rockies alone afterwards, he comes upon a disoriented and foul mouthed woman who accuses him of trying to kidnap her in a case of mistaken identity in her confused state having been drugged in a kidnap attempt.
Jan is a recent widow, who’s husband was killed during his confrontation of a clan who planned to steal his wife and make her a slave to the patriarch, and Long lies in wait of their return and kills two of the attacking sons and is cleared of the crime, then weds Jan with plans again to return home.
Long successfully amasses a large herd of cattle, and begins buying up land with his half brother Harp, but not without trial or hardship and enemies formed along the way, as they attempt to close off areas previously used as open range by fencing off their newly accumulated property, which is met with strong resistance from others who oppose the success of the O’Malley family’s cattle ranching venture.
Will Long and Harp be able to obtain the several ranches to form one massive operation to successfully complete the huge cattle ranching venture they’ve envisioned, or will others with deep pockets and connections in high places successfully block their efforts to the point of actually killing Long or members of his family?
Enjoyable story that has a good amount of action and adventure, but gets bogged down at times after the exiting beginning, and picks up again near the mid point of the book.
Conversation is often a bit choppy and sterile, and at times feels a little too clean for the situations present and fighting involved, making it seem like a concentrated effort by the author to make it accessible to a wider audience.
Still, all in all a good story, and might be of interest to fans of Lonesome Dove and similar tales of survival in the midst of near impossible odds to successfully see dreams and visions come true.
3 stars.
DEAD AIM by Dusty Richards is the last book released just after the death of the author in January 2018 from injuries suffered in an automobile accident the previous month of December 2017.
THE O’MALLEYS OF TEXAS was the first book in the series, and this is the follow up that was clearly intended to set the path for the next book in the series based on the life and times of Long and Harp O’Malley, who take on a cattle drive in the aftermath of the Civil War having survived and protected others having been Texas Rangers involved in several Comanche attacks against settlers.
Long is now traveling with a wagon train of settlers, and is largely responsible for their survival of an attack by the Sioux with plans to see the Rockies before returning home to his family.
Soon after, he rescues a young squaw by purchasing her from a man after defending them from a group of violent men, and a relationship is forged with intent to marry.
Once again Long finds himself defending another group from an attack, only to lose the young squaw due to a stray shot during the fight, after having planned to take her back home as his wife.
Continuing on his trek to the Rockies alone afterwards, he comes upon a disoriented and foul mouthed woman who accuses him of trying to kidnap her in a case of mistaken identity in her confused state having been drugged in a kidnap attempt.
Jan is a recent widow, who’s husband was killed during his confrontation of a clan who planned to steal his wife and make her a slave to the patriarch, and Long lies in wait of their return and kills two of the attacking sons and is cleared of the crime, then weds Jan with plans again to return home.
Long successfully amasses a large herd of cattle, and begins buying up land with his half brother Harp, but not without trial or hardship and enemies formed along the way, as they attempt to close off areas previously used as open range by fencing off their newly accumulated property, which is met with strong resistance from others who oppose the success of the O’Malley family’s cattle ranching venture.
Will Long and Harp be able to obtain the several ranches to form one massive operation to successfully complete the huge cattle ranching venture they’ve envisioned, or will others with deep pockets and connections in high places successfully block their efforts to the point of actually killing Long or members of his family?
Enjoyable story that has a good amount of action and adventure, but gets bogged down at times after the exiting beginning, and picks up again near the mid point of the book.
Conversation is often a bit choppy and sterile, and at times feels a little too clean for the situations present and fighting involved, making it seem like a concentrated effort by the author to make it accessible to a wider audience.
Still, all in all a good story, and might be of interest to fans of Lonesome Dove and similar tales of survival in the midst of near impossible odds to successfully see dreams and visions come true.
3 stars.
April 1, 2018
I would like to thank Dusty Richards and the publisher for providing me the opportunity to review this book.
I guess I would describe this book as pulp western for lack of a better term. To me this book's plot seem aimless, despite the name (see what I did there :) ). Within the first 75 pages he rescues two damsels in distress and is set to marry both within about 48 hrs of making their acquaintance. After losing the first soul mate/love of his life, he meets his next to be wife, with 6 weeks and is engaged. To be honest I didn't read much past this because the wimpy male dependent female characters annoyed me. I just read a chapter every 50pages or so to see if this character development improved. The first woman couldn't even move when she was menstruating. I mean come on!!! It sucks but is not crippling, especially in an urgent situation. You woman up and do what needs to get done.
I love westerns, movies and books alike. This is a fun time to think about, although probably not to live in. There is lawlessness, sense anything can happen, and a sense of equality among people no matter your social status because Nature doesn't discriminate. Importantly a greater sense of equality between men and women. You need everyone on board to survive.
To the author I am sure you have what it takes to be an author. My non-solicited and non-professional advice is focus on a plot direction and give your female characters some grit. Please! I look forward to following pieces of work and seeing you grow as an author.
I won this book in a GoodReads GiveAway in exchange for an honest review.
I guess I would describe this book as pulp western for lack of a better term. To me this book's plot seem aimless, despite the name (see what I did there :) ). Within the first 75 pages he rescues two damsels in distress and is set to marry both within about 48 hrs of making their acquaintance. After losing the first soul mate/love of his life, he meets his next to be wife, with 6 weeks and is engaged. To be honest I didn't read much past this because the wimpy male dependent female characters annoyed me. I just read a chapter every 50pages or so to see if this character development improved. The first woman couldn't even move when she was menstruating. I mean come on!!! It sucks but is not crippling, especially in an urgent situation. You woman up and do what needs to get done.
I love westerns, movies and books alike. This is a fun time to think about, although probably not to live in. There is lawlessness, sense anything can happen, and a sense of equality among people no matter your social status because Nature doesn't discriminate. Importantly a greater sense of equality between men and women. You need everyone on board to survive.
To the author I am sure you have what it takes to be an author. My non-solicited and non-professional advice is focus on a plot direction and give your female characters some grit. Please! I look forward to following pieces of work and seeing you grow as an author.
I won this book in a GoodReads GiveAway in exchange for an honest review.
February 3, 2018
I won this ARC edition in a Goodreads Giveaway. this is the first book in the series that I've read and the first book bybthus author I've read.
I liked. the pace and characters but sometime the writing style got to me. certain stories kept getting told & retold. i. think about 100 pages could have been cut from the book by only telling them once. There were many conversation in the book where it became unclear who was talking. I did enjoy this book and would read other books in this series if the opportunity arises.
I liked. the pace and characters but sometime the writing style got to me. certain stories kept getting told & retold. i. think about 100 pages could have been cut from the book by only telling them once. There were many conversation in the book where it became unclear who was talking. I did enjoy this book and would read other books in this series if the opportunity arises.
May 25, 2023
Try as I might, I couldn't finish this book. While the storyline is entertaining and I liked some of the characters, the writing is stilted and very repetitive. I've finished two or three other books since I started reading this. Every time I finish one of them I pick this up again, only to bang my head in frustration at the appalling writing. Evidently he is a Western Heritage award-winning author, but this book is most definitely not a winner for me.
January 25, 2018
For me, the first hundred pages move very slowly. Normally I would have abandoned reading this by then, but as this was received free through the "Goodreads Giveaway" program I continued.
Things got a little better, but I am used to westerns being a lot of action, while this seemed to be more about relationships.
I don't think I will be reading any more of this author's books.
Things got a little better, but I am used to westerns being a lot of action, while this seemed to be more about relationships.
I don't think I will be reading any more of this author's books.
June 8, 2020
O'Malleys of Texas
Dead Aim is book two of the series by Dusty Richards. I love the characters in this series. The story keeps moving with plenty of action. Looking forward to more.
Dead Aim is book two of the series by Dusty Richards. I love the characters in this series. The story keeps moving with plenty of action. Looking forward to more.
January 31, 2018
Great Western
I f you like western you will love a Dusty Richards western! It tells how Texas was made by strong men and women!
I f you like western you will love a Dusty Richards western! It tells how Texas was made by strong men and women!
February 6, 2018
Awesome story, very enjoyable read.
October 19, 2018
Outstanding!
This is a wonderful Western tale with a great plot. It is exciting and interesting all the way through! It is well written and edited!
This is a wonderful Western tale with a great plot. It is exciting and interesting all the way through! It is well written and edited!
January 17, 2019
Overall a good story. Gets a bit uninteresting for awhile but picks back up. Some of the talking is a bit stilted.
March 22, 2021
Great book and a lot of action.
Read
October 11, 2022i didn't care for the writing. I found it simplistic, even boring.
October 18, 2022
Another good book and characters. I really do enjoy this author. Like the other one, does have some goofy moments, but overall a good western book.
January 11, 2018
I love this series! I hope he continues it. This is written along the same tones that Louis L'Amour used, and I grew up listening to his stories.
Long O'malley is the primary character in this one. After Long returns from his trip to the Rockies (woman in tow) he gets married. The brothers are trying to buy up the properties that their ranch surrounds. There is another cattle drive, Indian fighting, and raiders killing and terrorizing his men. Long and Harp receive an offer to buy the Three Star Ranch at a low price. Long and Harper decide that Long and his new bride will live and work this ranch. Long had no idea how bad the ranch was or the huge surprise he found when he started cleaning it up.
This is another book where the author does amazing at using historical events and political troubles that actually happened to bring his book to life. There is also a surprise! Wild Bill Hickok is a Sheriff and makes an appearance. I was really excited for that. At the end, Long's life takes an interesting turn. The author left enough of a cliff hanger that I can't wait to read the next one, but I felt satisfied after finishing it.
Long O'malley is the primary character in this one. After Long returns from his trip to the Rockies (woman in tow) he gets married. The brothers are trying to buy up the properties that their ranch surrounds. There is another cattle drive, Indian fighting, and raiders killing and terrorizing his men. Long and Harp receive an offer to buy the Three Star Ranch at a low price. Long and Harper decide that Long and his new bride will live and work this ranch. Long had no idea how bad the ranch was or the huge surprise he found when he started cleaning it up.
This is another book where the author does amazing at using historical events and political troubles that actually happened to bring his book to life. There is also a surprise! Wild Bill Hickok is a Sheriff and makes an appearance. I was really excited for that. At the end, Long's life takes an interesting turn. The author left enough of a cliff hanger that I can't wait to read the next one, but I felt satisfied after finishing it.
February 16, 2019
Oh my Oh my ! Are you ready for thrill, action and emotional ride with O’Malleys! I recommend the podcast loved the various accent.
July 8, 2023
Excellent book!!!
Want to read
February 17, 2018great story,enjoyed the characters,can't wait to readmore
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews