Speedy

by Max Brand

He arrived on an iron horse. And when the train pulled away, the town had a boxcar full of trouble. He went by the name of Speedy. Some called him a tramp - and others called him worse. Speedy was a young con man who knew the fastest way to a rich man's wallet and a pretty girl's heart. To Speedy, Durfee didn't look any different from a hundred other towns he'd seen before. There were fat bankers waiting for his smooth talk, and lovely young ladies ready to swoon over his smile and his guitar playing. But this time the charming trickster was about to meet his match - in a girl out to steal his heart!

Genres: Westerns, Fiction

384 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 1974

About the author

Frederick Schiller Faust (see also Frederick Faust), aka Frank Austin, George Owen Baxter, Walter C. Butler, George Challis, Evin Evan, Evan Evans, Frederick Faust, John Frederick, Frederick Frost, David Manning, Peter Henry Morland, Lee Bolt, Peter Dawson, Martin Dexter, Dennis Lawson, M.B., Hugh Owen, Nicholas Silver

Max Brand, one of America's most popular and prolific novelists and author of such enduring works as Destry Rides Again and the Doctor Kildare stories, died on the Italian front in 1944.

Reviews

[David Welch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brand brings his usual level of competence to this story, the man knew his craft well. Speedy is the story of a lazy conman, who just happens to have a conscience. Speedy is something of a tramp, who gets by of guile and manipulation, rather then force. He doesn't even carry a gun (though he has no problem using fists). The plot of this story revolves around him being hired to help a woman secure a fortune from a grandfather she doesn't know she has, an unknown heiress you might say. And when that main story gets going, it's a fun ride. There are some drawbacks though, focused around the main character. For the first third of the book Speedy isn't all that likeable. He's a manipulator and comes off as one, and it was a little slow going at first because I honestly wasn't sure I cared that much about him. His conscience is eventually revealed, but it took a while, so there were some pacing issues with the character. Also, the ending came off as rushed. I got the feeling it should've either ended ten pages earlier, or had an extra twenty pages filling out the final chase into something more fitting to the quality of the rest of the story. Still a fun read though, an interesting early take on the cowboy-without-a-gun motif.

[Ben Shearer · Rating 4 out of 5]

These little £/€1 are beginning to be the highlight of my reading. 200 or so pages of old, golden paper, seemingly discard by the previous owners.

A quite beautiful little tale, one I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading. Reluctantly it took me much longer than I’d have liked to complete, but even though I kept get interrupted seemingly at every chapter, it was always a pleasure to pick up.

It’s nothing special. And it doesn’t have to be. That’s what gives it its charm. It’s a fun, handsome, quirky tale of a vagabond whom has a bigger heart than he leads. I can’t fault it, and as I’ve already said, it’s been a pleasure to read. Every moment has been fun, and it makes me all the more grateful for these random charity bookshelves.

[Ronald · Rating 4 out of 5]

read some time in 1989

[Richard Heckart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better than Zoro, more exciting than Robin Hood.