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The Legend of Stuart Brannon #7
Stuart Brannon's Final Shot
IT TOOK A PERSONAL REQUEST FROM PRESIDENT TEDDY ROOSEVELT TO PUT STUART BRANNON BACK IN ACTION
In 1905, at 58 years old, legendary lawman Stuart Brannon – now a rancher and widower – had no intention of leaving his beloved Arizona Territory to attend the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in Portland, Oregon, nor to participate in the celebrity golf tournament for the Willamette Orphan Farm. Even an emotional appeal for a longtime friend didn’t persuade him. His life no longer consisted of bloodthirsty men to track down… people trying to kill him… lawless gangs preying on the innocent.
Then the telegram Stuart, I need you in Portland. Tim Wiseman is missing. I think there’s a cover-up going on. Tell folks you’re going to the Exposition. Nose around. Find out how a U.S. Marshal can disappear and no one knows why. I’ll contact you there. T.R.
No way could Stuart Brannon refuse a personal request from the President of the United States.
Filled with humor and heart, adventure and romance, “Stuart Brannon’s Last Shot” is the story of a man who embodied the Code of the West.
“One hallmark of Stephen Bly's classic westerns is that they are complete — no shortcuts. Bly gives you the full experience, every detail, evoking a period he has mastered. Ironic then, that only his death could leave this one not quite finished. Tidied up by those who loved him and knew him best, Stuart Brannon's Final Shot delivers and reminds us what we'll miss most about the beloved author.” Jerry B. Jenkins, novelist & biographer.
In 1905, at 58 years old, legendary lawman Stuart Brannon – now a rancher and widower – had no intention of leaving his beloved Arizona Territory to attend the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in Portland, Oregon, nor to participate in the celebrity golf tournament for the Willamette Orphan Farm. Even an emotional appeal for a longtime friend didn’t persuade him. His life no longer consisted of bloodthirsty men to track down… people trying to kill him… lawless gangs preying on the innocent.
Then the telegram Stuart, I need you in Portland. Tim Wiseman is missing. I think there’s a cover-up going on. Tell folks you’re going to the Exposition. Nose around. Find out how a U.S. Marshal can disappear and no one knows why. I’ll contact you there. T.R.
No way could Stuart Brannon refuse a personal request from the President of the United States.
Filled with humor and heart, adventure and romance, “Stuart Brannon’s Last Shot” is the story of a man who embodied the Code of the West.
“One hallmark of Stephen Bly's classic westerns is that they are complete — no shortcuts. Bly gives you the full experience, every detail, evoking a period he has mastered. Ironic then, that only his death could leave this one not quite finished. Tidied up by those who loved him and knew him best, Stuart Brannon's Final Shot delivers and reminds us what we'll miss most about the beloved author.” Jerry B. Jenkins, novelist & biographer.
888 pages, Audio CD
First published March 1, 2012
2 people are currently reading
120 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Bly
127 books72 followersStephen Bly (August 17, 1944 - June 9, 2011) authored 100 books and hundreds of articles. His book, THE LONG TRAIL HOME, (Broadman & Holman), won the prestigious 2002 CHRISTY AWARD for excellence in Christian fiction in the category western novel. Three other books, PICTURE ROCK (Crossway Books), THE OUTLAW'S TWIN SISTER (Crossway Books), and LAST OF THE TEXAS CAMP (Broadman & Holman), were Christy Award finalists. He spoke at colleges, churches, camps and conferences across the U.S. and Canada. He was the pastor of Winchester Community Church, and served as mayor of Winchester, Idaho (2000-2007). He spoke on numerous television and radio programs, including Dr. James Dobson's Focus on the Family. He was an Active Member of the Western Writers of America. Steve graduated summa cum laude in Philosophy from Fresno State University and received a M.Div from Fuller Theological Seminary. The Blys have three sons: Russell (married to Lois) and father of Zachary and Miranda (married to Chris Ross) and mother of Alayah, Michael (married to Michelle), and Aaron (married to Rina Joye) and father of Keaton and Deckard. A third generation westerner, Steve spent his early years working on ranches and farms.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 20, 2012
One of my favorite things I miss the most are the old time western radio programs. I know you can sometimes find them on Sirius radio now and on the Internet, but that's exactly what I was thinking as I was reading, Stuart Brannon's Final Shot by Stephen Bly.
Although only 7,000 words remained in the original manuscript by Stephen Bly just before his death, his family members got together and completed the final book in the Stuart Brannon's series. This book is definitely action packed adventure from the beginning pages as Stuart Brannon is involved in the prevention of a train robbery. After he convinces the criminal to turn himself in to the local authorities, he finds himself the center of attention by some of the passengers on a train, namely a young boy who idolizes the person he believes him to be. While correcting the young man on all the rumors he believes as truth, he faces a challenge of another kind.
Brannon receives word from a close friend Lady Harriet Fletcher who asks him to participate in a gold tournament event in conjunction with the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition. However Brannon just wants to return home to retire on his ranch in Arizona. When he receives another invitation from the President of the United States asking for his involvement in the disappearance of Tom Wiseman, a U.S. Marshall, he can't ignore this one. Tom is too close of a friend and has aided him in many personal and legal problems in the past, and also the many times Tom had stood with Brannon against the lawbreakers when no one else would.
I received Stuart Brannon's Final Shot compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and really liked the story-telling behind this novel. Like I described it above, to me, it read like the old time western radio programs with fast-paced action on every page, from chandelier swinging ladies to out of control horses in a small town. This one is geared to those that love that Old-Time Western Fiction much like Louis L'Amour! I rate this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars and commend his family members for all the time involved to put this final novel together!
Although only 7,000 words remained in the original manuscript by Stephen Bly just before his death, his family members got together and completed the final book in the Stuart Brannon's series. This book is definitely action packed adventure from the beginning pages as Stuart Brannon is involved in the prevention of a train robbery. After he convinces the criminal to turn himself in to the local authorities, he finds himself the center of attention by some of the passengers on a train, namely a young boy who idolizes the person he believes him to be. While correcting the young man on all the rumors he believes as truth, he faces a challenge of another kind.
Brannon receives word from a close friend Lady Harriet Fletcher who asks him to participate in a gold tournament event in conjunction with the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition. However Brannon just wants to return home to retire on his ranch in Arizona. When he receives another invitation from the President of the United States asking for his involvement in the disappearance of Tom Wiseman, a U.S. Marshall, he can't ignore this one. Tom is too close of a friend and has aided him in many personal and legal problems in the past, and also the many times Tom had stood with Brannon against the lawbreakers when no one else would.
I received Stuart Brannon's Final Shot compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and really liked the story-telling behind this novel. Like I described it above, to me, it read like the old time western radio programs with fast-paced action on every page, from chandelier swinging ladies to out of control horses in a small town. This one is geared to those that love that Old-Time Western Fiction much like Louis L'Amour! I rate this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars and commend his family members for all the time involved to put this final novel together!
March 22, 2012
Stuart Brannon's Final Shot by Stephen Bly with Janet, Russell, Michael and Aaron Bly is such a fantastic book. I love it, but I must say it was hard for me to read because it is the last work of Stephen Bly. I’ve been a fan of Stephen and Janet’s for many years. I joined their Yahoo group before there was a group on facebook, etc… So it saddened me to read this book, but also made me happy to have Stephen’s last work. In Stuart Brannon's Final Shot only 7,000 words were written by Stephen Bly, just before his death, Janet, his dear wife and three sons got together and completed the final book Thanks for doing that Janet and sons. It was put together so well that the scenes and words flow very smoothly.
The characters were some of the ones from other books of Stephen’s that we loved or hated for years. These characters are strong and very descriptive. The scenes and action were very well written and had me on the edge of my seat.
I love how Stuart still does the right thing even in the most horrible circumstances. How he believes what the Lord says and goes by the Code of the West.
I highly recommend this fantastic book. It will end up on your book shelf for sure. A western full of action, adventure, close calls, humor and even romance. A 5-star book and one to be loved.
Thank you to the Author/Publicist for providing this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255
The characters were some of the ones from other books of Stephen’s that we loved or hated for years. These characters are strong and very descriptive. The scenes and action were very well written and had me on the edge of my seat.
I love how Stuart still does the right thing even in the most horrible circumstances. How he believes what the Lord says and goes by the Code of the West.
I highly recommend this fantastic book. It will end up on your book shelf for sure. A western full of action, adventure, close calls, humor and even romance. A 5-star book and one to be loved.
Thank you to the Author/Publicist for providing this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255
November 29, 2012
Good traditional western. I got this book free from a first reads giveaway.
January 11, 2015
This is not a review I'm excited to write, and the only reason I am going ahead and doing so is because I just reread and reviewed the six original Brannon novels, mentioning several times that I was looking forward to this one. This isn't easy for me, so I'll try to keep it short and make the most of it.
First of all, I have huge respect for the Bly family for finishing this novel after Stephen's death in 2011. This blog post (http://www.blybooks.com/2011/11/steph...) talks about why they decided to do it and how they accomplished the task, and I would encourage you to read it. This was an amazing labor of love.
I've been reading Stephen and Janet's books for 25 years, and I wanted this to be another wonderful journey with Stuart Brannon. I loved the fact that we got to spend time with Edwin and Harriet again, and thought it a stroke of genius to bring Hawthorne Miller and the Lazzard twins back for this story. Brannon himself seemed rather reactionary and less likeable, which struck me as at odds with the character we've known and loved for so long. Obviously some changes were to be expected, but it seemed like too much for me.
To briefly sum up my other feelings towards the story, it felt like there was too much action and not enough set-up or explanation as to what was going on. That and the fact that there were so many characters with little description or development left me feeling confused and disjointed. The writing was clunky and awkward, like this sentence from Chapter 42: "In the grasses he rubbed with his boots, a minty scent almost choked him." I had additional complaints as well, but these were the ones that bothered me the most.
I thought "Son of an Arizona Legend" did a better job bringing Stuart's story full circle and giving readers closure. Please don't let my disappointment in "Final Shot" keep you from checking out the original series. Once you do you can decide for yourself if you want to read this one. There are so many Bly books that I list among my personal favorites, and while this one might not rank up there, I look forward to revisiting those that do and enjoying them over again in the years ahead.
This review originated at http://reviewsbyerin.livejournal.com
First of all, I have huge respect for the Bly family for finishing this novel after Stephen's death in 2011. This blog post (http://www.blybooks.com/2011/11/steph...) talks about why they decided to do it and how they accomplished the task, and I would encourage you to read it. This was an amazing labor of love.
I've been reading Stephen and Janet's books for 25 years, and I wanted this to be another wonderful journey with Stuart Brannon. I loved the fact that we got to spend time with Edwin and Harriet again, and thought it a stroke of genius to bring Hawthorne Miller and the Lazzard twins back for this story. Brannon himself seemed rather reactionary and less likeable, which struck me as at odds with the character we've known and loved for so long. Obviously some changes were to be expected, but it seemed like too much for me.
To briefly sum up my other feelings towards the story, it felt like there was too much action and not enough set-up or explanation as to what was going on. That and the fact that there were so many characters with little description or development left me feeling confused and disjointed. The writing was clunky and awkward, like this sentence from Chapter 42: "In the grasses he rubbed with his boots, a minty scent almost choked him." I had additional complaints as well, but these were the ones that bothered me the most.
I thought "Son of an Arizona Legend" did a better job bringing Stuart's story full circle and giving readers closure. Please don't let my disappointment in "Final Shot" keep you from checking out the original series. Once you do you can decide for yourself if you want to read this one. There are so many Bly books that I list among my personal favorites, and while this one might not rank up there, I look forward to revisiting those that do and enjoying them over again in the years ahead.
This review originated at http://reviewsbyerin.livejournal.com
February 20, 2014
STUART BRANNON’S FINAL SHOT is a traditional western. Novelist says it is “written in the tradition of Zane Grey and Louis L’Amour.” Legendary lawman Stuart Brannon, a widower, has happily retired to his Arizona Territory ranch. It is 1905 and he is 58. He receives an urgent telegram from President Teddy Roosevelt requesting him to go to Portland, Oregon, to find U. S. Marshall and Brannon’s close friend, Tim Wiseman, who is missing. His “cover” will be attending the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition. Stuart Brannon finds himself back in action as he tries to live by the Code of the West.
Stephen Bly gives readers a real feel for the time period. Anyone who likes a good, traditional western (with a little inspiration), as well as those who enjoy the old-time radio plays, should like this novel. This is Stephen Bly’s final novel; it was completed by his wife and three sons.
Stephen Bly gives readers a real feel for the time period. Anyone who likes a good, traditional western (with a little inspiration), as well as those who enjoy the old-time radio plays, should like this novel. This is Stephen Bly’s final novel; it was completed by his wife and three sons.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews