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When they crossed Reuben Cole, they signed their death warrant. Reuben Cole is not the sort of man they should have messed with, and breaking into his home proves a bad idea. After his friend, Sheriff Roose, hunts down the robbers who took everything of value, the reasons for the burglary are revealed and a crooked railroad magnate's ambitions exposed. Cole's enemies are about to learn that the ways of the Old West, despite it being a new century, are not quite over yet. This is the large print edition of He Who Comes, with a larger font / typeface for easier reading.

216 pages, Paperback

First published August 31, 2020

775 people are currently reading
159 people want to read

About the author

Stuart G. Yates

147 books28 followers
My first published book 'Cold Hell in Darley Dene' (written as Glenn Stuart) was the culmination of years of trying to get myself into print. Back in 1979 I submitted a novel to a publisher, and in 2009 Darley Dene was accepted. Thirty years of honing my skills, and learning a lot about the world. If I had the chance, I'd almost certainly re-write all of my books, improve them, make them more solid, because the more we write, the better we get.This is what has happened to 'Darley Dene'. It's now available as 'Lament for Darley Dene', re-written and improved. Soon, you will find the same with 'The Pawnbroker', a horror story which I am sure many out there will enjoy.
My current day-job is being a teacher, a job I love. Without it I would not be able to continue to write; it also gives me a wealth of characters and so many ideas. The bills get paid too!
I write now as Stuart G Yates in a range of genres. Unflinching is my best-selling Western, but if you like historical fiction, thrillers or spine-tingling horror, I am sure I have a title for you.
For the moment, I live in Spain, which is not so wonderful as people try to make out, and I would dearly love to return to Old Blighty, find a little cottage and write full time. Or the Philippines and be with my fiance, marry her, find happiness. Dreams, but dreams that I am trying very hard to make true. Afterall, it's dreaming what writers do best...don't they?

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5 stars
343 (40%)
4 stars
305 (35%)
3 stars
154 (17%)
2 stars
32 (3%)
1 star
22 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
Profile Image for Louie the Mustache Matos.
1,427 reviews141 followers
August 5, 2025
Inordinate amounts of violence will shock most readers of the classic authors of westerns who grew to adulthood with romanticized visions of frontier justice. He Who Comes is a different kind of western, a series opener for the Reuben Cole westerns that is overtly action-oriented, needlessly vulgar, and simplistically graphic.

The inciting incident is the robbery of a home with African American artifacts of historical relevance. The villain is the prototypical affluent manipulator of henchmen and owner of a town. He thinks that all should kowtow and kiss the ring.

Reuben Cole's friend is injured in the theft, and he is so irritated by the sheer audacity of the theft that he determines to kill, or arrest the villains, in that order. Cole has established a reputation as someone that always gets his man. The Indians named him He Who Comes, after all.
310 reviews4 followers
July 8, 2022
A fast paced story with lots of action. Enough conversation and area description to add and not detract from the story line. Certain scenes of blood, shootings and torture are strong but not graphic. A 9+ on a scale of 10 for "can't put it down" rating. Recommend for college and adult readers.
104 reviews2 followers
July 29, 2025
This is the first book in the Reuben Cole western series by Stuart G. Yates. Reuben Cole is a man you don’t want to cross. When a group of robbers breaks into his home, they set off a chain of events that exposes a deeper conspiracy involving a corrupt railroad magnate. With the help of his friend, Sheriff Roose, Cole hunts down the culprits and uncovers the real reason behind the burglary. The story is set in a new century, Cole proves that the old-school justice of the Wild West is far from dead. This is a tale of revenge, justice, action and adventure and the kind of frontier grit that fans of classic Westerns will appreciate. I really enjoyed this fantastic western action-adventure novel.

1,470 reviews18 followers
August 16, 2025
This is the first book in the Reuben Cole western series by Stuart G. Yates. Reuben Cole is a man you don’t want to cross. When a group of robbers breaks into his home, they set off a chain of events that exposes a deeper conspiracy involving a corrupt railroad magnate. With the help of his friend, Sheriff Roose, Cole hunts down the culprits and uncovers the real reason behind the burglary. This story is set in a new century; Cole proves that the old-school justice of the Wild West is far from dead. This is a tale of revenge, justice, action and adventure and the kind of frontier grit that fans of classic Westerns will appreciate. I really enjoyed this fantastic western action-adventure novel.
354 reviews4 followers
September 13, 2022
Technology in a Dime Western

I’m not giving anything away; as the Editor placed a note about cameras and telephones before his story. Neither should have made an appearance in this Western; nor was really needed. Especially because of the requirement of carbon print to get to the development; which would have been unlikely in the untamed West. The process of taking the photos wouldn’t have gone unnoticed, and there was no inclusion of the photographer in the story. Sad, when none was really needed for the storyline. Character developments could have been better; as well as scene settings, as both were lacking. The plot was simple, and poorly played out in this Novella.
Profile Image for Steve.
59 reviews1 follower
May 20, 2025
The plot was good...bad guy versus good guy and some side characters but, here's my main complaint with the book: Too many gruesome and unnecessary violent scenes. Why describe tortures and rapes in such graphic detail? Yes, maybe that's the way it was in the West with some of these very bad men but is it really needed for the plot? Sometimes I think Lonesome Dove started all of this because so many of the older western writers never had to resort to this amount of awful detail as this. If they had just let all of that out, it would be a good read. I'm not sure I'm going to continue any more of the series.
Profile Image for Grady.
712 reviews50 followers
October 14, 2025
Not awful, but pretty violent, and the bad guys routinely sexually assault and then murder women (they just straight up murder the guys) which is not described in any detail but is referenced in passing, like a stage backdrop. It’s too raw to be used that way. The writing gets the job done, but there’s nothing lyrical about it, and if there were deeper themes in play than the surface plot (retired hero is attacked at home, friends go track the attackers and mostly get themselves killed, hero goes and settles it all), I missed it.
437 reviews5 followers
May 12, 2024
He Who Comes (Reuben Cole Westerns Book 1)

This book was absolutely amazing, I was hooked after the first page! Definitely a must read, for endless exciting moments and characters, lots of drama throughout this book, lots of action packed scenes, all mysteries solved and lots of fun parts and sad ones! So don't miss this one, it's one helluva book and you won't be sorry, so read it and enjoy! BMA 🌬📚🤠💙🐝🎶
25 reviews1 follower
July 2, 2024
Remarkable!!!!!😉

I love reading some Westerns!!😃. I was gripped steadily by this Authors book and enjoyed it very much!!🤗 It was captivating and I had to read it right through!! 🤗 THE characters were really good and filled all the tantalising plots well!!😃😃😃😃
I would recommend this book to you and all my friends!! So get the book and you'll find it quite the read!!!!😉😉😉😉
The 5 Star ratting was well deserved!!!🤗🤗🤗🤗
Profile Image for larry Mccauley.
415 reviews2 followers
January 8, 2025
WTH

Right off the bat Rueben shows up as not very bright. There is a line between being a hero and stupid
The doc to!d.him what to.do to remain alive and healthy but he choses to as he wants to do selfish and self.serviceg with no care of those who are worried . It doesnt make a good start for.good.reading as he will put his free in Danger or cause someone's death. Rueben may he's great tracker but he was taken down y 3 men when he blindly charged forward, nlt.very smart
53 reviews1 follower
September 7, 2020
Surprised

I was not sure if Imwould like this book. And, it did start out a little , to my mind, oddly. The genre and dates were just not clicking for me in the first couple chapters. I read on to see what would develop. I am very happy I did. I have just discovered a new favorite western author who paints an historically accurate picture of the early twentieth century west.
419 reviews4 followers
June 2, 2022
Fair

There was something missing in the story, that just didn’t made the story come together. The characters weren’t well developed, so their personalities didn’t come out like they should. The story jumps from 1905 to 1875 to 1905 to 1875 without fully completing the point. There just seemed a lot left out.
731 reviews3 followers
December 7, 2023
This was a good western story about an older retired cowboy who went after robbers who had raided his home and left him for dead. The story was a little hard to follow at first but made more sense the further into it you got. There was plenty of action and just a touch of romance. I would definitely recommend it!
55 reviews
May 12, 2025
WILD WEST TAMED

A well written tale concerning the South West United States. Although it is the twentieth century, many towns are being built; many towns not on the new rail tracks are forgotten. Many times the attitudes of powerful citizens make or destroy towns. Alison, Indians still are involved.
116 reviews1 follower
February 10, 2021
A Fair Read!

This Western Story is a fair read! It lacks folk history of it's characters!
Therefore, I didn't feel for the folks that got killed or that made it through! But the storyline was fairly good!
Profile Image for Tony Duxbury.
Author 9 books73 followers
May 1, 2022
It is a long time since I have read a western, this turn of the century's wild west story was entertaining. The west was virtually tamed, but some attitudes and behaviour were still stuck in the old ways of some people. A gritty tale.
Profile Image for See.
629 reviews4 followers
July 31, 2022
Reuben Cole does it again.

This is my third Cole book. While I enjoyed the action and the ending, the story line seems to be missing Mr. Yates usual flair. Thereby the lower rating.
Profile Image for Ella Short.
358 reviews2 followers
September 18, 2022
Loyalty

Now twenty years and Reuben is retired to his and fathers ranch. What drives a person to avenge the death of a person. When you have built a friendship and loyalty to each other. Awesome book.
Profile Image for Carter Bullock.
13 reviews
October 26, 2025
It was an alright story but I felt like the progression was pretty linear. There wasn’t any real changes in the flow throughout the book. There were a few parts that were a little hard to follow, but overall it was interesting enough
978 reviews1 follower
May 12, 2022
Fairly good book

This is a fairly good book, lots of action, the blood and guts kind. Give it a try, you may like it.
1,987 reviews10 followers
June 9, 2022
Pretty good classic western. Strong hero, weak thugs. Well worn plot but well told so it seems fresh.
4 reviews
November 7, 2022
Almost

Almost gave up on it a few times,but hate to quit a book I've started,thought it would get better ,but it didn't
1 review
Read
March 23, 2023
Fun read

Love the story of the old west. The story was true to the principal of good versus evil. Have fun reading this author.
118 reviews1 follower
July 14, 2023
Reuben Cole

A real good western. The author has been able to write a believable western about two in men in their quest to rid the area of evil men.
67 reviews
March 11, 2025
Amazing story!

I'm usually not a fan of Westerns but this book kept me engaged from the first page. I will be reading more of these.
38 reviews
May 7, 2025
An action filled novel. Too busy for me. Time seemed to standstill or sped up as needed to get the scenes straight. Don't need to read anymore of the series.
1 review
May 12, 2025
The book was ok, I persevered with it but not really my type of book but never took long to read it
Profile Image for James Wiseman.
12 reviews
May 26, 2025
I thought it was rather confusing the way they kept changing between the different sets of characters. And they kept switching from using first and last names.
10 reviews3 followers
June 15, 2025
I like this book very much. My first by this author. I shall be reading all that I can find.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews

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