Lightning

by Fred Stenson

Seven thousand cattle are crossing the border from Montana into newly named Alberta. The open-range ranch era is about to begin. Doc Windham, a Texan cowboy trailing the herd, has emerged from southwestern Montana for the first time in 15 years. Leaving sanctuary, he must pay the price in longing and fear as he searches for Pearly, the lover he lost along the West’s frontiers and who is hiding somewhere in this vast land. Along the way he’ll be hunted with joyless determination by a strange, implacable enemy he once left for dead. Harrowed along by ghosts of murder and loss, by walls of wind and shards of lightning, Doc emerges to make a fresh start — if the vengeance seekers and his soul’s own hunger will let him.

Genres: Fiction, Westerns, Canada

480 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just wow. This novel was a total sleeper hit for me.
I've never read a western before and picked this up at a book sale on a whim and I'm very glad I did.

I was so invested in Doc's story and was irristably drawn to what happened to him next, good or bad; I couldn't put it down. Doc is a very endearing character and weirdly... progressive?... for a late 19th century cowboy anyway. He's a nice guy and you really want him to succeed in every endeavour.

It definitely wraps up in a bittersweet way but I'm glad to have read Doc's adventure and learned a little about life from this time period, especially of how hard it was.

For some reason, the book is listed as having 160 pages but my copy has 569 which is quite the disparity!

[Charlie Broome · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book as per recommendation from the Author’s lovely daughter (who will soon be my sister in law whoop whoop) and don’t regret anything. This has become one of my favourite books of all time, painting a picture of one of my favourite areas in the world, bringing to life the old school of a life I live today, and giving a new depth to the characters with unexpected and interestingly unique qualities.

I will be buying more of his books, guaranteed.

[Elinor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never read a novel that gave me such an authentic sense of cowboy life during the early ranching period in Canada. Doc is a true hero, kind and ethical, but still as tough as they come. I was totally invested in his story and scared to death half the time that flighty women or bad men would make an end of him. Great characterization and a thrilling plot framed in authentic historical details made this novel a real winner for me.

[Todd McFarland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic. Like a Canadian Lonesome Dove!

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing! I’ve only read like one or two westerns before this one, and Lightning has definitely made me more interested in westerns. The story was amazing and kept me interested throughout the whole book. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in it

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book makes me wish I could become a rancher. It was fun to read having traveled through Montana this past summer and stopping at the ghost town of Virginia City and now living in Alberta.