Gunman's Song

Gunfighter's Reputation #1

by Ralph Cotton

AND THE LAST SHALL BE FAST

Lawrence Shaw once got a boost out of being the quickest gun alive. Now he’s partial to telling gunfighter stories rather than living them. But that doesn’t stop every ornery shootist with an itchy trigger finger from trying to pull iron on Fast Larry Shaw…or a group of gamblers from wagering five grand on who will kill him…or a gang of cutthroat saddle tramps from slaying his wife while in search of him.

Racked with guilt for not saving his beloved, Shaw vows to shorten the life expectancy of her murderers—and any other hardcase who even thinks of sending hot lead his way.

Genres: Westerns

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fastest gun in the west is tired of people coming around trying to kill him. He tries to settle down with his wife and become a writer, but outlaws murder his wife. He goes out on the vengeance trail.

Very much like a Glenn Ford movie.

[HornFan2 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anything by Ralph Cotton's really good, he's the author of the famed Ranger Sam Burrack series. This is the first book in the Lawrence Shaw and Cray Dawson series, apply called Gunman's reputation. Shaw who is the fastest gun in the West, known as Fast Larry avenges his wife Rosa death by a gang and by the end of the book, his friend and lover of Rosa ends up gaining the reputation of being a shootist. Cotton's anything he writes is really good, quite the wordsmith and puts the reader in the pages. High recommend, especially if you never tried the Western genred but want to here's, an author that will get you hooked and reading more.

[Phillip · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading William Johnstone westerns almost exclusively (and his ghostwriters), I decided to try another author I hadn't heard of: Ralph Cotton. I have to say that I am impressed. Gunman's Song is the first in I believe an eleven book series, focusing on a conflicted gunfighter, "Fast Larry." The story begins with the revelation that Lawrence's wife has been murdered by a group of thugs while he was in Arizona. He returns home to mete out justice to anyone and everyone who had anything to do with his wife's demise, and boy does he do so with striking efficiency. This is a very well-written novel, and I have since learned that Cotton was nominated for a Pulitzer for his first novel (can't recall the name), so clearly this is an author with talent, and he displays his abilities throughout the novel. I am partial to the gunfighter who shoots first and asks questions later, but that's because in shooting first, the protagonist survives. As we already know, the gunfighter possesses the almost innate ability to sense danger, evil, and impending disaster, so Larry's impetuosity actually serves to keep him alive, in this novel, and I assume many more to come. Larry is accompanied by a childhood friend who helps him along the way, and in some ways, we get a "Holmes and Watson" dynamic going on here. This works well, because Larry's companion acts as Larry's conscience, and, as the narrative progresses, we discover that his friend has a few secrets to reveal as well. Again, Larry is conflicted. He has been a gunfighter his entire life. Everywhere he goes, people know his name, and even before he arrives to a new town, the local gunfighter is preparing to challenge him to a face off in the streets, while half of the town has already placed bets on the winner and loser. When he was younger, Fast Larry enjoyed his notoriety, but not anymore. He almost regrets his life, and would much prefer to settle down and live a peaceful, anonymous life, but the truth is that his past will always follow him. I look forward to seeing this reality play out in the coming novels. In short, this is a very well written, well paced, and ultimately very satisfying novel that I would think any fan of western novels will enjoy and appreciate.

[Shirlene]

Lawrence Shaw, Fast Larry Shaw, was known as the quickest gun alive. He was in Arizona and headed for home when he found out that his wife had been killed by a man named Barton Talbert and his gang of saddle tramps. The gang had stopped by Shaw's house in Texas and he wasn't home. His wife treated them as hostile when they came by and they got in a fight and she was killed. They had come by to see Shaw and not to kill his wife.
When Shaw came home he found out that Rosa and all of her family except one sister had been brutally murdered. Cray Dawson was a friend of Shaw's and set out with Shaw to find and kill Talbert and his followers. Cray Dawson was from the same town as Shaw and they had grown up together. Dawson was actually his wife's lover partly due to Shaw being gone so much of the time.
The story is about how Shaw was often approached by other gunfighters who felt they were fast enough and wanted the reputation that Shaw had with his gun. One of the guys was a witness for one of the shooters and ended up riding with Shaw and Dawson to find Talbert. He was an undertaker, Jedson Caldwell. Shaw and Dawson killed a couple of the gang in Eagle Pass. They then killed a couple more that were watching over the town where Talbert was holed up. Then he killed a couple more that tried to escape town before the gunfight between Talbert and Shaw. Shaw went into town during the night to kill the rest of the gang. He told Dawson and Caldwell that he was going into town in the morning and they figured out that he had lied. They ended up getting into town at the end of the fighting and helped Shaw and saw to in that he stayed alive.
Shaw was feeling guilty about not being able to protect Rosa and was trying to get himself killed. That didn't happen...

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story. I checked out am audio CD version from the local library and was completely entertained on my commute to and from work. A great western story in which Mr. Cotton had me smelling the gunpower and tasting the dust and sand from the trail while I listened to hear what his characters would do next.

[Victoria Embry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read.

If you are.a.fan of.western fiction and like your stories a.little over the top then read all of.Ralph cottons..books. He is my favorite author hands down for western fiction. Just don't be an asshole and say it's not accurate. It's fiction.

[Will Welton · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were some cliff hangers however it just mad the book more interesting. I have been buying the whole collection of his as money becomes available.

[Jeff Dickison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a very good western. Unnecessarily violent, single minded in its worship of gunfighters and really not very interesting. Not recommended.

[Jerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long drawn out gunfight

Who could blame Shaw after Rosa being killed. He paid quite a price for being the fastest gun fighter around.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another classic from Ralph Cotton. Great characters, lots of action, real emotion, a complex plot.

[Darren · Rating 5 out of 5]

TITLE: Gunman’s Song (Gunman’s Reputation #1)

AUTHOR: Ralph Cotton

GENRE: Western

PAGES: 297

FORMAT: E-Book

PRICE: $6.99 paperback, $4.99 e-book

Among the many types of westerns available to read, my favorite has to be the “revenge western”. Sure, it is an old, and some may think worn out, sub-genre of western, but if it is done right, it can be so very satisfying. If it done wrong, it can fall like a lead balloon.

Lawrence “Fast Larry” Shaw is the fastest gun around. His reputation follows him every where he goes, and because of his reputation he gets free drinks, women throw themselves at his feet and there is always someone wanting to prove them self faster on the draw. Shaw gets word that his wife, Rosa, was killed by a bunch of men. He returns home to find out who was behind the attack. There, he joins up with Cray Dawson, his childhood friend and a man who was also in love with Rosa. Dawson is also a man who wants to see justice done. The two hit the vengeance trail to hunt down the men responsible for Rosa’s death, the Talbert gang. Before they see justice done, the trail will be soaked in blood.

As revenge westerns go, this one was one of the better ones I have read in a while. The action is fast, and the pace never falters. This book can easily be read in the course of a weekend, or even one night depending on how fast you read. Personally, it took me a couple of nights because I hung off of every bullet laden page.

The only problem I encountered was misplaced quotations marks in some of the dialog, otherwise this book was spot on and filled my craving for a really good western.

I give it 5 out of 5 bookmarks!

[Kevin Cannon (Monty's Book Reviews) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well it's taken me 50 years but I finally got around to read a Western and perhaps I picked the wrong one or maybe the genre is just not for me.

I found the characters one dimensional and the plot slow with a predictable repetition of events.

'Fast Larry' Shaw's wife is gunned down while he is away from home and when he learns who is to blame he sets out to avenge her death.

To quote the King this needed a little less conversation and a little more action. Large portions of the book were spent in discussions between Larry and his companions interspersed with gunfights that never really left the posse in any real danger. There was no determinable plot and the whole thing left me decidedly underwhelmed

[Jeff Tankersley · Rating 2 out of 5]

A legendary gunfighter, drinker, and gambler named Fast Larry Shaw returns home to find his beautiful wife murdered by outlaws who were looking for him. Shaw, the quickest gun alive, is now hunting them down to seek revenge while other gunfighters target him to build their own reputations, and bookies look to profit from the gunfights.

Verdict: An inessential buddy western revenge fantasy.

Jeff's Rating: 2 / 5 (Okay)
movie rating if made into a movie: R

[Jackson Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Western about a legendary fastest gun and his struggle to avenge the death oh his wife. Every stop seems to bring another want to be fastest gun to challenge him. It does not make for a good life or Leif expectancy.