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Rattlesnake
Spur Award-winner Olsen brings the Old West to life in this story about an Apache who fights back with all his might to keep a senator from taking his land.
- GenresWesterns
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1979
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About the author
Theodore V. Olsen
75 books8 followersTheodore Victor Olsen (April 25, 1932 in Rhinelander, Wisconsin – July 13, 1993 in Rhinelander) was an American western fiction author.
Olsen's family immigrated from Norway in 1901. Theodore Olsen was born on April 25, 1932 in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. He went to school in Rhinelander and began to write in high school. He began a western novel at that time. Olsen went to college in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. He finally finished his novel, Haven of the Hunted, and it was published in 1956. Olsen also began to sell western stories to pulp magazines at this time. Though Olsen would occasionally travel west, he lived his whole life in Rhinelander and would use exhaustive research to help accurately portray scenes of the west in his stories.
Olsen was married to fellow western fiction author Beverly Butler.
Olsen died in Rhinelander on July 13, 1993, and several works were published posthumously.
Much of T.V. Olsen's family still lives in the Rhinelander region. They own a 300-acre (1.2 sq km) ranch with a century old farm house and dairy barn.
Olsen's family immigrated from Norway in 1901. Theodore Olsen was born on April 25, 1932 in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. He went to school in Rhinelander and began to write in high school. He began a western novel at that time. Olsen went to college in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. He finally finished his novel, Haven of the Hunted, and it was published in 1956. Olsen also began to sell western stories to pulp magazines at this time. Though Olsen would occasionally travel west, he lived his whole life in Rhinelander and would use exhaustive research to help accurately portray scenes of the west in his stories.
Olsen was married to fellow western fiction author Beverly Butler.
Olsen died in Rhinelander on July 13, 1993, and several works were published posthumously.
Much of T.V. Olsen's family still lives in the Rhinelander region. They own a 300-acre (1.2 sq km) ranch with a century old farm house and dairy barn.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 16, 2025
Out of the hundreds of western novels I've read, Rattlesnake easily ranks among the top ten. Seriously. It's that good! I read it years ago in the first Pocket Books edition, and I recently decided to read it again on my Kindle. Was the story every bit as good the second time around? Absolutely!
As the book description indicates, Rattlesnake is a gripping tale of one man's quest for retribution. I won't go into details, because I don't want to spoil a thing about this plot. However, unlike the original paperback edition, this Kindle version is littered with hundreds of annoying typos. Theodore V. Olsen--who passed away in 1993--would be appalled by this imperfect edition of his unforgettable story.
I wasn't aware that Theodore V. Olsen wrote more than sixty books, and fourteen are available on Kindle. I plan to read several of them, and I hope they contain fewer typos than Rattlesnake. Regardless of the typos, Rattlesnake easily earns five glowing stars from me!
As the book description indicates, Rattlesnake is a gripping tale of one man's quest for retribution. I won't go into details, because I don't want to spoil a thing about this plot. However, unlike the original paperback edition, this Kindle version is littered with hundreds of annoying typos. Theodore V. Olsen--who passed away in 1993--would be appalled by this imperfect edition of his unforgettable story.
I wasn't aware that Theodore V. Olsen wrote more than sixty books, and fourteen are available on Kindle. I plan to read several of them, and I hope they contain fewer typos than Rattlesnake. Regardless of the typos, Rattlesnake easily earns five glowing stars from me!
May 6, 2018
One Lone Civilized Apache Against A Greedy White Senator & Son
TVO has penned his best western to date. Life and Death Struggles. An Apache Veteran settled on his purchased carbon and he and his wife live there for 15 years. Then the Senators son, an Indian hater, decided he wants the Indians acreage. They attack his family and murder his wife and attempt to kill the man and his son. The Apache knows he cannot fight the Senator, his son and ranch hands. He determined how he can get revenge. He leaves his son with the Sheriff and then buys a case of dynamite. He does the only thing he can to destroy the Senator's empire! He diverts the river away from the Senator's land. This is a classic one man against many western and is an excellent read for the genre. Especially those that believe in the justice system of the US.....DEHS
TVO has penned his best western to date. Life and Death Struggles. An Apache Veteran settled on his purchased carbon and he and his wife live there for 15 years. Then the Senators son, an Indian hater, decided he wants the Indians acreage. They attack his family and murder his wife and attempt to kill the man and his son. The Apache knows he cannot fight the Senator, his son and ranch hands. He determined how he can get revenge. He leaves his son with the Sheriff and then buys a case of dynamite. He does the only thing he can to destroy the Senator's empire! He diverts the river away from the Senator's land. This is a classic one man against many western and is an excellent read for the genre. Especially those that believe in the justice system of the US.....DEHS
November 12, 2023
Definitely not my favorite western, it moves very slowly and I really had trouble getting into it. The outcome was very predictable for me as well. Still it did give small insight as to life of American Indians as they were treated by whites.
October 31, 2018
I have read a couple of this author's books and always find them well written tale that feel like I have dropped backwards in time.
July 20, 2016
This is not the normal western ...
Since time frame, it does include early autos, and airplanes in the telling.
It starts out slow. Kind of had to push, to keep going.
After awhile it does get into a decent pacing, and action.
Not a bad read. Still, would not read again.
So far, for being an award winning author. Not taking with his stories so far.
Will try another in the future.
Since time frame, it does include early autos, and airplanes in the telling.
It starts out slow. Kind of had to push, to keep going.
After awhile it does get into a decent pacing, and action.
Not a bad read. Still, would not read again.
So far, for being an award winning author. Not taking with his stories so far.
Will try another in the future.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews