In response to my post about our Western Game a fellow blogger (you can find one of his blogs here) recommended, and then generously mailed me the hard cover version of I. J. Parnham's The Legend of Shamus McGinty's Gold. (Thanks again Chris)
I used the opportunity of a business trip to have time to read it. It is a short read as well as an easy page turner. I have not read much of the western fiction genre. Most of my experience would be from non-fiction and from Hollywood movies. Therefore I cannot compare this to other fiction writers works. I can say it was a pleasant read; you don't have to work hard to follow the story line. It is not a story in the style of the great western movie, but that is not necessarily a bad thing.
It is a quaint little story with interesting characters, clever twists and turns, and an underlying moral which doesn't spoil a good tale. It is family friendly, so just about any age could read it. It has a few action sequences involving guns, but does not glorify or gorify them. The story does move along and was finished in no time.
I wouldn't call this a classic, but I don't hesitate to recommend it as pleasant summer reading. This would be a great Western RPG adventure if someone could turn it into one... it is the kind of adventure I wished I had written... but I digress.
I think the book will pass around the house this summer, so I might add comments from the other readers.
Cheers!
I intended to comment on this post weeks ago but the old desk top comp was acting up at the time. (Still is, I'm using the laptop now.)
ReplyDeleteParnham barrowed at least one plot device from fairy tales in Shamus McGinty's Gold and that was a refreshing addition and twist in the Western genre. There is, at least, one other book of Shamus' adventures and I'll let you, and the blog o sphere, know if I track it down.