Whistlestop Wednesday Book Review: "Creede of Old Montana" by Stephen Bly

Hold your horses, Pardner! Don't start this book at bedtime or you might just sacrifice a night's sleep. With page-turning action, pithy dialogue and a fine sense of the ridiculous, ex-cavalry soldier Avery John Creede fights for right (and dear life) as he faces danger head-on. A beautiful blonde girl in a yellow dress, appropriately nicknamed "Sunny," enters the picture with gun in hand and turns Avery's life upside down, although his heart belongs to well-bred Carla. And then there's Ace, green but learning fast from his Uncle Creede. While other less stout-hearted folk flee, they stand together against the Rinkman gang.

Stephen Bly's stunning writing style brings the Old West to life. With deft skill, he sustains a fast pace but doesn't sacrifice characterizations or setting. My only mild quibble with this book is that the humor, while standing on its own merits, sometimes does cross the line of believability to set up "gags." I'm not a regular reader of Classic Westerns, however, so I don't know what's acceptable within the genre.

I highly recommend "Creede of Old Montana" to those who enjoy Western fiction and even to those who might not normally read them. In this world today, we need more heroes. Stephen Bly helps us find them. And that's worth losing a little sleep over.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author for purposes of review.