May 2, 2011
Tim Beckdolt becomes prey for a sadistic hunter, Bonnet, and his towering sidekick, Sven, who have stolen Beckdolt's hard-earned gold. They are armed with guns, while Beckdolt only has a knife and no food in the desert. But besides survival, Beckdolt wants his enemies to face the ultimate punishment. In addition to this feature title, the collection also includes two additional stories: "Johnny the Town Tamer" and "Stranger in Town," each of which spin an ironic and action-packed tale of what happens when justice in one of its many forms comes to town. These stories have all the hallmarks of westerns, though feel a bit superficial. The overall sound is well produced with a full cast, sound effects, and musical score. However, the actors overperform their already caricatured characters so that, at times, it feels more parody than serious storytelling. A Galaxy hardcover.
Starred review from May 15, 2011
Originally published in the February 1950 issue of Famous Western, this gold-mining adventure is lent significant realism by Hubbard's own experience leading a mining crew on a West Indies mineralogical expedition in the early 1930s. After months of laboring in Arizona, Tim Beckdolt strikes gold. But just as he sets out to sell his stockpile of ore, two sadistic villains--a Swede named Sven and a Virginian named Bonnet--step in to demand his claim. R.F. Daley narrates while Edoardo Ballerini, Josh Robert Thompson, Phil Proctor, and Jim Meskimen voice the four-character cast. As with most other of Hubbard's Western tales, the small size of the cast is a boon, swirling the atmospheric dust up around listeners to create a simultaneous sense of intimacy and impending danger in the manner of a battered lean-to ready to blow at any turn. Highly recommended for anyone game for a campy Western taking a dark plot bent, who will hear Sven's and Bonnet's taunting voices long after the fire is snuffed. [Includes the Western stories "Johnny, the Town Tamer" and "Stranger in Town," both originally published in 1949.--Ed.]
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