Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Short Story Wednesday Review: This Old Star by Wayne D. Dundee


While this no longer seems to be available, I can remind you of the read in case you already have it in your TBR pile thanks to the magnificently massive archive here at Casa Tipple and Home Eatery Library.

 

The concept of duty or responsibility is often a major part of the western world as envisioned by Wayne D. Dundee and that is certainly the case here in This Old Star. For more years than he cares to count Jeb Stander was the sheriff of Flatrock Crossing, Nebraska. He isn’t the sheriff these days, but he still feels a duty to help out when the posse is out chasing Shake Whitley.

 

There was a jail break and bank robbery back in town and several of the good people of Flatrock Crossing joined up with the current sheriff, Ben Tembow, to give chase. Shake Whitley is a crafty devil which is why the law has been chasing him for one thing or another the last dozen years. The posse has been hard at work the last two days and don’t seem to getting anywhere. The weather has been nasty with rain and snow with no sign of the fugitive and the rest of the posse is just waiting for a reason to call it quits. Jeb offers to help and though Ben may not be thrilled with the prospect he isn’t about to publicly say no.

 

What follows is a complex story involving duty and responsibility in This Old Star. Like other very good westerns by this author, along with plenty of action there is an undercurrent about serious issues of the time that are just as valid today. Characters of complexity populate this author’s work where a single action may have multiple meanings. The 2010 Peacemaker Award winning short story recently released in e-book form, This Old Star is another very good one. 

 

Material was picked up to read and review using funds in my Amazon Associate account. 

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2015, 2023

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