Thursday, June 12, 2025
Friday, June 06, 2025
Rough Edges: Wayne D. Dundee RIP
Wednesday, August 09, 2023
Short Story Wednesday Review: Treasure Of Ice And Fire (Veridical Dreams Book 2) by Wayne D. Dundee
From the
massively magnificent archive…
Billed as the second book in the Veridical Dreams series, it is a harsh night filled with cold and ice as Treasure Of Ice And Fire begins. By cunning and a bit of subterfuge Master Nindocai and his fellow travelers made it through the mountain guard post manned by two of the Wyvar regulators. Getting through that guard post was just one of the many hurdles the group has to overcome in their quest. The fact that the holy man has heard what might be the “Secret Hammer” mentioned in the message from goddess Arya makes it seem that they are on the right track.
Getting to the valley of Gahm was just the first hurdle. Nindocai is a priest of the old gods and part of the religious faith frowned upon to the point of execution by the current regime. He as well as a few other people believe it is long past time to remove the godless Wyvar. The source of the hammering the priest hears is located in the ruins of a temple dedicated to Arya, the goddess of hope. Fortunately, the priest will get some help in Treasure Of Ice And Fire by Wayne D. Dundee.
“A Crusade Powered By The Hammer Of The Gods” is a line from the cover telling readers all they need to know. This is a fantasy novel featuring a quest. A quest seeking to change the future and the world as these characters know it. Known for his mysteries and westerns, author Wayne D. Dundee proves in Treasure Of Ice And Fire that he can easily write in the fantasy genre as well.
It is one heck
of a good read.
Amazon says I picked up the eBook to read and review on March 11, 2016. Amazon does not make a distinction between books I pick up for free during an author promotion and ones that I picked up by way of funds in my Amazon Associate account. At this point in time I have no idea how I got it.
Kevin R. Tipple
©2016, 2023
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
Friday, March 17, 2023
FFB Review: Dismal River (Lone McGantry Book 1) by Wayne D. Dundee
From the massive archive...
Lone McGantry
has done a lot of things over the years and some of the jobs were difficult and
nasty. The latest job has the potential to be seriously annoying. He really
does not want to be a taking a bunch of wealthy English folks on an excursion
from North Platte, Nebraska out to the Sandhills. But, he got roped into this
mess by Buffalo Bill Cody himself. Telling Buffalo Bill no is a near
impossibility and as a result
McGantry said
yes when contacted by the foreign nobility. Even if he is increasingly of the
mind that this is a super bad idea, McGantry isn’t one to go back on his word.
There also a nice payday in store once all is said and done. As Buffalo Bill
pointed out in his telegram, the English folks have money and are willing to
spend it so at least some of it should come his way.
For Lone
McGantry there are not a lot of ways to make money in the Nebraska panhandle of
the 1880s. An English Lord by the name of Reginald Haddenforth, his wife, Lady
Claire, and several others in the party intend to sightsee and hunt Buffalo.
Lord Haddenforth and his wife have hunted boar in Germany’s Black Forest as
well as gone on safari to Africa three times. Lord Haddenforth writes books
about his adventures and intends to do the same regarding the Sandhill
extension. All that is well and good, but Lone McGantry is of the opinion that
women should stay in town where they belong and those going out on the
expedition need to understand that the old west is dangerous and needs to be
taken seriously.
For Lone
McGantry and his men, life in the old west is not some grand adventure to be
had before returning to a plush chair to sip cognac by a roaring fire. For men
of McGantry’s ilk, the old west is their way of life and absolute reason for
being. It is in their soul. It comes with, at times, a brutal cost. It isn’t
to be trivialized in some book. A hard and painful lesson Lord Haddenforth and
his party have repeated opportunities to learn over the next few days.
Originally
published several years ago by Oak Tree Press, an e-book version was recently
published by Bil-Em-Ri-Media. First of a series, Dismal River is another
example of why author Wayne D. Dundee is nominated for many awards and wins quite a few. Complicated
characters, plenty of action, and plenty of mystery in a western setting makes
Dismal River a mighty good read.
Material was
recently picked up to read and review by way of funds in my Amazon Associate
account.
Kevin R. Tipple
©2015, 2023
Wednesday, August 25, 2021
Publishing News
Mark your calendars. The first of two volumes of #DrifterDetective adventures arrives September 6, 2021. Featuring novelettes and novellas by @TonyAmtrak, Wayne D. Dundee, and @AlecCizak.
Forward by @kevinrtipple.
The Drifter Detective was created by @BEATtoaPULP
.
Tuesday, June 22, 2021
Review: Trail Revenge by Wayne D. Dundee (Dangerous Trails: Collected Western Adventures)
Following Trail Justice in Dangerous Trails: Collected Western Adventures by Wayne D. Dundee is Trail Revenge. The second volume of the trilogy, it picks up several days after the violent events of the preceding book. It is late May 1848 and the wagon train is somewhere near California Hill in the Nebraska Territory. In addition to recent events, some in the party are aware that the trail is about to get harder as they cross begin to put the South Platte River behind them and move ever closer to the mountains of the Rockies.
Wagon Master Eugene Healy has these thoughts in mind and others as the wagons slowly move forward. Not only does he need to get his wagon across the river and ensure the safety of his wife, Ingrid, and their son, Donald, he needs to get all of the other wagons and their cargo---families and goods--across safely as well. Fortunately, young Basil St. Irons, the scout, has proven himself capable at every turn. Basil has found a place that should work well even though the snowmelt out of the mountains has made the river running fast and strong.
Finding a good spot to cross is not the only thing Basil has found today. While scouting long distance out in front of the wagon train, he also found a body. Who he was and, more importantly, how he came to be washed up against the riverbank was a question Basil wanted to have answered. It took some time and he thinks he has figured it out. He needs to have a word with Wagon Master Healy in private as soon as possible.
That threat as well as the past catching up to the Healys in a violent way that affects everyone on the wagon train drives this read forward.
Trail Revenge continues the
excellent tale begun in Trail Justice. Readers learn more of the
backstory of the Healys and several other folks familiar to readers by this
point. A solidly good tale with lots of nuance, Trail Revenge is
another good read in the Dangerous Trails: Collected Western Adventures.
Dangerous Trails: Collected Western Adventures
Wayne D. Dundee
http://fromdundeesdesk.blogspot.com/
Wolfpack
Publishing
https://wolfpackpublishing.com/dangerous-trails-collected-western-adventures-wayne-d-dundee/
June 2020
ASIN: B0898JGVZC
eBook Only
788 Pages
I picked this up in June 2020 using funds in my Amazon Associate account.
Kevin R. Tipple
©2021
Wednesday, April 28, 2021
Short Story Wednesday Review: High Meadow Storm by Wayne D. Dundee
From the archives….
Waking up and having no idea where you are or your
own name is not a good thing. At least folks found him at the R-Bar ranch and
brought him into the small cabin three days ago. He’d been found up by the high
meadow after a storm. Who he is and why he was there are just two of the many
questions at work in this short story.
The ranch is run by teens and their far younger
siblings after the death of their parents. Fever took them last winter, as it
did many others, in the area. The twins are 8 and supervised by Addie who is
almost 17 and her brother Heath, 18. Heath is the one who found the unconscious
stranger and brought him to the cabin. The Rudisels are holding their own
despite the efforts of nature and man to boot them off the land. With no idea
who he is or where he should go, it becomes natural for the stranger to stay and
get involved in their struggle in High Meadow Storm by Wayne D.
Dundee.
As is frequently the case in Mr. Dundee’s westerns a
major mystery is at work in this story. In fact, there are several mysteries in
play in this enjoyable tale. Nominated for the 2016 Peacemaker Awards of the
Western Fictioneers this tale that was originally published in Protectors
2: Heroes-Stories To Benefit Protect is now available as a
standalone read. High Meadow Storm is also mighty good read as
one would expect from Wayne D. Dundee.
Material supplied by the author in exchange for my
objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2016, 2021
Thursday, March 11, 2021
Review: Trail Justice by Wayne D. Dundee (Dangerous Trails: Collected Western Adventures)
I
have long been a fam of Wayne D. Dundee’s work in westerns and other projects. When
I came across his new book, Dangerous Trails: Collected
Western Adventures, I picked it up last summer. The read is nearly
eight hundred pages as it brings together connected novels, Trail Justice,
Trail Revenge, By Blood Bond, The Fugitive Trail,
and numerous assorted short stories. As I read the collection, I will be
reviewing the books in it.
The
book opens with Trail Justice. It is April
1848 and a wagon train is about to head out from Barkley County, Missouri, once
those involved have finalized the election of a wagon master for the journey. Mr.
Eugene Healy has been selected this April afternoon, despite the efforts of a
certain Mr. Morgan Velmont and those working on his behalf. Some of his men
attempted to intimate folks to change their mind and were a bit aggressive in
so doing. While Eugene Healy did not seek the nomination, he has been elected
to do the job and intends to do so regardless of what Mr. Velmont says or does.
A
conflict that will at least partly drive this very enjoyable western tale
forward. A lot will happen as they head out for the first stop in their journey
to Oregon, Fort Kearny in the Nebraska Territory. Because they are all alone,
they will have to rely on each other for everything.
Trail Justice is a very good read as one expects from this author.
Dangerous
Trails: Collected Western Adventures
Wayne
D. Dundee
http://fromdundeesdesk.blogspot.com/
Wolfpack
Publishing
https://wolfpackpublishing.com/dangerous-trails-collected-western-adventures-wayne-d-dundee/
June
2020
ASIN:
B0898JGVZC
eBook Only
788
Pages
I
picked this up in June 2020 using funds in my Amazon Associate account.
Kevin
R. Tipple ©2021
Friday, December 18, 2020
FFB Review: Wide Spot In The Road (The Drifter Detective #4) by Wayne D. Dundee
Back in September, I reminded you of The Drifter Detective. In October I reminded you of the second book in the series, Hell Up In Houston. Last month I reminded you of the third book in the series, The Girls of Bunker Pines. Today for this final Friday before Christmas 2020, I remind you of the fourth book in the series, Wide Spot in the Road. Like the others preceding it, this one is not available in eBook format and the print version is only available via third parties at an insane price.
After you read here, make sure you head over to Patti Abbott’s blog as well as Aubrey Nye Hamilton’s blog and see what they suggest today. Both ladies have a lot of reading recommendations, so I am sure if whatever is suggested for today will not work, something else they have talked about will.
FFB will return in the new year as the next two Fridays are holidays and you good folks are going to be busy with family and friends. Take care of yourselves and have a fun and safe holiday season.
If the
drifter detective, Jack Laramie, had blinked he might have missed the small
“chili” sign in the window of Frenchy's as he passed by. After all there
was only one vehicle in the parking lot and the place itself wasn't much to
look at. Neither was anything around it at this wide spot in the road where an
unpaved county road crossed the little used state highway. Just another wide
spot in the road with this one located somewhere in the Texas panhandle. No
reason to stop other than that sign for chili.
For Jack that sign was reason enough to stop. Jack loves his chili and prefers the variations one gets across the state in real places to eat as opposed to the cookie cutter chain joints he sees more and more. He has a lot of opportunity see things out on the road as, despite being based in Dallas, he is out there in his DeSoto pulling the horse trailer. The road is where he mainly earns his living as a private detective. It is early afternoon and he has been on the road quite awhile so by this point he realizes he is pretty hungry and that makes it a good idea to check out the chili served in Frenchy's of Beule’s Corner.
At first, just after Jack got out of the DeSoto and started for the door, the decision seems a bit questionable as there are some raised voices, some noise, and a man suddenly storms out of the diner and barely misses Jack. For his sake he does and with a few more fast steps jumps into his truck. He takes off at a high rate of speed headed down the isolated highway. According to the waitress, Bonnie, who also happens to be the niece of the owner, the guy who made a scene and took off is Alden Frain. Tipping furniture over and ripping the phone off the wall was not appreciated by Bonnie. He probably just ruined any chance he had with her of having a relationship. Tearing the phone off the wall was bad enough, but things are really going to go downhill when two very scared young adults arrive closely followed by a biker gang that wants payback.
Fourth in an
excellent series that began with The Drifter Detective this
installment by author Wayne D. Dundee is a good one. Recently published by Beat
To A Pulp Press, Wide Spot In The Road is another great action
oriented tale featuring the grandson of legendary lawman Cash Laramie. At the
same time, readers also find out a little bit more about Jack and what keeps
him on the roads of Texas working cases during the 50s. Keeping his
grandfather’s memory alive with a gun and a talisman, Jack holds up the family
name while trying to make sure good people aren't harmed by the bad guys. In
this case, he might be a bit outnumbered. A book and a series very much worth
your time.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2014, 2020
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