Calico Trail
Series: The Trail, Book 3
Written and Narrated By: David R. Lewis
Length: 6 hrs and 46 mins
Seriously! Is there not a single one in this series that isn’t good ol’ rollicking fun?!
Nope, I ain’t a-gonna be a-writin’ this review in the speech patterns you’ll likely adopt after you give any audiobooks of this series a shot. But I doooo promise you, you’ll have your ears finely tuned, your tongue deftly snapping with a newfound twang. Bravo, Mr. Lewis—quite possibly the only author out there who most DEFinitely SHOULD be the ONLY one to do his/her book (Now, did I or didn’t I get enough emphasis in that last sentence?)!
Book 3 in the series has young Ruben Beeler in Deer Trail, guiding the town as usual, but now he’s also learning to bond with his squalling, twitchy infant boy, li’l Bill. After considering feeding the tot to the hogs, Rube learns that both he and li’l Bill are cut from the same cloth, and dang it all if the youngster doesn’t feel protected and safe with Rube (Guess he doesn’t understand about hogs); the boy quiets down when he’s with his Daddy. Also, marriage with Miss Harmony is pretty fine indeed.
All this is NATurally upended when he receives a call to join old buddy Homer Poteet on a jaunt to Calico County where a dastardly Englishman, one “Sir” Merrit Treadstone has set himself up a massive cattle company, buying up all the land he can and forcing out those who won’t sell. It’s deplorable what all is happening over there, so Ruben, with his itchy twitchy wandering ways, is happy to go on over to help the small ranchers, the small farmers who’ve complained about this greedy git.
Of course, once there, Homer and Rube discover Treadstone has bought himself the entire Sheriff’s department, Sheriff included, plus he’s got a large crew of men on his staff—ornery and soulless guys—who have no problem doing his violent bidding. Soon Rube’s dander is quiiiiite up, and he and Homer are getting into tussles left and right.
Oh how wonderful this all is, and I canNOT thank a fellow Accomplice for suggesting the series in the first place. To say I’m tickled to death with m’self for getting past the whole: Western? Huh, who me?!? thing is pretty much an understatement. I mean, I’m oh soooo dying to get to the next in the series, esPECially as I’m watching life continuing to happen to these wonderful characters. I saw where author David R. Lewis believes life to be character-driven, thus crafting his stories with this in mind. And HUZZAH for that as, wellllll maaaybe the plots are a trifle thin, but oh my heavens: The characters NEVER disappoint.
I sooo like Ruben and how he’s developed as our lead. As Homer points out to him whilst they’re chowing down at the ChuckWagon, the banter between Rube and Miss Susie would’ve, back in the old days, had the old Ruben Beeler red-faced and blushing furiously. AWEsome that THAT statement makes a hot flush creep up Ruben’s neck as he realizes how far he’s come. And Ruben is constantly aware of what gifts Life keeps bringing to him, whether it’s the joy of sitting around, sipping on corn whiskey with the men, jawing at each other and laughing (Which ALWAYS has me laughing as well!), or he’s with Miss Harmony, so happy to have such a wonderful family, tears streaming down his cheeks, no shame, just utter gratitude. This series will have you doing the whole Mindfulness, Appreciate Each Moment You’re In thing. Zen and the Art of Breaking the Collarbone of Your Nemesis with the Barrel of Your Shotgun…!
I think I liked the final action scene better in this book than in the last one—that one was rather abrupt whereas in this one, the men are more calculating, going off less half-cocked. That Ruben is the guy they all turn to for A Plan has me yearning for the next book, wanting to see more of his growth. We’d started with him goodheartedly saving ol’ Arliss and getting caught up in fraught matters, and now we’re getting to him plotting those matters all by his lonesome, his brain whirring and catching on facts and observations.
Bravo to Mr. Lewis for another joyous fast talking romp! Do expect some rough language (Thank GOSH, prude that I am, THAT doesn’t extend itself to threatening language or teasing banter!) as all the men torment each other, or when Rube says just the right thing when he needs it. And do expect some violent scenes.
But for Heaven’s sake! DO expect to be mightily entertained and to be moved emotionally as well. There’s nothing more delightful than a bully being taken down by just the right words (Or a good ol’ smack to an already broken nose), and there’s nothing more entertaining than male bonding latter part of the 19th century.
And yippee for spirited horses and for mules as loyal as dogs!!!
UPDATE: My sister, editor extraordinaire of all reviews, just told me Lewis died Jan. 30, 2020! Oh noooo! I don’t often look at the About the Author bits on Amazon, but after the first in the series, I was so delighted that I checked his out. What a full life, so full of wonder and transformations from musician, to cop, to teller of stories amongst so many other things. His writing will be missed.
And dang it all if I don’t a-wanna go back and write m’ whole review in a twang—Because yes, his oh so fanTAStic voice will be missed! You made me laugh, Mr. Lewis, and you tickled my ears so! Rest In Peace, Good Sir…
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