This book is about a boy named Henry who lives in New Zealand in the 1800s. It's a very classic adventure story with lots of action, there is also a bit about the history of New Zealand as well. This is a great option for reluctant readers, especially middle school boys who don't have much interest in most books.

A fun, historical, young adult/middle grade tale of intrigue, medicine and friendship.

Written in a way that is fun and engaging for younger readers and really let's you see the characters.

I don’t think I was the target audience for this arc. I find this to be a little to young for me, the pace is too quick and the plot is boring.

I think this would be more suited for a younger audience (8-12) years old.

This book kept me interested all the way through. Once I started I didn’t stop until the end, even though I had to get up early the next day. Enticing writing.

"The Physician's Gun" by John Evan Harris was an interesting historical fictional read. Roughly based on the Maungatapu Murders of 1866 in New Zealand and young farmer by the name of Henry Appleton. Henry is a teenage farmer who is doing everything he can to help keep the family farm after the unexpected death of his father in the mine fields. Henry dreams of adventure like the ones he reads about of the American West; until one day his dream becomes a reality. A doctor by the name of Dr. Zephaniah Smith rides into town with one purpose: revenge. Henry's adventures continue when he runs into Richard Burgess and his gang.

I feel like this novel should be marketed towards young, adolescent males as it tells a story of the American West. Readers who enjoy Historical Fiction would also enjoy this tale too. I did look into the history of the Maungatapu Murders of 1866 in New Zealand.

I received a digital advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for my review.

#ThePhysiciansGun #JohnEvanHarris #history #NewZealand #historicalfiction #arccopy #ebook #netgalley #GoodReads #booksgram #readeveryday #BookNerd #smartgirlsread #bookaddict #booksaddiction #booksb4boys #booksoverbeauty #booksrmyrx

I adored the concept of this story, a semi-true historical fiction adventure about a young boy and a dangerous encounter with a band of outlaws. The story starts off with a flash forward, in media res, and then the next chapter starts at the beginning. A daring choice, but one that works. In actuality, the historical aspect served as a detriment against me totally loving the story. Sometimes the narrative voice would become reflective, talking about the past, when other times the narration was a close third-person with the main character Henry. I wish the story had committed to being an adventure story, inspired by true events but allowed to explore themes of colonialism, family, and adoption. The title isn't available on Goodreads, so I would have hoped to tell my followers about it, especially with regards to the historical aspect and hook.

I think a middle-grade boy will be really drawn to this book. It's a standard middle-grade western, packed with actions, murders, and other exciting events.

I liked it, but mostly because it brought light to an era of history that I had never heard about before. That's what I really love about historical fiction.

So, I enjoyed the historical light, but otherwise, this was a very standard, predictable read for me,