Member Reviews
Charles G West steps into the long void of Louis L’Amour. I’ve been disappointed by the western writers of late. Too many are writing rawnching romance novels masquerading as westerns. Harlequin on a horse.
West goes back to the man’s man. Willing to right the wrongs and take on the bad guys! Cody Hunter is a hero to follow. Great read!
The First Day of Eternity by Charles G. West
The Hunters #2
Solid story set in the Bitterroot Montana Territory sees Cody “Crazy Wolf” Hunter find out he was not an orphan after all, going to surreptitiously see how his relatives are doing, and then becoming their guardian though the youngest of the bunch. I have to admit that I did not read book one in the series and felt at times I needed more background to flesh out Cody and perhaps that book might have given more information about his family, too.
Cody’s father and older brothers have established the Triple H ranch with a large herd of cattle roaming their and government land. They are on good relations with settlers, farmers, and the citizens of the nearby town BUT a new bunch of cowboys is in competition with them – the Kincaid brothers – and they are ruthless killers with a team that works for them that knows more about guns and killing than herding cattle. A range war is brewing and Cody arrives just in time to assist and weight the Triple H’s chances against the encroachers in a very positive way.
Cody becomes the target as he plays cat and mouse with those out to kill him while also protecting his family. He does what he learned to do best while with his Indian family and works as a one-man weapon to downsize the number of the enemy.
There was a bit of romance, a lot of family, discussions by good and bad men, a lot of killing, and the beginning of getting to know one another by the Hunters. The bones were there to the story but I wanted more information about Cody, the Hunters, the reasons behind what was going on, memories of the time the Hunters were together before they get together again, their thinking while the situation was brewing, what the women were thinking, and more interaction between characters. I never really engaged with or identified with any of the characters and wish I had been able to.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington-Pinnacle Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.
3-4 Stars
It was the late author Bill Crider, with his 'Outrage at Blanco' novel that made me love revenge stories so much and in away revenge stories for me will always be a tribute to him.
Another awesome read, 'The First Day of Eternity' is the second book in the Cody Hunter Series, from a Spur Award winning author and one of the greatest Western writers of the 21st Century. Man Chucky never disappoints, puts his readers right into the pages, not afraid to get a little blood on his hands, as far as being a clean read, and a master with creating believable characters.
Crazy Wolf, aka Cody Hunter decides to travel the same trail he did with his family, as a 5 year old, and comes upon a memorial marker. When Cody discovers that his father and brothers are still alive, he decides to reunite with them and arrives at the right time for the family ranch.
As the Hunter Ranch is heading into a range war, with two outlaw brothers, with hired gunmen and a built herd from rustling cows. While the other Hunters look for a non-violent way to the end coming range war, Cody becomes his superhero self, becomes 'Crazy Wolf', takes the bull by the horns and you'll have to read the book. To know if he's successful or not.
Thanks to Kensington and the author for the opportunity to read and review this one.
I love the western genre and am always looking for new authors....or new to me anyway....so choosing this book was an easy decision. The book summary hit all the high spots too. So was it any good? YES!!!! The story line was pretty original with a few legacy twists included but when Cody, Crazy Wolf, decides to find the family he has long thought dead, it opened a new door into what I hope is a series I can add to my TBR list as well as an author to my followed list. Easy 5 star read.
While crazy horse a.k.a. Cody Hunter is looking for a place to settle he is heading towards Washington on the same trail he was on when his family was ambushed by the Blackfoot Indians. The last time he saw his father and two brothers Holt and Morgan when he runs across a commemorative plaque stating it was an honor of those who died another from the day they were attacked but what strikes Cody is odd is his dad and two brothers are not among the listed dead. This is when Cody decides to change his plans and go in search of his family. He doesn’t necessarily want to meet them he just wants to see how they made out and what kind of people they are. Before he makes it to the valley where he learns they live he runs across a woman fleeing for her life from a spiurned Suter but when Cody comes up on her she is hiding from two outlaws that killed her brother just before his arrival. After making quick work of the outlaws and her stalker he sets out the fine his family. He learns the hunters have the biggest spread in the Betterroot Valley Ian until recently had no problems and got along great with the smaller farmers. It seems there’s a new ranch in town that wants to be the biggest and baddest ranchers and they will do anything to accomplish that. Unfortunately they didn’t count on a mysterious stranger taking up for the H first Cody will save two of the triple H‘s farmhands then he will save his own brothers life he is still hesitant about meeting his family though but meeting them may cause more problems than Cody believes it’s worth. This is a great second book and what’s now called the Hunters series I do want to say however that this is the second book and the second time Cody has come to save a damsel in distress in his head a special bond with them I hope he doesn’t start having a new girl in every book I do not like westerns where every book they feel that way they’ve never felt before for a new person. I like when they already have a girlfriend/wife or have no interest in it I do not read westerns for romance and this is a great one I only hope it continues to be that way I have loved these last two books and cannot wait for the next one. I want to thank Kensington books and net galley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
This is the second book about Cody Hunt where he finds out that his father and brothers might still be alive. He goes looking for them and it is a good thing for they are in a fight with another cattle ranch but he is using the skills he learned from his Indian family to fight the other ranch. At the same time people are all trying to figure him out, this is another good book with good characters.
This was the first book I’ve read by Charles West, and all I can say is that now I’ma strong follower! Me West sounds a wonderful tale loaded with imagination, and none of the repetition or slow moving storylines. This is an author after my own heart!
I did not read the first story of this series, but it easily stood alone. Cody ,aka: Crazy Wolf “ was separated from his family in the previous book by a war party of Indians. A different tribe found him injured in some bushes at just 5 years old and raised him as their own believing he was orphaned. However, we discover his father and two brothers actually survived the attack. This book tells the story of how he finds them, and they reunite in a truly entertaining storyline.
This book is plenty western, drama, comedy, and even a little mystery. Mr West even humanized the bad guys in such a way that it was hard to hate them at times! This author, without argument, is a truly gifted story teller. I will be following him and watching for more!
Thank you so much, Kensington Books and Netgalley, for this tremendous opportunity to read these books for free in exchange for an honest review.
What it must be like to think that your son had died in an Indian raid, but find out mini years later, that he was not dead, but had been raised as an Indian. This is the story line that is in this book when Cody Hunter returns to see his father and his two brothers
He finds them on the large ranch and doing very well with all of them still alive. He finds that he doesn’t exactly fit in, but they want him to fit it. He makes a great effort, and becomes a great asset as they struggle against a rival rancher. The “Indian” occasionally comes out.
This is a story almost of a range war. But it is the interaction of Cody, his family, and the other rancher that is the focus. This is a good read, and one that a Western aficionado will really enjoy. I would definitely recommend it as it moves fast, has lots of action, and a few unexpected twists along the way.