CLIMAX - Paul Lederer (writing as C. J. Sommers)

Climax, Arizona isn't much of a town - it's got only one of just about everything. One saloon, one hotel, one lawman. It doesn't take much to keep the peace in such a town, which suits Giles Frost just fine. He's too old to work on the range and too settled to have to take care of anything more than the occasional drunk. But peace in Climax and peace for Giles Frost comes to a violent end when Frost is shot in the side one night while making his evening patrol.  

A violent gang has decided that they are going to make Climax their new home base and they've got no use for a lawman. Giles Frost hasn't got any use for murderers or for the town of Climax and was ready to move on once he recovered enough from his bullet wound, but as he hit the trail he encounters another lawman who's looking for him. The gang that's taken over Climax are wanted and more than one lawman is looking to take them down. 

But Giles Frost's knowledge of the town could be crucial in getting the jump on the killers, but is Frost up to the task? He may be getting old, but he's still tough as nails, as some criminals will soon understand.

This is a classic 'reluctant hero' story. Giles Frost goes from a comfortable, laid-back life to suddenly having to make a choice between running away or stepping up pushing himself beyond his comfort zone.

I enjoy western fiction and I'm always looking for 'new' authors - western writers I'm not already familiar with - and Paul Lederer/C.J. Sommers is relatively new to me (I read and reviewed another western by Lederer back in 2015). This particular book wasn't quite as interesting or exciting as I would expect, given the genre. Much of the book has Giles Frost thinking and pondering and reflecting. Making a decision is the main action in much of the book.

The last few chapters see some good, old-fashioned western action and the excitement (and the pace) pick up nicely.

I did appreciate the romance as written here - mostly because it's not much of a romance. We don't always need a woman needing to be rescued by our protagonist.

I found this to be good but not great western fiction. It would make a decent beach read or commute read.

Looking for a good book? Climax, by Paul Lederer, is a western, reluctant hero tale. It's very standard western fare.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

3-1/2 stars

* * * * * * 

Climax

author: Paul Lederer (writing as C. J. Sommers)

publisher: Open Road Media 

ISBN: 9781480487475

ebook, 153 pages 

 

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