Review: Exactly What I Was Looking For!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 12 6, 2013
There is a rather amazing tradition of Western writing in American culture, and Van Holt definitely deserves to be considered a modern master of the genre. Dead Man Riding, which was the first of his westerns that I've had the pleasure of reading, is precisely what it promises - an escape into another time for some action, thrills, and adventure. There doesn't always need to be some deeper meaning or philosophical point that an author is trying to express; sometimes, a beautifully written plot with believable characters and plenty of action is more than enough.  There were a few specific moments in Dead Man Riding that really stuck out to me, particularly (without giving away too many details) the episode in the bar with Peggy, Driskill, and Stanton. Van Holt is able to capture real moments and tension through his words, and the dialogue is cutting and terse. It's difficult to mimic real speech when you are writing fiction, but Van Holt does it spectacularly well. I found myself reading every word, rather than skimming through the dialogue or exposition. It was that good.Now that I know that there are another couple dozen Van Holt westerns out there to read, I know what I'll be doing next time I feel like losing myself in a good adventure. It's always interesting to read about a world you think you understand, through movies or television shows, but in reality, it is completely different, populated with people desperate to fall in love, solve a mystery, or simply stay alive. It's invigorating and inspiring, and it certainly makes for one heck of a good book to read on a lazy afternoon. 5 Stars!