Review: not bad - but ... could have been great
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 12 28, 2013
Just finished The Herdsman. This is the first book that I have read by Frank Roderus.  A different tale from the west.  Don't usually see stories written from the standpoint of a sheepherder - Jude Priest.  A pretty good storyline and characters, Jude, Amanda, and a great dog Beggar.  Jude's employer is trying to open up the area for sheepherders in general, and the cattleman's association is trying to stop them from moving in on open range.  A lot of characters including an honest lawman/sheriff - which is good for a change, some rowdy cowboys, of course, the bad rancher, the hired gunman, etc,The editing of the book could have been a lot better.  A lot of typos.But where I'm going to mark this book down - is the ending.  The ending is really left to the reader.  We have a show down with the hired gunman, where Jude finds some important information.  He goes back to Amanda, and the story kind of ends.  You, the reader, are left with Jude does with the info.  What happens with Jude's employer, what happens to Beggar, What happens between him and Amanda, and her ranch?  What happens in court? There are WAY TOO MANY threads left untied.This could have been a GREAT book -  I would suggest that Mr. Roderus go back and complete it!