Review: THE OLD WEST RIDES AGAIN!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 10, 2014
Van Holt is no stranger to gun-slinging, action-packed and excitement-filled western fiction. In a career that has seen just three to four full circles of years he has authored over thirty-five hardcore westerns, slugging his creative mind to imagine how life was lived in the real western world, and put them to paper the way they were meant to be written. The old west comes alive through his books, pumping a rush of excitement into the reader’s blood as the old west rides again.The Hell Riders is Van Holt’s latest western offering which follows a man who nobody really knows. When the stranger appeared in the weather-beaten plank town one cold windy afternoon no one knew for certain what his name was. When somebody remarked that he looked a lot like another stranger, named Gatten, it stuck and he was called Gatten. No one knew his purpose, yet everyone knew he wouldn’t come without a purpose. And soon, it was clear enough that he had a dogged determination in venturing into that remote desert town. And when the body count begins to pile up, it became evident that he had a deadly intention.The characterization, plot twists and the rich and varied descriptions are really good. Van Holt has established himself as one of the best contemporary writers of the western genre. However, there are several instances where the author seems to have messed up, primarily relating to his sentences. Though its meaning is understandable, it did, however, manage to spoil the flow of the book. I feel that the author can do with the help of some good editor which will distinctly shape up the book. Despite its minor flaws, The Hell Riders was a fun read.