Book Review: Brules by Author Harry Combs

Brules: A Novel by Harry Combs
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Author Harry Combs has written a fine book with a couple of exceptions. What I like about the book is the perspective of old man Brules recounting his youth and adventures in the South West during the post-Civil War era. Author Combs has given us a really good vision of a young cowpuncher, straight off the trail coming into town looking for fun, a drink, a bath, a chance to scratch a few itches and thinking, as we all did back in that portion of our lives, that we were the “Cat’s Pajamas”. Of course, he runs afoul of his own desires when he crosses his trail boss, believes a bar girl’s attentions are for him alone and ends up with a crush on her that leads him to commit murder and go on the run. In all this preliminary section we see the picture of youth’s certainty that what they are doing is right, even though it is wrong. Kid Brules is saved several times through the fact that he is one of those truly fast gun prodigies, who can shoot from the hip with pistol or rifle and make it count. In addition, he’s got a trail buddy, Pedro Gonzales, who has a strong head on his shouders, and a great plan to rob a bank out in Taos, New Mexicao Territory. So this section of the book moved fast, has the looks of a really interesting story and kept me wondering where it would lead next. Moving into the next section of the book, the escape from Hays City with his girl Michele is a bit contrived, but once on the trail our protagonist shows his mettle in covering his trail, thus eluding possible pursuit. I enjoyed the trail section with the Brules’ managing to get his nightgown dressed girlfriend, Michele, some decent clothes and live off the land as they head toward, and then skirt, Dodge City. As all things appear to be headed toward an interesting relationship, the Comanches capture our two waifs and they end up in dire circumstances. After a dramatic escape, Brules turns to hunting Comanches for a living. in this section, I felt the author got into a repetition of sight quarry, stalk quarry, ambush quarry, hide, ambush, sight, stalk…. The scenarios all different, and the occasional buffalo hunt is good, but perhaps a hundred pages could have been cut out of this section to keep it a page turner. Loved the last section of the book, moving North into Shoshone country and the Grizzly Bear hunting and shades of Hugh Glass encounter which links Brules up with Wild Rose whom he courts, and eventually acquires a dowery sufficient for her father, Old Stoneface to agree to the wedding. A life in the wilderness then ensues, with it’s love, trials and tragedies and ends on a really good note. So go for it, you’ll have and enjoyable ride!

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