This Western has elements of fantasy and science fiction

By: 
Jan Jones
Books and Stuff

I’d never read anything by William W. Johnstone, but I knew my husband had. So, when I came across “A Time for Vultures” in the InfoSoup catalog, I decided to give it a try. This book was part of his “Flintlock” series and co-written with his nephew, J.A. Johnstone.

It doesn’t take long to establish that Sam Flintlock is a frontiersman with a lot of rough edges but a decent heart. His most notable feature is a huge thunderbird tattoo on his throat and upper chest.

When he and his half-Cherokee friend O’Hara notice what appears to be four women and a disabled wagon, O’Hara warns that they’ll be trouble, but Sam insists they stop to help. The women turn out to be whores on their way to Happyville, and there is immediate trouble.

When it’s over, the strident women convince the men to get them to Happyville. As they approach the town, they note that it appears to be deserted. It doesn’t take them long to see that Happyville has been struck by smallpox. They turn the local saloon into their headquarters, put their horses in the livery and plan to leave early the next morning.

Another thing unique about Sam Flintlock is that he talks to his dead grandfather, Barnabas. Sam was raised by the old mountain man and his friends. He got little in the way of book learning but plenty of lessons in survival. No one knows why, but the old man often appears to harangue and sometimes warn Sam. He also offers advice from Satan on how Sam should handle many situations — advice Sam studiously ignores.

This time, Barnabas tells Sam that King Fisher has other plans for him. When they begin hearing a strange huffing sound in the distance, Sam goes to investigate. First, he encounters a strange dwarf controlling a massive wolf who takes him to the camp of King Fisher.

Sam had heard that the King Fisher he knew was dead, but it turns out that King Fisher had been rescued by an engineer named Dr. le Strange who used cutting-edge technology to rebuild Fisher’s damaged parts. Now he difficult to look at but is 10 times faster on the draw.

Several of the people in Fisher’s cadré have benefited from the doctor’s inventions, too. Using a land locomotive called Hellrun, Fisher plans to take over the country and maybe the world.

Sam knows Fisher is mad and refuses to work with him. Sam doesn’t know that Fisher has stolen the Army payroll so now every poor Texan is hoping to get their hands on it.

After a nasty fight with one group, Fisher grudgingly allows Sam and O’Hara to return to Happyville. Fisher plans to cleanse the town and use it as his headquarters. He sends a troop to find the people of Happyville and bring them back, but all they find is bodies.

Only Dr. le Strange and Fisher know that Fisher needs regular blood transfusions to survive and planned to get them from the townspeople. Since the science is new, Dr. le Strange isn’t aware of the incompatibility of some blood types, thus spelling the end for Fisher as well as the others like him.

Sam and O’Hara burn Hellrun, the town and all the evidence of Fisher’s plans, then head south. They have the Army payroll but no idea what to do with it or how to keep bandits from killing them to get it. The book ends with several improbable battles, near-death events, the Army reclaiming the money and a final visit from Barnabas. It all sets the scene for the next “Flintlock” adventure.

I never expected a Western to include a bit of science fiction coupled with mysticism, but that’s what I got. Your public library can supply all kinds of books that will offer you surprises. There is always a little time to read, so make plans to stop by soon and check it out.

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