Prodigal of the Pecos

By C.E. Edmonson

Clint Cooper returns home after many years to find the land of his birth embroiled in a bitter and deadly land war. An Eastern powerbroker, bent on fencing off the West Texas range for his own profit,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1593305354
• ISBN13: 9781593305352
• Release Date: April 2008
• Publisher: Aventine Press
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Welcome to this new Western author

Clint Cooper is finally coming home to Texas after an honorable term in the Confederate Army and a few years of "finding" himself. A letter from home tells of trouble in the small Texas town of Stockton going by the name of Montgomery Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald has been fencing off public land and Cooper's father and brother died while defending the homestead at the hands of two of Fitzgerald's hired guns. Cooper's homecoming begins in a less desirable way when he stops a man who is harassing a farmer in town. In the process, he shoots the sheriff and draws the attention of Fitzgerald. Upon reaching home, Cooper is shocked to learn that local farmers are being forced to sell their land or pay with their lives; appeals for help to the Governor have been brushed aside and Fitzgerald has managed to effectively take over Stockton. Clint knows that there is power in numbers and convinces his father to lobby his neighbors to form a Homeowner's Association to fight for their livelihood and defend themselves against Fitzgerald. An ambitious plan is set into motion to send a group of men to El Paso to try and get loans to buy seed for planting and feed for their cattle. The one obstacle is that they have to traverse a mountain pass which would be the perfect place for an ambush by Fitzgerald's men. Cooper and his fellow citizens must use all their cunning to outwit Fitzgerald and bring freedom back to Stockton. Prodigal of the Pecos by C.E. Edmonson is a wonderful novel of the Old West. I have always enjoyed Westerns on TV, such as The Lone Ranger, Gunsmoke and Bonanza and this book brings back many great memories. Although short, Edmonson manages to write a complete story which has all the classic elements of a good Western: a rich bad guy, a corrupt sheriff, a few hired guns, a pretty, young widow and one lone man to stand up for law and order. Edmonson's characters are richly developed and realistic. I particularly like the way that the hero prefers diplomacy to gunplay, yet is willing to do whatever it takes to protect his home and family. This book is destined to become a classic, with its hero representing all that was good and noble about the Old West. I heartily give this book two thumbs up and recommend that everyone add it to their reading list.

Greed can only be contained by those willing to stand against it.

Greed can only be contained by those willing to stand against it. "Prodigal of the Pecos" is the story of Clint Cooper, as he tries to defend his home town against the power grab of a ruthless eastern pawn broker who wants the land for his own profit. Clint's story is exciting and moving, making "Prodigal of the Pecos" highly recommended for fans of western fiction.

There is a new sheriff in town!

Reviewed by William Phenn for Reader Views (06/08) Here it is, another masterful work from the pen of Charles Edmonson. I think I have said it before and I'll say it again, "this is not just another cowboy story of the Wild West." In this second novel of the Pecos series, "Prodigal of the Pecos" Charles tells the story of a man summoned home to find the murderer of his brother. He arrived home to find a town and people that are terrorized by a wealthy land baron, Montgomery Fitzgerald. Montgomery was not a man to be taken lightly, if he didn't get what he wanted, a man could wind up dead; and usually did. He was brought in from the east by a group of wealthy men that wanted to corral off the free range of the Pecos. Along with that, they were stealing other rancher's cattle and driving people off their own land. Their plan was working fine till Clint Cooper arrived on the scene. Clint was a fine young man that worked as a Marshall in another town. He hadn't been home in years when he received word that his brother was killed. Clint quit his job immediately and came home to the chaos and death that was once his home. With stark, raw reality, and such descriptive verbiage that is used to tell the tale, you will not put this book down. You will want to close the cover because the horror seems so real, but your eyes will remain glued to the page. I gave it my highest A+ rating and tell all that it is an enjoyable read.

Spectacular! A Texas sky filled with silver stars...

"The Pecos had been at war for more than fifteen years. First with the Yankees, then with the Indians, now with itself." Author C. E. Edmonson has given us another great story rich in historic context, beautifully drawn landscapes, high action and unforgettable characters.