The Lawless Frontier

By Randy Denmon

Book Overview

In this straight-shooting Western tale, two tough-as-nails Americans head to Mexico in the midst of a bloody civil war, and find themselves on the run from a ruthless bandito - and doing anything necessary to stay alive.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0786018348
• ISBN13: 9780786018345
• Release Date: January 2006
• Publisher: Pinnacle Books
• Length: 252 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.8" x 0.8" x 4.0"

Customer Reviews

Loved this personal story of the struggles in the Old West

Reviewed by Diane A Brown Sometimes luck runs out, even for the undefeated.... Myles Adams and Stewart Cook have been partners in war for several years. However, when Myles is asked to help Stewart rescue his girl from the rages of the Mexican Revolution, the odds are no longer in their favor. Experienced and seasoned in the ways of battle, Myles is resolved to help liberate the lovely Alexia Garcia. However, his conscious, keen senses, and his determination will soon lead them along treacherous paths and unpredictable situations. First they journey south to Stewart's boyhood home. His American father runs a successful business and his beautiful dark-haired mother is delighted to see him. They are pleased to meet Myles as well. However, their stay is cut short as news of the advancing Revolutionaries hastens their departure. Myles, who has served as a liaison between the American and Mexican governments, is hoping old ties will help their quest. Stopping to pick up supplies and have some much-needed rest, Myles encounters, once again, the enchanting Carmen. There's something special between them. Carmen is fearful after learning the details of their trip, and tries to stop Myles from continuing. Undaunted, Myles and Stewart head out, accompanied by dependable companions. The journey is hot, mosquito-filled, and perilous. They encounter hostiles of the ruthless kind and the exchange is deadly. With time running out and Alexia still unaccounted for, every delay is agony for Stewart. Will the impossible become plausible for the clever Myles? Will Stewart be reunited with Alexia? Have the setbacks been too costly? With renewed fervor they push onward, deeper into the realm of Poncho Villa. Reaching the city of Santiago, devastation and pillage are encountered at every turn. Entire families have been murdered in their own homes. Alexia's house is abandoned and she is no where to be found. Is it too late? Can Myles former ally be trusted? Are the odds just too tilted? Armchair Interviews says: The Lawless Frontier is a deeply personal look into the heart of the Mexican Revolution and the price paid for freedom.

Reviewed by Amy Lignor

The Mexican Revolution, in a country where a man would shoot you as soon as look at you, is the powerful backdrop to this action-packed book. A diary is found in present day that tells the story of two friends: Stewart Cook, an artilleryman turned attorney-at-law, and Myles Jefferson Davis, a liaison officer with the U.S. War Department who specializes in smuggling people out of the war torn country. They are on a mission to save Alexia Garcia, a woman who is living in Santiago with her family. Her father is a sheriff and her family is dwelling in a world where people are being torn apart by the civil war. They are afraid for their lives and Stewart Cook is journeying through rebel lines to save her and her family from a horrifying future. He requests the help of his friend, Myles. Myles is an outstanding character, by the way. Think Jack Bauer saving the innocents from a government upheaval. If you're in trouble - this is the guy to have around. A secondary story line runs throughout this novel as the group is chased by a ruthless bandito who wants Myles' woman, Carmen Cologan, for himself. This is one of those wonderful westerns where the landscape is breathtaking; the characters are rough and rugged; and, the women are courageous, standing up for what they believe in - saving their family at all costs to their own life. You will learn about the Mexican Revolution - the war between the haves and have-nots that changed the face of a nation. This diary of Stewart Cook's is like reading the dreams and hopes of a lost generation, when people had to live in poverty, pain, and fear - hoping for a time when they would be released from a horrible prison to have a future of happiness that they so richly deserved. Not everything in this world is a happy ending - but it is an excellent book. For anyone interested in westerns, historical or war stories - this one is a good bet. The author is a US Army veteran of the Gulf War. His next books consecutively will be, Gone with the Dust, the story of Texas Rangers fighting during the Mexican-American War; and, Ode to Honor, the story of a Marine struggling in Central America during the interwar years. He certainly knows the heart of a soldier and does well putting it on paper so the rest of us can catch a glimpse of the decisions that must be made in a landscape with no law, relying on only your own courage and the loyalty of your friends to see you through to the end. Like America's western storyteller, Louis L'Amour, I believe that this new author is looking at a wonderfully bright future.