Branded Outlaw

November 1, 2008
Gr 7-10-This reissue of a pulp-fiction Western from the 1930s, one in a series of many, has all the clichés required at the time for a successful shoot-'em-up. Lee Weston is a gunslinger from Wyoming who comes to town at the behest of his father, who sends word that he is having trouble with the local big-money character named Dodge. Lee arrives just in time to learn of Pa's death, and now he is riding hard to find the mangy dog who shot him. Along the way, he meets and falls for Dodge's beautiful daughter, so there is a bit of Romeo and Juliet woven in as Weston fights off the bad guys and tries to win the girl. In less than 100 pages there is a lot of action, blazing 45s, and cowpoke language. The glossary of period terms and phrases, a history of pulp fiction, and the biography of Hubbard are a big part of this book's attraction. Put "Branded Outlaw" in the hands of reluctant readers. The fact that they know exactly what to expect and that the characters are simple and straightforward can be a bonus for them."Jake Pettit, Thompson Valley High School Library, Loveland, CO"

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