Dusty Richards (1937–2018)

This is Book 6 in the Byrnes Family Ranch series. Richards continues the saga of Chet Byrnes attempt to build a ranch empire in Arizona. Driven by bad experiences in Texas with law breakers, he organized and leads a group of lawmen and vigilantes who track down bandits and murderers and if they surrender, he passes them on to sheriffs or marshals for trial. If not, they are shot dead.

In ranching he concentrates on improving the quality of his cattle and protecting the land from over grazing and environmental damage from mining and other destructive activities. He purchases land and ranches and gives them to friends and family to work and protect for his growing empire. Strangers and friends who need help are quickly put on the payroll or assisted to go into a business that is needed in the community. Examples are saddle making, blacksmithing, lawman, cowboy, merchant and more.

He suffers some setbacks including the deaths of friends and family. Novel reads somewhat like a long soap opera but it is readable and moves along fairly swiftly. I am not encouraged by this effort to go looking for other volumes in the series,… (altro)

I can't really rate this book; I couldn't finish this book.

I have read other books in the series and read them cover to cover in less than a day, this one, dragged for me.

The main character was always going from place to place...the relationships he had with his wife and men felt wooden and one dimensional, not like the other books where we felt a connection of sorts. All the things going on with building his cattle empire versus being a U.S. Marshal, too confusing and over lapped without me even knowing it was happening. In the others in the series these situations came up but there was a clear cut division of his time and energy.

Maybe this will be a "sit on the shelf for a year and try to read again" kind of books. I hope since I enjoyed other books by this author.

… (altro)