Roy Lebeau

Ok... I'm not a western reader normally and decided to grab a handful of random westerns just to get a taste of what that world feels like. Among Buckskin, I did grab some L'Amour and a few others, all of which I haven't read yet. Except Buckskin.

I have no way to compare it to any other western out there so forgive me but I assure you, I am an avid reader of fiction and that carries some merit, maybe.

First off, the action is great. Many times, it feels like how I'd imagine a gun fight to feel. Quick, bloody and sometimes embarrassing. I couldn't read through the action faster with how fun it was.

The main character is an "Eastwood"-esque guy with his silence, his wit and his wavering moral compass to guide him. I can put myself in him without any trouble and maybe that's because his depth is fairly shallow.

Now. The girls... the sex--no wait, the rape. It is rape and I get the sense the author was intending for rapey sex. The women (2, one mentally handicapped and the other a deputy) were those kinds of women mama warned you about. You know, the ones that shout, kick and say no but really mean yes. It's quite erotic writing when you can accept that: a) these are fictional characters and thank God, not real people, b) the women never seem to actually enjoy it, telling me the author meant it to be rape, c) I'm confident that this book is not on many bookshelves and definitely would never be given praise, ESPECIALLY in today's climate and d) feel good knowing that every copy of this series I come across I take, knowing that I don't believe it should be on the bookshelf at the thrift store between Harry Potter and Asimov. I never burn a book, and I believe they're all a piece of art, worthy of having an honest chance at circulating libraries around the globe.

What I'm trying to say is this: I'm ashamed to have liked this book. The erotic scenes are nightmarish to most but also hot to a few out there. The action and simple plot is engaging enough to keep the book around. This book is a guilty pleasure of mine, like slowing down for a violent and bloody car crash. Like "what are you doing!?" and also "I get it".… (més)