Review by Rox Burkey
In book one of this series, Roy Clinton shows his passion and knowledge of life in the untamed west. The vivid descriptions of the land, structures, and people immediately brought into the story. I wanted to ride on Midnight just like John.
John Crudder, the main protagonist, is a law school graduate who travels to the old west and finds his education is not necessarily his biggest strength. As he abandons his privileged birthright, he finds satisfaction in sticking up for those who do not have as big a voice or as fast a gun. John Crudder is a champion of justice for one and all.
John took on the job as a cowhand on a ranch paired up with the colorful Jesse. They bonded as coworkers and friends. John’s strength of character drew me in immediately, especially as he becomes smitten by a young woman of 18. It was charming to find that at 25, John had little experience with woman or even dancing. Jesse comes to the rescue and teaches John to dance while they are out rounding up the breed cows in this charming scene. Jesse also illustrates his ability to show patience to his friend, in an endearing manner, positioned perfectly in the wide-open pastures.
“All right, Little Buddy. It’s time for your first dance lesson. Come on over, we might just as well get started.”
John groaned in protest. “Jesse, I don’t think this is a good idea. I don’t know anything about dancin’ and don’t think I can learn.”
“It may not be a good idea,” replied Jesse. “But if you don’t learn from me, you’re gonna take Charlotte to the dance and then she’ll discover you don’t know how to dance. What’ll you say for yourself then?”
“You’re right. I have to learn. I hope you can teach me,” John added with a note of exasperation in his voice.
Jesse walked over to John and bowed sharply. “Would you care to dance?”
“What kind of question is that?” We just went over that. I don’t want to but I don’t think I have any choice.”
“You’re missin’ the point. That’s how you ask a woman to dance. You bow and say, ‘Would you care to dance?’”
Narrator R. William James is the perfect voice actor to bring you into this story. His rich baritone voice reminds you that these cowboys are strong men that interact with vulnerable women. This is the first genre I have listened to by this narrator and he simply nails it perfectly. He becomes each character as he infuses the right sense of drama into every scene connecting the listener to an already awesome story.
I recommend this story for fans of westerns as well as those who want to try one on for size. This size fits all. Enjoy! Lucky for us when you finish this one, Roy has another in this series to captivate you.
Roy Clinton is a Western author and psychotherapist who divides his time between Texas and the Canadian Rockies. All of his books are about real places and are historically accurate.
As a fourth generation Texan, he has lived in Texas his whole life. He loves everything Western. Most of all, he loves the Western culture. Cowboys may have a rough exterior but most he has known are true gentlemen with hearts of gold and integrity in abundance. Roy writes about these Western heroes and the places they live and travel.
Roy holds two master’s degrees and a doctorate and has written four professional books about addiction and recovery, one of which won the Book of the Year Award from American Book Festival in the addiction category. Roy’s hobbies include writing, cooking, running, hiking, and traveling with his wife, Kathie.
All books are available on www.Audible.com or iTunes shortly after the paperback and digital versions are released. Roy’s books can be found at www.TopWesterns.com – Follow Roy’s YouTube channel is https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCvX-C_UJcPXoEUEwc5eE-g?view_as=subscriber – You can also reach out directly via email to Roy@TopWesterns.com
About the Voice Actor/Narrator
R. William James is the pseudonym used by James Romick for Westerns and Romance stories. James is a Classically Trained Singer and has been a Professional Actor for nearly 40 years, with over 22 years of experience on the Broadway Stage. He offers a powerful vocal quality with wide range and depth, as well as an actor’s sensibility to effectively interpret and voice of a story. He is adaptable to any genre.
With his experience he prides himself on being very directable, versatile, and open to suggestion with the ability to adjust on-the-fly. He aims to please with his voices and characters.
In the late 1980s James studied audio engineering at the Institute of Audio Research in New York City at a time when splicing and editing analog audio tape with a razor blade was standard procedure. Today he offers digitally recorded and mastered sound quality for each project.
As an aside, he is also an expert woodworker, cabinet maker, and woodturner. You can find samples of his narrated stories on his website and his audiobooks on Audible.com.
