Fri 28 Nov 2014
A Western Fiction Review by Dan Stumpf: GEORGE C. APPELL – Gunman’s Grudge.
Posted by Steve under Reviews , Western Fiction[8] Comments
GEORGE C. APPELL – Gunman’s Grudge. Lion #139, paperback original, 1953; reprinted as Lion Library LL161, 1957.
Now how’s them for creds!
Actually, this is surprisingly fine: a fast, remorseless and straightforward tale of violence and damnation in the manner of Jim Thompson and James M. Cain — yes, it’s that good.
Tracy Silleck opens the book on the run from killing the man who killed his dog. There’s a brief, rather cryptic scene early on as he returns to his home town and tries to reconnect with people who never really accepted him in the first place, then murders a man for no very good reason. Back on the run again, he takes refuge in an outlaw town where he’s quickly roped into another murder and slowly finds himself mired in the role of killer-for-hire.
I’ve only read one other book by Appell (the rather unimpressive Ambush Hell) and it did nothing to prepare me for the unsettling nihilism of Gunman’s Grudge. I mentioned Jim Thompson with good reason, as this book recalls the best of Savage Night (published the same year, also by Lion) and The Getaway, which came several years later.
Silleck’s character recalls the Thompson protagonist: drawn to violence but haunted by remorse. He’s no pulp-novel killer, but a man who can miscalculate, talk too much and worry over what he’s become and where he’s going. And as Grudge speeds to its predestined end, it carries the reader with him irresistibly.
November 28th, 2014 at 6:10 pm
I haven’t been able to find a bibliography online for Appell, nor have I have a chance to do one myself. Someday, perhaps.
What I have discovered is that he was a very prolific author of western stories for the pulp magazines in the last 40s and early 50s. Taken from the FictionMags Index, this list omits all non-fiction, articles and columns, and so on. Even so, it should not be considered complete:
APPELL, GEORGE C(harles) (1914- )
* Alias Rose Ringler, (nv) Zane Grey’s Western Magazine Jul 1953
* Ambush Hell, (n.) Lion Books 1954
Western Monthly (Australia) Feb 1957
* Argonotes (with Andrew A. Caffrey, Charles Dexter & R. S. Porteus), (bg) Argosy Dec 1947
* Backtrail Blues, (ss) Western Magazine Sep 1955
* Better Than a Bullet, (ss) Dime Western Magazine Apr 1949
* Big Coup, (ss) Best Western Dec 1956
* Blood in Her Eye, (ss) Detective Tales Feb 1950
* Blood-Money Hombre!, (nv) Dime Western Magazine Sep 1951
Dime Western Magazine (UK) Sep 1951
* Bloody an’ Peaceable, (ss) Fifteen Western Tales Sep 1952
Western Tales (UK) #16 1953
* Boots and Bloody Saddles!, (nv) Dime Western Magazine Oct 1949
Dime Western Magazine (UK) Oct 1949
* Borderland, (nv) Zane Grey’s Western Magazine Oct 1952
* Brand of the Lost, (nv) Western Story Roundup Aug 1955
* Brandy for the General, (ss) .44 Western Magazine Jan 1951
* Calculated Risk, (ss) Argosy Jul 1950
* The Camel in the Closet, (ss) Adventure Mar 1947
* Challenge West, (nv) Zane Grey’s Western Magazine Feb 1953
* The Circle of Fear, (na) Dime Western Magazine May 1950
* Code of the Overland, (ss) Dime Western Magazine Nov 1950
* Coffin Canyon, (ss) Esquire Apr 1949; Western.
* Day of Reason, (ss) Adventure Sep 1949
* The Day of the Dragon, (ss) Adventure Nov 1951
* Death Rides Shotgun, (ss) 10 Story Western Magazine Nov 1949
* Death Runs This Town!, (nv) Fifteen Western Tales Nov 1951
Western Tales (UK) 195?
* Desert Trap, (ss) Adventure Feb 1950
* The Devil in Denver [Ross Ringler], (nv) Zane Grey’s Western Magazine Apr 1952
Zane Grey’s Western Magazine (UK) #17 195?
* The Devil’s Parson, (ss) Dime Western Magazine Oct 1948
* The Devil’s Patrol, (ss) Fifteen Western Tales Feb 1950
Max Brand’s Western Magazine Jan 1953
* Doc McCall and the Sawdust Trail, (nv) Zane Grey’s Western Magazine Jan 1954
Zane Grey’s Western (UK) #23 195?
* Don’t Speak of Mrs. Vrill, (ss) Dime Mystery Magazine Oct 1947
* The Early Bird, (ss) Esquire Jul 1949
* Escort West, (ss) Luke Short’s Western Apr/Jun 1954
* A Favor for a Friend, (ss) Zane Grey’s Western Magazine Aug 1951
* The First Kill, (ss) Max Brand’s Western Magazine Jan 1954
Max Brand’s Western Magazine (UK) #17 1954
* First Stage to Sundown, (nv) New Western Magazine Nov 1951
New Western Magazine (UK) #13 1953
* Four Corpses, Headed East, (ss) Dime Western Magazine May 1949
Western Magazine (UK) v55 #1 1949
* The Ghost Patrol, (ss) Fifteen Western Tales Nov 1949
* The Ghost Trap, (ss) Dime Western Magazine Sep 1950
* Gift of Mourning, (ss) Adventure Mar 1952
* Gift Wrapped, (ss) Justice May 1955
* The Glory Road, (ss) Zane Grey’s Western Magazine Sep 1949
Zane Grey’s Western Magazine (UK) v1 #3 195?
* A Grave at Gunrise, (ss) Fifteen Western Tales Sep 1950
* A Gun for Johnny Reb, (na) Fifteen Western Tales Aug 1950
* Gun Hunger, (na)
Western Story Magazine (UK) Mar 1955
* Gun Hungry, (ss) Fifteen Western Tales Nov 1953
* The Gun-Doc from Doubletree, (nv) Max Brand’s Western Magazine Jul 1953
Max Brand’s Western Magazine (UK) #15 1953
* Gunpoint, (nv) Luke Short’s Western Oct/Dec 1954
* Guns of the Death Patrol, (na) Fifteen Western Tales Aug 1949
* Guns of the Gallows Legion, (na) Fifteen Western Tales May 1950
* Guns of the Last Frontier, (ss) Western Story Magazine Aug 1953
* Guns Rule This Trail!, (nv) Western Story Magazine Dec 1952
Western Story Magazine (UK) May 1953
* Gunway Town, (ss) Fifteen Western Tales Oct 1950
* The Hands of Han, (ss) Adventure Nov 1950
* Haunted Range [Ross Ringler], (n.) Zane Grey’s Western Magazine Apr 1953
Zane Grey’s Western Magazine (Australia) Sep 1954
* Hell Crowds My Guns, (nv) Western Story Magazine Oct 1953
* Hell on Horseback, (ar) Adventure Sep 1951
* Hell on the Hoof for Kansas!, (nv) Dime Western Magazine May 1951
* Hell-River Gundown, (ss) Fifteen Western Tales Apr 1950
Western Tales (UK) #2 1950, 195?
* “He’s Stayingâ€, (nv) Best Western Mar 1957
* High Wire Rider, (ss) Dime Western Magazine Nov 1948
* Hired Gun!, (ss) New Western Magazine Nov 1952
* Hoodoo Patrol, (ss) Dime Western Magazine Nov 1949
* Hoofbeats Over Hell, (ss) Dime Western Magazine Aug 1948
* An Hour to Kill, (ss) Detective Tales Mar 1950
* The Hunters, (ss) Ranch Romances Nov #1 1957
* It’s Hanging Day at Cripple Falls!, (nv) Dime Western Magazine Jan 1949
* The Jonah Train, (nv) Giant Western Dec 1952
Giant Western (UK) #10 1952
* Judas in Buckskins, (ss) Star Western Aug 1948
* The Kid from Hell, (ss) Fifteen Western Tales Mar 1950
* Killer for a Day, (ss) Dime Western Magazine Sep 1949
* The Lady Was a Dead Shot, (ss) Star Western Feb 1954
* Last Chance, (ss) New Western Magazine Jul 1948
* Last Command, (ss) Dime Western Magazine Jan 1948
Fifteen Western Tales Feb 1948
* Last Man to Die, (ss) .44 Western Magazine Nov 1953
* Last Patrol, (ss) Adventure Mar 1951
* Last Roll Call, (ss) Dime Western Magazine Jul 1948
* Last Stand, (na) Dime Western Magazine Feb 1949
* Law of Hellfire Range, (ss) Fifteen Western Tales Mar 1954
* Let Bullets Wait, (ss) Fifteen Western Tales Jun 1950
* Life Span, (cl) Short Stories Jan 10 1949
* Loaded for Bear, (vi) New Western Magazine May 1948
* The Long Kill, (na) Fifteen Western Tales Jul 1950
* A Man for Satan’s Valley, (ss) Fifteen Western Tales Nov 1950
* The Man from Hell, (na) Zane Grey’s Western Magazine Sep 1953
Zane Grey’s Western (UK) #24 195?
* The Man from Hell!, (ss) Max Brand’s Western Magazine Sep 1952
Max Brand’s Western Magazine (Canada) Sep 1952
* Man Hunt, (ss) Zane Grey’s Western Magazine Dec 1953
Zane Grey’s Western (UK) #22 195?
* The Man on the High White Horse, (nv) Western Story Magazine Feb 1953
Western Story Magazine (UK) Jul 1953
* The Manhunter in the Hills, (nv) Complete Western Book Magazine Jun 1957
* Missing with All Hands, (na) Bluebook Dec 1955
* Mission Accomplished, (nv) War Stories Magazine Nov 1952
* Mission to Montana, (nv) Fifteen Western Tales Nov 1952
Western Tales (UK) #17 1953
* Montana Man!, (nv) Dime Western Magazine Mar 1953
* Never Reach with Your Left, (ss) Adventure Aug 1948
* Noose for a Stranger, (ss) Dime Western Magazine Jan 1953
* Old Sword, (cl) Short Stories Apr 10 1948
Short Stories (Canada) Sep 1948
* One More River, (ss) Adventure Jan 1947
* The Outriders, (nv) New Western Magazine Jul 1952
* Parson of Damnation, (ss) Dime Western Magazine May 1948
* The Parson of Pinon Pass, (nv) Zane Grey’s Western Magazine Jan 1952
* The Peace-Makers, (ss) Dime Western Magazine Feb 1948
* Quick Draw Canyon, (ss) Fifteen Western Tales Jun 1948
* Renegade Roundup, (ss) Fifteen Western Tales Oct 1948
* Retreat, (ss) Adventure Jul 1947
* Ride Clear of Alderville!, (nv) Dime Western Magazine Sep 1952
* Ride Clear of Hangman’s Range!, (nv) 10 Story Western Magazine Feb 1953
* Ride the Killer Down!, (nv) New Western Magazine Sep 1952
* Ride the Land, Ride the Sky!, (na) Dime Western Magazine Aug 1949
* Ride the Man Down!, (ss) Max Brand’s Western Magazine Sep 1953
* The River of Fear, (na) Dime Western Magazine Feb 1951
* Roll ’Em North to Hell!, (nv) Fifteen Western Tales Jul 1953
Western Tales (UK) #18 1953
* Roll ’Em to Hell’s Horizon, (na) Dime Western Magazine Aug 1950
Dime Western Magazine (UK) Aug 1950
* The Rubber Monkey, (ss) Adventure Sep 1950
* Saddle Bum, (nv) Zane Grey’s Western Magazine Feb 1950
Zane Grey’s Western Magazine (UK) v1 #8 195?
* The Search, (ss) Dime Western Magazine Sep 1948
* The Sencho, (ss) Collier’s May 20 1944
* Shadow Rider, (na) 3-Book Western Feb 1957
* Shake Hands with the Devil!, (ss) Dime Western Magazine Jun 1949
* Shoot Hard – Die Young!, (ss) Western Rangers Stories Feb 1954
* Six for Hell, (na) Fifteen Western Tales Jan 1950
* Soul of the Legion, (ss) Adventure Jul 1952
* Special Favor, (ss) Detective Tales Jan 1950
* Spurs Sing a Death-Song, (ss) Dime Western Magazine Apr 1950
* Stand Up and Die! [Gill Humphries], (ss) .44 Western Magazine Sep 1953
* Star on His Head, (cl) Short Stories Jan 10 1948
* Sudden Sleep Sixes, (nv) Western Story Magazine Dec 1953
* Swords in the Sky, (ss) New Western Magazine Sep 1948
* Tactics Never Change, (ss) Argosy Jun 1944
* The Texas Terror, (nv) Dime Western Magazine Jul 1952
* Three for Hell, (na) Fifteen Western Tales May 1951
Fifteen Western Tales (Canada) May 1951
* Three Times Out, (cl) Short Stories Mar 25 1948
* Thunder Pass [Ross Ringler], (ss) Zane Grey’s Western Magazine Jan 1951
Zane Grey’s Western Magazine (UK) #15 195?
* Thunder Peak Gun-Mission, (na) New Western Magazine Feb 1949
* Time to Find a Man, (ss) Western Short Stories Dec 1956
* Tinhorn’s Last Gun-Gamble, (ss) 10 Story Western Magazine Aug 1953
* Tinstar—Reach for Hell!, (na) Fifteen Western Tales Dec 1950
Fifteen Western Tales (Canada) Dec 1950
* Too Young for Boothill, (ss) Fifteen Western Tales Oct 1954
* Trail Boss, (ss) Dime Western Magazine Feb 1950
* Trail of the Hunted, (na) Dime Western Magazine Jan 1952
Dime Western Magazine (UK) Jan 1952
* Trail of the Lost, (nv) Fifteen Western Tales Jan 1954
* Trigger Proud, (ss) Western Story Roundup Feb 1951
* Trigger Sudden, (ss) Western Story Magazine Feb 1954
* Trigger Time, (nv) Fifteen Western Tales Jan 1949
* The Trinity Gesture, (ss) Dime Western Magazine Nov 1952
* Triple Cause, (cl) Short Stories Nov 1949
* Trumpets in the Dust, (nv) Argosy Dec 1947
* The Tularosa Trail, (nv) Zane Grey’s Western Magazine Aug 1952
* The Uses of Venus, (ss) Esquire Oct 1951; Western.
* The Violent Land!, (nv) Western Story Magazine Apr 1953
Western Story Magazine (UK) Sep 1953
* Warrior’s Word, (ss) Dime Western Magazine Oct 1950
Dime Western Magazine (UK) Oct 1950
* Western Story Roundup, (vi)
Western Story Magazine (UK) Dec 1953
* The Whispering Hills, (ss) Zane Grey’s Western Magazine Oct 1951
* Who Killed This Cavalier?, (vi) Dime Western Magazine Dec 1950
* Wild Guns Calling, (ss) Western Story Roundup Apr 1951
* The Wild One, (ss) Short Stories Dec 1957; Western.
Short Stories (UK) Aug 1958
* Wooden Coach—Iron Man, (ss) Dime Western Magazine Jun 1950
Dime Western Magazine (UK) Jun 1950
* Wrong Way Grave, (ss) Fifteen Western Tales Jul 1951
* The Year of the Rat, (ss) Adventure Apr 1949
* Yellow Stripes—Crimson Courage!, (na) Dime Western Magazine Mar 1949
Dime Western Magazine (Canada) Mar 1949
* Yellow Stripes for Valor!, (na) Dime Western Magazine Jul 1950
November 28th, 2014 at 7:37 pm
Sounds interesting. Cain did a western of sorts (PAST ALL DISHONOR) and I always thought Thompson should have tried the form. Have to look for this.
November 29th, 2014 at 1:15 am
Here’s what I’ve come up with so far as a checklist of George C. Appell’s western fiction in novel form. This is still subject to change, either corrections or additions.
Gunman’s Grudge. Lion #139, 1953.
Ambush Hell. Lion Books #199, March 1954.
Massacre Trail. Permabook M-3013, 1955.
Quick on the Shoot. Dell 891, 1955. Reprint?
Ramrod. Lion Library LL57, 1955.
Three Trails. Permabook M-3112, 1958.
Trouble at Tulley’s Run. Macmillan, 1958. No paperback edition.
The Man Who Shot Quantrill. Doubleday, 1957. Pocket 1232, 1959.
Belle’s Castle. Macmillan, 1959. No paperback. [About Belle Starr.]
Fighting Doc. Robert Hale, UK, 1959. No US edition.
Posted West. Avalon, 1959. No paperback.
Posse. Macmillan, 1961. Avon T-549, paperback.
The Savage Breed. Berkley Y762, 1963.
November 29th, 2014 at 1:18 am
I must own a few of these, but I’ve never been tempted to read one. I also will have to look out for this one that Dan just reviewed. That it’s a western noir or hard-boiled novel comes as little surprise. Lion Books seems to have specialized in noirish fiction, perhaps even more than Gold Medal, but fewer in overall numbers.
November 29th, 2014 at 1:58 am
Steve,
Today no one thinks of Mills & Boon other than as a UK publisher of romance owned by Harlequin, a multi-national that began by republishing its novels in Canada. But back in the 1950s M&B did westerns: a whole regular series called Diamond W Westerns. I own an ex-library copy of their 1957 UK printing of Ambush Hell. Nothing special, as Dan says, but having read the review of Gunman’s Grudge I’ll keep an eye out for it. Sounds like just the kind of book for me!
I also have at least one of the Appell short stories you list, Shoot Hard — Die Young, reprinted in the British edition of Western Story Magazine for November 1954.
Interesting, too, to see that he had a book published by Robert Hale in the UK at a time when just about every other hardcover publisher there was giving up on westerns. He may have even received the same payment Hale’s western writers get today … and I don’t mean because Hale were especially generous in 1959.
November 29th, 2014 at 2:37 am
Chap,
Generous publisher? Isn’t that an oxymoron for most of us?
Well, not entirely true, at least one was generous, but the rest haven’t followed suit.
November 29th, 2014 at 7:41 pm
Appell’s QUICK ON THE SHOOT, published by Dell in 1955, was marketed like a novel but is actually a collection of short stories from ZANE GREY’S WESTERN MAGAZINE about the same character, a gunfighter named Ross Ringler. I have a copy of the book but haven’t read it. After reading this review I may have to. I have assorted Western pulps with Appell stories in them, too.
November 29th, 2014 at 8:31 pm
Thanks for the info, James. I’ve looked to see which of Appell’s westerns I have, and QUICK ON THE SHOOT is not one of them. You make it sound like my kind of collection, and I’ll have to track down a copy. I don’t think it should be hard to find.
If anyone cares, and why should you, here are the three I have:
Massacre Trail, Posse, and Three Trails.