The Texas-Mexico border, the winter of 1886—The Great Die Up. A raw rift separates Mexicans and Anglos. A loner cowpoke and a mute Mexican girl fight man and nature to reunite.
Out of work cowpoke Bud Eugen comes across Marta, a mute sixteen-year old Mexican girl whose family has been killed by Indians. Bud reluctantly takes her along, even though he’s never had to accommodate another person in … another person in his simple life. He’s unable to find anyone willing to take her. In spite of his prejudices, Bud grows to like the spunky girl (and her excellent cooking).
Eventually, they both find work on a border ranch. Here, the relationship between the girl and the young cowboy hesitantly grows. But banditos raid the ranch, kidnapping the rancher’s daughters and Marta. Bud, with twelve other men, pursue the banditos into the most desolate reaches of Mexico. Ambushes and battles with banditos, Rurales, and traitors are constant, and the brutal weather is as much a threat as the man-made perils. Life and death choices are made at every turn as one side gains the advantage, then the other.
The rancher’s daughters are rescued, and the exhausted party turns back. But Bud presses on alone, against insurmountable odds – determined to fulfill an unspoken promise to Marta.
Western Fictioneers Peacemaker Award for Best Western Novel 2014 Western Fictioneers Peacemaker Award Finalist for Best First Western Novel 2014 Western Writers of America Spur Award Finalist for Best Traditional Western Novel for 2013
more
The story line flowed very well from event to another while leading to a dramatic conclusion.
Unusual plot. Well written and really held my interest.
Ultimately I prefer to read books that give me something to think about, books that engage some of the major issues of human life. Although I almost quit reading it near the beginning, I didn’t. This book has caused me to think at lot. It is hard to explain without spoiling the story. At first it seemed like it would be a traditional cowboy/ war story with frequent battles with a variety of enemies. It was that. It was graphically and cruelly violent. The dialog was crude. There was a lot of racism against ‘Injins” and “Mexes” Good people were degraded and died. All things I hate. However, in the end several truths stood out. It sounds trite to say, but one is you can’t judge a book by its cover. In the end good overcame evil, but not without a great price. That is why I recommend the book with a warning. It is not for the squeamish or faint of heart,
The Hardest Ride is a Western, which is not my expertise in reviewing, however, given that disclaimer, it was a ride I could not put down. True, it took me a few pages to adapt myself to the western twang, but once I sank into the rhythm, I was off at a gallop. No American is oblivious to Westerns, most of us have grown up with them, whether it be movies or TV shows like the Lone Ranger, True Grit, The Magnificent Seven, etcetera. Gordon Rottman has written a thrilling tale that cleaves close to what life must have been like in the West in the 1800s.
I could see the landscape. Felt the cold winds and icy nights. Laughed at the tough talk, and melted for the anti-hero, a young cow punch. I even learned something I never knew, that a cowboy referred to himself as a “punch,” and oh, let’s not forget the frijoles, which by the end of the book, I could taste.
I fell for Bud Eugen, the hero of The Hardest Ride. Bud’s suffered an abusive mother, no father, and managed to retain a sense of humor, a giving heart, and innocence in a world where rough and tough is the name of the game. He’s smart enough to have absorbed his lessons from older cowboys and vaqueros who are more experienced than him and learned to be a damn good tracker and an ace shooter. He’s a survivor who shows true grit when the chips are down. When he rescues a young Mexican girl, a mute, whose family have been killed by Indians the story takes off.
Marta is a fiery pistol of a girl. For the life of him, Bud can’t figure her out. He tries every which way of ridding himself of her, but the girl has a will and determination that cannot be broken and she won’t get gone. She’s a strong woman heroine, and it’s impossible not to fall in love with her.
So begins a journey of discovery, of hardship, of memorable characters, of kidnapping, of killing, of escaping, and of falling in love. You better have the stomach for some graphic killing, but this is the wild west, the borderlands of Texas and Mexico where Bandidos reign, and you’re more likely to die today than live until tomorrow.
The Hardest Ride was a great introduction to the Western genre and a must-read. I intend to read more Westerns and perhaps acquire a taste for frijoles.
I just wanted to keep reading
this was best cowboy history i have have ever read! it is very realistic about the old west. the hero goes through some terrible times and yet remains hopeful, even in the worst possible trouble that any man should endure he follows through and finds his heart! it is a good history of the old west. i highly recommend this book!!
I liked this book
An interesting book, but not a favorite. A little too much blood and guts even if it probably is true for that period.
Great read, very entertaining.
Talk about true grit! Thought the courage Marta showed throughout the story was amazing. Bud was a great guy but a little slow in realizing how fortunate he was to have Marta. He was also a well of courage and integrity.
A young man, more a boy, loses his job and finds out about another. On his way to this new job has a series of problems to deal with and when he finally gets to where he is to meet his new boss he finds there is no job. He struggles to find employment while trying to protect the mute Mexican Girl. He finds a job working for a rancher who is hiring men to protect his herd and ranch. Mexican outlaws rustle the herd and kidnaps the girls at the ranch requiring the rancher to arrange a posse to track them down. The posse has plenty of challenges and many twists and turns with a surprise ending. I’m not saying more to ruin it for the next reader.
Having read this book, I’ve become a fan of western fiction.
Interesting from a different time and place
I liked it for the most part, but not one I’d rush to get
Really slow at start and didn’t know where everyone was going. BUT it was great, great details of story and super ending. I was surprised.
This was an easy read. Not the normal type of book I would choose but I truly enjoyed reading the book.
Loved it
Sometimes reality is painful. Good book. Sweet sad story.
Honest Raw Definitely not politically correct thank goodness. Honest view of the world as it was, not as people would of liked it to be.
Bloody and gory but no more so than some other Westerns or some Civil War books.