Western Book Review…
BLOOD OF THE NORTH written by James B Hendryx – Western Book review
In the way that Owen Wister created the Western genre in 1902 with the publication of THE VIRGINIAN, Jack London created the Northwestern genre a year later with his novel THE CALL OF THE WILD.
For the next five decades the Northwestern thrived and thrilled in every popular media: books, pulp magazines, film, radio and television.
One of the most popular Northwestern writers was James B Hendryx – certainly one of my faves.
A Corporal Downey Novel
BLOOD OF THE NORTH by James B Hendryx – Book Review
My GoodReads rating: 5 of 5 stars
Hendryx’s best yarns are his short stories about Black John Smith, the big, black-bearded leader of the Halfaday Creek outlaw community, and Corporal Cameron Downey of the Canadian Mounted.
BLOOD OF THE NORTH is maybe Hendryx’s best longer story. Corporal Downey arrests Jacques Larue for the murder of the Scottish trader Colin Murchie. Downey believes the testimony of Murchie’s son Angus and is certain of a conviction. But Larue walks out of court a free man. And Angus follows his father’s murderer into the Northwoods. What follows is a story of psychological torment and vengeance.
Hendryx’s Northern world is mostly one of wilderness adventure and humour-filled characters. BLOOD OF THE NORTH was a darker tale.
“Jim Hendryx was born 100 years too late but made the best of it. He was at heart a mountain man, a fur trader, an outlaw of the plains. He was everlastingly a boy – not a Boy Scout, more a Huckleberry Finn.” Lee Smits, a friend.
BLOOD OF THE NORTH written by James B Hendryx – Western Book review
TO READ MORE ABOUT THE LIFE AND WORKS OF JAMES B HENDRYX, CHECK OUT MY MOST POPULAR LITERARY HISTORY POST:
“Thanks for a wonderful in-depth article on Mountie fiction. I’m a big fan of the Mounties and I really enjoyed the amount of details you provided and found many, many more books to put on my wish list.” Jack Wagner
“I just discovered your blog recently and need to dig deeper into it. That post on Mountie fiction is great!” Western writer James Reasoner
An extensive look at the writers who created the magnificent Mythology of our North-West Mounted Police. My Top 10 Mountie Fiction Writers in some detail — and a look at many other authors. Amply illustrated with marvelous magazine and book covers. FREE TO READ ==> The GREATEST AUTHORS OF NORTH-WEST MOUNTED POLICE FICTION
“Live Free, Mon Ami!” – Brian Alan Burhoe
For more of James B Hendryx’s popular Northwest fiction, see Excerpt from DOWNEY OF THE MOUNTED, a novel by James B Hendryx
BLOOD OF THE NORTH written by James B Hendryx – Western Book review
