Billy the Kid - by Ryan C Coleman (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Age 14: Orphan

Age 15: Inmate

Age 16: Outlaw

Age 17: Killer

In 1870s New Mexico, the territory is at a crossroads. The indigenous population is being driven out--and driven down--by the white settlers migrating west after the Civil War. The center of power isn't the governor but rather the Santa Fe Ring, a group of wealthy politicians, businessman, and landowners who exercise power through organized crime, theft, graft, and murder. Their main source of income is a mercantile store in Lincoln known as the House.

After escaping jail, William Bonney--a.k.a. Billy the Kid--is a seventeen-year-old orphan who's been on the run for the better part of two years. All he wants is to belong--to find a place he can call home and people he can call family.

He'd have been better off alone.

Billy falls in with a gang of ruthless rustlers and murderers who work as muscle for the House. But when Billy crosses one of the members, the gang sets out to kill him.

Billy narrowly escapes, finding refuge under the tutelage of John Tunstall, an English immigrant new to the territory who has his sights set on opening a business in Lincoln--and he's intent on competing directly with the House. But when Tunstall is murdered, any positive effect the mentor had on Billy is eradicated, leaving the Kid with only one thing on his mind ...

Revenge.

From orphan to outlaw to killer, this is the untold story behind the legend of Billy the Kid.

Review Quotes

"Billy the Kid: The War for Lincoln County delivers everything quality historical fiction should...Coleman creates a Shakespearean tale of political plotting and fate with dust, gunpowder, and blood."

-- "The Hard Word"

"A fun tale."

-- "Tzer Island"

"Anyone who loves Westerns will be fascinated with this book that breaks down all the discrepancies about Billy the Kid...There is plenty of action that will keep readers pinned to their seat."

-- "Crimespree"

"Coleman draws from the amazingly rich historical record much in the manner of James Michener; historical fiction that captures the true spirit of actual events."

-- "Topanga New Times "

"Coleman provides some much-needed humanization of a character who feels like part of American folklore...The story allows us to reach back into the past and take a deeper look at one of the most famous names of the Old West."

-- "Fully-Booked"

"Told in short vignettes, the novel is a breathless read, moving rapidly between various parties, up until the long-drawn-out showdown in Lincoln...I warmly recommend this to readers of Western frontier fiction for its wealth of detail, and perhaps a more sensitive relaying of the facts which precede the legend."

-- "Historical Novel Society"

"Coleman truly makes Billy the star of the show."

-- "Booklist"

"A stunning debut from a gifted new author."

-- "T. J. Newman, #1 bestselling author of Falling"

"Billy the Kid: The War for Lincoln County is part western, part historical fiction, with Coleman's fine craftsmanship and ace storytelling making for a worthy addition to the history of Henry McCarty (a.k.a. William Bonney, a.k.a. Billy the Kid). Coleman's depth of character and attention to detail bring us even closer to the near-mythic figure we thought we knew. This is a must-read for western lovers and history buffs alike."

-- "James Wade, Spur Award-winning author of Hollow Out the Dark and All Things Left Wild"

"Ryan Coleman delivers a stunning epic first novel that shows you the young man behind the outlaw legend and takes readers inside the war for Lincoln County with gun-blazing ferocity."

-- "Don Winslow, #1 internationally bestselling author"