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Fiction. Mystery. Thriller. HTML: From C. J. Box, the New York Times -bestselling author of the Joe Pickett novels, comes a thrilling book of suspense stories about the Wyoming he knows so well�?? and the dark deeds and impulses that can be found there. Over the course of eighteen books, C. J. Box has been consistently hailed for his brilliant storytelling and extraordinary skills at creating character, suspense, and a deep sense of place. All of those strengths are in the ten riveting stories�?? three of them never before published�?? that make up Shots Fired. In " One-Car Bridge," one of four Joe Pickett stories, Pickett goes up against a " just plain mean" landowner, with disastrous results, and in " Shots Fired," his investigation into the radio call referred to in the title nearly ends up being the last thing he ever does. In " Pirates of Yellowstone," two Eastern European tough guys find out what it means to be strangers in a strange land, and in " Le Sauvage Noble," the stranger is a Lakota in Paris who enjoys playing the " noble savage" for the French women�?? until he meets Sophie. Then he discovers what " savage" really… (more)
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Short stories are not easy to write well. In just a few pages you have to create, evolve and complete an interesting plot; introduce and develop characters;
Nothing predictable here. Surprise endings are tucked into this great collection of stories. Box even throws in some obscure historical fiction in “Pronghorns of the Third Reich.”
Even if you've never read anything from Box, you will enjoy “Shots Fired.” This is a book that I will share with my favorite people, so they can share the fun.
My biggest complaint is that it is too fast of read and I would have liked to have read more of the types of stories about Joe's interactions with the local characters. Nevertheless I did enjoy this book and am certain that CJ Box fans will too.
These short stories have to do all of that in a much shorter format. They hold up. I enjoyed the stories about Nate and Joe Pickett, characters we know well from the novels. But I enjoyed even more the different stories, with new characters to introduce and develop enough for the story to work. Good reading.
This collection of short stories shows off Cox’s expertise in creating characters. BLOOD KNOT, a extremely short story, gives us insight into six different characters while delivering a satisfying ending.
Joe Pickett, a Box character in 14 novels, makes an appearance in
You will find humor in PIRATES OF YELLOWSTONE, evil in EVERY DAY IS A GOOD DAY ON THE RIVER and political incorrectness with a helping of retribution in LE SAUVAGE NOBLE (THE NOBLE SAVAGE).
5 of 5 stars
The author caught and kept my attention in all the stories. Many of them had the same main character (Joe Pickett) but were all stand alone stories which I think is the best way to make a series so
The characters were well developed in the little time presented in each story. Given that this book was all short stories it was all in all an interesting book.
I've already started looking for more books by this author.
Shots Fired is C.J. Box's new collection of short stories "from Joe Pickett country". He's in some but not all of them. In "One-Car Bridge', a domineering rich rancher doesn't want Joe's bad news, but things may get worse because of that bridge. "Dull Knife" involves the possible murder of an Indian women's basketball star whose life has gone south, and Joe's need to overcome local racism to get some answers. The title story has Joe nearly fatally surprised when a shepherd's wagon isn't what it appears to be. "The Master Falconer" features popular character Nate Romanowski, Joe's Special Forces-trained friend who's a falconer. Nate's in trouble when he resists a rich Arab's demand that Nate obtain falcons for him, but with the help of Joe and local Indians, he finds a fitting solution.
The non-Joe stories are good, too. Two Czechs trying to get jobs at Yellowstone are taken for dupes, but one turns the tables in "Pirates of Yellowstone." My least favorite story, "Every Day is a Good Day on the River', has a peculiar tension on a fishing trip turn deadly. Other stories feature a battle over a rich deceased man's homestead ("Pronghorns of the Third Reich"), Indians in a Wild West Show in Paris being novel sex objects, with a tragic consequence ("The Noble Savage"), and two long-time partner trappers in 1835 driving each other crazy when snowbound in a cabin ("The End of Jim and Ezra"). My favorite of these was "Blood Knot", a simple story in which a teenage girl connects with her grandfather while fishing in a way the rest of the family cannot.
Fans of the series will enjoy the Joe Pickett stories, and appreciate the others for the strong storytelling, featuring Box's clean and direct style, along with alluring descriptions of the Wyoming landscape. Those new to the series would be better off starting with Open Season, the first novel. This collection could be an introduction, but, IMO, the main attraction of it is knowing the characters and Joe Pickett country from the novels. Three stars.
The second story was the One-Car Bridge. It stirs emotion before you reach the end. Question: what would you have done?
I wish there were more short story collections. It is a great art to be able to write a complete story, with character development and plot in less than 30 pages.
Vividly described scenery helps add to the atmosphere of the narrative.
Characters are flawed, detailed, and varied.
Overall, an
Nice short stories. The story "Blood Knot" is a real gem! It is about 5 pages and delivers a great impact. The story "The End of Jim and Ezra" is a perfect story for anyone about get a
If in doubt pick up a copy and read "Blood Knot" it will only take you 3 or 4 minutes. You won't regret.
This book of short stories has Box's usual markings... good characters, believable story lines and good vs. evil. Generally I don't care for the short story but Box does a good job getting a lot of detail in a short amount of words. While