Nemesis

This was the first time I have read an LJ Martin novel.I really love Westerns so when I read the story line description it sounded interesting.His writing style is very descriptive but not over loaded with trivial details.I personally like that type of writing.The main character is a cowboy named McBain who travels to Nemesis Nevada to avenge the death of his sister,brother-in-law and their two children in a purposely set house fire by a gang of guns for hire just outside of town.Seems their boss wanted the property but not for sale so they burned them out.No not by any stretch of the imagination is this any type of different plot but there are a few twists and turns that kept the book really interesting and the obligatory love affair also comes into play.All in all a very enjoyable read with a lot of old west slang and rituals from that time in our country.I will definitely be purchasing more of this author's titles. P.S. take a couple of minutes to read the authors bio on his website ,very interesting and made me want to read this author even more. Great job Mr.Martin thanks for your talent.

When I first saw this book, I was over the moon: Wow, I thought. A western that's not a romance! I honestly didn't think those existed anymore. I wasn't disappointed. All those spaghetti westerns I watched and adored as a kid, starring John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, and others? Ja, this is exactly like those. A simple plot centred around revenge, barely believable action sequences, dirty rotten cheaters getting shot over the poker table in smokey saloons... I felt like I was in heaven. Imagine my surprise when I got to the end, skimmed through the other books by this author and publisher, and realised that the genre is alive and well. Where have you been all my reading life? On the editing side, it's not the most polished bit of writing I've ever read, and I spotted a few typos, missing words, and redundancies throughout the text. But the plot was good and kept me interesting. Another thing worth mentioning is how easy it was to get back INTO the story after having to put it down for a couple of days. Because, you know, life happens, and sometimes you can't read as much as you'd like. And when that happens, I've read books where it takes five or ten minutes, sometimes, to get back into the story and figure out, "What's happening again?" This isn't one of those books. It's a nice, easy read. So if you're looking to re-live your cowboys-and-indians loving youth, and you don't care for bodice rippers, I highly recommend you give this one a read.

Especially when the revenge is for the murder of family members. L.J. Martin provides a fast action-packed story of a mountain man who discovers his sisters family is murdered and seeks revenge for those involved in the deed - and those who would stand in his way. Though somewhat predictable, the story keeps up an enjoyable pace of action and suspense throughout. I really enjoyed the interaction of tough guy McBain and his love for his horse and dog. This is a classic western with a simple plot but written in a manner that held my attention. I recommend it.

My Daddy and brother love Louis L'Amour. They love the rich description of the west, the noble nature of the heroes, and the respect shown family and ladies. This is a book I would unreservedly buy for Daddy, but he's gone. So I read it for him. It was a real good read. McBain is on a mission. He's after his sister's killers. I go right along with him keepin' a lookout. My anger smolders with his. Mr. Martin keeps it stoked real good. So I travel the old west, stop a bank robbery, and tote one passel of a lot of guns. McBain is shrewd. He don't want no belly full of lead. He keeps making caches of weapons. I like a man who can think and prepare, and treat a woman real nice like and don't make no promises he can't keep. McBain in my kind of man and he's doing good work for the town of Nemesis. He's going to take care of those low down skunks who hijack anything for a trickle of water. Excuse me you all, I gotta telegraph my brother and tell him to get the lead out and go get this book, ya hear?

I picked up this Kindle version as a free download. GREAT read! This is my first "western." I really enjoyed the colorful vernacular and descriptions. The inner dialog kept pace with the adventure. The ending had lots of twists and lots of room for more in a continued storyline. ONE thing kept me from giving this book a 5-star rating: grammar. The author (or perhaps his editors) need to learn the difference between "it's" and "its." After a few chapters, I started highlighting all the incorrect uses and other missed corrections. At last count, I have over 100 tallied. I might have expected that from a new, or even self-published author, but Mr. Martin has over 30 books to his name. If all his books have this many errors, I would be hesitant to add more of his books to my bookshelf.

McBain is a character being tested at his limits as he tries to hold on to his inner pain. This story of vengeance and redemption is not uncommon. However, I like the twists of him looking for revenge and using his war experience to gain power as a lawman after saving townspeople from a bank robbery. Using his power as a front to delve information, he had a focused eye right into the true nature of the people. This is a fiction, but it does make you think deeper into how authority can have ulterior motives even now in today's society. The plot twist towards the end will definitely throw you for a loop. "Nemesis" definitely brings you into a world of unwritten laws as well as bending those laws in a sense. The inner conflict within his quest to seek revenge but keep it cool for his new position as peacemaker brings a crazy dynamic to the story. Overall, a great read.

I stumbled upon L J Martin as an author whilst reading a book review and boy has it not only changed my reading but has inspired me to put pen to paper too. (see link to "Writing compelling fiction by L J Martin). I find his approach to writing thrilling, entertaining, well researched and packed with believable action from start to finish. I downloaded a few books prior to going on a cruise including this book Nemesis. Which, let me tell you I read in one day. It was so good I couldn't put it down much to the consternation of my fellow travelling companions. In short the story centres on a character McBain who is compelled to seek revenge for the death of his sister and her family of course nothing goes to plan and there's plenty of twists and turns along the way to keep you entertained. From beginning to end it rips along at speed. The characters are believable; the story line is filled with action from start to finish. The historical detail seems entirely accurate for a Greenhorn like me and adds a unique sense of realism to the plot which I really enjoyed. It felt as if I was a witness to the actual events in real time. I can truly say having been away from the Western genre for a long time this was a cracking book reminding me just how good Western action fiction can be. I have no hesitation in recommending this book; in fact I went and downloaded further books from L J Martins collection. Such as Mr. Pettigrew (The Nemesis Series) Write Compelling Fiction & for something completely different try Crimson Hit - The Bob Burton Series

There is never a dull moment in Nemesis. The action is so fast and furious that I read it at one sitting - couldn't put it down. Although there is plenty of murder and mayhem there are also wonderfully evocative descriptions of natural scenery which fit seamlessly into the narrative. A very good read.

Haven't read many westerns since Zane Grey as a kid but quite enjoyed this 'slap leather or crawl' gun play. Not that there was much 'High Noon' man to man quick draw stuff and was thus probably more true to life in the real back-shooting Wild West. I like the tone of voice which to my mind gave it an authentic feel. McBain came across as a man from the 1880s even if his dialogue or vocab wasn't valid. (I have no idea as to the actual accuracy). His character was consistent and I could largely believe in him and go along happily down the trail. The story of revenge and retribution is very common - Eastwood's Josey Wales, or Bronson etc spring immediately to mind so we all know the path and the outcome but the entertainment value never falters merely because the timeless themes are common. This is not high literature but fun.

If you like westerns then you'll love this, then same goes if you like action and adventure stories. I'm not sure how many books I've got from this author, but I keep on reading them because they are well written, well crafted stories that immerse you in the plot and guide you through to their conclusion. Really great read and I highly recommend it.

I'd just discovered the text to speech option on my kindle fire and thought I'd give this book a go using it. Wow, what a great way to spend a weekend, from the gripping storyline to the colourful characters I spent many happy hours over the weekend listening to this book on my headphones. Loved it.