This account of one of the most fascinating eras and places in Old West history thrills the reader more than fiction could possibly do. I read this book as a kid and it remains one of my all time favorites. (Studying the Old West is my hobby, and I teach high school history.) The characters Mr. Langford presents from his own observations are more colorful than any invented by Zane Gray, for example. I'm surprised that no feature film has be made on Henry Plummer. His duel role as sheriff and bad man has been depicted several times stereotypically in Western movies, but no actual account of his life in the early gold-rush towns of western Montana has yet been done. Dimsdale's "The Vigilantes of Montana" is the most well-known primary source of vigilante action in Montana, but his was written much later after the fact. Mr. Langford's book came fresh from his memory of his own participation in the dealings of vigilante justice to "clean up" the commonplace violence in old Virginia City and Bannock, Montana.

If you want to read about the rise and demise Henry Plummer and his band of cutthroats, this is the best book I can recommend to you. Langford was the executive secretary of the Virginia City MT vigilence committee and he "tells it like it was". This book's dust jacket says in effect the book's victorian prose is worth wading through to hear a stirring first person account of the MT vigilante's activity - and that comment is nonsense. Langford's tale may ramble on occasion and his prose may be stilted on occasion. However, you will probably feel your sphincter tighten as the good guys start kicking dry goods boxes out from under cutthroats who, unlike today's criminals, knew justice was being served with dispatch. It's history, but a moving story told like no one else could.

Hmm, I never realized that TSR killed off this line of acessories. As far as I know, it is no more than two years old, and it's still fully viable on the webs ( heck, even Amazon carries a large selection of all things Birthright!). Nevertheless, Birthright is a unique setting, and it can be easily enjoyed. This book is a very good work on the nature of priestcraft in the world where this campaign is set ( and if it IS killed off, I advise you to get it quickly - out of print products don't linger too long on this site). It is also a very good work of AD&D priestcraft in general, and although it isn't as likely to help players as it will help DMs, but take my word - this book will ease the life of DMs immensely (remember that player whose priest would constantly stop to cast healing spells on everyone? Well, this book will stop that overconfident character dead in his tracks...)

TSR's only misstep since its revitalization is cancellation of the Birthright line. This book details the religions and priests of Cerilia, and is a very good supplement. Why more people didn't get into Birthright and keep the line alive is a mystery to me.

The book is well-written in a lively, engrossing style, but... Oh, dear... I found several factual errors within the first 22 pages. This was the part of the story I knew and had researched, so knew there were mistakes in fact. When I came to the part I wanted to learn about the previous errors cast doubts over what I was then reading. Even if the rest of the story is flawlessly accurate, I couldn't trust it. Truly a pity as the book is, otherwise, very well done.

--since originally writing that, I've done more research on the subject and have gone back to the book... only to find more errors! Some are trivial (but would have been easy enough to get right) and some are significant.

What a great read! Frank James, outlaw, enters the office of the governor of Missouri and lays down his pistol. His trial was set in a opera house, since the courtroom could not accomodate the large crowd gathered. Fourteen flamboyant trial lawyers and colorful cast of witnesses head up the supporting cast. If you thought the OJ Simpson trial was interesting, check this book out!

I recently appeared on NBC's the "Today" show regarding my latest scholarly discovery of four new photographs of Jesse James, Cole Younger, Jim Younger and Belle Starr. I assisted Gerrard Petrone in writing, what I believe to be the finest book written about Frank James. The book is steeped in scholarly content and full of specific details that relate the true story of Frank James, not a 19th or 20th century reconstruction of the truth. Petrone's writing style and original newspaper source material from the period, make for exciting reading. The story of Frank James leaps off the page, so boldly, that one feels the excitement associated with reading a newspaper headline of the information for the first time. The story of the trial of Frank James and the resulting verdict speaks strongly about the era of reconstruction in Missouri. The war was over, however many still held strong feelings against the North. The trial brought out some of the South's finest generals and decorated survivors. The jury was in awe of the those called to testify and the courtroom presence of Frank James was very impressive. Petrone also includes true tales of the James Gang that are found in the testimony of many witnesses. These stories, which were told in court, were recorded, but have not seen the light of day for decades. The exciting story told by a teenage boy, hiding in a small post office, at night is a fine example. Clutching and aiming a loaded shotgun, he is anticipating being robbed by a shadowy figure on the other side of a glass door.....who is about to try the door knob. The frightened boy almost stopped Jesse James in his tracks and rewrote the history of the West. Astonishingly, he lives to tell the tale in court, to Frank James himself. I would reccomend the book to anyone interested in the authentic history of the American West or criminal law. I am sure that Petrone's book will become invaluable to any further research about Frank James: the man, the myth , the acquitted.

Having read the orginal version of Helldorado 20 years ago, anticipation of again reading this first hand account of Tombstone days quickly lead to disappoint due to the blatant revisions in this book. For example, the chapter about John Ringo has been completely omitted and substitutions based on author Jack Burrows's derogatory comments from the Gunfighter Who Never Was have been substituted. Orignal photographs have also been omitted. Since William Breakenridge was actually acquainted with the people and times he wrote about, why should a modern revisionist feel compelled to correct his original observations and opinions and thus distort history? If an author has a different viewpoint, then let him/her write their own version, not use the title of another's work.

If you would like to read about how the non Wyatt Earp supporters felt about "Tombstone" back then read this book.

The only truly first hand account of the vendetta between Earp and the Cowboys. Breakenridge is obviously sympathetic to the Cowboys therefore his work has constantly been belittled by the Earp worshippers. Of course what does he know? He was only there. The Earp Idolators can't stand that he has left a first hand account of what really happened. They'd rather see the events through the filter of Burns and Lake. But this book is the real deal. Read it and understand.