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Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
C.G. Fewston’s Cowboy or A Communion of Saints takes place in Texas in 1901, where a fifteen-year-old boy is left orphaned when his father dies several years after his mother and baby sister. Calling himself Cowboy, he leaves the family’s Pine Creek Ranch outside Brownwood on Buddy, the gray horse his parents gave him, intending to seek death in the open country. His journey changes when he meets Henry Bartholomew Roberts, a veteran rider who offers the boy food in exchange for help on the trail. Henry’s knowledge of the outlaw era suggests his history reaches into the very stories Cowboy grew up hearing. As the pair ride north across Texas, Henry’s secretive business draws them into dangerous territory, and an unexpected attack leaves Cowboy wondering exactly who his new companion is.
In Cowboy or A Communion of Saints, C.G. Fewston delivers an absorbing historical adventure with an excellent sense of place. His handling of suspense impressed me, especially the uncertainty surrounding Henry’s motives. That feeling becomes palpable when Henry directs Cowboy to dig beneath a cross on Table Mountain, leaving Cowboy afraid he is disturbing a grave. Fishgirl, a young woman Cowboy meets, is beautifully developed, with a quick mind that comes across in her decisions. As a storm batters their shelter, she predicts where a dangerous pursuer will search first. The setting is a pleasure to experience, with details that bring each place to life. At Phantom Hill, deserted stone chimneys recall soldiers who once lived there. The same fine touch appears at Adelphi’s Clay Hotel in Dickens, where a black tabby named Socrates strolls past a guest register signed by Annie Oakley. This is a first-rate historical adventure, and readers who appreciate literary fiction are in for a treat. Very highly recommended.
