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rschmidt7's review against another edition
2.0
Skip this one if you're looking for an interesting western. The entire book reads like a summary of some other book that might have been interesting. Or it is like reading the actual company log book of a Civil War company, and yet so much worse—just as boring, just as dry, but also fictional, so you're not even learning while you read.
The only truly interesting portion is Schaefer's Author's Note at the end in which he describes his search to verify the historical existence of Company Q, a company of cowards given an off-handed mention in Bruce Catton's classic A Stillness at Appomattox. Spoiler:
It is not a good sign for a novel if the Author's Note is the best part.
The only truly interesting portion is Schaefer's Author's Note at the end in which he describes his search to verify the historical existence of Company Q, a company of cowards given an off-handed mention in Bruce Catton's classic A Stillness at Appomattox. Spoiler:
Spoiler
Company Q probably didn't exist.It is not a good sign for a novel if the Author's Note is the best part.
thesubmariner's review against another edition
4.0
Inspired by an article by William Chamberlain from 1956 about "Company Q" that was formed during the Civil War, composed of coward soldiers that were given a second chance to prove their worth. This reminds of the Dirty dozen in which cases were soldiers sentenced to jail or execution that was also inspired by the real-life Filthy Thirteen. A good novella, but I have enjoyed more while reading The Canyon and Shane.
rosseroo's review
2.0
Schaefer was a prolific author best known for his debut book, Shane, and the movie made of it. This one came a little later and is unfortunately far more interesting in premise than execution. Apparently inspired by an apocryphal historical footnote from the Civil War, it follows the path of a tiny unit of eight Union officers. They've been court-martialed for cowardice, but have been given the opportunity to redeem themselves by serving as privates in this ad-hoc unit, under the leadership of Jared Heath.
I guess I was hoping for some kind of Civil War era version of The Dirty Dozen, as the unit is sent to the western territories. However, the bulk of the book is about the formation of the group and the tedious logistics of their journey to New Mexico and billeting there at an obscure fort. It's not until almost the very end that there's finally an actual bit of action, where the small unit has to storm a hill in order to protect a supply wagon train from Comanches. It's all pretty anticlimactic, and more to the point, it's never clear at all why the seven very different men would have rallied around Heath as a unit, much less been bonded enough to charge into overwhelming odds together. Overall, a rather tedious disappointment.
I guess I was hoping for some kind of Civil War era version of The Dirty Dozen, as the unit is sent to the western territories. However, the bulk of the book is about the formation of the group and the tedious logistics of their journey to New Mexico and billeting there at an obscure fort. It's not until almost the very end that there's finally an actual bit of action, where the small unit has to storm a hill in order to protect a supply wagon train from Comanches. It's all pretty anticlimactic, and more to the point, it's never clear at all why the seven very different men would have rallied around Heath as a unit, much less been bonded enough to charge into overwhelming odds together. Overall, a rather tedious disappointment.
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