The Barons of Texas

A Gulf fisherman lands in the new Republic of Texas intent on starting his own ranch in Sherman's haphazard mini-epic of the antebellum cattle business. With the help of fellow greenhorn Juanito Salazar, Martin Baron survives Indian attacks and the Texas wilderness, gains experience and equipment and finally gets himself some land. About two-thirds through the book, the focus shifts to Jack Killian, an intrepid Apache-hunter and renowned horse thief now bent on revenge for his brother's hanging. Soon the lawless path of this desperado--the novel's most interesting character--intersects with the settlers' dreams, while Martin falls in love with a rancher's daughter. Despite various historical inaccuracies (Herefords weren't brought to Texas until 1876, for example, and Apaches rarely raided along the Texas coast), Sherman offers in gentle prose a sweet (if highly improbable) tale of two likable adventurers on the Texas frontier. (Oct.)