George G. Gilman

I read a bunch of the EDGE Series when I was in junior high/high school, most of which were acquired at either of the two bookstores that once graced the North Riverside Mall in suburban Chicago.

George G. Gilman is a pen name for British author Terry Harknett (born 1936). According to Wikipedia Mr. Harknett has written over 200 novels, at least 10 series, and used 10 additional pen names: Joseph Hedges, William M. James, Charles R. Pike, Thomas H. Stone, Frank Chandler, Jane Harman, Alex Peters, William Pine, William Terry, James Russell, and David Ford.

Apparently Harknett wasn't western sounding enough, but George G. Gilman is. You can hear the twang of cowboy alliteration. Maybe even imagine The Triple G Ranch.

The EDGE Series is violent, sexist, and racist. EDGE himself is referred to by the narrator as "the half-breed." He's half Swedish and half Mexican. Edge has a strong sense of justice and high morals, plus he likes animals and treats them well. I imagine his kindness to animals it what kept me reading back then. But what probably kept me coming back for more, as a tween/early teen was, I'm certain, the sex. The Blind Side includes a gang rape by four cowpokes of a nymphomaniac who likes to dominate men, so you get the sense that she would have liked it if 1) she'd been in charge of the situation and 2) they hadn't beaten her. Spoiler alert: she gets her revenge but dies in the end (as such women must).

The violence, sexism, racism, and rape are all horrific, but what surprised me is how bad the writing is! Here's an example:

"Likewise, the almost doll-like perfection of her oval shaped face with its blue eyes, snub nose, rosebud lips and milk white, flawless skin--in a frame of rich-growing, smoothly waved, honey-colored hair that swung to within a half inch of brushing her shoulders--had an undeniable sensuality that had to be lurking covertly just beneath the veneer of girlish innocence that was the first impression implied by her face" (12-13).

Or this scene where the nymphomaniac presents her naked body to Edge beside the campfire. He says to her:

"If that's the case, best you cover yourself up and go back to bed. On account of I've seen women got bigger nipples than you've got tits. And as for that beaver, I figure a mouse--" (44).

It's pulp fiction and Mr. Harknett nails it, so I'm not making fun of his writing, rather just pointing out the style. Obviously, someone who has published over 200 novels knows his audience. However, there were a ton of incomplete sentences and typos, too. It makes me wonder if there was any editing at all.

This book came out in 1983 and by then I was experiencing some action of my own (wink, wink), so I had probably moved on from the series by then. This trip down memory lane was interesting, but, like many things from the past, some things are left better remembered than revisited. That said, I probably couldn't resist picking up another number in this series if I come across it.

Review from my blog: http://wildmoobooks.blogspot.com/2016/04/the-joy-horror-of-trashy-literature.htm...… (más)

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The problem with reading old pulp paperbacks is that they’re often pretty icky. I’ve fallen foul of this with Matt Helm (a bit rapey) and MIA Hunter (massively racist). When I picked up my recently arrived copy of the third novel in George G Gilman’s ‘Edge’ series and saw that the title had the word ‘Apache’ in it, I was pretty sure I’d be shaving a star off my rating for objectionable bigotry. Turns out I needn’t have worried quite as much as I did.
Like the previous two books, this is a brutal, nihilistic tale, where the hero’s aim is simply to survive to the last page. This time Josiah Hedges (Edge) winds up in a small town, Rainbow, which sits next to a US cavalry fort. There’s a fragile peace in place between the population and the local Native American tribes, which is broken when a local farming family are slaughtered. Throw into the mix rumours of a fortune hidden in the nearby hills and a foppish English gambler, and you’ve got the makings of another great western page turner from Gilman.
Like the other books this is an insanely violent tale, with a tonne of gory action throughout, culminating in a stunningly destructive ending. The English character adds some humour to the proceedings, with him and Edge indulging in some entertaining banter. Other characters come and go, rarely lasting very long but all adding a bit of colour.
Written in the 70s, and very much aping westerns from previous decades, this was never going to be a book held up as a great example of the portrayal of Native Americans. There are some interesting nuances though. The Apache characters are ruthless and bloodthirsty, but then everyone in these books is. In fact Edge seems to prefer their approach to life and combat than that of the white characters, who are far more likely to be duplicitous. “I’d try exactly what old Cochise is trying,” he comments at one point. What’s more, both Edge and the book seem very much aware that this isn’t a fight of the Native Americans’ making.
“They’re like beasts of the jungle,” a woman said to Edge.
“But it was their jungle first,” he answered.

… (más)