Title: A Town Called Sometimes
Author: Robert Fischer
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 9781532088483
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 94
Reviewed by: Lisa Brown-Gilbert

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Adventure, violent criminals and a good guy propel author Robert Fischer’s tale of the Texas frontier days in A Town Called Sometimes, which follows the lives of several characters whose paths intersect in a web of violence, tragedy, and vengeance.

Set in the backdrop of the wild frontier days of the 1850’s in Texas, this is a gritty story that fascinates with its characterizations of desperados Armando Reyes and Wolf Smolly. They are two of the vilest characters that one could ever encounter, each man is easy to despise and an evil unto himself, but when they meet, they become a wicked greedy force, unafraid of the consequences, terrorizing whomever they please, and taking what they want.

Moreover, both also come from a sympathetic background which is brought out early in the first two chapters of the book. Initially, in chapter 1, we meet Armando Reyes, a Mexican, who also goes by the name of Reyes. He is the oldest of seven and lives on a farm in New Mexico. Reyes comes from a very rough, abusive, and altogether dysfunctional home. After suffering several losses in his family; his mother to Tuberculosis, a younger sister to a mysterious cause as well as his abusive father to a snake bite, Armando sets out into the frontier, leaving behind his siblings but bringing with him a very angry, hate-filled, disposition.

Then, we meet Wolf Smolly. Also living in New Mexico, Wolf is half white and half Commanche, and he too suffered abuse at the hands of his father, Tom Smolly. After having to kill his father to save his Comanche mother, he and his mother go live with her people however, the life they lived was rough, but provided Wolf with the skills to survive on his own, including skills with horses. Nonetheless, Wolf also has a darkly violent side where he doesn’t mind stealing or killing to get what he wants. Eventually, Wolf decides to strike out on his own to explore the white man’s way of life.

Ultimately it’s when the two partners in crime cross paths, that their horrific adventure begins as the two leave a bloody trail of victims while they ruthlessly murder, rob, and assault women. Albeit, with a price on their heads, the pair are chased by vigilantes, a posse and bounty hunters but they meet their match with an unofficial lawman in a town called Sometimes – Matt Hardin, a tough man with a gun and vengeance on his mind.

A Town Called Sometimes, provides an absorbing look at life during the era of the western frontier. I enjoyed the overall story, setting, and characterizations as well as the included sketches, which added a nice touch that rounds out the book. Nonetheless, the story is in need of editing, there are misspellings, and grammar issues that need to be addressed. Issues aside, this was a good read with promise.