Spectros #2: Hunt the Beast Down by Logan Winters (Paul Lederer)

Spectros #2: Hunt the Beast Down (1981) by Logan Winters (Paul Lederer)

Hunt the Beast Down is the second book in the Spectros series, focusing on a master magician in the old west. Over the course of the series, the aged Spectros is continually chasing down the evil Blackshuster, a rival wizard who has kept our main character’s lifelong love, Kristin, in suspended animation in a crystal coffin for decades. 

In this addition to the series, Spectros has tracked Blackshuster to the Oregon coast. Here the evil magician plans to loot a shipwreck, hoping to obtain the silver he needs to maintain Kristin’s comatose state. Spectros arrives with his cohorts—dashingly handsome gunslinger Ray Featherskill, the ageless Moor, Inkada, and Montak, a mute hulking giant. Mixed into all of this is a female ranch owner being forced off her land in order for our villain and his entourage to have unfettered access to the shipwreck.  

Our heroes decide to help this lovely lady, not realizing that her plight ties directly in to their hunt for Blackshuster. The highlight of the book comes when Spectros uses his wizardry to transform into the legendary master gunfighter Kid Soledad, a character that seems to ride right out of an RKO Radio Saturday matinee serial. It all culminates in a battle between Spectros, in the form of Kid Soledad, and Blackshuster, who transforms into—wait for it—Bigfoot! 

This is a wild and fanciful ride with one foot firmly planted in the cinematic West of Saturday serials from the 40s and the other foot in the fantasy realm. In that respect it qualifies as Weird West, but in an overall fairly tame environment.

Review by Steve Carroll