Six Gun Samurai by Patrick Lee (Mark Roberts)

Six Gun Samurai (1981) by Patrick Lee (Mark Roberts)

As was the case with many men’s adventure series, Six Gun Samurai was actually authored by 3 different writers all working under the house name of Patrick Lee; this first book’s copyright is attributed to Mark Roberts, who also wrote the odd-numbered books in The Penetrator series. Despite the fact that I have always had a strong affinity for martial arts-related adventure fiction, I did not enjoy this book and had to repeatedly force myself to keep slogging through to finish it. 

The first book in this short-lived 8-book series introduces us to Tommy Fletcher, son of American missionaries to Japan in the mid-1800s. After a massacre leaves him orphaned, Fletcher is taken in by a samurai and trained in the art of Bushido, learning not only karate, but many different weapons forms, including, of course, mastery of the katana sword. However, years later word reaches Fletcher that his Savannah, GA home has been attacked and ransacked by deserted Yankee marauders who raped, defiled, and butchered his entire family (a recurring theme). 

The remainder of the book is Fletcher, or Tanaka Tom as he is called, seeking vengeance (this requires multiple decapitations) against those responsible as he scours the American West. It is simple, poorly plotted, and goes exactly where you expect at every turn. It is also repugnantly violent, especially toward children, who are not spared in any sense, including rape. In this regard it shares some commonalities with the Piccadilly Westerns, but without the better literary qualities most of those possessed. 

This is simply bad, which disappoints me to no end since I spent years and much effort collecting them.

Reviewed by Steve Carroll