Crow #2: Worse Than Death (1979) by James W. Marvin (Laurence James)
Under a variety of house names, Laurence James was a mainstay of the UK-based Piccadilly Cowboy stable of writers and penned the Crow series, as well as The Apache , Gunslingers , and the Caleb Thorn series. Following a short prelude, Worse than Death introduces readers to a wagon train made up of Cavalry officer wives and a small detachment of soldiers escorting them through the blizzard-ridden Dakota Territories and into the sights of renegade Shoshone chief, Many Knives, who is on the warpath against whites. After an initial attack on the wagon train decimates the ranks and leaves the travelers stranded, our anti-hero, Crow, enters the scene and assists what’s left of the soldiers and the women. Lest this sound like an altruistic bit of heroism, it’s made clear that Crow is only looking out for Crow and how he can best survive the situation. Much mayhem e...