What novel is this?

[James]

I read a novel quite a while ago, and I can't for the life of me think of the title or author. It was a pulp western/wild west cowboy novel published between about 1930 and 1950. The hero gunfighter's name was pronounced "Annan Rhiannon," which would be distinctive enough for a web search, but I can't seem to get the spelling close enough to find it on Google. There was a semi-magical hideout named "The Hole in the Wall" whose means of ingress was hidden behind a waterfall. Can anyone help before I tear my hair out?

[jimbogumbo]

Don't know about a novel, but the Hole in the Wall Gang was real. Butch Cassidy and Sundance were members.

[James]

Yeah, my memory might be conflating texts there, but the hideout was called something like that. I'm at least certain of the gunfighter's name's phonetic pronunciation, which the most memorable detail from the book.

[ergative]

There's a goodreads community called 'what's the name of that book?' for questions exactly like this. I once successfully identified another forumite's lost title by posting the question there, and they've managed to track down multiple titles for me. Would you like me to relay this description there?

[James]

There's a goodreads community called 'what's the name of that book?' for questions exactly like this. I once successfully identified another forumite's lost title by posting the question there, and they've managed to track down multiple titles for me. Would you like me to relay this description there?

Yes, please, for sure. I'd go through the trouble of registering there myself, but seeing as how this is a one-off and you're willing to help, I'd certainly appreciate it.

[mamselle]

You could start with Louis L'Amour,  the number of titles to his name (>100, mostly old Westerners like"Sitka," "How the West was Won," etc.) that were later filmed put him high on the list by probability alone.

There's a full bibliography here:

   https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_L'Amour

M.

[ergative]

Ok, I've posted the query here, you can keep an eye on any replies. I'm happy to relay any further details if you remember more. The mods really like to know when you read the book, but I think that's because it gives a rough idea of latest possible publication date, and since you specify 1930s to 1950s they might be happy with that.

[James]

Thanks for posting the question for me. I think I read it in the 90's to early 00's, and I'm thinking now it was a book on tape. It was definitely pulp from a previous era, originally published before 1955. I think as soon as I hear the title or author's name, I'll recognize it, and Louis L'Amour does not ring a bell here nor do any of his 50's publications from that bib, but thanks, @mamselle.

[James]

Oh, wait, googling "cowboy rhiannon novel," I get a hit at IMDb for a movie named "Singing Guns." That's definitely it, and now I recognize the author's name, Max Brand, whom WP says created Dr. Kildare. I'll have to see the movie version. I wonder if I can locate a copy of the novel.

[mamselle]

Thanks for posting the question for me. I think I read it in the 90's to early 00's, and I'm thinking now it was a book on tape. It was definitely pulp from a previous era, originally published before 1955. I think as soon as I hear the title or author's name, I'll recognize it, and Louis L'Amour does not ring a bell here nor do any of his 50's publications from that bib, but thanks, @mamselle.

De rien, glad you found it!

M.

[apl68]

Oh, wait, googling "cowboy rhiannon novel," I get a hit at IMDb for a movie named "Singing Guns." That's definitely it, and now I recognize the author's name, Max Brand, whom WP says created Dr. Kildare. I'll have to see the movie version. I wonder if I can locate a copy of the novel.

Okay, that makes sense!  "Max Brand" was the pen name of Frederick Schiller Faust.  He was a highly educated man who really wanted to write epic poetry.  Since that didn't pay a living wage, he started writing pulp fiction.  Turned out he was very good at that.  This work earned plenty of money to subsidize his poetry efforts.  He published these under his real name, and tried to keep from being too closely associated with the stuff he turned out to keep the pot boiling.

Rhiannon was a figure from the Welsh Mabinogion.  The epic poet in "Max Brand" evidently couldn't resist putting some Easter eggs into his work for the rare pulp reader who might recognize the allusion.

[mamselle]

Talk about Easter eggs--just the name "Frederick Schiller Faust" has three right there....

M.

[apl68]

Talk about Easter eggs--just the name "Frederick Schiller Faust" has three right there....

M.

I know, right?  His parents doomed him to be a struggling poet!  Guess he showed them when he also got to be a prosperous pseudonymous pulp writer.

He was also a World War II combat journalist who perished on the battlefield.  Our patrons who still read Max Brand westerns probably don't know what sort of a life one of heir favorite authors led.

[mamselle]

Not that you need more to do--or maybe a readers' group could do it--but that might make an interesting display case sequence.

M.

[James]

I've now watched the movie, and I'm sorry to say the guns do not sing:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042970/reference/

As I recall, the novel had a certain edge to it, a certain mythical quality to Rhiannon. The lead actor here, Vaughn Monroe--not good. Searching, I find he had a successful enough singing career, so he had the skill to entertain. It's easy to dismiss bad acting, but I always wonder how much the editor or director is responsible for a dud of a performance.