Bandit Years: A Gathering of Wolves

The title of this slim addition to Sunstones' Western Legacy Series is far more compelling than its contents. What might make a passable magazine article is here spun out into 78 pages, plus notes and bibliography. Dugan describes his subjectsfour bandits who preyed on a Colorado stagecoach company in the 1880sin the most tired and hackneyed of phrases that do little to inspire interest in the exploits of the ""desperados.'' (Typically much space is given to lists of court case numbers, prisoner identification numbers and obscure place names.) In fact, the book's liveliest passages are the author's quotations from contemporary newspaper reports. Those wanting to read more about the subject would do better to refer to the primary sources listed in the copious bibliography. Photos not seen by PW. (June)