Owen Wister 
Virginian 

Laying the foundations for Clint Eastwood’s nameless character in 'The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, ’ 'The Virginian’ is a landmark novel of the western genre. The eponymous hero is the strong, tall, silent type, acting as an armed escort to Tenderfoot on their journey to Judge Henry’s ranch in Sunk Creek. This action-packed story details their adventures and encounters along the way and includes, just as in any good western, a little romance.If you like your books full of hot bullets and cold killers, then this is the perfect place to start!-