- Cowboys for Christ
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Cowboys for Christ 
The first edition cover that made use of the sun disk
that was previously used on a poster for The Wicker Man.Author(s) Robin Hardy Country United Kingdom Language English Genre(s) Horror novel Publisher Luath Press Publication date 2006 Media type Print (Hardback Pages 206 Cowboys for Christ is a 2006 novel, and the basis for the film The Wicker Tree from director Robin Hardy.
Cowboys for Christ follows two young Americans, Beth and Steve, who leave Texas to spread Christianity in Tressock, Scotland. They are welcomed by Sir Lachlan Morrison and his wife, Delia Morrison; Beth and Steve, are oblivious to their impending peril from a Celtic pagan community in the village.
It was published in May 2006 in hardback by Luath Press, though there has been no paperback edition printed as of August 2008. It was described by the actor Christopher Lee as being;
“ erotic, romantic, comic and horrific enough to loosen the bowels of a bronze statue. ” Writer Barry McCann gave the novel a largely thumbs up in his review for Voices from the Vaults (Dracula Society), commenting;
“ Hardy constructs Tressock by introducing its sometimes bizarre cast of characters and their doings one by one, in individual chapters, before weaving them into the main dynamics of the plot. In this sense, the novel bears some resemblance to David Pinner's 1968 occult thriller, Ritual, which was the original part inspiration for The Wicker Man. ” Plot summary
Beth is a successful pop singer and a devout evangelical Christian from Texas, USA. She and her fiance Steve both wear purity rings, and belong to a group known as the "Cowboys for Christ", who travel to "heathen areas" of the world to preach Christianity. They travel to Glasgow, Scotland, hoping to save some souls once there. However, they are shocked when they receive a very negative reception, Beth even being set upon by a large dog.
After performing a concert at a local cathedral, the duo are approached by Sir Lachlan Morrison and his wife Delia, the laird of the small village of Tressock in the Scottish lowlands. They invite Beth and Steve to come back with them to preach, but intending them for a more central part in Tressock's May Day celebration.
Meanwhile, detective Orlando is sent to Tressock, posing as the local police officer, in order to secretly investigate reports of a pagan cult.
Beth and Steve decide that they shall begin their preaching at the May Day celebrations in the village. Meanwhile Orlando discovers that the people of the village worship the ancient Celt goddess Sulis.
In an attempt to impress the locals, Steve and Beth agree to becoming the local Queen of the May and the Laddie for the festival. In this role, they must split up for the day, and it is during this that the Laddie is devoured by the locals on an island in the middle of the river Sulis. Beth discovers this, and attacks Sir Lachlan causing him to be burnt alive, on a nearby flaming tree. Beth tries to escape, but is captured and embalmed.
Film adaptation
The book has been adapted to film as The Wicker Tree. It had a film festival showing in 2011; [1] a wide release is still pending.
References
The Wicker Man Trilogy Films Novel Cowboys for ChristRelated persons Related The Wicker Man soundtrack · "Willow's Song" · Summerisle · The Wicker Man (2006 remake) · Wicker Man · May Day · Paganism · Neopaganism · Wicca · Hammer horrorCategories:- 2006 novels
- British horror novels
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