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A Congregation of Jackals
One of Oswell's old bank-robbing gang is getting married out in Montana Territory, and the rest of the boys are all invited. But someone else will be there too. Quinlan. He was part of the gang once, but betrayal turned an ally into a bitter enemy, one who will stop at nothing to get his revenge. He and his gunmen will be at the wedding out for blood and to revenge the betrayal in a final showdown. Oswell knows there's no way out of it. You can't outrun your past. All you can do is face it-- and hope to survive.
304 pages, Paperback
First published August 24, 2010
142 people are currently reading
2,859 people want to read
About the author
S. Craig Zahler
30books1,265followers"S. Craig Zahler is certain to become one of the great imaginers of our time." � Clive Barker
Novelist and cartoonist S. Craig Zahler is also the screenwriter, director, and musical co-composer for the movies, Bone Tomahawk, Brawl in Cell Block 99, and Dragged Across Concrete. His second graphic novel Organisms from an Ancient Cosmos was released by Dark Horse Comics as an oversized hardback in December 2022. He wrote and illustrated this large-scale sci-fi work.
"What a fantastic read!" � Patton Oswalt
"I had the best time reading this graphic novel. I never knew where it was going or how." � Brian Michael Bendis
His debut graphic novel, Forbidden Surgeries of the Hideous Dr. Divinus and his crime book The Slanted Gutter came out in 2021.
Praise for his other books:
"Whether writing westerns, science fiction, or crime, Zahler (Corpus Chrome, Inc., 2013) always manages to bring something new to the genre. [We fell] completely under Zahler’s spell... A bravura literary performance.� —Booklist, Starred Review
"Zahler tells a gripping story." � Kirkus Review
"Five-plus stars to Hug Chickenpenny. Complex, well-drawn characterizations, compelling imagery and a well-ordered story..." � Publishers Daily Reviews
"Zahler’s mean streets are bizarrely mean. But Mean Business is often mordantly funny, too—and not to be missed." Booklist, starred review
“CORPUS CHROME, INC describes one of the weirder post-singularity futures. The characters are very much alive. I was entertained throughout.� —Larry Niven, Hugo & Nebula award winning author
"Zahler's a fabulous story teller..." Kurt Russell, star of Escape from New York, Tombstone, and Stargate
My dark western Wraiths of the Broken Land is also available in trade paperback, hardback and ebook editions. Below is some praise from Joe R. Lansdale, Booklist, Jack Ketchum, and Ed Lee:
"If you’re looking for something similar to what you’ve read before, this ain’t it. If you want something comforting and predictable, this damn sure ain’t it. But if you want something with storytelling guts and a weird point of view, an unforgettable voice, then you want what I want, and that is this." –Joe R. Lansdale, author of The Bottoms, Mucho Mojo, and Savage Season
"It would be utterly insufficient to say that WRAITHS is the most diversified and expertly written western I’ve ever read." –Edward Lee, author of The Bighead and Gast.
"[C]ompulsively readable�. Fans of Zahler’s A Congregation of Jackals (2010) will be satisfied; think Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained. [C]lever mayhem ... leads to a riveting climax." –Booklist
"WRAITHS always rings true, whether it's visiting the depths of despair, the fury of violence, or the fragile ties that bind us together for good or ill. It's a Western with heart and intelligence, always vivid, with characters you will detest or care about or both, powerfully written." –Jack Ketchum, author of Off Season and The Girl Next Door
Novelist and cartoonist S. Craig Zahler is also the screenwriter, director, and musical co-composer for the movies, Bone Tomahawk, Brawl in Cell Block 99, and Dragged Across Concrete. His second graphic novel Organisms from an Ancient Cosmos was released by Dark Horse Comics as an oversized hardback in December 2022. He wrote and illustrated this large-scale sci-fi work.
"What a fantastic read!" � Patton Oswalt
"I had the best time reading this graphic novel. I never knew where it was going or how." � Brian Michael Bendis
His debut graphic novel, Forbidden Surgeries of the Hideous Dr. Divinus and his crime book The Slanted Gutter came out in 2021.
Praise for his other books:
"Whether writing westerns, science fiction, or crime, Zahler (Corpus Chrome, Inc., 2013) always manages to bring something new to the genre. [We fell] completely under Zahler’s spell... A bravura literary performance.� —Booklist, Starred Review
"Zahler tells a gripping story." � Kirkus Review
"Five-plus stars to Hug Chickenpenny. Complex, well-drawn characterizations, compelling imagery and a well-ordered story..." � Publishers Daily Reviews
"Zahler’s mean streets are bizarrely mean. But Mean Business is often mordantly funny, too—and not to be missed." Booklist, starred review
“CORPUS CHROME, INC describes one of the weirder post-singularity futures. The characters are very much alive. I was entertained throughout.� —Larry Niven, Hugo & Nebula award winning author
"Zahler's a fabulous story teller..." Kurt Russell, star of Escape from New York, Tombstone, and Stargate
My dark western Wraiths of the Broken Land is also available in trade paperback, hardback and ebook editions. Below is some praise from Joe R. Lansdale, Booklist, Jack Ketchum, and Ed Lee:
"If you’re looking for something similar to what you’ve read before, this ain’t it. If you want something comforting and predictable, this damn sure ain’t it. But if you want something with storytelling guts and a weird point of view, an unforgettable voice, then you want what I want, and that is this." –Joe R. Lansdale, author of The Bottoms, Mucho Mojo, and Savage Season
"It would be utterly insufficient to say that WRAITHS is the most diversified and expertly written western I’ve ever read." –Edward Lee, author of The Bighead and Gast.
"[C]ompulsively readable�. Fans of Zahler’s A Congregation of Jackals (2010) will be satisfied; think Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained. [C]lever mayhem ... leads to a riveting climax." –Booklist
"WRAITHS always rings true, whether it's visiting the depths of despair, the fury of violence, or the fragile ties that bind us together for good or ill. It's a Western with heart and intelligence, always vivid, with characters you will detest or care about or both, powerfully written." –Jack Ketchum, author of Off Season and The Girl Next Door
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 225 reviews
June 12, 2023
"Men this deep in darkness did not fear being apprehended; they welcomed the challenge of lawmen, courted violence and relished their own infamy."
4.5🌟'
Initial Thoughts
It's time for June on the Range 2023. A month of none stop westerns. It's an event created by Michael K Vaughan and promoted by Criminolly, who both have successful YouTube channels that focus on the most important thing in the world...books!
The western genre was huge during the 70s and 80s. My grandfather was a huge fan and I remember watching all the Clint Eastwood and John Wayne movies with him. But there has definitely been a decline in popularity during the twenty-first century. Why that is I don't want to go into, but what I do want is to remind myself what it was that made westerns such a big hit. Starting with a modern take with S. Craig Zahler's A Congregation of Jackals.
If you don't know this author, he's the guy who written and directed Bone Tomahawk starring Kurt Russell. Great movie by the way. He's all about a gritty, violent style of western and doesn't subscribe to the classic, hero in a white hat that became popular with The Lone Ranger. Its realistic, savage and just what the sawbone ordered. Give me some of that!
The Story
The year is 1888 and things are looking good for rancher and family man Oswell Danford, with the shadows of a dark and dastardly past well behind him. That's until he receives a telegram from his old friendJim Lingham inviting him to his wedding in the Montana territory. But years have past since the last time the pair have heard from each other. Something suspicious is definitely going on.
Oswell used to run in the "Tall Boxer gang" with Lingham and New York playboy Dicky Sterling back in the day. Down on their luck they robbed the odd bank and general store as a way of getting by until they fell in with a sadistic and evil son of a bitch by the name of Quinlan who took them all down a very dark road. Thats until things got a little bit hairy and the friends double crossed him before getting the hell out of dodge. But it turns out you can't escape your past and Mr Quinlan is hungry for revenge and the reason Oswell has received an invite. If you've seen Game of Thrones you know how messy these type of weddings can get.
The Writing
Zahler has a very cinematic style with bold and graphic descriptions. Just what you'd expect from a director and screenwriter. What you're getting is a very grim and violent take on the Wild West. It's a place where evil breeds in those sunscorched planes and bad men are ready to cut your throat just to pass the time. Zahler has created a vivid and dangerous world that is so easy to visualise.
The pacing is excellent, starting off slowly as Zahler expertly builds the tension up to a blockbusting climax. He gives you time to get to know the characters, while periodically including some scenes of extreme violence. There's a mounting sense of dread and you can feel that evil presence looming on the horizon. It's so well done.
Zahler goes down the epistolary route to getting the backstory across and this works fantastically well. Oswell takes timeout to write to his wife and open up on his misdeeds to leave her in no illusion of the man she married. A final confession if you will that will be delivered in the event of his death. Did I mention how bleak this story is?
"I suppose the real reason I went and wrote this is that I want you to move on with your life now that I'm dead and I figured it might be easier for you to take a new husband if you knew about what I'd done. I hope you and the kids have happy lives.
Oswell."
The Characters
The characters in this one are surprisingly well done and I was surprised how attached I got to them. It's essential in my opinion if a story is to have a last impact and A Congregation of Jackals certainly does. They are all well rounded and fleshed out. Despite all being capable of violent and despicable acts they have a depth and quality that exudes humanity. Despite being flawed they each had elements of goodness. I certainly sympathised with the main characters plight despite being aware that each had a dark past and it's a great skill from any author to make you care about characters who aren't necessarily good people.
Star of the show had to be professional card sharp Dicky Sterling. The man with a boy's name. Intelligent, funny and certainly charming...particularly with the ladies...he has bags of personality that added real entertainment to any scene he was included in. Despite having an ego, he was also surprisingly relatable as you gain insight into his insecurities that helps explain his behaviour. He's a complex individual and although he's not a good man, he's not all bad.
The dialogue is crisp, sharp and realistic. There's some great lines and it has the feel of a Tarantino movie with some of the best scenes revolving around conversations as well as action.
"I've been a good Christian for a long time now"
"A long time is not the same as always."
Final Thoughts
A Congregation of Jackals is a perfect title for this brilliant Western, as this is a book that's littered with bad people. Even the ones that think they're the good guys. But it's refreshing to get a western that departs from the hero in a white Stetson to give us something that's a lot more gritty and realistic. With the level of violence it's not for the faint hearted and would certainly be appreciated by fans of horror. It's books like this that remind me why you need to switch off the TV and read a book instead.
Admittedly, the open is a touch slow and there's certainly a good deal of build-up to the final confrontation. This may be too much for some readers but I don't think that will apply to many as it's well written and the ending itself is something special.
With the author being a successful director it's not hard to imagine seeing this one adapted to the big screen. Preferably by Zahler himself and I for one would be queuing up to watch it. If you enjoyed Bone Tomahawk or Tarantino's Django or Hateful Eight then you're going to love this one.
So now I'm going to have to have to track down everything Zahler has written and see if it lives up to the standard set in A Congregation of Jackals.
Thanks for reading and...cheers!
S. Craig Zahler
August 25, 2020
Tomorrow morning he would . . . board the continental rail and ride it to the western horizon, where his past awaited him like a dark room filled with bear traps.
Weddings are such tension filled occasions; so much can go wrong. The bride may flub her vows, or maybe when the minister asks anyone to "speak now or forever hold your peace" . . . someone will speak. Or, perhaps . . . an unspeakably evil villain from the groom's past will show up, and slaughter half the guests. Hey, it could happen, and pretty much does in this book that makes any wedding scene dreamed up by look like an ice cream social.
Back in the day, Beatrice's fiancé ran with a wild bunch called the Tall Boxer Gang. They were fairly small time criminals who did what they had to do. Then they hitched their wagon to another group, and all hell broke loose . . . almost literally. Now it's a few decades later, and the four original members of the gang are all (mostly) law abiding citizens. In fact, the tallest member of the gang is getting married. Too bad some uninvited guests plan on crashing the ceremony.
I bought this one shortly after reading the author's . Once again, I was treated to great characters, both honorable, and loathsome, some terrific dialogue, a few chuckles, and many, many HOLY CRAP! moments. As with Ganson Street, I'll issue a warning: Zahler is an author who GOES THERE, and then goes just a little bit further. The violence is off the charts, and bad, BAD things happen to horses, dogs, women, children, and churches.
The first half of the book is loaded with an almost unbearable tension: you KNOW something REALLY BAD is coming. Once you get to the day of the wedding, you'd better set aside about two hours, 'cause you will not be able to put the book down. This is a western that reads like a horror story, and you will not be able to "unsee" some of the things you read. I was up late finishing this, then I was too wound up to sleep, and then I had bad dreams. If that's the kind of read you're looking for, this book is the answer to your prayers.
I gotta go lie down for a while.
Weddings are such tension filled occasions; so much can go wrong. The bride may flub her vows, or maybe when the minister asks anyone to "speak now or forever hold your peace" . . . someone will speak. Or, perhaps . . . an unspeakably evil villain from the groom's past will show up, and slaughter half the guests. Hey, it could happen, and pretty much does in this book that makes any wedding scene dreamed up by look like an ice cream social.
Back in the day, Beatrice's fiancé ran with a wild bunch called the Tall Boxer Gang. They were fairly small time criminals who did what they had to do. Then they hitched their wagon to another group, and all hell broke loose . . . almost literally. Now it's a few decades later, and the four original members of the gang are all (mostly) law abiding citizens. In fact, the tallest member of the gang is getting married. Too bad some uninvited guests plan on crashing the ceremony.
I bought this one shortly after reading the author's . Once again, I was treated to great characters, both honorable, and loathsome, some terrific dialogue, a few chuckles, and many, many HOLY CRAP! moments. As with Ganson Street, I'll issue a warning: Zahler is an author who GOES THERE, and then goes just a little bit further. The violence is off the charts, and bad, BAD things happen to horses, dogs, women, children, and churches.
The first half of the book is loaded with an almost unbearable tension: you KNOW something REALLY BAD is coming. Once you get to the day of the wedding, you'd better set aside about two hours, 'cause you will not be able to put the book down. This is a western that reads like a horror story, and you will not be able to "unsee" some of the things you read. I was up late finishing this, then I was too wound up to sleep, and then I had bad dreams. If that's the kind of read you're looking for, this book is the answer to your prayers.
I gotta go lie down for a while.
January 9, 2020
This is a dark, compelling and ultimately horrifying Western.
It is possibly the most violent novel I've ever read.
If any of Cormac McCarthy's Westerns were a little too gory or violent for you then avoid this novel like you'd avoid putting your hand inside the nest of a Gila monster.
I enjoyed this riveting Western very much but I must admit that when the going got horrific it was almost too intense a read. The depravity of the villains is unforgettably disturbing yet this novel contains remarkable dialogue and features likeable protagonists engaging in amusing asides throughout the novel.
Think of it as a cross between the movies THE WILD BUNCH, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, all of the SAW films, and THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE.
Consider this a warning.
It is possibly the most violent novel I've ever read.
If any of Cormac McCarthy's Westerns were a little too gory or violent for you then avoid this novel like you'd avoid putting your hand inside the nest of a Gila monster.
I enjoyed this riveting Western very much but I must admit that when the going got horrific it was almost too intense a read. The depravity of the villains is unforgettably disturbing yet this novel contains remarkable dialogue and features likeable protagonists engaging in amusing asides throughout the novel.
Think of it as a cross between the movies THE WILD BUNCH, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, all of the SAW films, and THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE.
Consider this a warning.
February 15, 2024
This was less bleak and more of a slow burn than I was expecting. Things didn't really get moving until the final few chapters. Despite the long buildup, which mostly succeeds in building tension, the climax is intensely shocking and gripping, dripping with explosive violence and gruesome savagery. It is a tale of ghosts from the dark, buried past come back to haunt the present, plumbing the depths of human depravity and the thin line of fate that is sometimes the only thing separating the righteous from the wicked.
October 25, 2016
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review!
I'm not a fan of westerns, but this was an outstanding book! Well-written, well-plotted, and shocking in its execution. There are some surprising plot twists, too. This is not a feel-good book by any means, but it's probably closer to what the Old West was like in reality rather than some other, more popular books/movies/TV shows.
I'm not a fan of westerns, but this was an outstanding book! Well-written, well-plotted, and shocking in its execution. There are some surprising plot twists, too. This is not a feel-good book by any means, but it's probably closer to what the Old West was like in reality rather than some other, more popular books/movies/TV shows.
June 29, 2011
5+ STARS
Let me first start off by saying that while I am an avid reader, I do not have a lot of experience with Westerns. However, the ones that I have read are not even in the same league as this book. And to be honest, neither is every other book I've read in the last few years, regardless of genre. I expect this book to be on most people's top 10 list of the year, and on some people's top 10 of all time. "Congregation Of Jackals" is that damn good.
What a tremendously groundbreaking and powerful novel Craig Zahler has written here. There are no weak areas in this work; from the uniquely rendered characters, layered with depth and a rich history, to the vivid landscapes, to the unrelenting danger that brings this nail biting story to a boil. This is not your father's western, that's for sure. Zahler smartly builds the suspense until it is nearly unbearable, and then he unleashes a cauldron of hellfire straight in your face. There are moments of such extreme violence that I found myself short of breath and hesitant to read on.
One of the highlights, for me, is the abundant vocabulary with which the author writes. It is a pleasure to read someone that has such a strong and confident grasp of the English language. If there is one book you read this year, this should be the one. "Congregation Of Jackals" gets my highest recommendation. I guarantee that you will love it.
Let me first start off by saying that while I am an avid reader, I do not have a lot of experience with Westerns. However, the ones that I have read are not even in the same league as this book. And to be honest, neither is every other book I've read in the last few years, regardless of genre. I expect this book to be on most people's top 10 list of the year, and on some people's top 10 of all time. "Congregation Of Jackals" is that damn good.
What a tremendously groundbreaking and powerful novel Craig Zahler has written here. There are no weak areas in this work; from the uniquely rendered characters, layered with depth and a rich history, to the vivid landscapes, to the unrelenting danger that brings this nail biting story to a boil. This is not your father's western, that's for sure. Zahler smartly builds the suspense until it is nearly unbearable, and then he unleashes a cauldron of hellfire straight in your face. There are moments of such extreme violence that I found myself short of breath and hesitant to read on.
One of the highlights, for me, is the abundant vocabulary with which the author writes. It is a pleasure to read someone that has such a strong and confident grasp of the English language. If there is one book you read this year, this should be the one. "Congregation Of Jackals" gets my highest recommendation. I guarantee that you will love it.
March 11, 2011
Violent and gruesome, "A Congregation of Jackals" is as modern a take on the Western as but one that overlays the standard tropes of the genre with a barbarism that seems believable for its mid-19th century setting and that gives readers a sense that the "lawless" West may have been far less romantic than they imagine. The novel is essentially one long draw toward a brutal climax, but characters along the way are exceptionally well crafted -- particularly the womanizing Dickey and the soulless villain Quinlan. Even incidental characters are given depth and an aura of existence beyond the plot.
Also admirable is Zahler's portrayals of African-Americans who, despite the racism of the times, were never set-up as simple scenery or "color" for the story, or portrayed as inferior outside of their immediate circumstance. It's a subtle line that the author never crosses and makes Jackals all the more enjoyable. have been far less deft in their treatment of the racial divide in the Old West. Zahler deserves recognition for his first novel on several levels.
Also admirable is Zahler's portrayals of African-Americans who, despite the racism of the times, were never set-up as simple scenery or "color" for the story, or portrayed as inferior outside of their immediate circumstance. It's a subtle line that the author never crosses and makes Jackals all the more enjoyable. have been far less deft in their treatment of the racial divide in the Old West. Zahler deserves recognition for his first novel on several levels.
September 1, 2024
A violent, gritty, western. Just as I knew it would be. From the writer/director of the movie Bone Tomahawk.
I knew this would be a wild ride and it did not disappoint. Not for the squeamish.
A rough outlaw gang had gone straight 10 years ago but a rival bunch wanted to meet up for revenge. They were to be at a big wedding event and have it out.
Dusty, dirty, pain, shooting, chasing, fighting, you name it. It’s all here.
Eagerly on to 5 or so other Zahler books!
I knew this would be a wild ride and it did not disappoint. Not for the squeamish.
A rough outlaw gang had gone straight 10 years ago but a rival bunch wanted to meet up for revenge. They were to be at a big wedding event and have it out.
Dusty, dirty, pain, shooting, chasing, fighting, you name it. It’s all here.
Eagerly on to 5 or so other Zahler books!
March 13, 2025
Gutted that I didn't enjoy this at all. I wasn't a fan of the writing style or the characters really, which is a shame considering Bone Tomahawk is one of my favourite films.
May 11, 2024
3.5 stars
"A good read, a book true to its genre. Nothing more, nothing less.
Even though I felt a lag in the middle, it was like watching a movie with interesting characters and a good revenge plot.
Sometimes the author attempted to demonstrate the brutality of characters by depicting them committing brutal acts for their survival, but I find it logically implausible. No one could endure such pain and survive."
"A good read, a book true to its genre. Nothing more, nothing less.
Even though I felt a lag in the middle, it was like watching a movie with interesting characters and a good revenge plot.
Sometimes the author attempted to demonstrate the brutality of characters by depicting them committing brutal acts for their survival, but I find it logically implausible. No one could endure such pain and survive."
November 15, 2015
It seems pretty clear why Zahler made the jump to screenwriting; his dialogue, sense of scene, and characterization are top notch. The weak spot, in my opinion, is his prose. I am all for the $5 word, but pick your spots, man! In all fairness, I read this immediately after Guthrie's "Big Sky", so the bar may have been set a little high going in. That said, there was enough here to justify checking out his other books. I suspect that his later work will be a bit more polished.
August 16, 2014
I can describe this book in words: astounding, horrifying, gripping, grotesque,redemption, bravery, savagery.
My head is still reeling.
There was a line in the book by a Mrs. Meredith Everston that sums it up perfectly; "That is an extraordinarily evocative chiller."
My head is still reeling.
There was a line in the book by a Mrs. Meredith Everston that sums it up perfectly; "That is an extraordinarily evocative chiller."
September 28, 2021
This review is also available in video form:
This is a western in the same vein as S. Craig Zahler's follow-up novel Wraiths of the Broken Land and his debut film Bone Tomahawk. I find it odd that Wraiths of the Broken Land tends to be categorized as a horror western, while A Congregation of Jackals is often categorized as a noir western instead. The two feel very much in line tonally to me. As far as I see it, any horror elements present in Wraiths of the Broken Land are also present in A Congregation of Jackals, though perhaps not quite as oppressively ever-present.
A Congregation of Jackals and Wraiths of the Broken Land along with Bone Tomahawk complement all each other well and share a similar aim, tone, feeling, and style. Zahler has said they do form a sort of western trilogy in spirit despite telling unrelated stories with entirely different casts of characters. He’s mentioned doing more westerns in one form or another in the future, and I think that would be great to see, as the western genre is one that Zahler truly excels in. Hopefully, The Brigands of Rattleborge or Rattlecreek or whatever it winds up being called still gets made eventually too.
A Congregation of Jackals was S. Craig Zahler’s first novel, or at least his first published novel. Before this, he wrote a fantasy epic that hasn’t seen the light of day. I actually read the first half of A Congregation of Jackals twice before reading the second half. I happened to check it out of a library shortly before moving and had to return it before I made it all the way through. I wrote down the page number I got to, then ordered my own copy. When it arrived, I thought about just picking up from where I left off, but then I thought, ah screw it, and started from the beginning again. And, I can report that it was no less gripping on a second readthrough.
If you’ve seen my other reviews, then you know I don’t really get into many plot details usually. A lot of reviews I see tend to mostly just be plot summaries and then they give an arbitrary score at the end. That’s what you do when you’re a critic who doesn’t know how to properly critique what you’re talking about or you’re a critic who's lazy and just trying to pad out a wordcount. That’s not what a review is to me. If you’re looking for a recounting of the plot points, then just read the book. That said, I’m going to reveal pretty much nothing about the plot. There are so many great moments, reveals, character turns, and story developments throughout these pages, and I don’t want to rob anyone watching this video who hasn’t read the book yet of getting the full experience.
This is a well-rounded ensemble cast of characters, both on the protagonist side and on the antagonist side, though we learn far more about the former. It essentially boils down to gang vs. gang, but they’re more like “gangs� in past-tense both sides are mere shadows of their former selves, except one side is haunted by the death and destruction they wrought, and the other side misses it.
Zahler’s masterful flair for violence is here in full force, right from his very first novel, though much of it is stored up for the latter half of the book. Much of the first two-thirds of the book serves as pitch-perfect buildup for the horrifically violent showdown that stretches throughout the entire closing third of the novel. There is some stuff in here that is as brutal as anything Zahler has written. For those of you who have already read the book, I’ll just say, the thing with the fishhooks? My God was that a tough mental image.
There’s one chapter in particular that I wanted to highlight as it stands out completely from the rest of the book, and that’s the chapter in the hotel with the character of Blackie. Though one of the main characters is present in this chapter with Blackie, the chapter as a whole has little to no bearing on the rest of the story being told. It functions in isolation from the rest of the narrative and plays out like a self-contained vignette with its own beginning middle and end. It’s a beautiful little one-act play of romance and heartache and longing sandwiched in the middle of this violent western that it feels distinctly apart from rather than a part of. It almost feels like an unrelated short story that was given a tenuous connection to the other characters to be made relevant. But, despite how out of place it seems, it just might be my favorite chapter of the book. The emotions expressed in this passage are so diametrically opposed to what the rest of the book explores that makes for a great change of a piece or perhaps a brief patch of pleasant respite before the cacophony of violence that follows. And, the way this vignette closes is just sublime.
At the start of the book, we’re sort of presented with what I would consider two main protagonists in Oswell and Dicky, though if there’s a single central protagonist, it’s Oswell. I expected to like Oswell and not be quite as sympathetic to Dicky while still enjoying his exceptionally witty badinage. However, over the course of the book, my feelings toward these two completely switched places. I ended up kind of hating Oswell a little bit by the end for one particular thing he does in the midst of the big showdown. And I wound up both feeling extremely bad for and rooting for Dicky far more than I expected to. The way he’s set up at the start as a flippant womanizer made him out to be someone I didn’t think I could possibly root for more than everyone else involved, but Zahler pulled it off beautifully.
A similar shift happened with my feelings toward the protagonist of Zahler’s The Slanted Gutter over a particular decision as with Oswell. Now, some people might hear me say I wound up kind of hating the protagonist by the end and think that constitutes a major fault in the book, and for some readers that might be the case, but that’s absolutely not the way I see it. Yes, the character did something I seriously disliked, but I don’t go into fiction wanting characters to only ever do things I agree with. It was a decision I disliked, but it was a decision that came from a place of character. It’s the choice this particular person in this particular situation would make and it’s nothing if not believable and rooted in truth. It’s something I love about Zahler’s writing, that he doesn’t play anything safe, and that his characters make surprising, unexpected decisions that always feel true to who they are. It’s part of what makes his stories so unpredictable in a way that feels genuine and thriller and never engineered or manipulative.
A Congregation of Jackals can go toe-to-toe with any of Zahler’s other novels, and it’s definitely one of my favorites. I already look forward to reading the first half for a third time and the second half for a second time.
This is a western in the same vein as S. Craig Zahler's follow-up novel Wraiths of the Broken Land and his debut film Bone Tomahawk. I find it odd that Wraiths of the Broken Land tends to be categorized as a horror western, while A Congregation of Jackals is often categorized as a noir western instead. The two feel very much in line tonally to me. As far as I see it, any horror elements present in Wraiths of the Broken Land are also present in A Congregation of Jackals, though perhaps not quite as oppressively ever-present.
A Congregation of Jackals and Wraiths of the Broken Land along with Bone Tomahawk complement all each other well and share a similar aim, tone, feeling, and style. Zahler has said they do form a sort of western trilogy in spirit despite telling unrelated stories with entirely different casts of characters. He’s mentioned doing more westerns in one form or another in the future, and I think that would be great to see, as the western genre is one that Zahler truly excels in. Hopefully, The Brigands of Rattleborge or Rattlecreek or whatever it winds up being called still gets made eventually too.
A Congregation of Jackals was S. Craig Zahler’s first novel, or at least his first published novel. Before this, he wrote a fantasy epic that hasn’t seen the light of day. I actually read the first half of A Congregation of Jackals twice before reading the second half. I happened to check it out of a library shortly before moving and had to return it before I made it all the way through. I wrote down the page number I got to, then ordered my own copy. When it arrived, I thought about just picking up from where I left off, but then I thought, ah screw it, and started from the beginning again. And, I can report that it was no less gripping on a second readthrough.
If you’ve seen my other reviews, then you know I don’t really get into many plot details usually. A lot of reviews I see tend to mostly just be plot summaries and then they give an arbitrary score at the end. That’s what you do when you’re a critic who doesn’t know how to properly critique what you’re talking about or you’re a critic who's lazy and just trying to pad out a wordcount. That’s not what a review is to me. If you’re looking for a recounting of the plot points, then just read the book. That said, I’m going to reveal pretty much nothing about the plot. There are so many great moments, reveals, character turns, and story developments throughout these pages, and I don’t want to rob anyone watching this video who hasn’t read the book yet of getting the full experience.
This is a well-rounded ensemble cast of characters, both on the protagonist side and on the antagonist side, though we learn far more about the former. It essentially boils down to gang vs. gang, but they’re more like “gangs� in past-tense both sides are mere shadows of their former selves, except one side is haunted by the death and destruction they wrought, and the other side misses it.
Zahler’s masterful flair for violence is here in full force, right from his very first novel, though much of it is stored up for the latter half of the book. Much of the first two-thirds of the book serves as pitch-perfect buildup for the horrifically violent showdown that stretches throughout the entire closing third of the novel. There is some stuff in here that is as brutal as anything Zahler has written. For those of you who have already read the book, I’ll just say, the thing with the fishhooks? My God was that a tough mental image.
There’s one chapter in particular that I wanted to highlight as it stands out completely from the rest of the book, and that’s the chapter in the hotel with the character of Blackie. Though one of the main characters is present in this chapter with Blackie, the chapter as a whole has little to no bearing on the rest of the story being told. It functions in isolation from the rest of the narrative and plays out like a self-contained vignette with its own beginning middle and end. It’s a beautiful little one-act play of romance and heartache and longing sandwiched in the middle of this violent western that it feels distinctly apart from rather than a part of. It almost feels like an unrelated short story that was given a tenuous connection to the other characters to be made relevant. But, despite how out of place it seems, it just might be my favorite chapter of the book. The emotions expressed in this passage are so diametrically opposed to what the rest of the book explores that makes for a great change of a piece or perhaps a brief patch of pleasant respite before the cacophony of violence that follows. And, the way this vignette closes is just sublime.
At the start of the book, we’re sort of presented with what I would consider two main protagonists in Oswell and Dicky, though if there’s a single central protagonist, it’s Oswell. I expected to like Oswell and not be quite as sympathetic to Dicky while still enjoying his exceptionally witty badinage. However, over the course of the book, my feelings toward these two completely switched places. I ended up kind of hating Oswell a little bit by the end for one particular thing he does in the midst of the big showdown. And I wound up both feeling extremely bad for and rooting for Dicky far more than I expected to. The way he’s set up at the start as a flippant womanizer made him out to be someone I didn’t think I could possibly root for more than everyone else involved, but Zahler pulled it off beautifully.
A similar shift happened with my feelings toward the protagonist of Zahler’s The Slanted Gutter over a particular decision as with Oswell. Now, some people might hear me say I wound up kind of hating the protagonist by the end and think that constitutes a major fault in the book, and for some readers that might be the case, but that’s absolutely not the way I see it. Yes, the character did something I seriously disliked, but I don’t go into fiction wanting characters to only ever do things I agree with. It was a decision I disliked, but it was a decision that came from a place of character. It’s the choice this particular person in this particular situation would make and it’s nothing if not believable and rooted in truth. It’s something I love about Zahler’s writing, that he doesn’t play anything safe, and that his characters make surprising, unexpected decisions that always feel true to who they are. It’s part of what makes his stories so unpredictable in a way that feels genuine and thriller and never engineered or manipulative.
A Congregation of Jackals can go toe-to-toe with any of Zahler’s other novels, and it’s definitely one of my favorites. I already look forward to reading the first half for a third time and the second half for a second time.
February 29, 2016
I was thinking that Quentin Tarantino would have a field day with this as a movie. Then I discovered the author, S. Craig Zahler has actually directed a couple of movies himself.
A Congregation of Jackals' is a brutal western, reminiscent in a small way of 'Lonesome Dove.' Although I certainly wouldn't classify it as a romance, one of the central plot elements is a wedding between Beatrice, daughter of T.W. Jefferies, the town sheriff, and reformed outlaw, James Lingham. The story centers around James and his fellow past outlaws, all of them reformed. Oswell Danford is a forty seven year old rancher with a wife and two children, who know nothing of his past. Oswell's brother, Godfrey, rode with him back in their outlaw days. As did Richard Sterling, 'Dicky.' Zahler builds these four complex characters with great deliberation, until the reader understands their motivations and character. Even though they did very bad things when they were outlaws, I felt myself pulling for them to be able to extricate themselves from the terrible revenge that rose up out of their past and came calling for them. The plot is tight and suspenseful and the character building is excellent. T.W. Jefferies, as town sheriff is dependable and responsible; he wishes for nothing more than the happiness of his daughter. His deputy, Goodstead, is described as having a blank face. I kept wondering who in the heck would play this character if a movie was made. I imagine his face looking as though his mind is kind of empty; however, he's very intelligent and I found myself rooting for him too. Although Dicky is a womanizer and very shallow, we see his character grow during the time span of the novel. And then there's the really, really bad outlaws. In a little vignette at the beginning of the novel, we see the two twins, Arthur, and 'the talker' engage with a newlywed couple. Zahler sets the scene thus"
"The couple from Arizona gazed upon the weathered arrivals, surveying the guns in their holsters, the spurs that were long and unnecessarily cruel, the yellow gloves that were stained brown with what might have been dried blood, the dark coats ragged with wear, the cracked faces submerged beneath prickly beards and the long black hair that twined and trailed from beneath their broad brown hats and dripped like candle wax in oily tangles about their shoulders. Their striking resemblance was beyond coincidence: they were identical twins."
Zahler's descriptive passages flow easily and engage the reader. Besides being a director, Zahler has also worn the cinematographer's hat. I see him setting up scenes like he's pointing a camera, focusing in tight and then pulling back to give the reader a sense of things, a sense of place, and frequently a sense of unease. The weighty burden of 'something bad is coming' builds to a crescendo. Even so, there are moments of redemption. The subtlety of them seems quite profound.
This is the kind of book that sticks in your mind. Someone described it as western horror. I ask myself why I read these kinds of books. Why do I want to look into the horrific nature of the bad that people can do? What good can come from it? I think it's those subtle moments of redemption, of character growth, and of a character's reconciliation of his life and being (in this story, a reconciliation of one's past with their present). The western genre, done right, speaks to me, as well. About resilience, fortitude, and just plain ole survival.
A Congregation of Jackals' is a brutal western, reminiscent in a small way of 'Lonesome Dove.' Although I certainly wouldn't classify it as a romance, one of the central plot elements is a wedding between Beatrice, daughter of T.W. Jefferies, the town sheriff, and reformed outlaw, James Lingham. The story centers around James and his fellow past outlaws, all of them reformed. Oswell Danford is a forty seven year old rancher with a wife and two children, who know nothing of his past. Oswell's brother, Godfrey, rode with him back in their outlaw days. As did Richard Sterling, 'Dicky.' Zahler builds these four complex characters with great deliberation, until the reader understands their motivations and character. Even though they did very bad things when they were outlaws, I felt myself pulling for them to be able to extricate themselves from the terrible revenge that rose up out of their past and came calling for them. The plot is tight and suspenseful and the character building is excellent. T.W. Jefferies, as town sheriff is dependable and responsible; he wishes for nothing more than the happiness of his daughter. His deputy, Goodstead, is described as having a blank face. I kept wondering who in the heck would play this character if a movie was made. I imagine his face looking as though his mind is kind of empty; however, he's very intelligent and I found myself rooting for him too. Although Dicky is a womanizer and very shallow, we see his character grow during the time span of the novel. And then there's the really, really bad outlaws. In a little vignette at the beginning of the novel, we see the two twins, Arthur, and 'the talker' engage with a newlywed couple. Zahler sets the scene thus"
"The couple from Arizona gazed upon the weathered arrivals, surveying the guns in their holsters, the spurs that were long and unnecessarily cruel, the yellow gloves that were stained brown with what might have been dried blood, the dark coats ragged with wear, the cracked faces submerged beneath prickly beards and the long black hair that twined and trailed from beneath their broad brown hats and dripped like candle wax in oily tangles about their shoulders. Their striking resemblance was beyond coincidence: they were identical twins."
Zahler's descriptive passages flow easily and engage the reader. Besides being a director, Zahler has also worn the cinematographer's hat. I see him setting up scenes like he's pointing a camera, focusing in tight and then pulling back to give the reader a sense of things, a sense of place, and frequently a sense of unease. The weighty burden of 'something bad is coming' builds to a crescendo. Even so, there are moments of redemption. The subtlety of them seems quite profound.
This is the kind of book that sticks in your mind. Someone described it as western horror. I ask myself why I read these kinds of books. Why do I want to look into the horrific nature of the bad that people can do? What good can come from it? I think it's those subtle moments of redemption, of character growth, and of a character's reconciliation of his life and being (in this story, a reconciliation of one's past with their present). The western genre, done right, speaks to me, as well. About resilience, fortitude, and just plain ole survival.
July 24, 2018
It took me months to get through the first three quarters of the book, then one night to get through the rest. That's not because it wasn't a good book or was boring. Those first three quarters were just too tense. I knew something bad was going to happen, like a car wreck in slow motion, like a deer in the headlights. I had to take breaks. I grew familiar with these bad men who tried to do right later in life. Who regretted past mistakes and were trying to redeem themselves in their own ways. Tragic men. I didn't want to see what was going to happen. I wanted to postpone it for as long as I could. Then the wedding kicks off and $! goes down. From there, I couldn't stop reading to see how it would end, finishing it in one night. I had to watch videos of kittens playing with baby goats afterwards in order to come out of my depression and calm my nerves.
February 8, 2011
Wow...what a book. During the first few chapters you notice the rich prose and I almost thought the author was trying a little to hard, but soon you just fall into the story and are enveloped in the wonderfully gritty and and in some cases grotesque scenes. The story moves fast and gripped me from the start. Truly one of the best page turners I have read in a long time. I have heard virtually no hype for this book and was so lucky to come across it. If you want a disturbing, gritty western that grabs you and doesn't let go pick this up immediately.
March 15, 2024
This isn’t about the book per se but I’m confused about this dude’s career. Is he blacklisted? Unlucky? Uncompromising? All his movies seem to get scrapped and his scripts that have been bought by big name directors haven’t gotten made. Meanwhile he’s writing new novels that he apparently can’t get publishing for. Makes no sense.
January 9, 2024
Une longue scène d’introduction incroyable, digne des meilleurs films de Tarantino.
D’autres scènes d’action marquantes. Un western noir de qualité.
Mais beaucoup trop de passages qui captaient difficilement mon intérêt 🤷♀�
D’autres scènes d’action marquantes. Un western noir de qualité.
Mais beaucoup trop de passages qui captaient difficilement mon intérêt 🤷♀�
July 29, 2023
I did really enjoy this book, but considering I gave Wraiths of a Broken Land five stars, because it was exceptional, I’ve settled on four for this offering.
It was a fast paced western novel, full of brutality and deceit and villainous characters as well as sprawling landscapes and a huge set piece� it had a bit of everything and if you’ve read it and I say wooden fishing lure then you know what I’m talking about, if you don’t, you’ll find out - that scene did make me feel pretty queasy and I’m a hard person to make feel queasy� so hats off to the author on that one!
It’s a great book but I preferred Wraiths for various reasons, but if you’re a fan of horror westerns then this should be on your reading list� go check it out!
It was a fast paced western novel, full of brutality and deceit and villainous characters as well as sprawling landscapes and a huge set piece� it had a bit of everything and if you’ve read it and I say wooden fishing lure then you know what I’m talking about, if you don’t, you’ll find out - that scene did make me feel pretty queasy and I’m a hard person to make feel queasy� so hats off to the author on that one!
It’s a great book but I preferred Wraiths for various reasons, but if you’re a fan of horror westerns then this should be on your reading list� go check it out!
August 14, 2024
4.5 - woahhhh okay so since starting this book I’ve also watched Bone Tomahawk and I gotta say…I did not think I was a Western gal but I’m now the newest Zahler fan! His characters don’t say cheesy shit before shooting the bad guy, they seem like real, believable people. The violence is unsparing (to say the least) and I was cringing for about the last 150 pages - be warned!
February 17, 2022
Well…that was rough, but that’s hardly a surprise for anyone that’s seen dude’s movies. The fun purple prose and extreme bad-guyery and tension made this a really fast and gripping read. Recommended to fans of westerns, extremely bad behavior and of course people who like Zahler’s movies.
May 19, 2019
A Congregation of Jackals from Craig S. Zahler is a masterclass in the western genre. A novel that is a step above the rest. A story that uses many of the western tropes you know, but in new ways.
From it’s opening scene Zahler paints a picture of a coming doom. The opening chapter of the book is an introduction to two key characters and it works as standalone short story. Zahler masterfully racks up the tension until the end. The first half of the book is mostly buildup to an impending wedding. Us and our characters know that something is coming for them and that it will most likely try to make its move at the wedding. The sense of dread that Zahler creates is second to none.
The dialogue is as authentic as you will find in a western. It should be noted that this is not a book for the faint of heart. Zahler writes scenes that would put George R.R Martin to shame. This is a violent story where not everyone has a happy ending. If you are familiar with his work you know what to expect when it come to the sheer violence he will show. Both the mental and physical violence are at extreme highs in this one.
Zahler isn’t interested in working in the often romanticized west. His characters operate in a mean world that is unforgiving. His protagonists aren’t goody two-shoes, but men who have committed some grave acts that would see them hang if ever found out. The antagonists are made in a similar way. Quinlan is no Ben Wade (3:10 to Yuma), a man who despite being a “bad guy� acts with honor, does not hurt innocents and is respectful to women. Quinlan is a man who will do anything to get what he wants and will resort to straight barbarism if needed.
Won’t say more about the story due to spoilers but some other things worth noting:
Exposition. Organically delivering exposition in a story can become a tricky thing. How do you do it without disrupting the flow? Zahler finds a way to deliver us the backstory of our charts in a way that feels incredibly organic. In fact, the story would almost feel odd if the exposition did not happen in this specific way.
A story with the darkness of a Congregation of Jackals can become hard to read. There are some moments that are straight up chilling. Zahler peppers natural feeling humor throughout the story to give the readers a chance to read.
A Congregation of Jackals is a masterpiece. Zahler crafts a chilling tale of deception, savagery and redemption. If you want a romantic feeling story look elsewhere. This is a brutal tale that will leave many of our players in a worse place than when they started with few glimmers of hope. These characters will not be leaving my mind for a long time which is always the sign of a good story. Well done Zahler.
From it’s opening scene Zahler paints a picture of a coming doom. The opening chapter of the book is an introduction to two key characters and it works as standalone short story. Zahler masterfully racks up the tension until the end. The first half of the book is mostly buildup to an impending wedding. Us and our characters know that something is coming for them and that it will most likely try to make its move at the wedding. The sense of dread that Zahler creates is second to none.
The dialogue is as authentic as you will find in a western. It should be noted that this is not a book for the faint of heart. Zahler writes scenes that would put George R.R Martin to shame. This is a violent story where not everyone has a happy ending. If you are familiar with his work you know what to expect when it come to the sheer violence he will show. Both the mental and physical violence are at extreme highs in this one.
Zahler isn’t interested in working in the often romanticized west. His characters operate in a mean world that is unforgiving. His protagonists aren’t goody two-shoes, but men who have committed some grave acts that would see them hang if ever found out. The antagonists are made in a similar way. Quinlan is no Ben Wade (3:10 to Yuma), a man who despite being a “bad guy� acts with honor, does not hurt innocents and is respectful to women. Quinlan is a man who will do anything to get what he wants and will resort to straight barbarism if needed.
Won’t say more about the story due to spoilers but some other things worth noting:
Exposition. Organically delivering exposition in a story can become a tricky thing. How do you do it without disrupting the flow? Zahler finds a way to deliver us the backstory of our charts in a way that feels incredibly organic. In fact, the story would almost feel odd if the exposition did not happen in this specific way.
A story with the darkness of a Congregation of Jackals can become hard to read. There are some moments that are straight up chilling. Zahler peppers natural feeling humor throughout the story to give the readers a chance to read.
A Congregation of Jackals is a masterpiece. Zahler crafts a chilling tale of deception, savagery and redemption. If you want a romantic feeling story look elsewhere. This is a brutal tale that will leave many of our players in a worse place than when they started with few glimmers of hope. These characters will not be leaving my mind for a long time which is always the sign of a good story. Well done Zahler.
February 11, 2014
This book is difficult to rate and review. I don't usually read westerns (those were for my grandfather) however when I originally saw this on goodreads, something kept drawing me to it. It is definitely not your typical western. It is brutal, savage, & graphic. This story had major potential. The premise behind the final product was brilliant. The delivery was decent however it could have been much better. Here's my opinion... (which you must want to know because you are reading my review, lol) The author should have worked a little harder at character development. It was difficult to care much about some of the characters as I didn't feel as if I knew them very well. Additionally, I think if the author would have inserted a bit more of a positive outcome (or outcomes) COUPLED with the gruesome nature of the book, it would have been a much more well rounded story. I think it would have compensated for the feelings of desolation & despair felt throughout the novel. I would probably rate this a 3 1/2 if there was a half star rating system however I am going to take it up a notch to a 4 because I don't think it deserves a 3. My interest throughout the story never waned. I would definitely read another book by this author. By the way, GREAT TITLE & cover.
January 30, 2022
Holy snapping duck shit, this was good!
Written by the bloke who delivered the grim horror western flick Bone Tomahawk, I was expecting a grim and gory experience. This ain't that. While it certainly has some nuggety moments, this is more a revenge and retribution yarn with a slow burn (but exquisite) first half and a page-turning, just-one-more-chapter-before-I-sleep second half, with a satisfying and earned ending.
Superb characterisation, palpable tension, shocking moments and some genuine pathos, this is an absolute pearler of a yarn. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Written by the bloke who delivered the grim horror western flick Bone Tomahawk, I was expecting a grim and gory experience. This ain't that. While it certainly has some nuggety moments, this is more a revenge and retribution yarn with a slow burn (but exquisite) first half and a page-turning, just-one-more-chapter-before-I-sleep second half, with a satisfying and earned ending.
Superb characterisation, palpable tension, shocking moments and some genuine pathos, this is an absolute pearler of a yarn. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
December 15, 2022
Probably my least favorite Zahler so far. Feels a lot more underdeveloped than his more recent output.
Nevertheless, still an easy 5 star and one of my top 10 for the year.
Zahler has skyrocketed to the top of my favorite authors list this past year and a half and I'm gonna be super sad after I finish 'Mean Business on North Ganson Street' and have to sit and wait for his next novel.
Nevertheless, still an easy 5 star and one of my top 10 for the year.
Zahler has skyrocketed to the top of my favorite authors list this past year and a half and I'm gonna be super sad after I finish 'Mean Business on North Ganson Street' and have to sit and wait for his next novel.
October 12, 2022
Pulp fiction. Like, literal pulp fiction. As in, bloody pulp. Yoiks.
March 18, 2020
Damn this guy can write. Last year I stumbled across this author and read 'Wraiths of the Broken Land' (which I gave 5*) and then watched Bone Tomahawk (excellent movie). I never knew I would enjoy 'westerns' this much but he makes them super entertaining. I didn't find Jackals as strong as Wraiths, but a really good read. Zahler does not hesitate to stray from the predictable which is what I like.
January 19, 2025
One of the greatest westerns of all time
June 24, 2017
PROS;
- Well-rounded characters. Zahler does a solid job of injecting sympathy into most of the lead and secondary characters. Goodstead and Dicky are particularly well written.
- Brutality is as creative as we've come to expect. Crimes well thought out and the sense of peril seems insurmountable at times, building great tension.
- The early scenes where T.W. expels the Frenchman were great.
- Depiction is vivid and unrelenting. Visceral and gorgeously described. Very exciting top read when the action is happening.
CONS (**POTENTIAL SPOILERS**);
- Slower paced than the rest of Zahler's work. Made for a slow read.
- Unlike Zahler's other western, Wraiths of the Broken Land, the women in ACoJ are not well rounded. Perhaps a reflection of the times, but this is fiction and artistic license is acceptable, so I would've appreciated a bit more punch in characters like Beatrice and Meredith. As it is they came across as polite, well-mannered facsimiles of each other. The one exception to this would be T.W.'s date with Meredith where we admittedly see more than one side to her - beyond that however, she and Beatrice fall a little flat.
- Once Quinlan and co. arrive, the tension mounts quickly, however there is a notable lack of foreboding and simmer in the build up to this. Not sure if this is because of the language used, through a lack of character reflection, or because such layering is simply absent, but I felt we would have benefited from a better growing sense of dread. As said above the exception here would be the Frenchman being ejected from town - the foreshadowing of this character prior to his introduction was brilliantly foreboding, but beyond that there was little like this example.
- I felt the final showdown between Dicky and Oswell could have been rationalised much better. Given their history that should have been a much more difficult decision for the victor, but as it was it transpired in a couple of short paragraphs. Again a lack of depth that would have gifted more gravitas to the situation. Might have benefitted from a short chase perhaps, just something to drag it out a bit and allow the reader to focus on these two characters and make it about them and not the larger group.
The above are minor gripes. The following two are a bit more substantial and justify the 3 stars;
- The editing is shocking. I don't know if it is this Kindle edition only (I do not intend to spend a couple hundred dollars on an earlier edition to find out!) but I was finding editorial oversights in every chapter, in the second half this seemed to be the case in every other page. I just hope no one was paid to do the job - if so I perhaps need a change in vocation.
- **BIG SPOILER** Throughout the novel, Oswell, Dicky et al refer to Quinlan's ferocity and nature on granular level, even advising T.W. in the latter chapters as to what the Irishman will do and why he will do it, ultimately describing his character, his methods and his limits. Even the description of this book cites that Oswell and Quinlan were old posse buddies. However they rode together ONCE. They did ONE job together and the Tall Boxer Gang were invited by Quinlan, not to join his crew, but to jointly execute the job and afterward go their separate ways. The point is Quinlan never knew any of the TBG on a personal level, never revealed his inner thoughts, motivations, history etc. to them - they worked with him once. So how on earth could any of them be in any sort of position to understand the mind of someone like that? All the knew was how ruthless and cunning and driven he was. Beyond that he was merely an acquaintance. In my view this story would have resonated much more powerfully if the TBG had been their entire collective crew (Oswell and Quinlan's respective groups as one) for the majority of their crimes until Quinlan took things to places Oswell, Godfrey, Dicky, James were unwilling to go. That would have made things all the more personal and justified Oswell's almost mystic ability to know Quinlan's every play.
All in all this was a decent read but I certainly preferred the characterisation, pace and tone in Wraiths.
- Well-rounded characters. Zahler does a solid job of injecting sympathy into most of the lead and secondary characters. Goodstead and Dicky are particularly well written.
- Brutality is as creative as we've come to expect. Crimes well thought out and the sense of peril seems insurmountable at times, building great tension.
- The early scenes where T.W. expels the Frenchman were great.
- Depiction is vivid and unrelenting. Visceral and gorgeously described. Very exciting top read when the action is happening.
CONS (**POTENTIAL SPOILERS**);
- Slower paced than the rest of Zahler's work. Made for a slow read.
- Unlike Zahler's other western, Wraiths of the Broken Land, the women in ACoJ are not well rounded. Perhaps a reflection of the times, but this is fiction and artistic license is acceptable, so I would've appreciated a bit more punch in characters like Beatrice and Meredith. As it is they came across as polite, well-mannered facsimiles of each other. The one exception to this would be T.W.'s date with Meredith where we admittedly see more than one side to her - beyond that however, she and Beatrice fall a little flat.
- Once Quinlan and co. arrive, the tension mounts quickly, however there is a notable lack of foreboding and simmer in the build up to this. Not sure if this is because of the language used, through a lack of character reflection, or because such layering is simply absent, but I felt we would have benefited from a better growing sense of dread. As said above the exception here would be the Frenchman being ejected from town - the foreshadowing of this character prior to his introduction was brilliantly foreboding, but beyond that there was little like this example.
- I felt the final showdown between Dicky and Oswell could have been rationalised much better. Given their history that should have been a much more difficult decision for the victor, but as it was it transpired in a couple of short paragraphs. Again a lack of depth that would have gifted more gravitas to the situation. Might have benefitted from a short chase perhaps, just something to drag it out a bit and allow the reader to focus on these two characters and make it about them and not the larger group.
The above are minor gripes. The following two are a bit more substantial and justify the 3 stars;
- The editing is shocking. I don't know if it is this Kindle edition only (I do not intend to spend a couple hundred dollars on an earlier edition to find out!) but I was finding editorial oversights in every chapter, in the second half this seemed to be the case in every other page. I just hope no one was paid to do the job - if so I perhaps need a change in vocation.
- **BIG SPOILER** Throughout the novel, Oswell, Dicky et al refer to Quinlan's ferocity and nature on granular level, even advising T.W. in the latter chapters as to what the Irishman will do and why he will do it, ultimately describing his character, his methods and his limits. Even the description of this book cites that Oswell and Quinlan were old posse buddies. However they rode together ONCE. They did ONE job together and the Tall Boxer Gang were invited by Quinlan, not to join his crew, but to jointly execute the job and afterward go their separate ways. The point is Quinlan never knew any of the TBG on a personal level, never revealed his inner thoughts, motivations, history etc. to them - they worked with him once. So how on earth could any of them be in any sort of position to understand the mind of someone like that? All the knew was how ruthless and cunning and driven he was. Beyond that he was merely an acquaintance. In my view this story would have resonated much more powerfully if the TBG had been their entire collective crew (Oswell and Quinlan's respective groups as one) for the majority of their crimes until Quinlan took things to places Oswell, Godfrey, Dicky, James were unwilling to go. That would have made things all the more personal and justified Oswell's almost mystic ability to know Quinlan's every play.
All in all this was a decent read but I certainly preferred the characterisation, pace and tone in Wraiths.
March 20, 2024
S. Craig Zahler, it seems, was born to write westerns. Between this, wraiths of the broken land, and his film bone tomahawk, he is three for three for delivering compelling, but exceptionally brutal westerns that skirt the line between the genre, horror, and full on 70s style exploitation.
This book is about a band of retired bank robbers who are all invited to the wedding of one of their former partners. All the men live simple lives but had a hand in a truly horrific event that’s detailed near the end of the first act, and they travel because they know they have no other choice but to face the shadows of their sins. And rest assured, the debts they owe are paid in blood.
As is usually the case with Zahler, the deliberate pacing only furthers the sense of existential dread. During the books quiet middle, where festivities are occurring for the wedding and we learn about the town and its inhabitants, there is a looming sense of doom, that this is simply the calm before the inevitable storm. He refuses to “take sides� despite there being very clear pro and antagonists, as just about every character is flawed or troubled, but continues on regardless. Like many westerns, the slow burn helps the ludicrously violent finale feel apocalyptic, like you’re witnessing some sort of cosmic event, not just two groups with guns meeting each other.
I’m sad this is, as of the time of writing, the last western he’s written, but here’s hoping he returns to the genre someday. It should be noted that like all of his works, very, VERY bad things happen in here that go far beyond just gore for gores sake, and as such it’s not for the weak of heart. But it’s a nuanced, textured examination of violence and the question of whether people are truly capable of being redeemed.
This book is about a band of retired bank robbers who are all invited to the wedding of one of their former partners. All the men live simple lives but had a hand in a truly horrific event that’s detailed near the end of the first act, and they travel because they know they have no other choice but to face the shadows of their sins. And rest assured, the debts they owe are paid in blood.
As is usually the case with Zahler, the deliberate pacing only furthers the sense of existential dread. During the books quiet middle, where festivities are occurring for the wedding and we learn about the town and its inhabitants, there is a looming sense of doom, that this is simply the calm before the inevitable storm. He refuses to “take sides� despite there being very clear pro and antagonists, as just about every character is flawed or troubled, but continues on regardless. Like many westerns, the slow burn helps the ludicrously violent finale feel apocalyptic, like you’re witnessing some sort of cosmic event, not just two groups with guns meeting each other.
I’m sad this is, as of the time of writing, the last western he’s written, but here’s hoping he returns to the genre someday. It should be noted that like all of his works, very, VERY bad things happen in here that go far beyond just gore for gores sake, and as such it’s not for the weak of heart. But it’s a nuanced, textured examination of violence and the question of whether people are truly capable of being redeemed.
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