The Buntline Special (Weird West Tales, #1)

Apr 28, 2012 Stephen rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: weird-west, 2006-2010, alternative-history, science-fantasy, punked, retellings-reimaginings-and-mashes

My expectations were erect and fully engorged going into this story. A steampunky Tombstone meets Terminator, complete with android sex machines, magic, zombies, and even a vampire…my inner nerd was swooning.

And then...well...Shit!!

Like getting doused with ice water, my happy quickly shrunk and went limp, which is a tough thing to adknowledge, espcially since Mike Resnick is one of my favorite storytellers. Yet, despite having all of the ingredients for a fun-loaded page turner, the book never...more

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Sep 12, 2012 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I suppose read "sort-of" might be more appropriate. I just couldn't get into this book, so I skimmed through to see how he tied it up. If you can use that phrase.

This was a somewhat interesting idea with it's total (steam punk) rewrite of history and the gimmicks included. I have never found a steam punk novel I liked. I read a synopsis and think I ought to like a given book but in the end (so far) I never have. Part of me thinks that this might have worked better as a graphic novel. Oh well. So...more

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Apr 10, 2012 Beth Cato rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: in, 2012, historical, fiction, steampunk

Mike Resnick is one of the most prolilfic speculative fiction authors around, but I had never read his work before. When I saw this steampunk novel, I jumped at the chance to give him a try and read more in one of my favorite sub-genres. Unfortunately, this novel doesn't encourage me to read him again.[return][return]First of all, the positive: the world here is fascinating, and Resnick has definitely done his research. His Tombstone is populated by people who really lived and died there. The ta...more Mike Resnick is one of the most prolilfic speculative fiction authors around, but I had never read his work before. When I saw this steampunk novel, I jumped at the chance to give him a try and read more in one of my favorite sub-genres. Unfortunately, this novel doesn't encourage me to read him again.[return][return]First of all, the positive: the world here is fascinating, and Resnick has definitely done his research. His Tombstone is populated by people who really lived and died there. The tale is told through Doc Holliday, and his perspective is interesting and yet...[return][return]It's very hard to carry suspense in a book when your character is already dying of tuberculosis and doesn't fear death. A lot of dramatic things happen and Holliday doesn't really react. Actually, the entire cast consists of very stoic men. They make witty banter in conversation, but don't show any expression. It made the entire thing feel stiff and emotionless. The only women in the cast are Big Nose Kate, a madam, and her whores (which includes robotic ones). Most of the men in the book also frequent the whorehouse. That may be historically accurate, yet... meh. I also found the whole shiny steampunk robot sex thing to be a turn-off, and was glad it never showed a scene of it.[return][return]There was an entire subplot with Bat Masterson that seemed to be there to distract the others. I had been excited that Bat was a character, but he simply showed up, did weird stuff because of a curse, and never touched the main plot. Speaking of the main plot, the entire book works up to the big gunfight between Doc Holliday and Johnny Ringo. Doc quickly figures out why Ringo hasn't killed him yet, but every time they meet it becomes a chat of, 'You here to kill me yet?' 'No. Let's talk classic literature.' It was cute at first but got old as it dragged on. And then when they do fight, it's anticlimactic; actually, that's the pattern of the whole book--lots of talking and very little action. Because it's a steampunk book, it's like Resnick had to force steampunk into the resolution and then did the most obvious and practical thing (which involves fire).[return][return]Actually, a number of the steampunk elements felt forced in but didn't really make sense. For example, the point of the book is that the gunmen are there to protect Thomas Edison and Buntline. Their houses are reinforced by bullet-proof brass and even has a FORCE FIELD to keep them safe. Yet the men, especially Buntline, keep wandering all over town with chest armor but nothing to protect their heads. If they are really in danger, don't leave the house! And no one ever shot them.[return][return]In case you couldn't tell, I was disappointed by the book.[return][return]The concept is incredibly cool. I loved the world. But it really felt like it would have been better as a novella focusing on a steampunk O.K. Corral battle.[return][return]I won't be picking up the other books in the series, and I'll hold off on reading Resnick for a while, too.(less)

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Mar 27, 2013 Trae Stratton rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

Doc Holiday fans should add a star to the review... If you don't have a general idea as to what happened at the O.K. Corral you may also enjoy this more than I did... because therein lies my (one big) complaint. I totally bought in to the Edison versus Geronimo set up, but despite all the new variables Mr. Resnick introduces to Tombstone, the shootout at the O.K. Corral and the fates of those involved follows the same general course of history we're all familiar with. Of course I was not promise...more

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Mar 23, 2013 Monty rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, science-fiction, historical-fiction

Buntline Special is the first installment of Resnick's entertaining and quirky "Weird West" series of Wild West meets steampunk. The characters are all well-known historical people, who may never have actually met each other historically, but they certainly meet up in this alternate history. The inventions of Tom Swift and Ned Buntline are provided to the likes of Doc Holliday and the Earps. Of course, the Clantons, the Cowboys, and John Ringo are also thrown into the mix. The climax of the book...more

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Mar 16, 2013 Chris Tice rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: didn-t-like

I didn't realize picking this book up that it was an alternate history steampunk novel. I usually dislike an authors portrayal of historical figures, but it looked interesting so I thought I'd give it a try.

Doc Holliday was overly cocky and pretty agile for being so sick. All the famous gunslingers were pretty sure of themselves even when facing their undead equal, and the zombie gunslinger had all the advantages for a slaughter yet he still gave the 'good guys' plenty of time to figure a way to...more

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Feb 22, 2013 Josh rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: alternate-history, fantasy

Recommended to me by a friend, this is one of my first ventures into Steampunk in any form. This one is an interesting fusion of Steampunk principles and Wild West history under the banner of "Weird West".

In this case the historical parallel is Tombstone & Doc Holliday. The story follows basically the same narrative as the historical Shootout at the OK Corral, but in this case, Thomas Edison has also gone out West and the greatest inventor in the United States has teamed up with Ned Buntline...more Recommended to me by a friend, this is one of my first ventures into Steampunk in any form. This one is an interesting fusion of Steampunk principles and Wild West history under the banner of "Weird West".

In this case the historical parallel is Tombstone & Doc Holliday. The story follows basically the same narrative as the historical Shootout at the OK Corral, but in this case, Thomas Edison has also gone out West and the greatest inventor in the United States has teamed up with Ned Buntline to craft remarkable technological toys using a new form of "brass" harder and better than steel. Edison & Buntline are opposed by the Clanton Clan who are supported by at least one tribe of Native Americans, while Edison & Buntline have the Earps and their allies backing them up. Did I mention that the US only goes to the Mississippi River? It seems tribal magic is keeping the US back, and Edison & Buntline and trying to find a way to fight their magic off with technology.

Hmm.

The concept is good, but it's a trifle overstuffed I think. The magic vs. technology plot doesn't really go very far overall, but it may be more a setup for the next book.

Overall the characterizations are pretty solid; the casual morality of most of the cast seem about right. People in this sort of business in the Wild West aren't going to operate by modern notions of morality, and that's good. I'm not entirely sold on the friendship/rivalry that's set up between Holliday & Johnny Ringo. The concept is good, but it doesn't entirely ring true. Part of this is the looming shadow of the movie Tombstone over this book; things like the whole OK Corral scene look lifted almost entirely from the movie and when that happens it's hard to displace the movie's characterization of the two as enemies with no friendship at all. Kilmer had such a dominating performance in the movie that if you're going to take the character in a different direction, you really can't do things that remind people of the movie too directly.

There are a few other problems too; Bat Masterston is set up as if he's a major character, but ends up just as a plot point. Edison & Buntline are more deus ex machina than characters as well. The half-machine hookers (seriously) are referred to as cyborgs; that's a modern term that sticks out like a sore thumb. Doc Holliday is the only character you really get to know as well. Makes it a little tougher to care about most of the people.

Interesting idea, but doesn't work too terribly well for me. But I'm still willing to consider the second book.(less)

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Sep 07, 2012 Meg rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Buntline Special
OR
Zombies Need Whores Too

This book feels like it should be fantastic. It's a beautiful blend of steampunk elements and wild wild west. All metal stage coaches! Shoot outs with cracked out steampunk guns! Zombie and vampire gun men! Cyber whores! What is not to love? All of these wonderful elements and they're all even written well! The history feels alive and gritty, like a proper western. The fantastic elements are blended into this gritty setting to feel natural, appropriat...more The Buntline Special
OR
Zombies Need Whores Too

This book feels like it should be fantastic. It's a beautiful blend of steampunk elements and wild wild west. All metal stage coaches! Shoot outs with cracked out steampunk guns! Zombie and vampire gun men! Cyber whores! What is not to love? All of these wonderful elements and they're all even written well! The history feels alive and gritty, like a proper western. The fantastic elements are blended into this gritty setting to feel natural, appropriate, and thoughtful. Everything is well done. And yet...

For some reason, at the end of the book, there's just a feeling of... deep disappointment and frustration in many readers. Inexplicably, the book is dissatisfying.

After some careful thought, I've concluded that it's because the whole thing just doesn't go far enough. It sticks too close to actual history.

No one picked up the Buntline Special to read how the west was one. They picked it up to see how the west was won with RAY GUNS.

There's two ways to write a good alternate history:
A) History diverges from its given course. In this variant, we want to see things go down different. The more outrageous the elements, the more differences we want to see. There's a gangster style raid done in an all metal coach on the Clanton ranch before things ever reach the OK Corral. Wyatt Earp gets cyber enhancements, loses his humanity, and becomes the new dictator of Tombstone. Doc Holliday is cured of his consumption by becoming a vampire in an erotically charged scene with him and Bat Masterson. Something. ANYTHING! Make it not end like history does, because if we wanted history, we'd go read a text book!

Alternatively:
B) History is played out as written, but with twists due to the alternate twists. Morgan Earp dies because a bullet ricochets off of Wyatt's armor and hits Morgan! The shoot out at the OK Corral ends in the death of all the Cowboys because they stole Edison's technology and it backfires on them! The history doesn't actually change, but the circumstances are different, because of the additions.

Either way, things need to be different because of what's written. The problem with this book is that Resnick doesn't really use any of the elements he adds in. It doesn't matter if Bat Masterson runs around as a vampire or that all of Tombstone is lit up with electric lights or that Wyatt Earp has metal armor or that Geronimo has magic. The story plays out the same. And because all of the elements are well written, the book is all the more disappointing. So much so well done that the fact that it never goes anywhere becomes crushing instead of merely annoying.

Still, here's hoping that the next one in the series solves these problems and takes the story somewhere.(less)

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Feb 18, 2012 Neal Litherland rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Buntline Special is one of the worst examples of either Steampunk or Weird West that I've ever come across. With characters/historical figures as rich as the Earps and Doc Holliday, you'd think this wouldn't be an issue... but from a pure lack of description of characters and the town, to the blandest shoot outs I've ever read, the Special falls flat on its face.

Additionally, The Buntline Special violates one of the key rules of alternative history; ignoring the ripple effect. Tombstone is a...more

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Oct 09, 2011 Lisa rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011

(originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog)

I first discovered The Buntline Special months ago after seeing the cover on various blogs. I was interested in the idea of a steampunk/wild west story. When I found out I could review it for Dreams and Speculation, I jumped at the chance.

The premise of the book is simple: Thomas Edison and Ned Buntline have joined forces; Edison with his genius ideas and Buntline with his expert engineering skill. Together they have created multiple inventions suc...more (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog)

I first discovered The Buntline Special months ago after seeing the cover on various blogs. I was interested in the idea of a steampunk/wild west story. When I found out I could review it for Dreams and Speculation, I jumped at the chance.

The premise of the book is simple: Thomas Edison and Ned Buntline have joined forces; Edison with his genius ideas and Buntline with his expert engineering skill. Together they have created multiple inventions such as carriages that need no horses, automatons, special guns and other steampunk gadgets. Their success has made them a target and so the US government whisks them away to Tombstone, to work on their technologies in hiding. While there, the Earps take the responsibility for protecting them, especially after Edison gets his arm shot off and then replaced with a mechanical arm. They enlist the help of the best in the business, Doc Holliday and Bat Masterson. The tale centres on Holliday and his experience in Tombstone; his encounters with the magic-using Native Americans, the Cowboys, and Kate Elder, who owns the local brothel.

Unfortunately, the book did not work for me. It seems that it has the recipe right for a great action adventure story, but the execution failed. The writing is quick, smooth and overall easy to read, however, it is focused too much on dialogue. Often the dialogue between characters became bogged down by really cheesy statements. You might expect that from a western movie, but when reading a novel, it can get old really quickly. While you might also expect some great action, most of the book’s scenes take place in the saloon while characters ate breakfast or drank. I didn’t understand why there was so much time dedicated to these scenes. Even the big showdown at the end was disappointingly over in a page or two.

Adding to that, there were many subplots integrated into the story to the point that the main plot was often pushed to the side. I found that this didn’t help the pacing since I often wondered where the story was going.

Lastly, I thought that while some characters were interesting (Holliday, Geronimo), others were found lacking. One example is Kate Elder, the only female character of the book. I really wished she either had more development or there were other females. A lot of the females were the whores in Kate’s brothel, and even then, they were automatons! There was too much attention paid to the mechanical prostitutes rather than real human women. It made me wonder, who is that woman on the cover? Kate? I don’t think she ever left her brothel.

Overall, I would say that Resnick missed the mark with The Buntline Special. If you’re a die hard western fan, I’d say try it, but don’t expect a lot of action.

ARC was provided by Dreams and Speculation.(less)

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Sep 26, 2011 Jimm Wetherbee rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Classifying The Buntline Special is something of a challenge. At first one might be inclined to file it under steampunk. It is set in the late nineteenth century (Tombstone, Arizona, 1881) and the internal combustion is no where insight. However, the reason that no such engines exist is because it would appear that it is going to be bypassed altogether in favor of electricity. Besides, in many ways the Tombstone of The Buntline Special is like the the Tombstone of the Old West. There are no pret...more Classifying The Buntline Special is something of a challenge. At first one might be inclined to file it under steampunk. It is set in the late nineteenth century (Tombstone, Arizona, 1881) and the internal combustion is no where insight. However, the reason that no such engines exist is because it would appear that it is going to be bypassed altogether in favor of electricity. Besides, in many ways the Tombstone of The Buntline Special is like the the Tombstone of the Old West. There are no pretensions of it being a dystopia, just a place that had but a nodding acquaintance with civil order. Perhaps the alternative history genre? After all, what can one say about a story set in Tombstone, where the United States ends at the Mississippi? Perhaps, but alternative history is normally based on some rather mundane event turning out differently. In this case, the United States does not extend further west because the Indian Nations have some very powerful medicine men who held the most powerful nation in the western hemisphere at bay by, well, magic, Geronimo being the most prominent practitioner, Resnick also introduces us to undead creatures (anachronistically called zombies to fit the current zeitgeist) and someone who is somewhere between a vampire and a werewolf. So maybe we are back to steampunk and specters spawned by the Victorian age.

What we don’t have here is a Western. Even though this is Tombstone, even if we Doc Holliday, the Earps, the Clantons, and the gunfight at the OK Corral, there isn’t a lot of actions or tension leading up to what action there is. There really isn’t that much science fiction either. Yes, it features Thomas Edison in Tombstone working feverishly on a technological way to counter the Indian magic. Yes, Tombstone has electric street lamps (which no other municipality can boast) and electric vehicles, but it provides no explanation of how Tombstone is generating all this electricity and it boasts something featured as super strong (bullet proof, in fact) super-light brass. Moreover, there is barely a clue as to how Edison is suppose to counter Geronimo and his ilk.

What there is, is dialog. Lots of it, wry, witty, understated, and just plain fun. As one might expect, Resnick gives Holliday the best lines, making almost everyone else a foil for his repartee. That all the living characters (and I dare say a fair number of readers) are clearly out of their depth without their even realizing it when confronting Holliday makes his wit all the more savory. The art nouvelleque illustrations by Seamas Gallagher also add a hint of mischief. For that reason, I am not even going to give a synopsis of the plot, because while the plot makes sense and is well woven together, what really matters the characters that history (for the most part) and Resnick brought together for what is an enjoyable and diversionary read.(less)

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Aug 25, 2011 John Montagne rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I adjusted this down from four stars, as I realized that my love for the weird west sub-genre was probably effecting my judgement of it. Buntline revolved around the famous conflict of the O.K. Corral re-written (though said shootout didn't actually happen in the corral), with the supernatural involved - and some steampunk thrown in. Western enthusiasts will recognize many of the characters, Bat Masterson, The Earp brothers, Doc Holiday, etc. The plot is pretty straight-forward, and while there...more I adjusted this down from four stars, as I realized that my love for the weird west sub-genre was probably effecting my judgement of it. Buntline revolved around the famous conflict of the O.K. Corral re-written (though said shootout didn't actually happen in the corral), with the supernatural involved - and some steampunk thrown in. Western enthusiasts will recognize many of the characters, Bat Masterson, The Earp brothers, Doc Holiday, etc. The plot is pretty straight-forward, and while there are some subplots, they're weak but not altogether uninteresting. Some of the story arcs are not very sharp, this could have been helped with more 'build-up'/tension. The characters themselves are moderately developed, though if one has read a lot of westerns or accounts of the wild west, they will realize that the author simply did 'character sketches' of the historical counterparts (and did manage to place actual sentences they were quoted to have said). The magic spells in it were kind of a let-down. When something 'magical' happened it was barely described (such as shape-changing, which in my opinion should have more description as metamorphosis is a fascinating thing in our natural world let alone in fantasy/science fiction), and to cast a spell the shaman/medicine man had to merely do a quick chant and wave his arms. The magic system itself was thought out though, relying on an electrical frequency, which is more than many fantasy novels revolving around vague magic systems. The steampunk elements were interesting, but sometimes forced (for instance, the author does the classic 'characters wearing the goggles for no reason' mistake - in the shootout at the O.K. Corral). The climax was weak, and left me with a mere shrug. Not to say this wasn't a fun read - the writing style is very easy, but it lacked the 'grit' of a good western novel. I'm interested to see how the author will continue the series and will read the next one - hoping for more unique character development of historical figures that I cherish. (less)

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Jan 02, 2011 LEC Book Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

For a reason or another, I seem to have drifted towards more steampunk reads than usual of late and The Buntline Special is latest to have captured my attention. Mike Resnick is one of those writers who’s been around for so long and published so many novels that he is surrounded by a mythical aura of sorts. Unfortunately, up to now I had never read any of his work, and I’m now thinking that may have been a mistake. His first attempt at steampunk is absolutely riveting, blending in plenty of the...more For a reason or another, I seem to have drifted towards more steampunk reads than usual of late and The Buntline Special is latest to have captured my attention. Mike Resnick is one of those writers who’s been around for so long and published so many novels that he is surrounded by a mythical aura of sorts. Unfortunately, up to now I had never read any of his work, and I’m now thinking that may have been a mistake. His first attempt at steampunk is absolutely riveting, blending in plenty of the steampunk goodness the sub-genre is loved for, famous historical figures and some good old western style action. In essence: another fine read.

What we have at the beginning of this novel is a setting with plenty of potential. First off, Resnick has put a twist on the general terms of history, the Untied States not having yet crossed into the West, and a town out past the frontier with a lot happening in it. Then he brings together a dynamic cast of characters - notable figures of the time period - to this wild town. From there, with the help of a little clever plotting, a great story cannot help but unroll.

With a setting like the Wild West, The Buntline Special could never be completely original, or at least not in the way a second world fantasy can. With this setting comes a certain number of almost inescapable tropes a story has to go through. But where most of time tropes and clichés are (sometimes wrongly so) associated with bad writing, in a western it’s almost the opposite - a good writer will use the tropes to his advantage. And so it is with Resnick. He takes typical elements of westerns - Indians, duels, etc. - and uses them in his story in such a way that is feels like they are things we’ve never seen before. For example: in this book the Indians are actually winning and are successfully holding off the American advance with magic. That’s something new right?

Then, of course, there’s also the undead gunslinger that has a past-the-grave obsession with determining whether he is the best shooter in the West or not, and you’ve got yourself a bunch of tropes turned completely upside down. Not to mention those are all such fun things. And at the end of the day that’s the best thing that can be said about The Buntline Special; it’s fun. It does not attempt to complicate things and keeps the story simple and straightforward while featuring a ton of wacky features, all the way from robotic whores to bat-transforming cowboys, that keep the reader’s attention where maybe the relatively simple plot wouldn’t.

Did I also mention a lot of what’s in this book is just plain cool? For Christ sake, there’s Thomas Edison, who most of us know as the inventor of the light bulb, out in Tombstone inventing all sorts of steampunk gadgetry for cowboys to play around with. That there, I think, is every geek’s dream Wild West. Also, you’ve got to give Resnick credit for his exposition. A lot of this stuff would not seem nearly as brilliant were it not presented to the reader in the way Resnick has. He weaves this elements in, almost subtly, so that as they appear they almost don’t look out of the ordinary until you stop to think about it and think ‘wow, that’s awesome’. The seamless storytelling, with all these elements, historical figures and plot mixed in, helps The Buntline Special out too.

So another great steampunk novel to add to your shelves? I think so. Resnick certainly does not drop the ball in his first attempt at writing in this sub-genre. Never mind that the story doesn’t feel like it gets the conclusion it deserves (or maybe that was just me wanting more?) The Buntline Special will pull you aboard for a rattling ride. This still doesn’t reach the heights of excellence that this year’s other, earlier steampunk release, The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack, but it will certainly give you plenty for your money. Well worth it.(less)

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Feb 03, 2011 Andrew rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, western, steampunk

I had been really looking forward to The Buntline Special. I love Weird Westerns in general. I had also read on the publisher's blog that they didn't just want to publish steampunk novels, but wanted something with a twist. So when this book turned out to be a disappointment for me, it was a pretty big disappointment indeed.

For a 300+ page book, The Buntline Special felt pretty slight. The characters, outside of Doc Holiday, didn't feel particularly developed. It's hard to emotionally invest in...more

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Apr 12, 2013 D rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: series

I found this in the YA shelves and I'm going to treat it as such. (Well, it does have illustrations in it, and illustrations in an 'adult' novel is pretty hard to come by these days.) It's steampunk and a Western, and I'm not really sure about Westerns because I've never read any before, but as far as steampunk goes, it's ok. That is, until you start to wonder what Edison uses to power his inventions (yes, electricity. But where is it stored? What is the process behind it?) and where Buntline ge...more I found this in the YA shelves and I'm going to treat it as such. (Well, it does have illustrations in it, and illustrations in an 'adult' novel is pretty hard to come by these days.) It's steampunk and a Western, and I'm not really sure about Westerns because I've never read any before, but as far as steampunk goes, it's ok. That is, until you start to wonder what Edison uses to power his inventions (yes, electricity. But where is it stored? What is the process behind it?) and where Buntline gets his supply of materials in order to build Edison's inventions. In the middle of nowhere? People actually go to Tombstone, Arizona loaded with a shitload of brass and other heavy things just so Buntline and Edison can make a dozen businesses obsolete?

Also, they make use of mechanical whores, and I don't want to know how anyone would find the experience pleasurable (view spoiler), but dear god, please tell me they actually clean those after every use, because I don't think I can.

Anyway, this is supposedly a 'weird' AU for the OK Corrall shooting thingy, which is not at all familiar to me, having little knowledge of actual American history and little interest in cowboy-related things--so I'm afraid my appreciation of how Mike Resnick incorporated the 'weird' elements into the actual events is little to none.

The actual prose is very readable, and I enjoyed the conversations between the characters at first (still enjoyable in the end, but they tend to repeat themselves a lot). Gets to be a bit Talking Heads sometimes, which is weird considering I expected more shooting to happen and they just kept on talking. Not enough shooting! (Another reason why I think this is YA. Not enough shooting and fade to black descriptions of sex. The latter didn't bother me at all, though).

Things that the book told you 1000000000x:

1, Bat Masterson is half-crazy for more than half of the book.
2, Doc Holliday is not afraid to die because he's already dying of consumption. This is why he's such a great shot.
3, Doc Holliday and John Ringo like each other.
4, Doc Holliday and John Ringo like talking about the classics.
5. Doc Holliday and John Ringo are going to have a stand off someday.

Someday~ and it takes us 96% of the book to get there, and it even then it wasn't the epic sort of action I was expecting. So ok. I'm a bit underwhelmed.

Also, the things I listed above was mentioned by Doc Holliday ALL THE TIME TO DIFFERENT CHARACTERS. And it was interesting the first time, but jfc, once was enough. Especially item #2. Once is too much. I think, given Doc's attitude, the reader is well aware that his courage is rooted in the knowledge that he's going to die sooner rather than later. No need to tell us point blank.

Don't get me wrong. It's an enjoyable read. I might even read it again--if all Westerns were like this, I might read more of them. But there are many plot holes and many talking heads. Think of it as a pennydreadful or something. Good fun, but don't think of it too much.(less)

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Jan 29, 2011 Ranting Dragon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: benni

http://www.rantingdragon.com/the-bunt...

The latest book by the prolific Mike Resnick is The Buntline Special, a standalone novel that gifts the events leading up to the gunfight at the O.K. Corral with a steampunk treatment. In this fantasy world—depictions of which are supplied by the talented illustrator, J. Seamas Gallagher—the United States cannot expand beyond the Mississippi River due to the magic-wielding Medicine Men of the Apache Indians, led by Geronimo. Thomas Edison, inventor extraor...more http://www.rantingdragon.com/the-bunt...

The latest book by the prolific Mike Resnick is The Buntline Special, a standalone novel that gifts the events leading up to the gunfight at the O.K. Corral with a steampunk treatment. In this fantasy world—depictions of which are supplied by the talented illustrator, J. Seamas Gallagher—the United States cannot expand beyond the Mississippi River due to the magic-wielding Medicine Men of the Apache Indians, led by Geronimo. Thomas Edison, inventor extraordinaire, is dispatched to Tombstone to discover scientific methods to counter the Indians’ magic, and Doc Holliday and the Wyatt Earp crew are tasked with protecting Edison.

Witty banter
Sparse with descriptions and overflowing with witty banter, The Buntline Special delivers dialogue to die for. When zombie Johnny Ringo observes that the consumptively ill Doc Holliday looked as if a strong wind might blow him away, Doc replies, “A strong wind might…But a dead gunslinger won’t.” Credit the dialogue for propelling the novel forward at such a spine-bending pace.

Historical figures reimagined
Though there may be little proof that the real Big Nose Kate ran a brothel, what’s a western without a kickass madam? For that matter, what’s a steampunk western without robot prostitutes and the gentlemen who love them? The whole Earp crew is present, as is the Clanton gang, not to mention Johnny Ringo, who has been brought back from the dead to make life difficult for our protagonist, Doc Holliday. And perhaps because Nikola Tesla has been done to death in steampunk fiction (or that Tesla’s only 25 years old in 1881), as mentioned above, Resnick chooses instead to feature the bright-eyed Edison, with mechanical arm enhancements, of course.

Then there’s batty Bat Masterson and the talented Ned Buntline, the manufacturer who realizes all of Edison’s funky ideas and crafts the titular Buntline Special that resolves the climactic gunfight. Even if you don’t already know these folks (or can’t be bothered to Google them), Resnick provides a handy appendix with short biographies of the real life counterparts.

Why should you read this book?
Do you love rollicking adventures? Appreciate the wry gunslinging attitude? If you don’t mind a book that reads like a movie script, The Buntline Special is vying for a space on your book shelf.(less)

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Feb 18, 2012 Kim Ryser rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012booksread, steampunk

This alternate history steampunk version of Tombstone, the gunfight at the OK Corral, etc, is fast-paced and enjoyable. Doc Holliday is a likable main character. But overall, this book is just ok. The characters don't really stand out or mean much. The tech is cool, the use of Native magic is cool, the character of Kate Elder is briefly cool. But it's not exactly a book that's going to MOVE you in any way. And there was a little too much concentration on robot whores for my taste. Like, ok, we g...more

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Dec 27, 2010 Wren rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: steampunkish, cowboy

This reads like a pulp western: Lots of dialog, continuous action, no-nonsense description, almost no interior thoughts. What fascinated me was the placement of real historical figures in an alternate 1881 U.S. universe, where the U.S. border ends at the Mississippi River, and is kept from going further by the Indians and the magic of their medicine men.

The Earp brothers, Doc Holliday, Bat Masterson, Thomas Edison, Ned Buntline, Kate Elder, Johnny Ringo, the McLaury brothers and Clanton gang al...more

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Aug 14, 2011 Bill rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: swapped, steampunk

I really wanted to like this book, as it had all the elements of a good steampunk story. However, the writing just seemed shallow and repetitive. Bat Masterson whining about going crazy if he has to endure another night of being locked up EACH night for about 8 nights in a row. Every time someone challenged Doc Holliday to a fight, he is asked if he is scared - he responds he always wins because he is not scared, as he is already dying so it is either dying quick or slow for him. And he is asked...more

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Dec 15, 2011 James rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

A cross between steampunk and the wild west. Set in an alternate reality, the United States of America ends at the Mississippi River. The magic of indian medicine men are blocking westward expansion. What to do?

The American government hires Thomas Edison and Ned Buntline to find a way to block the indian magic. They hire Wyatt Earp and his brothers, plus Doc Holliday and Bat Masterson to protect these inventors.

The bad guys include Geronimo, the Clanton gang, and Johnny Ringo.

If you know your we...more

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Oct 10, 2012 Caressa rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Some great ideas & fantastic twisting of history. For me, the biggest drawback to this novel was the lack of action. The back jacket synopsis played up "Buntline Special" as a steampunk/urban fantasy/Western; I thought I was getting something along the lines of Cherie Priest's "Boneshaker." Not so. "Buntline" has plenty of steampunk gadgetry, sharpshooting, & whoring, but it's bogged down with too much yapping, rehashing of what few events have happened, & sociopolitical debate over...more

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Feb 07, 2011 Johne rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was such a fun exercise - I blew through this in short order. Resnick does a great job here of introducing venerable tropes in fresh ways, marrying plausible steampunk elements with zombies (a revived Johnny Ringo as literary zombie) and Bat Masterson as an actual bat (before he became a more classic vampire). I enjoyed the interaction between the POV character Doc Holliday and the Earps, although the fight at the OK Corral felt rushed and could have been handled better.

I found myself editi...more

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Mar 02, 2011 Julia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

One of my favorite movies is Tombstone, weird since I don't really like westerns. I just love Doc Holliday. Consumption and all, I still find him sexy. Maybe im just picturing Val Kilmer or maybe it's the killer combination of intelligence, bravery, and humor in which he is always portrayed. All this to say, this steampunk novel goes back to the wild west, specifically Tombstone, and creates a very interesting alternative story. Thomas Edison, Doc Holliday, Wyatt Earp, vampire bats and zombies.....more

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Mar 01, 2011 Benni rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: novels, sff-paranormal-speculative

http://www.rantingdragon.com/the-bunt...

The latest book by the prolific Mike Resnick is The Buntline Special, a standalone novel that gifts the events leading up to the gunfight at the O.K. Corral with a steampunk treatment. In this fantasy world—depictions of which are supplied by the talented illustrator, J. Seamas Gallagher—the United States cannot expand beyond the Mississippi River due to the magic-wielding Medicine Men of the Apache Indians, led by Geronimo. Thomas Edison, inventor extraor...more http://www.rantingdragon.com/the-bunt...

The latest book by the prolific Mike Resnick is The Buntline Special, a standalone novel that gifts the events leading up to the gunfight at the O.K. Corral with a steampunk treatment. In this fantasy world—depictions of which are supplied by the talented illustrator, J. Seamas Gallagher—the United States cannot expand beyond the Mississippi River due to the magic-wielding Medicine Men of the Apache Indians, led by Geronimo. Thomas Edison, inventor extraordinaire, is dispatched to Tombstone to discover scientific methods to counter the Indians’ magic, and Doc Holliday and the Wyatt Earp crew are tasked with protecting Edison.

Witty banter
Sparse with descriptions and overflowing with witty banter, The Buntline Special delivers dialogue to die for. When zombie Johnny Ringo observes that the consumptively ill Doc Holliday looked as if a strong wind might blow him away, Doc replies, “A strong wind might…But a dead gunslinger won’t.” Credit the dialogue for propelling the novel forward at such a spine-bending pace.

Historical figures reimagined
Though there may be little proof that the real Big Nose Kate ran a brothel, what’s a western without a kickass madam? For that matter, what’s a steampunk western without robot prostitutes and the gentlemen who love them? The whole Earp crew is present, as is the Clanton gang, not to mention Johnny Ringo, who has been brought back from the dead to make life difficult for our protagonist, Doc Holliday. And perhaps because Nikola Tesla has been done to death in steampunk fiction (or that Tesla’s only 25 years old in 1881), as mentioned above, Resnick chooses instead to feature the bright-eyed Edison, with mechanical arm enhancements, of course.

Then there’s batty Bat Masterson and the talented Ned Buntline, the manufacturer who realizes all of Edison’s funky ideas and crafts the titular Buntline Special that resolves the climactic gunfight. Even if you don’t already know these folks (or can’t be bothered to Google them), Resnick provides a handy appendix with short biographies of the real life counterparts.

Why should you read this book?
Do you love rollicking adventures? Appreciate the wry gunslinging attitude? If you don’t mind a book that reads like a movie script, The Buntline Special is vying for a space on your book shelf.(less)

like · see review

Jan 18, 2012 Jacob Proffitt rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

While I expect to find a lot of hand-waving in this kind of fantastical alternate history, this book simply had too many elements that required a suspension of any kind of common sense. Robotic whores, electronic tracking devices, electricity with no known source, bullet-proof brass, zombies, vampires, shamanistic magic... It's like Resnick threw darts at a list of elements from other fantastical-type books and hoped it'd appeal to lots of people as a result. Resnick is a talented author and the...more

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Jan 07, 2012 Michael O'Connor rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: alternate-reality, steampunk

Picked this book up at Borders during their going out of business sale. I love the Tombstone story and was looking for a good alternate reality book. Having no preconceived expectations for this book, it definitely delivered.
It followed the Tombstone chain of events everyone knows and loves very well, but had just enough twist to separate it from all the other renditions of that story. This was one I could not put down, and finished it cover to cover in about 2 days. I would absolutely recommend...more

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Oct 21, 2012 Steven rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The book has a lot of interesting ideas. Many of them odd enough to be interesting. Others require a suspension of belief. The book seems aimed at becoming a series. So, it will be interesting to see where the author takes it. A basic premise is that the Indian Nations hold off the colonial expansion along the Mississippi river line due to the magical powers of two great Indian Leaders. The USA as it then exists is trying to end that stalemate. Just as obviously, the Indians want to win...Read t...more

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May 14, 2012 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, fantasy, steampunk, western, zombies, magic

The year is 1881. The Mississippi River divides the United States from the Indian nations of the West. The only thing keeping the US from expanding is the magic of powerful Indian medicine men. The America government is desperate to expand its territory (since it's the "destiny" of the US and all), so it sends Thomas Edison out West to the town of Tombstone, Arizona, to discover a scientific answer to the Indians' magic. When he arrives, he brings some of his other inventions to the town: horsel...more

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Jun 24, 2012 Erika rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What a terrible, terrible book. I knew there had to be something wrong with it when I got it for a insanely cheap price on a secondhand book sale. It took me months to finish reading it, that's how bad it was. The whole thing was like a freaking deus ex machina convention. And stalling to the point the already bland characters' actions started to get too ridiculous. Plus the unengaging, basic writing I just can't this book ever got published. Hell, can't believe this is part of a series. One o...more

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Jan 07, 2011 Hendel rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own

I had to buy this for the cover art alone (that, and the promise of a Mike Resnick weird west story). It's a short/fast read that hits enough of the right notes to qualify for the genre niche (both zombie and vampire shootists, check, mecha-bordello, check, cyborg Edison, check) though there's nary a zeppelin in sight nor a wisp of steam, at least that I noticed. I enjoyed the Johnny Ringo/Doc Holliday thread, and the exchanges between Doc & Kate, but Doc has always been my favorite Tombston...more

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