The Dead of Winter (Cora Oglesby #1)

Feb 19, 2013 Susan added it

Shelves: kobo

I need to try this not only because it sounds interesting. But because there is a fully clothed woman on the cover. I thought that was against the rules of paranormal covers these days.

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Nov 14, 2012 Ala rated it 4 of 5 stars

Take the tv show Supernatural and stick it in the Old West.

Replace the badassitude that is Dean Winchester with a crazy Calamity Jane-like sharpshooter who has a penchant for cursing, gambling and boozing. Also replace the whiny ass Sam Winchester with an equally useless and bookish husband of the previously mentioned sharpshooter.

Do that and you'll have the basics for this book.

Set in a small town in the Old West born of a Silver Rush, we have the Big Damn Hero ride in out of the wilds in sea...more

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Mar 23, 2013 Owlcat Mountain added it

I don't use star ratings, so please read my review!

(Description nicked from B&N.com.)

“Cora and her husband hunt things - things that shouldn't exist. When the marshal of Leadville, Colorado, comes across a pair of mysterious deaths, he turns to Cora to find the creature responsible, but if Cora is to overcome the unnatural tide threatening to consume the small town, she must first confront her own tragic past as well as her present.”

I haven’t read many supernatural/western crosses, but what...more I don't use star ratings, so please read my review!

(Description nicked from B&N.com.)

“Cora and her husband hunt things - things that shouldn't exist. When the marshal of Leadville, Colorado, comes across a pair of mysterious deaths, he turns to Cora to find the creature responsible, but if Cora is to overcome the unnatural tide threatening to consume the small town, she must first confront her own tragic past as well as her present.”

I haven’t read many supernatural/western crosses, but what I have read seems to also incorporate elements of steampunk as well. While I like steampunk, I feel that it doesn’t always mesh well with the other two in combination. The Dead of Winter kept away from steampunk and concentrated on the purely supernatural, which I liked a lot. I would love to see more in this vein, because I think it’s an untapped source of some great stories.

And this is a pretty darn good story. There’s a lot of focus on vampires, which is very common, but the author also pulls in a monster from Native American mythology, which I really liked. Again, there are so many myths and legends that could be explored in fantastic fiction, and in this novel, we get a taste of those tales. Collins does a bit of re-imagining on vampires too, differentiating nosferatu from more intelligent vampires.

Collins does a wonderful job at evoking a creepy atmosphere: snow-covered hillsides give off a chill aura of dread as moonlight casts spooky shadows; abandoned mines entrap with claustrophobic twists and turns; and even warm, well-lit rooms are no escape from the monsters. There’s really no feeling of safety for our heroes in this novel, and it makes the tension all the stronger.

I was a little disappointed in the characterization. Cora is the most developed character, which makes sense, but most of the others in the story don’t move much beyond two-dimensional background cast. Still, there were a couple that I really wanted to know more about, most noticeably the priest to whom Cora turns for help a couple of times. His exploits are hinted at during his interactions with Cora, and I’d love to see more of him. Cora herself isn’t all that likeable, unfortunately. She’s a strong character, but one that I think readers won’t initially feel much empathy for. By about two thirds of the way through, that changes, but I wish I’d felt more connected to her earlier on.

And speaking of two thirds of the way through the novel, there’s quite a twist waiting for readers. I admit that I didn’t see it coming, but I often get so into novels that I let them carry me along without doing too much critical thinking at the same time. This book was no exception. This twist is well set up in the earlier stages of the story, so I applaud the author for not tipping his hand too soon.

I blazed through this book in record time and found much to enjoy. I’m looking forward to the second novel, which promises to be just as engrossing as the first. The Dead of Winter is a great read for these cold nights as we transition into spring.

This review originally appeared on Owlcat Mountain on March 23, 2013.(less)

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Feb 12, 2013 Chris Bauer rated it 4 of 5 stars

I continue to be impressed by the roster of authors in Angry Robot's stable. Of course, not all of them are writers whom I follow, but I always find a new writer to discover.

Lee Collins is such an author.

Collins' first book, "The Dead of Winter" is labeled on the cover as True Grit meets True Blood which might work well as a high concept elevator pitch, but it is much more than that. His characters are flesh and blood for the most part and well developed. The pace was brisk and kept me turning t...more

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Feb 06, 2013 Jared A. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Future vampires, sexy vampires, teen angst vampires.

Now there’s even Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter.

The market these days is dripping in vampiric and supernatural literature. And while I’m never one to shirk the ghosts and goblins, especially around Halloween, I don’t really know the nitty gritty about most things that go bump in the night.

Not to worry. Lee Collins’ debut novel The Dead of Winter takes care of that for us.

This dark fantasy novel set in the wild west follows the adventures of a...more

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Feb 01, 2013 Jacqie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-club

I think this is the author's debut novel. I picked up the sequel the day it came out.

This is sort of a supernatural western, set in the grim little mining town of Leadville. I could hear the main character's drawl from her first line of dialogue, but it wasn't overdone. Atmospheric, but not cliched. Cora has a lot of pathos and loss in her life. And she doesn't handle it all especially well- she drinks too much and takes foolish risks. Yet I never got annoyed with her, but felt interested in he...more

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Nov 03, 2012 Burgoo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

1880s Leadville, Colorado: Monster hunters come to a mining town to eliminate a threat. They find more monsters than they expect, and also find out secrets about themselves.

It’s difficult to summarize the plot of The Dead of Winter without leaping directly into spoiler territory. I think that’s a tribute to the tight plotting that Collins has done here. It’s a relatively small story, but one with serious ramifications for our protagonist.

Your enjoyment of The Dead of Winter will depend heavily o...more 1880s Leadville, Colorado: Monster hunters come to a mining town to eliminate a threat. They find more monsters than they expect, and also find out secrets about themselves.

It’s difficult to summarize the plot of The Dead of Winter without leaping directly into spoiler territory. I think that’s a tribute to the tight plotting that Collins has done here. It’s a relatively small story, but one with serious ramifications for our protagonist.

Your enjoyment of The Dead of Winter will depend heavily on how you react to Cora Oglesby, the protagonist. She reminded me more than a bit of Calamity Jane from Deadwood: hard drinking, argumentative, struggling to be a woman in very nontraditional roles. While she’s clearly a flawed protagonist, she’s not one without a moral center, or one that is not sympathetic.

The world building in The Dead of Winter is rather limited, but that is in keeping with the relatively small scale of the story itself. We don’t know much of the larger world, of the history of the monsters, or any sort of backstory for them. Fortunately we are spared the “but monster X is just a legend” conversation. There’s a bit of disbelief, but it seems to relate more to the proximity of the monster rather than their existence per se. The comparison I would make is this: if someone were to tell me that alligators were in my local park, I wouldn’t be quick to believe them. Not because I don’t believe that alligators exist, but rather because I don’t think that they would be in that location.

But what about the monsters? You can rest easily, they’re not “sparkly”, and they aren’t just misunderstood. They’re predators of humans, who need to be put down. Collins reaches back to Native American mythology and Gothic literature to set the parameters for these killers.

Aside from some awkwardness early on, The Dead of Winter is remarkably tight and confident for a first novel. Collins has a great sense of what works, and focuses on his strengths. Apparently it is the first book in a projected series. I’m looking forward to reading Cora’s further adventures and finding out more about this world.
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Oct 17, 2012 Fangs for the Fantasy rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book is a paranormal western. Cora and her husband Ben are monster hunters. They travel the frontier of the Old West hunting down monsters that plague the more isolated settlements – from hellhounds to vampires, they’re quick to respond with a silver bullet to put it down.

Which seems simple enough when they move into town. There’s an ornery marshal, but Cora’s dealt with those before even if they do strike more sparks than usual. And there’s a beastie that’s eating people, time to tackle it...more This book is a paranormal western. Cora and her husband Ben are monster hunters. They travel the frontier of the Old West hunting down monsters that plague the more isolated settlements – from hellhounds to vampires, they’re quick to respond with a silver bullet to put it down.

Which seems simple enough when they move into town. There’s an ornery marshal, but Cora’s dealt with those before even if they do strike more sparks than usual. And there’s a beastie that’s eating people, time to tackle it the old fashioned way, head on with a bullet to the brain.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t work and it takes a bit more digging to take down this rather more unusual monster with the attached worry that one day, maybe, they will tackle a monster they don’t truly know how to fight.

And this creature is just the beginning of their problems, because there’s something far older and far more dangerous lurking in the mines around the town. And far craftier than anything they’ve faced before – or anything that Cora thinks she’s faced. As they test their mettle and knowledge against the ancient, Cora must also confront memories of her past that she has sealed for 10 years.

I really liked the plot of this story, especially how the book was almost written in two halves. On the first we got to see Cora’s standard way of living and working. Her coming into town, tracking down the monsters and putting a bullet through their brain. And if that didn’t work, her back up plans, her sources of information, the resources she can call upon. By dedicating the first half of the book to a relatively mundane moment in Cora’s hunting career (albeit with a twist of it being an unusual monster) we get to see so much more of her character and background than any amount of exposition could show. Rather than launching into the Nosferatu storyline and then trying to fill in the past, this initial battle established everything we needed to know about Cora, the way she works and the way she interacts with the local authorities. It was an extended introduction and it really worked.

And I like the characters, especially Cora. She’s not perfect by any stretch – she’s rough round the edges, she’s road, she drinks too much, she’s hard as nails and as pleasant as sandpaper. She swaggers into town, she’s insulting, arrogant, and virtually dares people to take her on and challenge her. She insists people work her way and if they don’t, she’ll move on – it’s not her hide being eaten by vampires. She is the epitome of a character who will do things her way, live life her way, no matter how objectionable or difficult that way can be. I like her, I want to hear more of her story, I want to follow more of her adventures.

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Oct 13, 2012 OpenBookSociety.com rated it 4 of 5 stars

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Vicki

The Dead of Winter is a Supernatural Western. Some will have the same confused insta-reaction to this hybrid genre as they did when Joss Whedon announced production on Firefly, the Sci-Fi Western. ‘How will that work?’ they said. And unfortunately, they never really gave it a chance. Now is the chance to right those wrongs! Any past indiscretions, where you have overlooked awesome because it might have been a little bit too far outside of your comfort zone, ca...more Brought to you by OBS reviewer Vicki

The Dead of Winter is a Supernatural Western. Some will have the same confused insta-reaction to this hybrid genre as they did when Joss Whedon announced production on Firefly, the Sci-Fi Western. ‘How will that work?’ they said. And unfortunately, they never really gave it a chance. Now is the chance to right those wrongs! Any past indiscretions, where you have overlooked awesome because it might have been a little bit too far outside of your comfort zone, can be forgotten about by reading Lee Collins’s debut novel: The Dead of Winter.

Cora Oglesby and her husband Ben are bounty hunters, but they don’t haul in felony dodgers and they don’t collect debts; their bounty is decidedly more fangy. They hunt vampires, hellhounds, werewolves, ghouls and a whole host of other things that go bump in the night; for the right price.

When the duo rides into Leadville, Colorado Cora and Ben are commissioned for a job that leads them down a path that will change their lives forever.

Cora is like Calamity Jane after too much whiskey, a couple more years around the block and less singing and dancing, more swearing and punching. Luckily, Calamity Jane is one of my all time favorite movies, which is why I instantly loved Cora and all her flaws. I think you really have to like Cora to enjoy this book, but she is definitely not for everybody. For me, Cora is the heart of the story, even if she seems a little harsh and distant at times, she ultimately roots the novel in reality.

Cora and Ben’s marriage is a catalyst to many truly surprising plot twists and while they appear to be polar opposites their relationship is comfortable, yet bittersweet. I really enjoyed the way in which Collins represented their relationship and the way in which this relationship developed throughout the novel.

The extremely English scholar and his eccentric wealthy employer were my other favorite characters. Although the dialogue was excellent for everyone; James and Cora’s exchanges and banter were particularly notable and entertaining.

Cora Ogelsby is a kick-ass heroine and really, we can’t have too many kick-ass heroines can we? Especially when they are nearing retirement and still wielding weapons and killing monsters like nobody’s business! This novel is not for the faint of heart, there are some particularly gruesome scenes but Cora’s interpretation of these scenes is almost comedic. She has no problem kicking a severed vampire head at a group of bystanders for her own amusement. See? Kick-ass!

I very much enjoyed my time with Cora and I am looking forward to seeing where Collins takes her next.

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Oct 10, 2012 Maxine McLister rated it 4 of 5 stars

Cora Oglesby and her husband, Ben, are bounty hunters in the Old West. But they don't hunt criminals. Their prey are those things that go bump in the night except these creatures not only bump but bite, maim, and eviscerate. The Oglesbys have been hired by the sheriff of Leadville, Colorado to hunt down whatever is killing the local miners. They thought they knew every kind of monster there was but they were so, so wrong.

These days vampire stories seem to have become so common and so cliche, the...more

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Oct 10, 2012 Cape Rust rated it 4 of 5 stars

Paranormal activities in the Wild West are not a new concept, but Lee Collins treats it with skill and descriptive writing that takes the reader back in time. Collins understanding of life in the Rockies transforms what would normally be scenery into a subtle yet omnipresent character. I would compare this book to one of the less popular episodes of Firefly (if there is such a thing as a less popular episode of Firefly [Editor's Note: There isn't --R]). The characters are rich and develop quickl...more Paranormal activities in the Wild West are not a new concept, but Lee Collins treats it with skill and descriptive writing that takes the reader back in time. Collins understanding of life in the Rockies transforms what would normally be scenery into a subtle yet omnipresent character. I would compare this book to one of the less popular episodes of Firefly (if there is such a thing as a less popular episode of Firefly [Editor's Note: There isn't --R]). The characters are rich and develop quickly, and even though it might not be your favorite episode, you want to watch it again.

I love the idea of a “Weird Wild West”. My first exposure to this concept was the roleplaying game, “Deadlands”. Sure, I had read plenty of ghost stories from the Old West, and growing up in Texas, I was exposed to several of the “creatures” of southwestern lore (Chupacabra anyone?) so the concepts in this book are not foreign to me. But add Winchesters and Six shooters, throw in some silver bullets and blessed weapons, and things start to get interesting.
The book starts out with the aftermath of a supernatural encounter that could have easily been entitled CSI Wild West. Collins really blended the folksy common sense that people of the time had with some really solid frontier “crime scene analysis” to paint a grizzly, but not overly gory scene for the reader. The scene in which this plays out really showed that Collins understands that horror and creepy are truly achieved by what is implied, not described.

One of the book's weaknesses came with Cora’s first encounter with the supernatural. She goes to seek some advice from a past acquaintance to find that he has changed. The change was interesting and their meeting memorable, but for all of the effort Cora has to put into this “disagreement”, Collins could have done a better job of letting the reader know how the change in her acquaintance happened. It was really cool, but I felt like more background info was needed.

Talking of Cora, she is a female character who is defiantly written by a man. It isn’t that she is a cleavage-showing sex object that is the tell; it is her overt masculinity that reveals Collins gender. I know that when hearing that Cora is a female who hunts paranormal creatures your first thoughts might go to Buffy, but Cora is the polar opposite when it comes to her feminine wiles. As far as monster slaying goes they both kick butt! I loved that Collins chose a female monster slayer and I understand that characters like Buffy are the reason he avoided making her more girly. I think that where Collins maleness really showed was in Cora’s inner dialogue. I don’t know how a monster hunter thinks, but I know the mentality one needs to hunt and kill something, and Collins did a good job of capturing that, but if he had made Cora’s inner dialogue less masculine, she would have felt more rounded out. I don’t think that the exploration of Cora’s feminine side is beyond Collins’ skills as an author, and I would love to see him explore that more in the next book.

There are several subplots and storylines going in this book, and I was glad to see that I could easily follow each one and they were all interesting. The good and bad guys felt real, even the un-real ones. I enjoyed Collins’ take on some of the supernatural characters - I know what they were, but they didn’t sparkle, and they had some variations on the normal characteristics that made them seem fresh even if they reeked of the grave. This is a story about the paranormal, but it isn’t a slave to it. Collins didn’t use the creatures as a crutch, they were story elements and there was just the right amount of them.

Collins has provided us with and entertaining story in an interesting setting. There were several plot twists that were rationed out properly. I have seen way too many authors that telegraph their twists and end up ruining an element of the story that would otherwise been interesting. The Dead of Winter is comfort food as far as reading goes. It's satisfying and entertaining and it avoids feeling like a guilty pleasure. This book is just what the doctor ordered for a cold winter’s day.

This review was first posted @ www.geek-life.com
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Nov 26, 2012 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

What can I say???? Great book. This is a western, really. It makes no pretense at being anything else...well, I mean besides a fantasy. This is about "monster hunters" in the American west. And I like it. It does what it does rather well.

So, why 4 stars not 5? Well I have a couple of gripes. They are not huge gripes, some won't be bugged at all...some of you will disagree on at least one point. No biggie, nothing huge and definitely nothing that takes away from the book.

So...on to the novel. We...more What can I say???? Great book. This is a western, really. It makes no pretense at being anything else...well, I mean besides a fantasy. This is about "monster hunters" in the American west. And I like it. It does what it does rather well.

So, why 4 stars not 5? Well I have a couple of gripes. They are not huge gripes, some won't be bugged at all...some of you will disagree on at least one point. No biggie, nothing huge and definitely nothing that takes away from the book.

So...on to the novel. We start out with our intrepid monster hunters showing up in a small mining town where something has ripped apart a couple of the citizens. And it wasn't a wolf, or a lion, or a bear...it was something much worse.

So who are these monster hunters and what is their background? Well Cora and Ben are from the South. The war left them nothing and they drifted into bounty hunting, of an unusual type.

What kind of monsters are in the book???? Well read it and find out, sheesh do you want me to tell you everything? Hey, it's a good book don't look for spoilers.

Okay then what bugs me? Well, I had a lot of trouble warming up to Cora. She's a bit abrasive and has some other troubling character traits. But I liked her by the end of the book.

What else? Research! Mr. Collins, Colt introduced the first "swing out cylinder" revolver in 1889. That's I believe a bit later than this story and even if it wasn't the swing out cylinder revolver WAS NOT THE PEACEMAKER!!!!!!! Yes the Peacemaker was made by Colt, but it's cylinder did not swing out. You loaded it one cartridge at a time.

I know it won't bug anyone who doesn't know...but it will gnaw at those who do, really. Still not a deal breaker. I read a book some years ago where the author insisted on calling a Colt 1911(semiautomatic) a revolver. Oh well.

Finally...this one I'll have to put under a spoiler tag (view spoiler)

Okay a few minor gripes, but very minor and I recommend this chunck of brain candy highly. Enjoy. (less)

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Oct 09, 2012 Matthew Baker rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow...I just finished THE DEAD OF WINTER, the debut novel from author Lee Collins, and I have to say that I’m impressed. Very impressed. For a first time author, Collins displays a nice diversity of writing skills, including a unique voice, a solid story, and damaged characters that are both likable and strong. Not to mention an original storyline that throws plenty of punches throughout its course.

Don’t confuse this book’s title with DEAD OF WINTER, the excellent Brian Moreland novel I reviewe...more Wow...I just finished THE DEAD OF WINTER, the debut novel from author Lee Collins, and I have to say that I’m impressed. Very impressed. For a first time author, Collins displays a nice diversity of writing skills, including a unique voice, a solid story, and damaged characters that are both likable and strong. Not to mention an original storyline that throws plenty of punches throughout its course.

Don’t confuse this book’s title with DEAD OF WINTER, the excellent Brian Moreland novel I reviewed earlier this year for Hayes Hudson’s House of Horror. Although both are historical horror and both are excellent reads, the similarities end here. Author Lee Collins gives us a hair-raising horror story set in the Old West that will make you sleep with a six-shooter under your pillow.

Be warned: this book will consume you. It will find its way into your hands when you least expect it, and then it will force you to read it. I tore through this in four days and even found myself skipping a few daily duties to work in a chapter here and there. THE DEAD OF WINTER is very entertaining and will engage even the heartiest of readers.

Collins writes with a fluid prose but he also has an eye for detail, right down to the specifics of what an Old Western drawl probably sounded like. This is especially evident in the book’s main character, Cora Oglesby. Cora’s southern accent is by no means lady-like and adds merit to her gruff demeanor. As a result, her character is much more believable.

THE DEAD OF WINTER also contains some very unique horror elements as well. I am not going into detail about them here because doing so would spoil some of the story. But let’s just say that you’ll probably read about a couple of things in this book that you haven’t heard of before.

The story moves along at a nice pace and there’s even a clever twist towards the end that I certainly didn’t see coming. Combine all of these attributes with vivid detail in the writing and you’ve got one hell of a novel that deserves your attention.

THE DEAD OF WINTER is not your traditional horror story and will keep you riveted until the final page. I highly recommend this one and look forward to Collins’ future projects. If he can continue writing books like this, I will be a longtime fan of his work. Check this one out for sure.(less)

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Sep 24, 2012 Elspeth rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, kindle, netgalley

The person who wrote the blurb on the back of this book should either be fired or given a raise. Do the people that write them actually read the book, or are they given a synopsis that they reword into something polished enough to go on the back of the finished item, but I digress.

I have to say that the writing for this story was quite well done, that the bones of the story was interesting. I enjoyed that part of it, it's just too bad that the characters ruined it.

I really couldn't find it in m...more The person who wrote the blurb on the back of this book should either be fired or given a raise. Do the people that write them actually read the book, or are they given a synopsis that they reword into something polished enough to go on the back of the finished item, but I digress.

I have to say that the writing for this story was quite well done, that the bones of the story was interesting. I enjoyed that part of it, it's just too bad that the characters ruined it.

I really couldn't find it in me to like the main character, she is mean spirited bitch to put it mildly. In the first few chapters of the book she aims to kill a crow with a rock for cawing at her, break a tree branch for having the nerve to brush up against her neck, and call the marshal that hired her Mr. Satan himself for calling her out for drunk and disorderly.

This leads me into the religious aspect of this book, I will not call it preachy per say but it came pretty close. That wouldn't have bothered me too much if Cora wasn't so much of a hypocrite. She gets shitfaced on whiskey and plays poker every night at the bar but has the nerve to call the deputy a stupid fool for falling in love with a whore.

Cora was the most developed character, I can't say much about her husband Ben, cause well there wasn't much too him. I can tell you that he likes books, has a mustache, and blue eyes. Yup that about sums him up, I think I know more about her horse Our Lady of Virginia than her husband.

I now want to point out the cliches, did you know that this was a western? I didn't when I signed up for this book so I wanted to toss that out there. I also want to list all the ways you can tell its a western just in case you don't pick it up in the fist few chapters.

A mysterious stranger comes to town, a tired whiskey soaked marshal trying to save his silver mine town, a lynch mob, racism, a whore house, train rides, Yankee bashing, confederate pride, a bar fight, quick draws, a fight out in the middle of the street, and native American mysticism.

So, even with all that I did still like the base story even if the ending was pure shit. I saw it coming but it still pissed me off, I don't want to ruin it for people so I will leave it at that.

I can see where this author may shine later on with a different set of characters. I really hope he writes another series, I would like to read something that doesn't have the sound track to Ravenous playing in the back of my head while reading.
That shit was annoying.

Thank you Net Galley and Angry Robot for letting me read and review this book.(less)

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Oct 30, 2012 Dragana rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: lovers of western novels with a dash of horror

Shelves: from-netgalley, western, demons, horror, kick-ass-heroine, vampires

Cora and her husband Ben are bounty hunters on paranormal creatures. In this book we follow them while they are solving a couple of cases in a small western town. If you are not a lover of western novels, better skip this book because this book has all the elements: sheriffs, deputies, saloon, whores, miners, trains, etc.

One of the things I liked when I read the summary for this book was that main characters will be a married couple. That was a refreshing change from solo hunters/assassins. I wa...more Cora and her husband Ben are bounty hunters on paranormal creatures. In this book we follow them while they are solving a couple of cases in a small western town. If you are not a lover of western novels, better skip this book because this book has all the elements: sheriffs, deputies, saloon, whores, miners, trains, etc.

One of the things I liked when I read the summary for this book was that main characters will be a married couple. That was a refreshing change from solo hunters/assassins. I was hoping for something different and was disappointed when Cora and her husband behaved more like partners and platonic friends than married couple. But we get an explanation for this in the end, so now in retrospective I understand the reasons for that.

So, the main focus of this book is not a couple - only Cora Oglesby. All important character development we get is related to her. Everybody else, even her husband Ben, are neglected.
Maybe this would not be such a big deal to me if I liked Cora as character, but I didn't. I like female kick-ass sassy heroines with a bit of dry humor, but I can only describe Cora as bitchy and grumpy. And her irrational desire to start a fight with everything (even a tree branch!) was irritating me.

To make my reading of this book even more painful, the plot development in first 60% of the book is very slow. I was struggling with reading and more and more contemplating marking this book as DNF, when at about 65% there was a big twist & discovery that finally got me intrigued and interested. I finished the rest of the book in one sitting, literally glued to the pages.

So how to rate a book that is 60% 2 and 40% 4-5 star read? I settled on 3.
I am adding the next part of the series to my tbr list, because although case is resolved and there is no cliffhanger, I am interested to read how Cora's character will develop in the future.

Disclaimer: I was given a free ebook by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. This text is also posted on Amazon and my blog.(less)

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Oct 05, 2012 Deniz rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, netgalley, arc

3.5 Stars

Dead of Winter was an interesting read to say the least. It's a blend of several different genres: Western, Paranormal,Dark Fantasy,Historical … It's all in there. And it was done really well, actually.
When I first started I was wondering how Collins is going to blend in any thing Paranormal into the story… since it was so classic western actually.
And honestly to my surprise it actually worked.
I am not sure if it is because the world building is quite solid or because Collins didn't re...more

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Oct 06, 2012 Beth Cato rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, western, netgalley, fantasy, ebook

I received this free Advanced Release Copy through NetGalley. The book is out November 1st.

The Dead of Winter bears the pitch line, "True Grit meets True Blood." That's quite apt. Cora and her husband hunt "spooks"--that is, the undead and other nasty critters that crawl out of hell. There aren't too many willing to take on that job in the late 19th-century pioneer west.

The book's pace and feel is like that of an urban fantasy, but against a very cold, very dark Colorado winter backdrop. The mi...more I received this free Advanced Release Copy through NetGalley. The book is out November 1st.

The Dead of Winter bears the pitch line, "True Grit meets True Blood." That's quite apt. Cora and her husband hunt "spooks"--that is, the undead and other nasty critters that crawl out of hell. There aren't too many willing to take on that job in the late 19th-century pioneer west.

The book's pace and feel is like that of an urban fantasy, but against a very cold, very dark Colorado winter backdrop. The mixture works incredibly well. I read another ARC (Portlandtown by Rob DeBorde) earlier in the year that tried the same blend and pioneer setting, but felt very disjointed, with too many characters and almost too much crammed in; The Dead of Winter didn't suffer from that problem at all. It stays true to its western roots, with that paranormal touch.

As much as I love steampunk, it's good that it's not forced into a book. Sometimes a western should just be a western.

Cora is a tough-as-nails heroine. She's quick on the draw and damn good at her job, but at the same time relies heavily on her husband's wisdom and quiet, supportive presence. She also has a problem with alcohol. There is a major subplot involving her husband--I will take care not to spoil it. I caught hints early on and wondered where it was going. The climax relies heavily on this subplot, and handles it quite effectively. There's a lot of action involved, but the psychological repercussions are beautifully handled. The one thing that took away from this was a bit too much chest-thumping on the part of the villain--you know, the whole, 'I am evil and this is my dark plan for you' speech. But as that was probably the weakest element in the book, it's forgivable.

Well, I take that back--this does rely on a lot of western cliches. For example, the only women shown are Cora and prostitutes, and the word "whore" feels overused. Even if it draws on western cliches, it still feels unique because of the paranormal elements.

The Dead of Winter wasn't one of my very favorite reads of the year, but it's high up there. It's a thoroughly enjoyable book, and well worth seeking out if you love a paranormal western. Also, at the end I was thrilled to find this was a NaNoWriMo book--hooray for NaNo!(less)

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Nov 11, 2012 Bane of Kings rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: angry-robot, urban-fantasy, notable-2012-releases, 2012-releases-read

“How do you make vampires more original? You put them in the Western genre. Collins has created a stunning debut here that is sure to entertain.” ~The Founding Fields

So, The Dead of Winter. What a heck of an enjoyable read, and Angry Robot continue to impress me with another stellar debut. The storyline is unique and engaging, and it moves along at a brisk pace. This is the first novel in the Cora Oglesby series and it did not disappoint - I loved every second of it.

"Cora Ogelsby and her husband...more “How do you make vampires more original? You put them in the Western genre. Collins has created a stunning debut here that is sure to entertain.” ~The Founding Fields

So, The Dead of Winter. What a heck of an enjoyable read, and Angry Robot continue to impress me with another stellar debut. The storyline is unique and engaging, and it moves along at a brisk pace. This is the first novel in the Cora Oglesby series and it did not disappoint - I loved every second of it.

"Cora Ogelsby and her husband, Ben, hunt things – things that shouldn’t exist.

When the marshal of Leadville, Colorado, comes across a pair of mysterious, bloody deaths out in the badlands, he turns to Cora to find the creature responsible. But if she is to overcome the unnatural tide threatening to consume the small town, Cora must first confront her own tragic past."

Let’s start with discussing the characters. Cora and Ben are at the core of the novel and are the most developed characters here. Collins manages to make Cora a strong, lead character that is not one-dimensional, and he manages to have the novel lead a lasting effect on the characters involved, as well as the reader. An interesting choice by Collins was to make Cora and Ben a married couple, rather than a pair of lone assassins, which I found to add an interesting element to the story. With She Returns From War coming soon as the next book in this series, you can count me in as a reader of that for certain. I enjoyed almost everything about The Dead of Winter, to the extent that there’s only one thing that I had an issue with (which I’ll touch on later).

The book itself is essentially written in two halves, and the first of which deals with the introduction of Cora and what a normal job would be like for her, whilst the second kicks things into gear and after developing Cora as a strong character and allowing the reader to fully understand her as a character, we’re thrust headlong into the action in the second half, and Collins’ pace doesn’t relent. It’s action-packed, and written with confidence and very entertaining.

Read the Rest of the Review: http://thefoundingfields.com/2012/11/.... (less)

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Jan 05, 2013 Ron rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: supernatural-fiction

I had mixed feelings about this book. Many reviewers describe it as the TV show Supernatural set in the Old West. That about sums it up. Technically, it's well-written and the author does a commendable job bringing the Rockies to life.

My quibbles lie with the main characters. I was less than impressed with Cora herself and grew rather tired of the rootin' tootin' Western-branded dialog through the book. I also became rather quickly annoyed with the minor role of her husband Ben, although that do...more

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Nov 05, 2012 Jaime rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book is a Western. I don’t know why it is only categorized as a Dark Fantasy. I liked that our heroine is kick ass and crazy. Who would’t be after spending ten years hunting and killing evil creatures of the night. She’s also an alcoholic, but again I understood, especially as more of her story was revealed. The problem is the story was boring. While there was action, so much of the story was just character’s standing around talking, and not about anything interesting. None of the character...more

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Oct 27, 2012 Andrea rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: goodreads-first-reads, horror

I was lucky enough to win a copy of The Dead of Winter in a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.

When I entered the giveaway, I wasn't aware that this was a) a western, or b) a paranormal/horror. That said, I probably wouldn't have fancied it if I had known, and I would have missed out, because The Dead of Winter is a great book.

The protagonist, Cora, a demon-hunter of the wild west, left me apathetic. I didn't empathise with her at all, understand her motives, relate to what she was going through, or...more I was lucky enough to win a copy of The Dead of Winter in a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.

When I entered the giveaway, I wasn't aware that this was a) a western, or b) a paranormal/horror. That said, I probably wouldn't have fancied it if I had known, and I would have missed out, because The Dead of Winter is a great book.

The protagonist, Cora, a demon-hunter of the wild west, left me apathetic. I didn't empathise with her at all, understand her motives, relate to what she was going through, or even really like her. I did, however, find her to be a good character; she's a bit of a bad-ass in an era when I imagine most women to be flouncing about whore-houses in frills or home-on-the-range, making stew for their man after a hard day's work. I enjoyed her manly, go-getter attitude and relationship with her gun (which you seem to learn more about than her poor husband).

The book itself was well written, though the dialogue within annoyed me quite a bit; I'm aware that it's how some people talk, but the bad grammar within the speech just irked me. I suppose it did lend itself to the authenticity of speech, but I found it annoying regardless (bad grammar within speech being a major reason I refuse to listen to the radio). There are also a few tense errors within the book ('or else he'd found it and build his cabin on top of it'), but I'm hoping these will have been ironed out by the time the novel is released. The blurb on the back could also do with a bit of work; I can state for fact that had I have been purchasing this book rather than receiving a review copy, I would have put it back on the shelf from the blurb, it just doesn't do it justice.

Another reviewer drew the comparison of this novel with Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I can see their point, as a lot of it seems to take a 'lighthearted' approach to ghouls and monsters, not unlike the televised Slayer. Treating the mythical and fantastical as an everyday part of life is quite a refreshing take in a novel, and it made it all the more readable. Combining that with the good writing style that constitutes an easy but not simplistic read, this novel powers along under its own steam quite happily, making it a bit of a page turner even though I can't put my finger on why it is!

I'd definitely recommend giving this a try - it's not a genre I'd necessarily have purchased a book from, but now I have tried it and found I enjoyed it, I would definitely look out for others of this type or by this author again!
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Oct 26, 2012 Mieneke rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, fantasy

Westerns and I have usually been rather reluctant companions; they're not really my cup of tea, but Wiebe loves them, so I'll have to sit through either Once Upon a Time in the West or The Good, the Bad and the Ugly once a year. As a consequence I've always been rather hesitant to pick up weird westerns, thinking I wouldn't enjoy them. But in my bid to broaden my reading and as the blurb and synopsis of the book sounded rather interesting, I took a chance on The Dead of Winter. It turns out west...more

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Dec 18, 2012 Mihir rated it 4 of 5 stars

Full review originally at Fantasy Book Critic

ANALYSIS: Lee Collins’ debut was one that I almost missed out on. I had gotten hold of an e-copy earlier however due to work and my TBR pile, kept on passing it over. But I kept seeing praise about it on twitter and with me being in a recent book slump of sorts, I decided to take a look at it. It began a bit slowly but I’m glad I took a chance on it as I think I’ve discovered another debut that might make the year-end lists.

The book begins in 1883 i...more
Full review originally at Fantasy Book Critic

ANALYSIS: Lee Collins’ debut was one that I almost missed out on. I had gotten hold of an e-copy earlier however due to work and my TBR pile, kept on passing it over. But I kept seeing praise about it on twitter and with me being in a recent book slump of sorts, I decided to take a look at it. It began a bit slowly but I’m glad I took a chance on it as I think I’ve discovered another debut that might make the year-end lists.

The book begins in 1883 in Colorado and features Cora and Ben Oglesby. They both are bounty hunters who hunt vampires and have been successfully doing so for more than a decade. As they are passing through the small settlement of Leadville in Colorado, they are beseeched to save the settlement from a mysterious animal that has been killing the poor folk. With their fees being settled, Cora and Ben get down to their job only to find out that the creature they are hunting might not be their usual supernatural quarry. Things get even hairier as they find out what they might be against. The plot then has them dealing with further problems as they make the acquaintance of a British vampire hunting academic who tells them of a problem infesting his lord’s mines. Its up to Cora and Ben to make light amid all the problems and save themselves as well as all the people around them.

This debut is one that stands out because of its settings and mixing of genres in the main storyline. On one hand it’s a historical fantasy but it also has some elements of horror to it and lastly it also has some very potent characterization to it in regards to the main characters. Lets get to the meat of it then, kudos to the author for writing this story and placing it in the western setting as the tagline suggests, “True Grit meets True Blood”. This tagline is pitch perfect and sums up the book with near perfection. The story’s pace is also something that isn’t the fastest but never slackens and does its best to keep the reader hooked. Also the plot twists as well as the author’s descriptive prose help in enriching the read and making sure that it does not seem as a run-of-mill debut. The main character of Cora Oglesby is absolutely a treat to read about. Being a tough no-nonsense woman in a male-dominated field has earned her a reputation as “Mad Madam”. She strives to do her best and truly is a wonder to behold when she’s doing what she does best. While Ben acts as the smooth glove to her iron fisted approach, their team has acquired a legendary name of sorts within the western towns. The author has given birth to a very fascinating character and the grit she showcases is simply brilliant to read.

Next there is one wild twist that occurs near the middle of the story for which the author has to be applauded. While it’s not completely easy to anticipate, the reader will probably notice some irregularities for them to give it a thought. Though the end result might not be the same, kudos to the author adding this to the story to make that much more interesting. Lastly the setting and pace of the story is such that the readers are constantly kept on the edge and this book is one that will have the readers coming back for seconds, thirds and much more. There are also various nods to history and several small factoids that are smartly incorporated in the story. I particularly enjoyed this debut and feel that this would make a truly fun cinematic experience be it in the form of a movie or even a TV series.

Not that that this debut is flawless, firstly it takes a while to get things in place and the first 50 odd pages, the readers might feel a little lost with all the happenings. Be assured that its done on purpose and I would recommend that readers pay particular attention to the happenings as otherwise you’ll be scrambling back to these pages when the twist is revealed. Lastly the plot has two main threads to it and while the first one ends in the middle before leading on to the second, the transition doesn’t go as smoothly as the author envisions.

CONCLUSION: Lee Collins marks himself out with his debut that has an eclectic mix of genres and some pretty terrific prose and characterization to dazzle readers with. I was pleasantly surprised by this book and for those readers who are on the fence about this book, my advice is to get off it as quickly as you can and read this one, as its ingenuity will mark itself out among the year end lists and the minds of readers.(less)

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Oct 31, 2012 Julie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, reviewed, vampires, read-in-2012

I received this free Advanced Reader's Copy through Goodreads Giveaways. I would say it's more "horror western" than "dark fantasy".

Apparently the author wrote this for National Novel Writing Month, and once I knew that it all made a bit more sense. Overall, I liked it. I think this author has potential and I may read other series by them.

The setting was good, I could almost imagine myself there. You could almost feel the cold described with this one. The atmosphere was just right. The first th...more

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Jan 13, 2013 Colleen rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: vampire

This book was "ok", and that's about it.

In the Old West, Cora and her husband Ben are bounty hunters of supernatural critters. Ben annoyed me for most of the book, though, because he didn't really do much of anything. There's a reason for this you find out later, but it didn't really change how I felt about the earlier parts.

And Cora - well, Cora's a nasty drunk and a generally disagreeable person. I mean, I liked flawed protagonists and all, but Cora was just kind of annoying, and it was hard t...more

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Nov 01, 2012 Sara Walker rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, urban-fantasy

Kaleidoscope Reviews

The story starts with a mystery plot: on a cold winter day in Colorado a marshal and his deputy investigate the remains of a couple of miners. The murders are unlike anything they've encountered and seem to have been caused by something unnatural. A stranger in town, Cora Oglesby hears about the strange deaths, and offers to put her years of monster hunting to work for the marshal.

Through the first half of the book, Cora and her husband Ben hunt this dangerous creature. I was...more

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Oct 28, 2012 Kumara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I received this book through the goodreads first read program.The blurb on this front cover of this book states "True Grit Meets True Blood". This worried me as I did not like any of the True Blood books or the tv show.After reading the book I would be more inclined to say Calamity Jane(Deadwood version) meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer.This book and buffy share one very important thing in common,they are both so much fun.The Dead of Winter is a fast paced uncomplicated story of monsters and monst...more

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Dec 27, 2012 Ryan Lawler rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Dead of Winter by Lee Collins is a fantasy western about supernatural bounty hunters. Think the TV show Supernatural, set in 1880's frontier America, where the hunters are husband and wife instead of brothers. This is, as you would probably expect, an action driven adventure about a seemingly straight forward hunt gone wrong.

It's not a ground breaking book, not by any means. But it's a lot of fun with a couple of gritty protagonists and some big bad enemies that pose a real threat. Collins d...more

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Oct 02, 2012 PopcornReads rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-adventure, alternative-history, cannibals, civil-war, demons, fiction, giveaway, giveaway-hop, ghosts, horror, loss, fantasy, murder, paranormal, relationships, secrets, suspense, vampires, werewolves, wendigo

Book Review & Giveaway: We’re participating in the Fangs, Fur & Fey Giveaway Hop, and our giveaway is fangs related. Cue the evil book reviewer’s laugh. Thanks to the publisher, we’re reviewing and giving away an advance readers copy (ARC) of The Dead of Winter by Lee Collins. The book cover says it all: “True Grit meets True Blood.” Yep, this novel is alternate history – a Western with strong elements of paranormal fantasy and some horror thrown in for bump-in-the-night thrills. Read th...more

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Nov 13, 2012 N E White rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Dead of Winter by Lee Collins is the first volume in his vampire western series: the Cora Oglesby Series.The tagline for these is: True Grit meets True Blood. Fortuitously, I’ve seen True Grit, but not True Blood (the HBO TV series).

Now, you may be asking, “Why would she think that ‘fortuitously’?”

Because I do not have terribly popular notions about vampires skewing my sense of their rightful place in history, particularly American Western history (if I could wink at you now, I would).

Anyway...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
The Indie Exchang...: ARC of The Dead of Winter by Lee Collins (giveaway hop)	1	6	Oct 02, 2012 08:38am
Bloggers Unite™ : Win an ARC of The Dead of Winter by Lee Collins	1	4	Oct 02, 2012 08:37am
Book Bloggers Ano...: Win an ARC of The Dead of Winter by Lee Collins	1	4	Oct 02, 2012 08:36am
Creative Reviews: Win an ARC of The Dead of Winter by Lee Collins	1	5	Oct 02, 2012 08:35am
Goodreads Librari...: Please add cover	3	32	Oct 01, 2012 01:51am

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The Dead of Winter (Cora Oglesby #1)

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