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Lost DMB Files #17
Fistful of Reefer
Fistful of Reefer delivers a surge equivalent to a cocktail of 1 part serotonin, 2 parts adrenaline, with a dash of grenadine served over ice. This double-fisted, dieselpunk weird-Western resides between No Country for Old Men and The Three Amigos.
In 1918, when Chancho Villarreal and his friends inadvertently create the legend of El Chupacabra, they draw the attention of Texas Ranger J.T. McCutchen to their goat ranch and marijuana farm north of Del Rio, Texas. What follows is an action-packed ride across the wilds of a Texas haunted by rumors of Chupacabras behind every bush.
In 1918, when Chancho Villarreal and his friends inadvertently create the legend of El Chupacabra, they draw the attention of Texas Ranger J.T. McCutchen to their goat ranch and marijuana farm north of Del Rio, Texas. What follows is an action-packed ride across the wilds of a Texas haunted by rumors of Chupacabras behind every bush.
357 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 21, 2011
15 people are currently reading
214 people want to read
About the author
David Mark Brown
50 books58 followersRaised in Central Texas, David Mark Brown learned to ride horses at a young age. Then learned to hate them after a disastrous attempt to impress a girlfriend. He was five.
Turning instead to a life of poetry and prose he eventually migrated north to the University of Montana (the Berkeley of the Rockies) and became the Redneck Granola.
Falling in love a chainsaw wielding mountain woman forced him to reconsider his chosen career path--Hemingway on a sailboat. Instead he illuminated the path of life to college students as a spiritual guide for over a dozen years while his wife (now a pharmacist) squirreled away enough acorns for David to embrace the sultry world of commercial fiction.
After legally snatching a little Vietnamese boy and creating another son via more natural means, the happy family settled in Idaho. David still rides horses, but only in black and never for fun.
Pull up a chair at www.thegreenporch.com, and I'll pour you some sweet tea.
Turning instead to a life of poetry and prose he eventually migrated north to the University of Montana (the Berkeley of the Rockies) and became the Redneck Granola.
Falling in love a chainsaw wielding mountain woman forced him to reconsider his chosen career path--Hemingway on a sailboat. Instead he illuminated the path of life to college students as a spiritual guide for over a dozen years while his wife (now a pharmacist) squirreled away enough acorns for David to embrace the sultry world of commercial fiction.
After legally snatching a little Vietnamese boy and creating another son via more natural means, the happy family settled in Idaho. David still rides horses, but only in black and never for fun.
Pull up a chair at www.thegreenporch.com, and I'll pour you some sweet tea.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
September 1, 2021
"Everybody knows it's the roach that lives in the end."
Not enough reefer.
And, definitely not enough chupacabra.
Sigh.
Not enough reefer.
And, definitely not enough chupacabra.
Sigh.
August 20, 2011
After a rather bumpy start (I mistook the villain for the hero, which confused me...) I really got into the novella. The characters are great, maybe a little too black and white in sometimes. The Dieselpunk elements fun and surprising the "agricultural devices" (I try to avoid spoilers...) made me laugh.
Also, David really has a hand for action scenes. The sudden flood was one epic scene!
There will be an updated and longer verion of this review later, during the blog bonanza, but this will have to do for now.
And here is the updated long version:
David Mark Brown’s Fistful of Reefer was my first contact with fiction concerning the “Old West”. Of course I had a certain idea about the Golden Age of Gunslingers but I was also aware this idea was severely flawed.
What first struck me was the intensity of character the first protagonist you encounter displays. Texas Ranger McCutchen is one hard man of strong and firm opinions, and he knows what is wrong and what is right. And he will shoot you if you disagree too much or get in his way. Interestingly, the Texas Ranger, a staple hero in American literature, is the villain. McCutchen’s story could end here. In keeping with pulp literature, he could have just been the Bad Guy, period. It would also be in keeping with 1950′s western flicks. It does not end here. As the story continues, we get a glimpse into McCutchen’s mind. He has reasons to be what he is. They are selfish, self-righteous reasons and they do not make him any more sympathetic but they make him a real and believable character.
McCutchen’s antagonists (or so he thinks) is a quasi-family of three marihuana farmers: Nena, a Kickapoo Native American, her husband Chancho, a Mexican, and their friend Muddy, an African American. The three are just normal people trying to make a living in difficult times.
This constellation, a very WASP, racist Texas Ranger facing off against three ordinary and multi-ethnic people, each a member of a minority ill-treated in the history and present of the United States, is a bit too moralistic and in-your-face. I think it would not have hurt the story at all if Muddy had been either Nena’s or Chancho’s brother. Everything would have been just as believable.
Apart from this one point, there is nothing I have to criticise in Fistful of Reefer.
Fistful of Reefer
But I have to commend David on the chemistry he creates within this patchwork family of sorts. It becomes clear quickly that all three love each other, that they genuinely care for one another and are just decent folk.
Continuing with some more strong points:
The plot is fast, the novella is a page turner. I was particularly impressed with David’s ability to describe dynamic situations and moments of fear.
David’s description of the flash-flood stands out. It made me grab the armrest of my chair. The same goes for landscapes. You really get the feel of the land the story is set in. In a way, it feels like you are in the middle of a movie.
Despite the fact that the main story line is about a Texas ranger chasing a family of farmers who are not quite sure what hit them, Fistful of Reefer is not only gun-slinging action. Political intrigue fuelled by an unstable situation in Mexico and the First World War going on in Europe is mentioned in the margins rather early and becomes a more prominent factor the more the story progresses.
The last thing are the ideas David came up with. I have to restrain myself not to put any spoilers here. From Chancho’s bizarre home-built marihuana harvester to, well, rather bizarre guard animals employed by unexpected allies, the novella has a few surprising Dieselpunk elements to offer.
I was aware I would encounter Dieselpunk elements along the way but I did not expect the ones David actually incorporated.
So to sum up:
Fistful of Reefer is a thoroughly enjoyable novella. It has action, intrigue, humour and weird ideas. On the down side, it suffers a bit from stereotypical characters, even though the roles are inverted. This is a homage to the original Old West fiction, I presume, but I found it a bit shallow. Still, this is the only thing I can complain about.
Also, David really has a hand for action scenes. The sudden flood was one epic scene!
There will be an updated and longer verion of this review later, during the blog bonanza, but this will have to do for now.
And here is the updated long version:
David Mark Brown’s Fistful of Reefer was my first contact with fiction concerning the “Old West”. Of course I had a certain idea about the Golden Age of Gunslingers but I was also aware this idea was severely flawed.
What first struck me was the intensity of character the first protagonist you encounter displays. Texas Ranger McCutchen is one hard man of strong and firm opinions, and he knows what is wrong and what is right. And he will shoot you if you disagree too much or get in his way. Interestingly, the Texas Ranger, a staple hero in American literature, is the villain. McCutchen’s story could end here. In keeping with pulp literature, he could have just been the Bad Guy, period. It would also be in keeping with 1950′s western flicks. It does not end here. As the story continues, we get a glimpse into McCutchen’s mind. He has reasons to be what he is. They are selfish, self-righteous reasons and they do not make him any more sympathetic but they make him a real and believable character.
McCutchen’s antagonists (or so he thinks) is a quasi-family of three marihuana farmers: Nena, a Kickapoo Native American, her husband Chancho, a Mexican, and their friend Muddy, an African American. The three are just normal people trying to make a living in difficult times.
This constellation, a very WASP, racist Texas Ranger facing off against three ordinary and multi-ethnic people, each a member of a minority ill-treated in the history and present of the United States, is a bit too moralistic and in-your-face. I think it would not have hurt the story at all if Muddy had been either Nena’s or Chancho’s brother. Everything would have been just as believable.
Apart from this one point, there is nothing I have to criticise in Fistful of Reefer.
Fistful of Reefer
But I have to commend David on the chemistry he creates within this patchwork family of sorts. It becomes clear quickly that all three love each other, that they genuinely care for one another and are just decent folk.
Continuing with some more strong points:
The plot is fast, the novella is a page turner. I was particularly impressed with David’s ability to describe dynamic situations and moments of fear.
David’s description of the flash-flood stands out. It made me grab the armrest of my chair. The same goes for landscapes. You really get the feel of the land the story is set in. In a way, it feels like you are in the middle of a movie.
Despite the fact that the main story line is about a Texas ranger chasing a family of farmers who are not quite sure what hit them, Fistful of Reefer is not only gun-slinging action. Political intrigue fuelled by an unstable situation in Mexico and the First World War going on in Europe is mentioned in the margins rather early and becomes a more prominent factor the more the story progresses.
The last thing are the ideas David came up with. I have to restrain myself not to put any spoilers here. From Chancho’s bizarre home-built marihuana harvester to, well, rather bizarre guard animals employed by unexpected allies, the novella has a few surprising Dieselpunk elements to offer.
I was aware I would encounter Dieselpunk elements along the way but I did not expect the ones David actually incorporated.
So to sum up:
Fistful of Reefer is a thoroughly enjoyable novella. It has action, intrigue, humour and weird ideas. On the down side, it suffers a bit from stereotypical characters, even though the roles are inverted. This is a homage to the original Old West fiction, I presume, but I found it a bit shallow. Still, this is the only thing I can complain about.
August 24, 2011
I was not sure what to expect. Now I'm glad I read the book.
- loveable characters
- great action scenes
- funny elements
- unexpected twists and turns
- Good mix of dieselpunk, western and alternate history
Read my full review over at Edi's Book Lighthouse
- loveable characters
- great action scenes
- funny elements
- unexpected twists and turns
- Good mix of dieselpunk, western and alternate history
Read my full review over at Edi's Book Lighthouse
October 18, 2012
***Pulp Warning*** My e-reading is mostly e-pulp centric. My reviews are therefore skewed towards e-pulp reading. Reader beware. ***Pulp Warning***
I'll qualify this review by saying that while Fistful of Reefer does resemble many other pulp stories out there it isn't strictly pulp. The author's intent, as I understand it, was to write Dieselpunk and as such it's not trying to be pulp.
On the other hand, Dieselpunk is my other prose obsession and there's plenty of pulp grist for the mill in this one. I mean it references The Dollars Trilogy in the title. That's not just pulp - that's classy pulp!
So I'm going to qualify everything and be more confusing than usual. Read on...
Overall: 4 stars (3 stars for pulp snobs, if it's possible to be such a thing)
As most people note, if you like your Serge Leone movies political (which is sort of a redundant statement) then you'll get a kick out of this story. I'm just repeating what others have said but this is The Good, The Bad and The Ugly set in 1920s America with a drug-based Macguffin. And goats that barf marijuana. If this in anyway sounds like your kind of thing then this story is for you.
A qualification for pulp readers though - if you're a pulp purist then you may want to knock off a star (or half a star if that were possible at Goodreads). As you may expect from a story with the word 'reefer' in its title, there is much introspection. You may like this, you may not. For you it's 3 stars. All four of you terrible snobs...
On the other other hand - this is fantastic Dieselpunk. More on that later.
Pacing and Action: 3/4 stars.
For a pulp story this can be a little slow. And the angst over various political problems may be a chore. If you enjoy a little bit of cheeky 'punkitude in your reading this will be fine. If you're not there's still plenty of spills and thrills, including some awesome period-specific vehicle-based chase scenes that will definitely float the boat of many a pulp reader. But then there's all that boring angst about politics...
Pulp Concept: 4/5 stars.
Not your average pulp concept, to be sure, but it IS suitably whacky and leads to all the shenanigans you could want from a pulp story, even if not quite at the pace you may want. A note on the drug thing - to my surprise the story doesn't actually have much to do with drugs. They serve as a MacGuffin that then charges the political environment the characters move through. So don't be too put off by the idea. If you despise everything to do with drugs then the title should have put you off already. But if not, don't worry cause the stuff just ends up being yet another banned substance during Prohibition era America. Which gets our heroes into a lot of trouble. And the most disturbing moment of drug consumption comes from regurgutating goats...
Character development: 3/4 stars.
Again, I'm going to qualify this one. I didn't particularly like the first protagonist, but that's because I didn't 'get' him. I just had a lot of trouble getting a read on him. He was kinda flaky and passive. The other protagonist was a little more straightforward, even if he could be seen as the antagonist as well, but I think this also benefitted from previously reading Reefer Ranger, the free prequel of sorts to Fistful of Reefer. There is, however, plenty of character development among the supporting cast and some really intriguing character paradoxes that were unfortunately left unanswered. But by pulp standards this was pretty good. My inability to understand the protagonist notwithstanding.
Production: 4 stars.
A zany cover that grabs you and professional editting etc on the inside make this an easy book to read.
Series Potential: 4 stars.
There's already a stack of different stories in the DMB Files which I've been told will serve as artifacts in a series set in the present. In the new series the stories will be referred to as documents written by a pulp writer/historian that is trying to unravel various conspiracies. And considering the titles of the other stories include zombies and other pulpy concepts I think the series potential is already on show to see.
If you're interested check these out:
The Austin Job
Del Rio Con Amor
Twitch and Die!
And the one that gets my attention: Paraplegic Zombie Slayer
So there's plenty of pulpy madness out there to be had in the world of the DMB Files. Series potential? Big tick.
Dieselpunk: 5 stars.
As a Dieselpunk story this thing is top class. 'Punking a time era (Steam, Diesel, Atomic, Cyber) is to criticise the politics of the present or the past by using the past to show up the future or inserting modern values and ideological beliefs into the protagonists existing in a former or future age. And this book does so in spades, using the idea of a character's quest to get their cash crop (which just happens to be an illegal substance in America at a time when most things were illegal) away from the people who are hunting them as a political statement about banned substances, freedoms and a range of other topics. The fact that it uses a Mexican perspective of the era and examines the various political shenanigans happening at the time a) gives it that special Serge Leone flavour, and b) lands squarely within the target it was aiming for - Righteous Diesel'punkitude (come on, it's called Fistful of Reefer. Did you think I'd get through this review without one stoner movie reference?).
If you like Dieselpunk then buy buy buy.
That is all.
Wrap Up.
Bizarre story that will pass some people by completely. But if this is at all remotely your thing - even if you're not into the whole drug politics thing - I suggest you give it a go, or at least track down the free Reefer Ranger to see what you think.
You never know, it could be your gateway drug to the DMB Files...
I'll qualify this review by saying that while Fistful of Reefer does resemble many other pulp stories out there it isn't strictly pulp. The author's intent, as I understand it, was to write Dieselpunk and as such it's not trying to be pulp.
On the other hand, Dieselpunk is my other prose obsession and there's plenty of pulp grist for the mill in this one. I mean it references The Dollars Trilogy in the title. That's not just pulp - that's classy pulp!
So I'm going to qualify everything and be more confusing than usual. Read on...
Overall: 4 stars (3 stars for pulp snobs, if it's possible to be such a thing)
As most people note, if you like your Serge Leone movies political (which is sort of a redundant statement) then you'll get a kick out of this story. I'm just repeating what others have said but this is The Good, The Bad and The Ugly set in 1920s America with a drug-based Macguffin. And goats that barf marijuana. If this in anyway sounds like your kind of thing then this story is for you.
A qualification for pulp readers though - if you're a pulp purist then you may want to knock off a star (or half a star if that were possible at Goodreads). As you may expect from a story with the word 'reefer' in its title, there is much introspection. You may like this, you may not. For you it's 3 stars. All four of you terrible snobs...
On the other other hand - this is fantastic Dieselpunk. More on that later.
Pacing and Action: 3/4 stars.
For a pulp story this can be a little slow. And the angst over various political problems may be a chore. If you enjoy a little bit of cheeky 'punkitude in your reading this will be fine. If you're not there's still plenty of spills and thrills, including some awesome period-specific vehicle-based chase scenes that will definitely float the boat of many a pulp reader. But then there's all that boring angst about politics...
Pulp Concept: 4/5 stars.
Not your average pulp concept, to be sure, but it IS suitably whacky and leads to all the shenanigans you could want from a pulp story, even if not quite at the pace you may want. A note on the drug thing - to my surprise the story doesn't actually have much to do with drugs. They serve as a MacGuffin that then charges the political environment the characters move through. So don't be too put off by the idea. If you despise everything to do with drugs then the title should have put you off already. But if not, don't worry cause the stuff just ends up being yet another banned substance during Prohibition era America. Which gets our heroes into a lot of trouble. And the most disturbing moment of drug consumption comes from regurgutating goats...
Character development: 3/4 stars.
Again, I'm going to qualify this one. I didn't particularly like the first protagonist, but that's because I didn't 'get' him. I just had a lot of trouble getting a read on him. He was kinda flaky and passive. The other protagonist was a little more straightforward, even if he could be seen as the antagonist as well, but I think this also benefitted from previously reading Reefer Ranger, the free prequel of sorts to Fistful of Reefer. There is, however, plenty of character development among the supporting cast and some really intriguing character paradoxes that were unfortunately left unanswered. But by pulp standards this was pretty good. My inability to understand the protagonist notwithstanding.
Production: 4 stars.
A zany cover that grabs you and professional editting etc on the inside make this an easy book to read.
Series Potential: 4 stars.
There's already a stack of different stories in the DMB Files which I've been told will serve as artifacts in a series set in the present. In the new series the stories will be referred to as documents written by a pulp writer/historian that is trying to unravel various conspiracies. And considering the titles of the other stories include zombies and other pulpy concepts I think the series potential is already on show to see.
If you're interested check these out:
The Austin Job
Del Rio Con Amor
Twitch and Die!
And the one that gets my attention: Paraplegic Zombie Slayer
So there's plenty of pulpy madness out there to be had in the world of the DMB Files. Series potential? Big tick.
Dieselpunk: 5 stars.
As a Dieselpunk story this thing is top class. 'Punking a time era (Steam, Diesel, Atomic, Cyber) is to criticise the politics of the present or the past by using the past to show up the future or inserting modern values and ideological beliefs into the protagonists existing in a former or future age. And this book does so in spades, using the idea of a character's quest to get their cash crop (which just happens to be an illegal substance in America at a time when most things were illegal) away from the people who are hunting them as a political statement about banned substances, freedoms and a range of other topics. The fact that it uses a Mexican perspective of the era and examines the various political shenanigans happening at the time a) gives it that special Serge Leone flavour, and b) lands squarely within the target it was aiming for - Righteous Diesel'punkitude (come on, it's called Fistful of Reefer. Did you think I'd get through this review without one stoner movie reference?).
If you like Dieselpunk then buy buy buy.
That is all.
Wrap Up.
Bizarre story that will pass some people by completely. But if this is at all remotely your thing - even if you're not into the whole drug politics thing - I suggest you give it a go, or at least track down the free Reefer Ranger to see what you think.
You never know, it could be your gateway drug to the DMB Files...
March 23, 2012
I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Austin Job by David Mark Brown.
As soon as I started it, I realized that I should have read its predecessor, Fistful of Reefer, which creates and introduces the new sub-sub-genre of science fiction, reefer punk. According to the author's introduction to The Austin Job, "reefer punk" fiction is alternate history, set in the western US, based on the premise that oil never got cheap, and instead energy comes from "cellulosic ethanol from the wonderful cannabis plant."
I haven't read any "steampunk," "dieselpunk" or any other "-punk" work before, although I have seen some movies that fit into the genre. The idea is appealing on an intellectual as well as aesthetic level. I love the look of the cyberpunk and dieselpunk ethos--the curving metal, the 1920s Art Deco typography. But pulling off a story that works is a challenge. You have to create a world and a history that is believable while different from our own; an alternative history that patently makes sense and stems from a recognizable point of divergence from our own history; and at the same time not get bogged down in back-story--the bane of many new writers.
This is not Brown's first novel, but with just two novels and a collection of short stories out, he still counts as a new author.
Strengths
The setting is Austin, Texas in 1918. The story brings together an embittered Ukrainian Bolshevik refugee from the Russian Revolution, a newly elected Texas state senator who is beginning his journey to political disillusionment, an aging sheriff, his beautiful and headstrong daughter, and, of course, a fantastically rich banking tycoon.
The conflict starts right away, with lots of literal pyrotechnics. Just after the state election, a new State Senator, the young and handsome former rodeo cowboy Jim Starr (what a cowboy name!) is courted by two sides in a seething social tension in the state.
Economically, times are hard. Students and union members are striking and have rioted. The match is lit, literally and figuratively, by the mysterious Professor Medved ("bear" in Ukrainian), and once that happens, the action never stops.
Brown describes the technology and gadgets very well. As far as I can tell, the streetcars, derricks and other machinery fit well into the dieselpunk genre, as far as I can tell.
Most of the characters are believable, even sympathetic. I can identify with Jim Starr, someone who is tentatively finding his way in a new line of work after he can no longer pursue his first career (rodeo cowboy, remember?), and I really felt for Sheriff Lickter. I could even feel a connection to the villain, and I felt I could understand, if not condone, his thinking and actions.
The villain is very believable, except for his name: Oleg Rodchenko. It's Russian. To be Ukrainian, it should be Oleh. On the other hand, Brown may be showing how Russified Ukraine is in our world as well as in his alternative version.
Weaknesses
This bring me to the only plot weakness: the somewhat unclear state of the world. For example in the Reeferpunk history, what is the state of Russia? Had the Bolshevik Revolution failed?
This is a forgivable weakness, however. An author cannot fit a description of the whole world into one novel, and should not try. Brown says he's planning a series, which will give him room to explore his alterative world.
While almost all the characters are believable, the femme fatale is contrived. Daisy Lickter is a headstrong, capable as well as beautiful. She rallies the women in the Women's Bank (another piece of the alternative history?) She's just too good.
Style: smooth
Brown is a professional writer. Unlike so many independent authors, he obviously knows how to write. The book had very few typos and a couple of words were missing. It's far ahead of many independently published books that I've read lately.
Brown has created a fascinating world and populated it with entertaining and sympathetic characters. The Austin Job is a fun ride, well worth a read. Check it out.
As soon as I started it, I realized that I should have read its predecessor, Fistful of Reefer, which creates and introduces the new sub-sub-genre of science fiction, reefer punk. According to the author's introduction to The Austin Job, "reefer punk" fiction is alternate history, set in the western US, based on the premise that oil never got cheap, and instead energy comes from "cellulosic ethanol from the wonderful cannabis plant."
I haven't read any "steampunk," "dieselpunk" or any other "-punk" work before, although I have seen some movies that fit into the genre. The idea is appealing on an intellectual as well as aesthetic level. I love the look of the cyberpunk and dieselpunk ethos--the curving metal, the 1920s Art Deco typography. But pulling off a story that works is a challenge. You have to create a world and a history that is believable while different from our own; an alternative history that patently makes sense and stems from a recognizable point of divergence from our own history; and at the same time not get bogged down in back-story--the bane of many new writers.
This is not Brown's first novel, but with just two novels and a collection of short stories out, he still counts as a new author.
Strengths
The setting is Austin, Texas in 1918. The story brings together an embittered Ukrainian Bolshevik refugee from the Russian Revolution, a newly elected Texas state senator who is beginning his journey to political disillusionment, an aging sheriff, his beautiful and headstrong daughter, and, of course, a fantastically rich banking tycoon.
The conflict starts right away, with lots of literal pyrotechnics. Just after the state election, a new State Senator, the young and handsome former rodeo cowboy Jim Starr (what a cowboy name!) is courted by two sides in a seething social tension in the state.
Economically, times are hard. Students and union members are striking and have rioted. The match is lit, literally and figuratively, by the mysterious Professor Medved ("bear" in Ukrainian), and once that happens, the action never stops.
Brown describes the technology and gadgets very well. As far as I can tell, the streetcars, derricks and other machinery fit well into the dieselpunk genre, as far as I can tell.
Most of the characters are believable, even sympathetic. I can identify with Jim Starr, someone who is tentatively finding his way in a new line of work after he can no longer pursue his first career (rodeo cowboy, remember?), and I really felt for Sheriff Lickter. I could even feel a connection to the villain, and I felt I could understand, if not condone, his thinking and actions.
The villain is very believable, except for his name: Oleg Rodchenko. It's Russian. To be Ukrainian, it should be Oleh. On the other hand, Brown may be showing how Russified Ukraine is in our world as well as in his alternative version.
Weaknesses
This bring me to the only plot weakness: the somewhat unclear state of the world. For example in the Reeferpunk history, what is the state of Russia? Had the Bolshevik Revolution failed?
This is a forgivable weakness, however. An author cannot fit a description of the whole world into one novel, and should not try. Brown says he's planning a series, which will give him room to explore his alterative world.
While almost all the characters are believable, the femme fatale is contrived. Daisy Lickter is a headstrong, capable as well as beautiful. She rallies the women in the Women's Bank (another piece of the alternative history?) She's just too good.
Style: smooth
Brown is a professional writer. Unlike so many independent authors, he obviously knows how to write. The book had very few typos and a couple of words were missing. It's far ahead of many independently published books that I've read lately.
Brown has created a fascinating world and populated it with entertaining and sympathetic characters. The Austin Job is a fun ride, well worth a read. Check it out.
January 28, 2012
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet," from my perspective, sets the tone for this review perfectly. Firstly, I implore you to not let the outrageous, gimmicky title deceive you into thinking this is just a schlock-filled pulp novel in the vein L. Ron Hubbard's juvenile forays into "No Man's Land." Fistful of Reefer is so much more than that. Go into the first chapter with an open mind, and the book will immediately take your imagination by the reins and lead you through a comical spaghetti western, with alternate historical elements and a touch of the supernatural.
Set in the backdrop of an alternate 1918, our beloved Chancho and his star-crossed lover companions, Nena and Muddy, cross wits with McCutchen, a hardnosed Texas Ranger: a man of few words who enjoys the company of his horse over people and likes to make his guns do the talking. The characters are all multifaceted, enriched with solid back-stories and unique personalities. Hell, even the goats and horses are given first-class treatment. The banter between all characters, even secondary ones, is amusing, heartwarming and most importantly, believable. There is typically a rhyme for any of their reasons, even when they are stoned.
Fistful of Reefer is filled with lush environmental descriptions; Brown makes painting pictures with words seem easy. His great attention to such geographic details, an almost intimate connection and familiarity with the implacable aridness of the southern tip of the United States, kept me interested in every scene. Well-crafted action sequences drive the narrative like a prosaic jackhammer, chipping away any sense of the mundane in David Brown's adrenaline-fueled articulations. Caveat: make sure you keep a life jacket on hand while reading the flash-flood sequence.
Fistful of Reefer is a grand experience, a celebration in exposition, honoring a time when liberty meant more than being allowed to write whatever you want to on your Facebook status or to express yourself on YouTube. Brown's verbose writing style gave me the impression that if that absurd movie from the 80s, Three Men and a Baby, was remade with Sergio Leone, Christopher Moore and Cormac McCarthy playing the lead roles, then David Mark Brown would definitely fit the bill as the child they raised. Give this book a chance, and I'll guarantee you'll desire to ride off into the sunset with Mr. Brown again and again.
- Joseph DiCristofano
Author of Paths to Divinity
Set in the backdrop of an alternate 1918, our beloved Chancho and his star-crossed lover companions, Nena and Muddy, cross wits with McCutchen, a hardnosed Texas Ranger: a man of few words who enjoys the company of his horse over people and likes to make his guns do the talking. The characters are all multifaceted, enriched with solid back-stories and unique personalities. Hell, even the goats and horses are given first-class treatment. The banter between all characters, even secondary ones, is amusing, heartwarming and most importantly, believable. There is typically a rhyme for any of their reasons, even when they are stoned.
Fistful of Reefer is filled with lush environmental descriptions; Brown makes painting pictures with words seem easy. His great attention to such geographic details, an almost intimate connection and familiarity with the implacable aridness of the southern tip of the United States, kept me interested in every scene. Well-crafted action sequences drive the narrative like a prosaic jackhammer, chipping away any sense of the mundane in David Brown's adrenaline-fueled articulations. Caveat: make sure you keep a life jacket on hand while reading the flash-flood sequence.
Fistful of Reefer is a grand experience, a celebration in exposition, honoring a time when liberty meant more than being allowed to write whatever you want to on your Facebook status or to express yourself on YouTube. Brown's verbose writing style gave me the impression that if that absurd movie from the 80s, Three Men and a Baby, was remade with Sergio Leone, Christopher Moore and Cormac McCarthy playing the lead roles, then David Mark Brown would definitely fit the bill as the child they raised. Give this book a chance, and I'll guarantee you'll desire to ride off into the sunset with Mr. Brown again and again.
- Joseph DiCristofano
Author of Paths to Divinity
August 5, 2011
Original review at http://inkscratchers.blogspot.com/
I entered Fistful of Reefer with a lot of trepidation, mainly because of the fact that I am a shy reader - I like to stay in familiar genres, namely young adult. I liked the synopsis for this book and also it was one of my first review requests from authors and so I was excited about that, also in his pitch, David mentioned that the book has been receiving praise from YA readers so I thought, hey, what the heck.
This book was totally unique to anything that I have ever read before and it was a total breath of fresh air. In my opinion, what really drive Fistful of Reefer are the amazing action scenes. Brown has a talent in writing, but he shines in his action scenes and even I, a reader that hasn't really read many action packed books have to commend him for the way he made these scenes exciting, in fact, most of the book was exciting, the only time I really had issues with the pacing was at the beginning, where I felt there was too much farming and goats... something that from browsing Goodreads reviews somebody else picked up on. My advice would be to push through it - it get's a lot better very quickly!
The characters were pretty awesome too, Brown brings a witty personality to Chancho and his friends and the right bit of dastardly wickedness to the ranger/sheriff guy (whos name I can't seem to remember at the current moment). I loved all of the unique characters who help the trio on their run from the law, they really brought in the theme of friendship that shines through in this book (n'awww!).
Even though this book wasn't in my preferred genre, I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected and would definitely recommend it to reads 14+. There are mentions of marijuana (quite a bit actually) but mainly this is referring to the agricultural side - farming the stuff.
Overall, Fistful of Reefer was a book that I expected to like and actually loved. With a great group of characters, some action packed scenes and narration filled with character I would definitely recommend this for my followers!
Overall rating: A-
I entered Fistful of Reefer with a lot of trepidation, mainly because of the fact that I am a shy reader - I like to stay in familiar genres, namely young adult. I liked the synopsis for this book and also it was one of my first review requests from authors and so I was excited about that, also in his pitch, David mentioned that the book has been receiving praise from YA readers so I thought, hey, what the heck.
This book was totally unique to anything that I have ever read before and it was a total breath of fresh air. In my opinion, what really drive Fistful of Reefer are the amazing action scenes. Brown has a talent in writing, but he shines in his action scenes and even I, a reader that hasn't really read many action packed books have to commend him for the way he made these scenes exciting, in fact, most of the book was exciting, the only time I really had issues with the pacing was at the beginning, where I felt there was too much farming and goats... something that from browsing Goodreads reviews somebody else picked up on. My advice would be to push through it - it get's a lot better very quickly!
The characters were pretty awesome too, Brown brings a witty personality to Chancho and his friends and the right bit of dastardly wickedness to the ranger/sheriff guy (whos name I can't seem to remember at the current moment). I loved all of the unique characters who help the trio on their run from the law, they really brought in the theme of friendship that shines through in this book (n'awww!).
Even though this book wasn't in my preferred genre, I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected and would definitely recommend it to reads 14+. There are mentions of marijuana (quite a bit actually) but mainly this is referring to the agricultural side - farming the stuff.
Overall, Fistful of Reefer was a book that I expected to like and actually loved. With a great group of characters, some action packed scenes and narration filled with character I would definitely recommend this for my followers!
Overall rating: A-
November 9, 2012
This book combines steam punkness with cowboys, edge of your seat action, camaraderie and heroism. I love that this is written with a western back drop, war times, no sex scenes, no heavy swearing, and I most of all, there is no degrading of women in this book. Finally a writer who can give a girl a chance, that she isn't a tramp, she isn't beaten by her partner, isn't caught in some scandal. Yes the women in this story are secondary characters, however, this new take on women is refreshing.
Our main characters show strong development, are constantly engaging and full of wit and humor. Chancho's went from a dreamer, to a visionary. The ending of McKutchen's ranger career, from a line of Texas Rangers, "a hero whether America wants it or not", into what will set the scene for the next installment in his journey/ story. Others proving that we are above racial discrimination, that on paper the only colour seen is the black ink against the white of the page, these characters, Nena and Muddy showing us that colour only belongs on the page and does not affect the identity of those written.
I did find half way through there was a change in direction of the story, I found that while there was a clear story line for most of the characters, McKutchen was without a set storyline and this changed throughout the novel. Some of this characters decisions and thought processes left me distracted and questioning his purpose. However, I was able to look past this and enjoy the story in its entirety.
Above all this is a book that shows everything works out in the end when you put other's first and that family really is important, and second chances are just around the corner.
Our main characters show strong development, are constantly engaging and full of wit and humor. Chancho's went from a dreamer, to a visionary. The ending of McKutchen's ranger career, from a line of Texas Rangers, "a hero whether America wants it or not", into what will set the scene for the next installment in his journey/ story. Others proving that we are above racial discrimination, that on paper the only colour seen is the black ink against the white of the page, these characters, Nena and Muddy showing us that colour only belongs on the page and does not affect the identity of those written.
I did find half way through there was a change in direction of the story, I found that while there was a clear story line for most of the characters, McKutchen was without a set storyline and this changed throughout the novel. Some of this characters decisions and thought processes left me distracted and questioning his purpose. However, I was able to look past this and enjoy the story in its entirety.
Above all this is a book that shows everything works out in the end when you put other's first and that family really is important, and second chances are just around the corner.
December 9, 2011
I picked up this book at launch because I’d already read and enjoyed the author’s short fiction. From the title, I thought this might be a stoner’s ode to weed. I wasn’t too keen on that, but a good author can make any subject matter read well, so I took a chance.
I’m so glad I did. Marihuana is a key McGuffin in the book, but not in a way you’d guess. I guess I’d classify it as an adventure story.
The title sounds like the film Fistful of Dollars, doesn’t it? Well, it is reminiscent of spaghetti westerns, but actually, it reminded me more of the Good the Bad and the Ugly because that was a film with more movement, almost an episodic feel. Remember that scene where main characters ride into the middle of the Civil War. Well Fistful of Reefer was a bit like that: the characters keep on moving and keep stumbling on twists and turns and new characters. The Reefer plot is much more carefully threaded together, though.
I’d rather not reveal too much of the plot or style because it’s a delight to discover for yourself. I’ll mention Texas Rangers, wagons, tractors, ranches, steam trains, shootouts, and politicians. It’s set in the Texas-Mexico border in a version of the early twentieth century that isn’t quite the same as ours.
The rest is up to you find out.
I’m so glad I did. Marihuana is a key McGuffin in the book, but not in a way you’d guess. I guess I’d classify it as an adventure story.
The title sounds like the film Fistful of Dollars, doesn’t it? Well, it is reminiscent of spaghetti westerns, but actually, it reminded me more of the Good the Bad and the Ugly because that was a film with more movement, almost an episodic feel. Remember that scene where main characters ride into the middle of the Civil War. Well Fistful of Reefer was a bit like that: the characters keep on moving and keep stumbling on twists and turns and new characters. The Reefer plot is much more carefully threaded together, though.
I’d rather not reveal too much of the plot or style because it’s a delight to discover for yourself. I’ll mention Texas Rangers, wagons, tractors, ranches, steam trains, shootouts, and politicians. It’s set in the Texas-Mexico border in a version of the early twentieth century that isn’t quite the same as ours.
The rest is up to you find out.
July 27, 2015
Fistful of Reefer is an action-packed romp through the wild west circa the first world war. The scenery is painted as dangerous and gorgeous as in any John Ford film. The action is fast, but driven by characters with deep motivations that make sense. I was impressed with the sharp witty dialogue, and each character had their own unique manner of speech that reflected their various ethnicities and cultures, but still sounded 100% legit. The story itself is entertaining and suspenseful. This book works as a fun action novel filled with surprises, but it also works at a deeper level--for instance, the religious symbology woven throughout that you almost won't notice on a conscious level unless you decide to slow down and ponder it. Fistful of Reefer is just a well-thought, well-executed entertaining read, and I enjoyed escaping into and being immersed in a simpler time and place that this book reminds us wasn’t really so simple.
July 5, 2011
EDIT: I was waiting for the final edition of this book to be released for me to write the review, especially since a lot of the things that were bothering me should be shined up by Brown. Haven't gotten the final edition yet, though!
Preliminary notes to my full review (which will be posted tomorrow or so):
-great characters; loved the total 180 from beginning to end and blurred black/white lines
-great historical aspects, especially tossing in all the relevant historical nuances
-amazing plot; started somewhat boring and preditcable (and too many goats!) but ended up being fun
-really really amazing action sequences. I can only say that that is one of the scariest motorized vehicle crashes I have ever read about
-the writing was clear and clean and while occasionally glossing over details that I would have liked, never really lacked in character
Preliminary notes to my full review (which will be posted tomorrow or so):
-great characters; loved the total 180 from beginning to end and blurred black/white lines
-great historical aspects, especially tossing in all the relevant historical nuances
-amazing plot; started somewhat boring and preditcable (and too many goats!) but ended up being fun
-really really amazing action sequences. I can only say that that is one of the scariest motorized vehicle crashes I have ever read about
-the writing was clear and clean and while occasionally glossing over details that I would have liked, never really lacked in character
August 18, 2011
Full Review at: http://dttla.posterous.com/book-revie...#
Fistful of Reefer is a fast-paced, action-packed “reeferpunk” (I’m still not sure I understand what that means) that revolves around a renegade Texas Ranger chasing an elusive trio of like-able and colorful outlaws.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book - though it is much different than what I normally read. If you like action/adventure, dynamic and funny characters, a bullet (or many) flying, and/or the old west - you should enjoy Fistful of Reefer!
Fistful of Reefer is a fast-paced, action-packed “reeferpunk” (I’m still not sure I understand what that means) that revolves around a renegade Texas Ranger chasing an elusive trio of like-able and colorful outlaws.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book - though it is much different than what I normally read. If you like action/adventure, dynamic and funny characters, a bullet (or many) flying, and/or the old west - you should enjoy Fistful of Reefer!
July 31, 2011
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but sometimes that's a good thing. Chancho, the main character, strives to do good and help out the orphanage where he was raised. In the process, he and his friends, Nina and Muddy, are chased by a single minded Texas ranger who refuses to quit. Helping them evade the law are many interesting characters who aid in make this book the adventure that it is. The theme of friendship that runs throughout is touching. It should be interesting to see where this Reeferpunk series goes in the future.
October 10, 2011
See my mini-review at: dwbeyer.com
March 7, 2012
(Cross-posted from Adarna SF)
Fistful of Reefer has a killer premise. It’s a Weird West/dieselpunk adventure set in Texas about a gadgeteer genius Mexican marijuana farmer who’s on the run from a bordering-on-psychotic prohibitionist Ranger. It’s the first novel in the Reeferpunk series.
The opening scene sucked me in. Ranchers confront Chancho about their dead goats, and one reaches for his pistol and growls, “The goats didn’t die from demon curse or fright, they died from colic–from too much marihuana.” There are shootouts, chili-bombs, and epic chase scenes involving bales of marijuana. What more could one ask for?
The flippant prose is delightful in its old school pulp style, and the action sequences are thrilling. I’d probably re-read some of the fight scenes because they’re that awesome.
For a book that promotes itself as a dieselpunk adventure, there isn’t much dieselpunk machinery, although Chancho makes a pretty epic marijuana harvester that runs on manure. I hope Chancho displays more of his gadgeteer genius skills in the future.
I liked that the protagonists were a Mexican man, indigenous woman, and Black Seminole in a Weird West. But unfortunately, there’s a lot of forced sentiment regarding protagonists, but your mileage may vary. If you like the melodrama and romanticism found in old movies like María Candelaria, then it won’t bother you, but I found it to be dated and uncomfortably bridging on noble savage tropes with its cultural baggage (which requires taking its portrayals of indigeneity with a truckload of salt).
Characterization isn’t Fistful of Reefer‘s strong suit. Everyone can be summed up in two traits. They’re still charming in that pulp fiction way, but I wanted more depth in the protagonists. I still really like that they are the heroes in a Weird West, but I wish they were more often defined by their personality, with their background informing their point of view, rather than being almost nothing more than their background. The story should make it clear that Chancho is a loveable rogue because he’s Chancho, and not because he’s Mexican; Nena is a brave woman because she’s Nena, not because she’s of the Kickapoo people; and Muddy is loyal and dependable because he’s Muddy, not because he’s Black Semiole.
Pages of infodumping about the protagonists’ histories take away the story’s momentum. Along the same lines, there’s a lot of telling instead of showing with regards to their character traits. There’s a disconnect between what their traits are supposed to be, versus what they are actually doing in the story. I can’t say I’m impressed by the protagonists, but in contrast, the villain Ranger McCutchen is an excellent character. His motivations and history are revealed more naturally in smaller segments, and his actions speak for themselves. The narration didn’t have to tell me explicitly that he’s creepy and insane. He just is. This would be a much stronger book if the protagonists’ character traits were laid out in a similar manner.
Chancho’s aspirations grow larger towards the end of the book, instead of merely trying to outrun the ranger, he starts having loftier dreams of liberating the American people. Unfortunately, I was confused as to what this exactly meant. Does liberating the people mean liberating them from prohibition? Is it strictly about marijuana or is it more than that? Even though it’s not clear what Chancho stands for, people turn up in droves to support him, because the narration claims that he’s a Good Guy and stands for Good Things. So at the end of the book, I was left confused and unfulfilled.
Even though I have a number of criticisms with Fistful of Reefer, I commend the author for creating a fun and unique world, and I think that the series has promise.
Note: A free review copy was provided by the author.
Fistful of Reefer has a killer premise. It’s a Weird West/dieselpunk adventure set in Texas about a gadgeteer genius Mexican marijuana farmer who’s on the run from a bordering-on-psychotic prohibitionist Ranger. It’s the first novel in the Reeferpunk series.
The opening scene sucked me in. Ranchers confront Chancho about their dead goats, and one reaches for his pistol and growls, “The goats didn’t die from demon curse or fright, they died from colic–from too much marihuana.” There are shootouts, chili-bombs, and epic chase scenes involving bales of marijuana. What more could one ask for?
The flippant prose is delightful in its old school pulp style, and the action sequences are thrilling. I’d probably re-read some of the fight scenes because they’re that awesome.
For a book that promotes itself as a dieselpunk adventure, there isn’t much dieselpunk machinery, although Chancho makes a pretty epic marijuana harvester that runs on manure. I hope Chancho displays more of his gadgeteer genius skills in the future.
I liked that the protagonists were a Mexican man, indigenous woman, and Black Seminole in a Weird West. But unfortunately, there’s a lot of forced sentiment regarding protagonists, but your mileage may vary. If you like the melodrama and romanticism found in old movies like María Candelaria, then it won’t bother you, but I found it to be dated and uncomfortably bridging on noble savage tropes with its cultural baggage (which requires taking its portrayals of indigeneity with a truckload of salt).
Characterization isn’t Fistful of Reefer‘s strong suit. Everyone can be summed up in two traits. They’re still charming in that pulp fiction way, but I wanted more depth in the protagonists. I still really like that they are the heroes in a Weird West, but I wish they were more often defined by their personality, with their background informing their point of view, rather than being almost nothing more than their background. The story should make it clear that Chancho is a loveable rogue because he’s Chancho, and not because he’s Mexican; Nena is a brave woman because she’s Nena, not because she’s of the Kickapoo people; and Muddy is loyal and dependable because he’s Muddy, not because he’s Black Semiole.
Pages of infodumping about the protagonists’ histories take away the story’s momentum. Along the same lines, there’s a lot of telling instead of showing with regards to their character traits. There’s a disconnect between what their traits are supposed to be, versus what they are actually doing in the story. I can’t say I’m impressed by the protagonists, but in contrast, the villain Ranger McCutchen is an excellent character. His motivations and history are revealed more naturally in smaller segments, and his actions speak for themselves. The narration didn’t have to tell me explicitly that he’s creepy and insane. He just is. This would be a much stronger book if the protagonists’ character traits were laid out in a similar manner.
Chancho’s aspirations grow larger towards the end of the book, instead of merely trying to outrun the ranger, he starts having loftier dreams of liberating the American people. Unfortunately, I was confused as to what this exactly meant. Does liberating the people mean liberating them from prohibition? Is it strictly about marijuana or is it more than that? Even though it’s not clear what Chancho stands for, people turn up in droves to support him, because the narration claims that he’s a Good Guy and stands for Good Things. So at the end of the book, I was left confused and unfulfilled.
Even though I have a number of criticisms with Fistful of Reefer, I commend the author for creating a fun and unique world, and I think that the series has promise.
Note: A free review copy was provided by the author.
February 17, 2014
3.5 stars
To see my full review:
http://abookvacation.com/2014/03/04/r...
This is definitely an action intense novel; there are few moments of downtime before the characters are tearing off on their next adventure, and thus, it’s a fairly riveting read, especially for those looking for a fast-paced story to pass the time. The characters are all interesting, sort of strange in some aspects, but they definitely keep the reader’s attention as the plot unfolds, what with the legend of Chupacabra as a means to protect their marijuana farm… but that’s just the beginning. The novel follows our three heroes as they travel across Texas in this unorthodox yet alluring western, running from the law. With gun fights, flood waters, and horse chases abounding, it’s definitely a non-stop action adventure, and I especially enjoyed the role reversal Brown employs in his novel.
J.T. McCutchen, the Ranger and antagonist of this novel, is definitely one to dislike, and Brown does a great job making him “hateable.” It’s a strange plot twist, actually, in that the good guy is actually bad, and the bad guys are actually good—one doesn’t usually go into a story about growing marijuana and expect the growers to come out as the good guys, but Brown twists his story in such a way that this is exactly what happens. And, I was very interested to note that this really isn’t a novel about smoking illegal marijuana, but instead focuses more so on the planting and harvesting of such a crop. While this novel is not one that I personally would say is true-to-life, especially with its aspects of dieselpunk—a genre I was unfamiliar with prior to reading this novel—it was a fun ride, though there was so much going on I sometimes found myself lost within it all. But that’s okay, because overall, this was a very interesting and fun read.
To see my full review:
http://abookvacation.com/2014/03/04/r...
This is definitely an action intense novel; there are few moments of downtime before the characters are tearing off on their next adventure, and thus, it’s a fairly riveting read, especially for those looking for a fast-paced story to pass the time. The characters are all interesting, sort of strange in some aspects, but they definitely keep the reader’s attention as the plot unfolds, what with the legend of Chupacabra as a means to protect their marijuana farm… but that’s just the beginning. The novel follows our three heroes as they travel across Texas in this unorthodox yet alluring western, running from the law. With gun fights, flood waters, and horse chases abounding, it’s definitely a non-stop action adventure, and I especially enjoyed the role reversal Brown employs in his novel.
J.T. McCutchen, the Ranger and antagonist of this novel, is definitely one to dislike, and Brown does a great job making him “hateable.” It’s a strange plot twist, actually, in that the good guy is actually bad, and the bad guys are actually good—one doesn’t usually go into a story about growing marijuana and expect the growers to come out as the good guys, but Brown twists his story in such a way that this is exactly what happens. And, I was very interested to note that this really isn’t a novel about smoking illegal marijuana, but instead focuses more so on the planting and harvesting of such a crop. While this novel is not one that I personally would say is true-to-life, especially with its aspects of dieselpunk—a genre I was unfamiliar with prior to reading this novel—it was a fun ride, though there was so much going on I sometimes found myself lost within it all. But that’s okay, because overall, this was a very interesting and fun read.
October 13, 2011
The name of this book is deceiving but once you’ve read the book you totally get why the author chose that name. I was prepared to read the first couple of chapters and send it back unreviewed, however, it surprised me. Pleasantly I have to add. It’s billed as a spaghetti western style and it certainly is. Keeping true to that genre it has the fumbling sheriff, the bad guy who’s really good and the story is quick, decisive and almost unbelievable.
This was a quick read but one that was very entertaining. I had some issues with a couple of places where reality took a definite right turn and I just couldn’t follow along but generally it was a lot of fun to think about how great it would be were it true.
I would recommend this book but remember that true life isn’t going to apply here and that your limits of reality will be tested. I especially liked the end … but I don’t give away plots. You’ll just have to read it to see what I mean.
This was a quick read but one that was very entertaining. I had some issues with a couple of places where reality took a definite right turn and I just couldn’t follow along but generally it was a lot of fun to think about how great it would be were it true.
I would recommend this book but remember that true life isn’t going to apply here and that your limits of reality will be tested. I especially liked the end … but I don’t give away plots. You’ll just have to read it to see what I mean.
October 12, 2012
I couldn't get through this. It was full of promise, but after the first significant death, I just had this sense that it was going to be one of those tragedies that I was going to be pissed about having read. Maybe it isn't, but I didn't have the heart to find out.
Mind you, I am a fan of The Purple Rose of Cairo - I understand there aren't always happy endings. But I just couldn't bring myself to endure more bad things happening to a group of people I had grown to really like. And it seemed like that was the direction it was heading. Maybe I'll finish it another time and love it. But if you are looking for something to make you feel good, where the heroes prevail, I'd skip this for now.
Mind you, I am a fan of The Purple Rose of Cairo - I understand there aren't always happy endings. But I just couldn't bring myself to endure more bad things happening to a group of people I had grown to really like. And it seemed like that was the direction it was heading. Maybe I'll finish it another time and love it. But if you are looking for something to make you feel good, where the heroes prevail, I'd skip this for now.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2013
Oh boy, did I really want to like this book. The first few chapters were great! Great character development, interesting situations, a good plot premise. And then it was like the author drove his muse off a cliff. I had to stop reading after the cave scene, the dialogue was really that bad. Not to mention the invincible nature of one of the primary characters had me rolling my eyes until they almost stuck that way. Again, I really wanted to like this, I started caring about the characters and became really interested in the story. But then the story was gone and all that was left was bad dialogue and awkward narration. The second star was given solely for the first few chapters. I honestly think a good content editor could make this into a great short story.
December 23, 2011
Readers would do themselves a favor by jumping inside this fun story. It is inventive, visual and active with that big screen feel to it. Once you start that first page, you're in. The characters are unique, compelling, and three-dimensional. The author gives every sentence a lively artistic flair and his writing is both thought-provoking and humorous. There are so many unusual and unpredictable scenes in this story that it keeps you zooming to the next page. Some fun things include chili pepper bombs, bazookas, and goats raiding marijuana fields. I don't think anyone should miss this creative brand of writing. I really can't wait until they make this into a movie.
July 15, 2013
From the beginning, this book reminded me a little of George RR Martin's Hunter's Run- and the mention of a chupacabra only reinforced this. It's the setting and the lifestyle that does it, for of course the story is entirely different.
I admit the ending confused me a little - it seemed a bit hurried. I'd have liked to see more detail leading up to the ending, as I've seen in some of Brown's other Lost DMB Files books. Perhaps I'm just not used to reading such fast action.
A thorougly enjoyable ride.
I admit the ending confused me a little - it seemed a bit hurried. I'd have liked to see more detail leading up to the ending, as I've seen in some of Brown's other Lost DMB Files books. Perhaps I'm just not used to reading such fast action.
A thorougly enjoyable ride.
June 22, 2012
OK, so.... I typically dont post on my reviews, but in this case I feel obligated given the low rating. For starters, the setting (Texas / Mexico border towns) and the time (1920s) were a bit difficult for me to relate to. The story and characters were quite good and, while it took a while for me to get into the story, once it got going it was quite entertaining. Overall I probably would have rated it a 3, but the rather abrupt ending didn't set well with me. I suppose it left things open for a follow up but I felt a bit disappointed.
July 30, 2012
Someone recommended this book to me. At first I saw the title and thought I'd end up reading the next "pineapple express" or "Harold and Kumar" but I was pleasantly surprised. The story is much deeper than it first appears, it's not a mere piece of shallow action, but a tale of camaraderie and friendship. Despite being not just an "action" piece the author seems to be adept at writing such scenes leaving me often on the edge of my seat. I will certainly be purchasing his next book "The Austin Job" straight after this review.
February 3, 2013
Interesting story about the "Wild Wild West" of the Texas and Mexico border just after the turn of the century. With a little marijuana a few goats, El Chupacabra, a Texas Ranger, and many other interesting characters.
One of the descriptions called it a "This double-fisted, dieselpunk weird-Western resides between No Country for Old Men and The Three Amigos. and I think that is a very apt description.
I would be interested to see if Chancho's interest in mechanical and new technology makes others in this series much more Steampunk than this one was.
One of the descriptions called it a "This double-fisted, dieselpunk weird-Western resides between No Country for Old Men and The Three Amigos. and I think that is a very apt description.
I would be interested to see if Chancho's interest in mechanical and new technology makes others in this series much more Steampunk than this one was.
April 22, 2013
I have to admit that when I first saw the title, I thought to myself "now there's a book I would never read". It was a free ebook on the kobo website so I downloaded it anyway and it stayed on my ereader gathering e-dust until I finished the book I was reading and had nothing else to read. I am soooo glad I decided to give this book a chance! So action packed and not at all what I had expected! I've recommended it to my friends and family. I also named my cactus after the main character.
March 17, 2013
This was the first of David's books I read and I loved it. McCutcheon is a great character and the relationship he has with his horse in particular is fantastic.
A wonderfully alternative look at the old west, but leading beautifully into a whole world created and crafted to produce a great series of books. The way the various storylines and characters interweave is delicious.
A wonderfully alternative look at the old west, but leading beautifully into a whole world created and crafted to produce a great series of books. The way the various storylines and characters interweave is delicious.
April 24, 2012
Maybe it's me, but I only made it 40% in before giving up. Maybe I expected more quirkiness, or something a little more off beat, but it struck me as a pretty rote Western and as someone who likes Westerns I just didn't find a lot to excite me here
June 15, 2017
I couldn't get into this book, not sure why. I'll give it another shot in a couple of months.
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