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Coyote's Road Trip
Coyote has been the guardian spirit of a desert valley for hundreds of years. He's watched the daily lives of the original people, saw the Donnor Party wagon train roll by, and witnessed the invasion by people of European descent. He was always able to adapt to change--until climate change made his valley uninhabitable, even for a shapeshifting nature spirit. So Coyote hit the road, looking for a new home.
A prequel to Raven Woman's Tavern, Coyote's Road Trip is a mash up of magical realism, dystopia, and travelogue set in the near future.
A prequel to Raven Woman's Tavern, Coyote's Road Trip is a mash up of magical realism, dystopia, and travelogue set in the near future.
125 pages, ebook
Published April 23, 2022
About the author
Laura Koerber
17 books204 followersI live on a island in the Puget Sound with my husband and my dogs. I am a retired teacher, presently doing in -home care for disabled people while volunteering at a dog rescue
My degree is in art, and I am a painter, graphic artist, and ceramic sculptor. The writing started about five years ago, a surprise to me and everyone who knows me, since I had never written anything before.
The review for my first book in Kirkus Review: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...
I think I learned to write by reading. I am a voracious omnivore of books.
My degree is in art, and I am a painter, graphic artist, and ceramic sculptor. The writing started about five years ago, a surprise to me and everyone who knows me, since I had never written anything before.
The review for my first book in Kirkus Review: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...
I think I learned to write by reading. I am a voracious omnivore of books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
May 9, 2022
Coyote’s Road Trip, by Laura Koerber, is a short novel that blends a variety of genres. It is both a dystopian a surrealistic travelogue, and a warning about the future effects of climate change.
From the first chapter our protagonist, Coyote Jim’s, character shines through, with his takes on society and other people, and of course the twist of a store hold-up which is soon flipped on its head.
The writing is strong, with many modern references, that sometimes makes you forget this isn’t present day and that our main character isn’t human.
From the first chapter our protagonist, Coyote Jim’s, character shines through, with his takes on society and other people, and of course the twist of a store hold-up which is soon flipped on its head.
The writing is strong, with many modern references, that sometimes makes you forget this isn’t present day and that our main character isn’t human.
December 31, 2022
Get past the prologue (which was entirely unnecessary to me and got in the way of good storytelling) and you have one heck of a fun ride with this novel.
Koerber has a note up front which is informative and also unnecessary. I wonder if it's included to block sensitivity readers from maligning her work with their own prejudices.
In any case, start with "The Desert/Chapter 1" and read from there on. You are now reading one of the best fantasy/magic realism stories I've encountered in a while. Consider the "Two customers, one staffer, and one guy at the hookup" opening line. Characterization, setting, voice, and tone in ten words. Genius. Add in the "I didn't like those odds, so I strolled outside and around to the bck for a long piss in the weeds" second line and character, voice, setting, tone, and narrator are locked. Double Genius.
And sorry, I can't stop there. Koerber does brilliantly something few other modern writers can do at all - character-based exposition and narration. The amount of world-building in the first chapter is astounding and so refreshingly done other writers should use this as a textbook for good writing. And all of it's done while revealing the narrator's character and history.
Hats off, Ms. Koerber, Hat's off.
(added 31 Dec 2022)
I reviewed Linda Koerber's Coyote's Road Trip a while back and reread it this month. I usually wait years before rereading a book and Coyote's Road Trip was a must. Wonderful reading, amazing style, why Koerber doesn't have a major book deal is beyond me. Must reading for fans of urban fantasy, magic realism, and Ursula K. Le Guin.
Koerber has a note up front which is informative and also unnecessary. I wonder if it's included to block sensitivity readers from maligning her work with their own prejudices.
In any case, start with "The Desert/Chapter 1" and read from there on. You are now reading one of the best fantasy/magic realism stories I've encountered in a while. Consider the "Two customers, one staffer, and one guy at the hookup" opening line. Characterization, setting, voice, and tone in ten words. Genius. Add in the "I didn't like those odds, so I strolled outside and around to the bck for a long piss in the weeds" second line and character, voice, setting, tone, and narrator are locked. Double Genius.
And sorry, I can't stop there. Koerber does brilliantly something few other modern writers can do at all - character-based exposition and narration. The amount of world-building in the first chapter is astounding and so refreshingly done other writers should use this as a textbook for good writing. And all of it's done while revealing the narrator's character and history.
Hats off, Ms. Koerber, Hat's off.
(added 31 Dec 2022)
I reviewed Linda Koerber's Coyote's Road Trip a while back and reread it this month. I usually wait years before rereading a book and Coyote's Road Trip was a must. Wonderful reading, amazing style, why Koerber doesn't have a major book deal is beyond me. Must reading for fans of urban fantasy, magic realism, and Ursula K. Le Guin.
May 18, 2022
This book was more than a well worth read. I was fascinated by the story and what the story came to be. It was something different compared to most stories that are considered dystopian. None the less, I was very intrigued and enjoyed myself as I read.
Coyote was a character that really was captivating. What he was and is was the matter to describe. A spirit, but belonging and self discovery was the mode he was in. I was very much intrigued as he went on his journey, he passed others and met others, all were connected I found in this thing called life. The book and adventure was eye opening. The things we need to survive we often take for granted, and this book very much showed me not to take the small things for granted in life. Beautiful story!
This story was very heart felt to me. I very much enjoyed it It was a fast paced read for me, and I could not put this one down. I highly recommend this story, don't pass it up, it is a rare and beautiful read!
Coyote was a character that really was captivating. What he was and is was the matter to describe. A spirit, but belonging and self discovery was the mode he was in. I was very much intrigued as he went on his journey, he passed others and met others, all were connected I found in this thing called life. The book and adventure was eye opening. The things we need to survive we often take for granted, and this book very much showed me not to take the small things for granted in life. Beautiful story!
This story was very heart felt to me. I very much enjoyed it It was a fast paced read for me, and I could not put this one down. I highly recommend this story, don't pass it up, it is a rare and beautiful read!
June 3, 2022
A Very Human Story. A Book That Is Always Interesting.
Mild spoilers – maybe.
A blend of small missions and quiet melancholy.
Looking at the long, desolate valley depicted on the cover, and reading the description of the main character as a “guardian spirit of a desert valley in Nevada”, I expected this book to be insubstantial, mystical, and wistful. I was very surprised to find out that it was very human, full of well-constructed, concrete scenes, and absolutely easy to relate to. The book is great. A very fast read. Yes, it is wistful, and in several places, it is very sad, but it’s varied and it’s always interesting. Coyote Jim is not only the main character, he is the narrator – the book is written in first person, and for a shape shifter, Coyote spends a lot of his time in human form, driving around in an electric pick-up truck. He spends so much time in human form, that in the beginning of the book, I found myself questioning if Coyote was an unreliable narrator, and if this book was going to be a southern gothic type of deal, where you could take the events depicted as mystical happenings, or you could take the events depicted as being told to you by somebody who is delusional. I kept the possibility open for a while, but no, I believe Coyote is a spirit animal, and since he is the only one telling the story, I’m not sure what difference it would make anyway (Going forward with this idea would lead to real spoilers, so I’ll just say I enjoyed some of the banter between Jim and Janey, and leave it at that).
Coyote meets several people during the book, never for very long. The lives Koerber presents are all very sad, made up mostly of people stuck playing out the tail ends of their disillusioned existences, as doomed as the landscapes of man-made disasters they inhabit.
As for the language in the book, it is very beautiful. Koerber writes the day to day details of her showcased characters in simple passages, but often, as Coyote pulls back to notice the details of the world he is traveling through, the language of the book rises to match the grandeur of the landscape (grandeur that is sometimes hobbled by the wreckage of the terminally ill civilization Koerber depicts).
There are great details peppered throughout the book, some are even optimistic. There are great explorations of landscapes as symbols, particularly in the beginning and ending of the book (that mountain!). Also, there are moments of time slippage that are remarkably well done, and while the book has somber threads throughout, each scene is delivered with a light hand. (I loved the raven hair at the window. Just sayin’.)
In the interest of not delivering more spoilers, I’ll simply say the book has a nice expansion in its last third.
I loved this book. It surprised me right from the start, and held my interest at every turn.
Koerber has already written several books tangential to this one, in some of the same locales, with some of the same characters. I don’t think the publications are direct sequels to this book. It doesn’t really need any. Though, it might always be nice to visit and see what these characters are up to.
A wonderful book. Highly recommended.
May 6, 2022
Unlike so many action-oriented dystopian stories, this is a somewhat surreal, moody, and introspective tale, with an easy flow to it that’s much like… well… taking a long drive. Told in the first person, the style suits Coyote’s trip, with his unexpected companions for part of the way and encounters with a variety of others who are on their own trips, even if staying still.
I loved the concept of a nature spirit who goes on a road trip searching for meaning and to basically find himself and his place. Coyote Jim is a great character, a shapeshifter that felt much like the Coyote I’ve encountered in some Native American tales and retellings, even though the author states at the beginning that this Coyote “has very little to do with any traditional indigenous conception”.
I love that beauty is mentioned as a necessity of life, along with food, water, and shelter. Throughout the book, there’s beauty found in sometimes the unlikeliest of places. I enjoyed the moments of humor that popped up unexpectedly, like “…trying to impress the display of pop cans with his machismo”, and when talking about badgers: “…they remind me of rototillers.” The detailed descriptions really painted a picture of the various places Coyote visited and people he encountered, for example: “A flock of wind turbines, white as sea gulls, fluttered up the valley…” and “I liked the way her chin and her shoulders asserted themselves…”
The frequent reminders that conditions were bad came across somewhat heavy-handed with the repetition. All the doom and gloom and talk of death became rather dispiriting, although the moments of beauty and humor did help balance that out somewhat.
Overall, this is an enjoyable magical realism story; a quick read that gives readers a lot to think about and something unique, I’d imagine, for each to take away from the tale.
I loved the concept of a nature spirit who goes on a road trip searching for meaning and to basically find himself and his place. Coyote Jim is a great character, a shapeshifter that felt much like the Coyote I’ve encountered in some Native American tales and retellings, even though the author states at the beginning that this Coyote “has very little to do with any traditional indigenous conception”.
I love that beauty is mentioned as a necessity of life, along with food, water, and shelter. Throughout the book, there’s beauty found in sometimes the unlikeliest of places. I enjoyed the moments of humor that popped up unexpectedly, like “…trying to impress the display of pop cans with his machismo”, and when talking about badgers: “…they remind me of rototillers.” The detailed descriptions really painted a picture of the various places Coyote visited and people he encountered, for example: “A flock of wind turbines, white as sea gulls, fluttered up the valley…” and “I liked the way her chin and her shoulders asserted themselves…”
The frequent reminders that conditions were bad came across somewhat heavy-handed with the repetition. All the doom and gloom and talk of death became rather dispiriting, although the moments of beauty and humor did help balance that out somewhat.
Overall, this is an enjoyable magical realism story; a quick read that gives readers a lot to think about and something unique, I’d imagine, for each to take away from the tale.
June 6, 2022
Quick read, but not short on entertainment, humor, grief or captivating characters.
This book touches on climate change, the changes in the world that is causing droughts and deaths. It also reminds me a lot of native American coyotes stories and spirits I have heard before even though this author clearly states in the beginning of the book that this is not based of off any indigenous groups. Maybe this is just where the author pulled her inspiration from when writing this book.
This paranormal character coyotes ventures out of a sad, dry, empty desert valley of Nevada. As Coyote searches for a new home, he finds new friends and beauty in the most unlikely places throughout his journey. Beauty is defined in the book as more of necessities like water, shelter and food. This book is and can be very dark, moody and sad but the author does a great job of balancing it out with lightness and humor.
Coyote has a lot of depth to his character, Laura did such an amazing job writing, storytelling and growing this character throughout the book. Not only does the story go together seamlessly, she also does a phenomenal job describing the landscape, places and feelings of Coyote and the world that he lives in as he makes his travels across the Pacific Northwest to find his new home. Laura completely engulfed me in this story and had me finishing this book in one sitting.
This is not normally a genre of books I would read, but I am so glad I ventured out and read this story. I highly recommend and will definitely be reading more from this author.
This book touches on climate change, the changes in the world that is causing droughts and deaths. It also reminds me a lot of native American coyotes stories and spirits I have heard before even though this author clearly states in the beginning of the book that this is not based of off any indigenous groups. Maybe this is just where the author pulled her inspiration from when writing this book.
This paranormal character coyotes ventures out of a sad, dry, empty desert valley of Nevada. As Coyote searches for a new home, he finds new friends and beauty in the most unlikely places throughout his journey. Beauty is defined in the book as more of necessities like water, shelter and food. This book is and can be very dark, moody and sad but the author does a great job of balancing it out with lightness and humor.
Coyote has a lot of depth to his character, Laura did such an amazing job writing, storytelling and growing this character throughout the book. Not only does the story go together seamlessly, she also does a phenomenal job describing the landscape, places and feelings of Coyote and the world that he lives in as he makes his travels across the Pacific Northwest to find his new home. Laura completely engulfed me in this story and had me finishing this book in one sitting.
This is not normally a genre of books I would read, but I am so glad I ventured out and read this story. I highly recommend and will definitely be reading more from this author.
May 31, 2022
Coyote is a nature spirit, a shapeshifter who lives in a valley in the Nevada Desert, he watches life in his territory with a distant interest, he has seen many people pass through his home, but he has never seen as much change in the desert as he has these last few years, so when the last two people he was friends with pass away, coupled with the heat and the drought, he decides to leave the one place he has ever called home.
He sets off North on the only road out of the desert and even though he doesn’t have a destination in mind, something points him in the right direction, just as he is about to leave the desert, he stops for one last look and then turns towards the future.
As he travels, Coyote meets people and experiences different places along the way as he tries to find somewhere new in the Pacific Northwest, but will he find what he is looking for and a new purpose for his existence? In this dystopian sci-fi meets fantasy tale, where the future has been affected by the climate change scientists are just now predicting, this is a journey of self discovery and talks about hard subjects in a manner that all who enjoy this genre of book, it is charming and pulls you through the story to find out how it ends.
He sets off North on the only road out of the desert and even though he doesn’t have a destination in mind, something points him in the right direction, just as he is about to leave the desert, he stops for one last look and then turns towards the future.
As he travels, Coyote meets people and experiences different places along the way as he tries to find somewhere new in the Pacific Northwest, but will he find what he is looking for and a new purpose for his existence? In this dystopian sci-fi meets fantasy tale, where the future has been affected by the climate change scientists are just now predicting, this is a journey of self discovery and talks about hard subjects in a manner that all who enjoy this genre of book, it is charming and pulls you through the story to find out how it ends.
May 22, 2022
Set in a dystopian future this book seemed interesting so I decided to give it a fair try. There are a lot of characters in this story so keeping up on who's who can be challenging. While this story is about a road trip that is exactly how it feels as we read through the thoughts of Coyote. The description feels like you are right there with the characters and can see the trip playing out like a movie in your mind. I found myself reminiscing about road trips taken in the past.
The main character of our book is a coyote shapeshifter named Jim who takes this trip with no destination in mind. After recalling the numerous deaths around him including his beloved planet he needs a new start somewhere to call home. On this road trip he comes across a cast of characters, some good and some not as good but definitely lost and need help to find a good path in life again. Along the way he realizes that what he is searching for may not be a place at all but a purpose for being alive. Can Coyote Jim find a new place to call home? Will he find his purpose in life and is he courageous enough to step into it?
Overall, this was a very quick read. You definitely have to pay close attention because if your mind wanders or gets distracted it is hard to keep up. Especially with the amount of characters in this book and their interaction with Coyote Jim. It is a new take on ancestral spirits and a dystopian world. This book definitely takes you on a trip both figuratively and literally, definitely worth a read if you are looking for something new and a bit different!
The main character of our book is a coyote shapeshifter named Jim who takes this trip with no destination in mind. After recalling the numerous deaths around him including his beloved planet he needs a new start somewhere to call home. On this road trip he comes across a cast of characters, some good and some not as good but definitely lost and need help to find a good path in life again. Along the way he realizes that what he is searching for may not be a place at all but a purpose for being alive. Can Coyote Jim find a new place to call home? Will he find his purpose in life and is he courageous enough to step into it?
Overall, this was a very quick read. You definitely have to pay close attention because if your mind wanders or gets distracted it is hard to keep up. Especially with the amount of characters in this book and their interaction with Coyote Jim. It is a new take on ancestral spirits and a dystopian world. This book definitely takes you on a trip both figuratively and literally, definitely worth a read if you are looking for something new and a bit different!
May 24, 2022
Dystopian novels will always be my ride or die, for as much as I enjoy contemporary/historical romance and mystery, this will always have a spot in my heart, mind, and soul. This novella is right up there too, from the very start we are curious as to how the Guardian Spirit of a desert valley is going to find his new residence, what with combating the climate change and the changes that he just can’t handle anymore. Coyote has been through so much through his lifetime, and it’s scary to know that the one thing that we as a people can almost control, will cause an irreversible impact on not only us, but the wildlife and nature that prospered long before our time.
This author really allowed for the reader to connect with the changes that are brought up through Coyote’s point of view, and I absolutely adored the way we got to watch him develop and ultimately better himself along the way. His connections with the characters he runs into ultimately changes throughout the pages as well, and in a short period of time, we want to meet, explore, and know more of these people. There is good and bad in this world, and it’s truly about how you decide to approach these things that make all the difference. I do believe that there is a home for all of us. I will be reading the authors work to my daughter as well, the perspective is so refreshing, and alive. Well done!
This author really allowed for the reader to connect with the changes that are brought up through Coyote’s point of view, and I absolutely adored the way we got to watch him develop and ultimately better himself along the way. His connections with the characters he runs into ultimately changes throughout the pages as well, and in a short period of time, we want to meet, explore, and know more of these people. There is good and bad in this world, and it’s truly about how you decide to approach these things that make all the difference. I do believe that there is a home for all of us. I will be reading the authors work to my daughter as well, the perspective is so refreshing, and alive. Well done!
November 1, 2022
Coyote's Road trip was an environmental journey. Coyote takes on human form and he and two ghosts travel across the country. The impetus is climate change and the desert drying up and toxics leaking into the earth. It's a 'quiet' story, pretty introspective with a kind of 'day in the life' feel to it. The environmental message was a bit heavy for me (it is the point of the book though), but I felt like I had to forge forward through that. As an environmental engineer, I am an environmentalist, but I don't necessarily want to be bogged down with it in my fiction/entertainment. That's really my only gripe. I did enjoy the characters and the adventure Coyote goes on. Beautiful and simple imagery elevate the writing. They way Coyote still finds moments and places and things to be joyful about shines through. That's inspiring.
November 5, 2022
Coyote's Road Trip is a string-of-beads dystopian tale in the time honored style of Huckleberry Finn. The protagonist, Coyote, aka Jim, is a shapeshifting nature spirit who has lived in the desert east of California for centuries, it seems. At the present time, his desert home has been destroyed by climate change, so he decides to get in his old truck and head west to find another, better place to live, like so many other Americans before him. He encounters many varied and interesting characters on the way, from ghosts to humans to other shifters, all with one thing paramount -- survival.
This is very much a character study, with just enough of a plot to hold interest. There's plenty of political and philosophical commentary, some tongue-in-cheek, some not so much. The one thing our hero seems to forget as he laments the loss of his home is that the earth is a subject to birth and death as any person is.
If you have a soul, I think you'll find Coyote's Road Trip a melancholic and interesting read.
This is very much a character study, with just enough of a plot to hold interest. There's plenty of political and philosophical commentary, some tongue-in-cheek, some not so much. The one thing our hero seems to forget as he laments the loss of his home is that the earth is a subject to birth and death as any person is.
If you have a soul, I think you'll find Coyote's Road Trip a melancholic and interesting read.
June 1, 2022
4 stars
This is not my first book by this author, and it won’t be my last, somehow I am always pulled right into these books. In this story we have Jim going on a journey of finding himself really, and the different people Jim meets along the way. The cast of characters are interesting but Janey and her father stuck out to me the most. The way Jim describes the scene with the two really broke my heart, but it was also sort of beautiful at the same time. Rachel also stood out to me, I like that Jim found his ending for now alongside Rachel. There were moments I found myself chuckling, such as the farting scene and just all around enjoying the journey along with Jim. I look forward to more from this brilliant author.
This is not my first book by this author, and it won’t be my last, somehow I am always pulled right into these books. In this story we have Jim going on a journey of finding himself really, and the different people Jim meets along the way. The cast of characters are interesting but Janey and her father stuck out to me the most. The way Jim describes the scene with the two really broke my heart, but it was also sort of beautiful at the same time. Rachel also stood out to me, I like that Jim found his ending for now alongside Rachel. There were moments I found myself chuckling, such as the farting scene and just all around enjoying the journey along with Jim. I look forward to more from this brilliant author.
May 24, 2022
I did not expect to be enthralled by this book but as I was reading, it was like nothing else around me mattered. This paranormal story is about Coyote, a shape shifter that is trying to find his way to where he belongs. In a heat of the moment decision, he leaves behind everything to take a trip and do some “soul searching”.
Coyote is a complex character. He keeps you guessing as to what he will do next. There is plenty of background story for him and his people, which opens the door to understanding his personality. Throughout his journey, Coyote learns a lot about himself and realizes there is more to him than he ever imagined. This short story of a post dystopian world is so detailed that you get something from every single page, giving it the quality of a longer story in a smaller package. I am looking forward to reading more from this author!
Coyote is a complex character. He keeps you guessing as to what he will do next. There is plenty of background story for him and his people, which opens the door to understanding his personality. Throughout his journey, Coyote learns a lot about himself and realizes there is more to him than he ever imagined. This short story of a post dystopian world is so detailed that you get something from every single page, giving it the quality of a longer story in a smaller package. I am looking forward to reading more from this author!
May 25, 2022
"Coyote's Road Trip" by Laura Koerber is a short story that quickly enthralls its reader with a moving storyline and effective use of imagery. Koerber, borrowing from Indigenous spirituality, uses coyote to share the primary message of the novel. Coyote, surviving in a dystopian world is sharing a message for those who encounter him. The Colonial interpretation of a shapeshifting coyote is one of paranormal experience, while this is not a traditional Indigenous perspective. However, the reader interacts with or encounters coyote filtered through personal experience. What is the message coyote brings to you? Perhaps this is why so many read this book so quickly; they want to see what shape he finally takes in the end.
May 20, 2022
Coyote's Road Trip by Laura Koerber. This is a great dystopian/fantasy story. Its not my favorite genre but it was so good I loved it. Its the story of Coyote who is a shape shifter and he's on a journey to discover his self identity. He is trying to decide what his purpose is and on that journey he's finding out what is most important. He believes what is most important is happiness and finding your purpose. While on this journey he makes some crazy decisions but doesn't really hurt anyone. The author makes this read so real that you feel as if you are actually in these beautiful places. I read this book in one sitting! Such a good read!
May 24, 2022
Coyote is a nature spirit who lived in the desert all his life. After climate change ruined what he remembers as home, Coyote decides to find his new home elsewhere. He jumps in his truck and just drives with a few different people to keep him company along the way. Coyote tries relentlessly to find where he belongs while fighting the urge to return back to what he is used to.
I really enjoyed the writing of this author. They have a way with words. The world building was portrayed amazingly. The way the author described all the different sceneries made me feel like I was actually looking at the same thing Coyote was.
This book is a dystopia set in the near future with hints of magic along the way. It was a calm short read and I would recommend settling in and reading this book.
I really enjoyed the writing of this author. They have a way with words. The world building was portrayed amazingly. The way the author described all the different sceneries made me feel like I was actually looking at the same thing Coyote was.
This book is a dystopia set in the near future with hints of magic along the way. It was a calm short read and I would recommend settling in and reading this book.
May 30, 2022
3.5 Stars
Coyote’s Road Trip by Laura Koerber is the prequel to Raven Woman’s Tavern. It is a dystopian story with magical realism, paranormal elements, drama, messages on climate change, mythology, and more.
This is an original and interesting story with thought provoking elements. And as Ms. Koerber always manages to do, she weaves her story in a way that takes the reader on a journey, while also giving them pause for thought. There’s always more to her characters and storyline than first meets the eye.
Happy Reading!
Thank you, Laura Koerber!
Coyote’s Road Trip by Laura Koerber is the prequel to Raven Woman’s Tavern. It is a dystopian story with magical realism, paranormal elements, drama, messages on climate change, mythology, and more.
This is an original and interesting story with thought provoking elements. And as Ms. Koerber always manages to do, she weaves her story in a way that takes the reader on a journey, while also giving them pause for thought. There’s always more to her characters and storyline than first meets the eye.
Happy Reading!
Thank you, Laura Koerber!
June 7, 2022
Intriguing adventure
Unique story with shapeshifters, drama and mystery based in a dystopian world. Coyote’s Road Trip is the prequel to Raven Woman’s Tavern, and takes the reader on a journey told by Coyote. The author has done a fantastic job of bringing the reader into Coyote’s mind and interweaving the world as interpreted by him. There are a lot of layers to the story that will appeal to many readers from climate change to grief and finding happiness in the smallest of things.
Unique story with shapeshifters, drama and mystery based in a dystopian world. Coyote’s Road Trip is the prequel to Raven Woman’s Tavern, and takes the reader on a journey told by Coyote. The author has done a fantastic job of bringing the reader into Coyote’s mind and interweaving the world as interpreted by him. There are a lot of layers to the story that will appeal to many readers from climate change to grief and finding happiness in the smallest of things.
May 21, 2022
This story was definitely an interesting one. While most dystopian stories areaction based this one was the perfect pace, it had that certain feel like your taking a long drive on a Sunday afternoon. I also really loved that it was told from the first person point of view, it was definitely one of my most unique reads this year. When i first saw the beautiful cover I had a feelinh that I would enjoy this book and its originality and I was definitely right.
May 22, 2022
A dystopian fantasy set in a post-climate change future, in which a coyote shapeshifter goes in search of a new home. Shapeshifter and guardian spirit of a desert valley in Nevada, Jim, is forced to leave his home, due to the heat and drought which has caused the death of his friends. As he journeys through the Pacific Northwest looking for a good place to live, he meets people along the way. Jim ultimately discovers a new purpose for his existence following his road trip. This is an original story with a dystopian setting and an intriguing storyline which also has a climate change warning to it. Jim is a unique character who I felt engaged with throughout the story. The post-climate change dystopian future really came vividly to life from the descriptive narrative and world building.
June 2, 2022
Although quite a short book this was definitely an enjoyable one. I was caught up in the story and the main character. He seems to go on such a journey and I really became engaged with him. I thought the book was fast paced and exciting. This author really does know how to create a brilliant story. This is another great one to add to the collection and I can't wait for more.
May 24, 2022
I truly enjoyed this story and the message that it represented. It was a story many can connect with finding the great in all things, and the journey to find ones true self. Coyote Jim was a unique character and the author brought him to life beautifully. This author truly told this tale vividly and left a powerful long lasting message.
May 26, 2022
I enjoyed this. My first book from this author. I really enjoy dystopian books, and this was far different that all the action packed others I’ve read. It was like a nice walk through the woods. It was a quick read, not entirely disappointed, with it was a bit longer.
May 4, 2022
While the author makes certain at the beginning of the story to tell us that the events, places, people, etc in the story are not based on any indigenous group, the Coyote in this story does remind me of Coyote stories I've heard from Native American stories. He's capable of doing good and naughty things at the same time, but he doesn't mean harm to anyone, and at the end of it all, his heart is good. For example, at the first of the book, Coyote stops a would be violent robber stealing from a convenience store, only to politely inform the young clerk that he would like to rob the store himself. He doesn't do any violence to the young clerk (though he did to the other robber who had threatened the girl with a fire arm) and politely takes the money, and a few other things.
I noticed the connection to Raven Woman's Tavern that I've read before. And while the story has place names that are familiar to me, I got the impression that this place wasn't exactly our Earth that we understand, but another parallel world. Which, I think, is kind of nice.
I noticed the connection to Raven Woman's Tavern that I've read before. And while the story has place names that are familiar to me, I got the impression that this place wasn't exactly our Earth that we understand, but another parallel world. Which, I think, is kind of nice.
May 21, 2022
This was a very interesting read! This was a quick dystopian read. I really enjoyed the authors writing style and will definitely be reading more from them. The descriptive words help you visualize the scenes in the story. This story makes you want to take a road trip and have an actual good conversation. Its really an interesting perspective to read about. I believe this is a prequel to another of this authors books so I'll be picking that one up soon!
November 28, 2022
In a few words, Coyote’s Road Trip is: depressive, colorful and well written.
Depressive:
We are immersed in a desert that inhabits both landscape and people’s souls. Climate changed; it’s a bit of a cliché, but the novel is original in how it uses that cliché. There is also a little too much ‘politics’ that runs mostly on a one-way highway.
And bits like the one below:
“Sometimes she'd mention something about climate change. She told me once that she was glad she didn't have any kids.”
Go to a deeper level of depressiveness, and have a strange resemblance to Melancholia, the movie. It’s a sort of a warning, a blocked future; if that sort of thinking becomes prevalent, we can say good bye to the human race
Colorful:
Apart of the Prologue, we are making the trip inside Coyote’s mind. He is a shape shifter (though he seems to be more a spirit than a shifter), with a peculiar inclination toward philosophy about the history and future of the human race, driving a truck in a journey to nowhere. It makes for a gothic surrealism. That surrealism is only enhanced when two hitchhikers, who happen to be ghosts, join the journey.
The Prologue is the only part written in the third person point of view. And it’s also the most haunting and best piece of the novel.
In the end, the strangest thing: the millennia old spirit, Coyote, is not able to realize that change is part of history, and that the desert he inhabits now was a glacier once, a thing even more hostile to life than the desert.
Well written:
Well, that’s fully the author's fault.
Depressive:
We are immersed in a desert that inhabits both landscape and people’s souls. Climate changed; it’s a bit of a cliché, but the novel is original in how it uses that cliché. There is also a little too much ‘politics’ that runs mostly on a one-way highway.
And bits like the one below:
“Sometimes she'd mention something about climate change. She told me once that she was glad she didn't have any kids.”
Go to a deeper level of depressiveness, and have a strange resemblance to Melancholia, the movie. It’s a sort of a warning, a blocked future; if that sort of thinking becomes prevalent, we can say good bye to the human race
Colorful:
Apart of the Prologue, we are making the trip inside Coyote’s mind. He is a shape shifter (though he seems to be more a spirit than a shifter), with a peculiar inclination toward philosophy about the history and future of the human race, driving a truck in a journey to nowhere. It makes for a gothic surrealism. That surrealism is only enhanced when two hitchhikers, who happen to be ghosts, join the journey.
The Prologue is the only part written in the third person point of view. And it’s also the most haunting and best piece of the novel.
In the end, the strangest thing: the millennia old spirit, Coyote, is not able to realize that change is part of history, and that the desert he inhabits now was a glacier once, a thing even more hostile to life than the desert.
Well written:
Well, that’s fully the author's fault.
June 9, 2022
Coyote leaving his home of the desert that he has known his entire lifetimes, ends up picking up a couple of hitchhikers that were once his neighbors. They decide to head to the Pacific Northwest and along way discover that life and death is not what it appears to be. Upon arriving at his destination, coyote finds that it is not everything he had hoped it would be but makes he best of his new life meeting some quirky and misunderstood characters to become a part of their community. He also meets another soul like his named Raven and begins to understand in an odd way what community is and his role he plays in one.
This book was such a great read. A real story that is thought-provoking and unashamed to tell it like life truly is. I truly enjoyed the fantasy and ancestral side of the book. It serves as a good reminder that all is not what it seems to appear and to just follow our instincts to see where they lead. I appreciate the Native American ideas and spirit throughout the book and truly enjoyed the quick and interesting read that it was. Looking forward to learning more about Raven!
This book was such a great read. A real story that is thought-provoking and unashamed to tell it like life truly is. I truly enjoyed the fantasy and ancestral side of the book. It serves as a good reminder that all is not what it seems to appear and to just follow our instincts to see where they lead. I appreciate the Native American ideas and spirit throughout the book and truly enjoyed the quick and interesting read that it was. Looking forward to learning more about Raven!
November 3, 2022
All hope is lost. Disclaimer, I may have missed an important message in this book. But let me tell you what I did find along this post-apocalyptic road trip. A shapeshifting nature spirit and two undead Basque-descendent people (new I think) are on a road trip to run away from climate change caused by the new people. Nostalgically, the nature spirit thinks back to the Old People that lived before in the valley, when the desert was still blossoming. When they left their own, it was because there was no food. But the new people left their own for desperation and hunger, which is not really okay. So, they find themselves on the road, but since they are ghosts it is okay to drive and consume. They survive by tricking and stealing from the new people, which is evidently also okay since they are generally known to be the root of all evil. Forests, oceans, baby seals, baby dolphins: all dead because of those darned new people (especially the rich ones!)
It is a depressing tale. However, Laura Koerber’s laconic style is actually really funny, engaging, and original, which helped me get through it and even sometimes almost had me smiling, despite all hopelessness. Was that the hidden message I missed? Still, otherwise, if you like climate doom, desperation, and some good old-fashioned self-flagellation, this may be the perfect book for you.
It is a depressing tale. However, Laura Koerber’s laconic style is actually really funny, engaging, and original, which helped me get through it and even sometimes almost had me smiling, despite all hopelessness. Was that the hidden message I missed? Still, otherwise, if you like climate doom, desperation, and some good old-fashioned self-flagellation, this may be the perfect book for you.
June 9, 2022
5/5 Stars
Coyote's Road Trip by Laura Koerber
This is the first book I've read by the author. Coyote's Road Trip is a fantastic read. It's entertaining and we get to see a coyote shapeshifter.
Jim is our coyote shifter in the story. His neighbors commit suicide and he does a goodbye for them. Now he's stuck with two ghosts and traveling. He doesn't know exactly where he's going, but it's got to be better than where he's coming from. The quote I chose for Jim is: “Not around here.” I tried another sip and made another face. “Look, people believe all kinds of crap. I just know that most of its BS. Nature spirits are real. There used to be water spirits around before so many of the marshes dried up. Stars are just stars but there's something holy about them too. Bones. Mountains. I don't understand all this religious stuff either. How do you expect me to have all the answers? You're ghosts. That hasn't given you any great insights, has it?”
Highly recommended for Dystopian lovers.
Coyote's Road Trip by Laura Koerber
This is the first book I've read by the author. Coyote's Road Trip is a fantastic read. It's entertaining and we get to see a coyote shapeshifter.
Jim is our coyote shifter in the story. His neighbors commit suicide and he does a goodbye for them. Now he's stuck with two ghosts and traveling. He doesn't know exactly where he's going, but it's got to be better than where he's coming from. The quote I chose for Jim is: “Not around here.” I tried another sip and made another face. “Look, people believe all kinds of crap. I just know that most of its BS. Nature spirits are real. There used to be water spirits around before so many of the marshes dried up. Stars are just stars but there's something holy about them too. Bones. Mountains. I don't understand all this religious stuff either. How do you expect me to have all the answers? You're ghosts. That hasn't given you any great insights, has it?”
Highly recommended for Dystopian lovers.
November 3, 2022
This is not always my typical genre to read, but the story is well-written from an author with style. It can be a little confusing on what is going on with mystical shape-shifting at first, but it starts to come together. Some of the scenes are easily relatable, conversations are funny or enlightening, and you can really imagine a lot of the visuals. The climate change/environmental message is heavy in places, but I won't let that prejudice my view of the work overall. There are some great descriptions of the journey and the desert, and it definitely is reminiscent of other mysteries about Native American tribal folklore. It is all about the current hot topic of what to do with our planet, and how certain things have massive changes that impact the future, as the coyote wanders through a dystopian desert-- though not quite in the same vein as Mad Max. The writing is good; the idea is somewhat original; this isn't my favorite topic and I crave a little more epic action, but it is a fast and solid read from a talented author.
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