Book: Coilhunter by Dean F. Wilson

Genre: Science fiction, weird west

Available in Kindle Unlimited?: Yes

Available Formats: Kindle ebook, paperback

First glance assessment: I first noticed Coilhunter while doing genre research for Jeremiah Jones Cowboy Sorcerer. I don’t read sci-fi often (I’m more a contemporary fantasy girl, myself), but the premise intrigued me. I decided to give it a whirl since it’s in Kindle Unlimited. Weird West pickin’s are slim, anyway, so I can’t be too picky.

Summary:  Nathaniel Nox is a disfigured former toy-maker-turned-bounty hunter. Terribly scarred while trying to save his family from a fire, he now wears a mask that’s become a symbol of dread for the outlaws of The Wild North, the lawless post-apocalyptic desert-scape Nox calls home.

Ever since the deaths of his wife and children, he’s been searching for their killer. When he forms an unexpected alliance with “Handcart Sally,” a woman with a bounty on her head who claims to know information on the murderer, he just might get the revenge he’s been waiting for.

Story: Coilhunter follows the usual western tropes—the protagonist’s family is murdered, and they’re hell-bent on getting their revenge, dusty-desert landscape, etc. The story was well-paced and the characters were interesting and well-motivated. I enjoyed the glimpses into Nox’s past-life as an inventor and toy maker, because they really made his character sympathetic. My favorite aspect of the story was Nox’s mask. The author did a good job of making us wonder what it’s for.

Writing: While not a literary masterpiece by any means, it certainly got the job done. There were certain phrases that I stumbled over, but they didn’t occur often enough to lessen my enjoyment of the story.

Editing: This book was flawlessly edited. I didn’t notice a sing typo throughout the entire text.

Overall rating: Overall, I’d rate this book a solid 3.75 out of 5 stars. It’s a fun dystopian sci-fi western romp through the desert. I will probably read the rest of the series (there are two more after this one), though I will be cycling through the rest of my TBR pile first. If you’ve read Coilhunter, let me know what you thought of it in the comments!

Click here to purchase Coilhunter on Amazon

And if you’re a fan of the weird west genre, check out Jeremiah Jones Cowboy Sorcerer: The Complete First Season, now available on Amazon!

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