For a Few Souls More

The Black Magpie #2

by Wile E. Young

Six years have passed since Salem Covington, the Black Magpie, rode a vengeance trail against those who killed his mentor. Now another lies on her deathbed and she has a message for her former He will soon follow her into the next world. But for Salem, there is no opportunity to mourn. A chance encounter with a young outlaw, Amaya, reveals three she is being hunted by strange riders that cannot be killed, they have stolen women, and they answer to a man named Granger Hyde. Left for dead once, Granger has returned to take vengeance for his suffering, and perform a ritual of murder. A ritual with which Salem is intimately familiar. A bloody game of cat and mouse begins as Granger’s riders pursue the pair across the west, led by a woman that awakens long-forgotten fear, and is intent on driving the Black Magpie to his fate and the grave she has prepared for him. FOR A FEW SOULS MORE is the sequel to the Splatterpunk Award-winning novel, THE MAGPIE COFFIN , the second part in a trilogy by Wile E. Young, author of SHADES OF THE BLACK STONE and DUST BOWL CHILDREN . It is an examination of bleak fatality, nihilistic violence, and the iron at the heart of men.

Genres: Horror, Westerns

290 pages, Paperback

First published April 25, 2023

Reviews

[Cat Treadwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I finished (and sang the praises of) 'The Magpie Coffin', I honestly never thought I'd see Salem Covington again. Each Splatter Western in this loose series seemed to stand on its own, sharing a universe of self-contained stories that each finished neatly - if bloodily.

So I was amazed and thrilled to see this book appear on my social media. Wile E is a great writer, and I was sure the book would be another dark and twisted ride.

I was right.

This book shines like a black flame. The story, characters and sheer momentum are all excellent, with the writing itself quite beautiful in its viscerality (yes, I'm standing by that word). I kept getting caught up in the action... and then a pause came along, quite naturally, letting me drop my guard... and then that peace was blown out of the water with some more decapitation, spine-ripping and gun/knife/random-pointed-object play.

I have no idea why Salem is so likeable as a character - because he isn't. Shouldn't be. He's a Bad Man, a many-times multiple murderer, worker of black magic, killer of anyone who crosses his path for trivial reasons. He's a master of suffering, because he himself suffers. But it's his honesty that gets me. His love of story, his dark, deeply-hidden hope despite his curse. He's a pragmatist and warrior, wielding whatever tools necessary to get his job done.

This tale is literally his past coming back to bite him in the ass. From an unknown daughter to a necromancer, a witch and a multitude of undead assassins, the book is both action-packed and thoughtful, with motives clearly stated (even if not terribly relatable). Revenge is writ red on almost every bloody page, but the strength powering the protagonist's journeys is palpable. I particularly loved the many strong women shown here, from Amaya to Lorelei. The Wild West wasn't biased towards gender or nationality, and survival was part of life. Those who try to settle down to some romantic idea of peace don't last long here.

Go into this book with open eyes. It ain't fun and it ain't pretty - but boy, is it a great ride.

I was kindly sent an advance copy of this book, but the above opinion is entirely my own.

[Ctgt · Rating 3 out of 5]

6/10

[Cory Andrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was a wild ride, like a speeding locomotive ready to fly off the tracks, but finding a way to stay on. Finished it a week ago and still thinking about how crazy it was, that usually doesn't happen with me. There were times in the book were I wasn't liking it, then something would happen to pull me right back in. Regardless of how the story was losing me at some points, this author writes some of the best violence and gore that I've ever read. I'll likely re-read this in a few years, I have the feeling that this sequel to The Magpie Coffin will get better with multiple reads like how some horror franchise sequels (Phantasm and Texas Chainsaw Massacre sequels come to mind) get better the more you watch them.
The epilogue was a real treat for those who have read "A Savage Breed" by Patrick C. Harrison III. Read that first if you haven't.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

A worthy sequel to The Magpie Coffin.

Excerpts:
"I'd heard harsher truths in my time. Sometimes that was what was needed, to hear the stone breaking the window of your make-believe life, to go out and find who threw it, and give it the fear of you. Sometimes you were what you were, until you weren't anymore."

and;
"I didn't ride and collect all I had because I believed that Hell would accept all my gatherings like an offering. I didn't believe I was above men at all, just believed that I had thrown off what chained one."

[Spike Creamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel follows on the heels of the Magpie Coffin. Six years have passed since Salem Covington blazed a path of death, destruction and vengeance across the weird west. This time we find Salem and a cast of characters tracking a man named Granger Hyde. Granger has amassed a small army of orphans from Salem's past. They are capturing women from across the west, but for what means?

This was another wild ride from Wile E. Young. Everything has been amped up. From the blood, gore, violence and horror. I'm looking forward to seeing where Salems travels take him next.
#booksfromthedoomsaloon #creepinitreal

[Gyalten Lekden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set six years after the conclusion of “The Magpie Coffin,” Salem Covington is back, and everything is bloodier than before. This book is not only bloodier but meaner, grittier, and basically turned up in every way. New types of dark magic workings are introduced sporadically, never enough to be actual deux ex machina but pretty close, yet each has a cost significant enough to warrant its inclusion. The story is really well-paced, from setting the scene, recognizing the driving conflict, and collecting a proper posse for a showdown unlike any other. There are plenty of new and old faces alike, and the story really builds and does a great job of hyping you up and bringing you along for the ride. None of the new characters have any particular depth or complexity, most are defined by one or two main characteristics, but they fit in the context of this genre mash-up, and they are interesting enough to feel like they have at least stepped outside the shadows of their stock archetypes. Salem, our protagonist, is particularly interesting. If anything, he is more degenerate and black-hearted here, making it even more impossible for the reader to like him or sign on to his particular flavor of violence than the first story did. And yet, even as he kills innocents, we still root for him to see an appropriate end to his mission, because the lore around him is compelling and well-crafted. He really was despicable in this book, though there is much more backstory fleshed out to at least explain how and why he became who he is, even if not excusing it. I would hesitate to say there is any real character growth, but we do certainly see a whole new face on our protagonist, and it definitely keeps the story interesting. This story takes typical western revenge tropes and flips them upside down, and then mixes them with black magic and occult workings, resulting in a violent, unnecessarily gruesome, sometimes revolting, good time. Not only was it a great sequel to “The Black Magpie,” but it was also a lot of fun.

[Horror DNA · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first of the infamous series of Splatter Westerns from Death’s Head Press, Wile E. Young’s The Magpie Coffin introduced readers to Salem Covington, the Black Magpie. A dark-souled gunslinger with a fulfilled vengeance, Salem’s life changes in this sequel when he meets a young outlaw named Amaya. Hunted by a group of riders who answer to one Granger Hyde, Amaya thrusts Salem into the most dangerous hunt of his life.

You can read Zachary Rosenberg's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.

[David B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Six years after the conclusion of the previous novel, haunted gunslinger Salem Covington learns from a former mentor on her deathbed that his own days are numbered. Soon after, he encounters a young female outlaw who is on the run from an undead posse sent by a man from Salem's past. The lengthy pursuit that follows dilutes Salem’s dark history and impending doom with a glimmer of hope as he protects a young woman who represents the last glimmer of good he might leave behind. I thought this book was superior to the previous one, with gore that was better integrated into the narrative rather than feeling like obligatory asides into splatterville. The cruel world depicted here is more the wild west of Cormac McCarthy and Larry McMurtry than that of Louis L’Amour or Zane Gray. In one memorable scene, Covington devises a torture for a man who cannot die that occupied my mind during spare moments for several days.

https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com

[Katherine Coble · Rating 2 out of 5]

What the literal hell happened?

_The Magpie Coffin_ was one of my favourite reads of 2022, and I even re-read it just now to doubly whet my appetite for this sequel.

The writing in TMC is straightforward, spare, bold. Very much a Western in tone and style but with a neat horror overlay.

This? This is overwritten to the point of being confusing. Concepts that NEED to be explained more clearly seem to never leave the author’s head. Much of the resolution of the story relies on confusing, baroque imagery that I believe is intended to seem dreamlike. It feels like eavesdropping on someone else’s acid trip.

[Awake at Midnight · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic continuation of The Black Magpie's saga. I enjoyed this one better than Young's premiere of the Splatter Western series by Death's Head Press. After saying goodbye to one of his most influential teachers, Covington returns to the hole of filth that spawned him and his brother in an attempt to rescue a hundred women that have been captured by a man who was once harmed by Salem. Covington makes a deal with death along the way, and visits the Red Station, for those familiar with the house. Blood and vengeance. If you are worried a favorite character might die, don't fret. They will.

[Josh reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever since the release of The Magpie Coffin several years ago I was eager to see if Wile E. Young would write further adventures of Salem Covington, this entry did not disappoint. From the description it looks like this most likely is part 2 of a potential trilogy, I can’t wait to see what the Black Magpie gets up to next. This book is part of a series known as Splatter Westerns, this volume truly lives up to that title!

[Beau · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a disappointment. The Magpie Coffin was one of my favorite reads this year but the sequel wasn't nearly as good. This book is in dire need of an editor. Grammatical errors, sentences that don't even make sense, etc. There's a period missing from the last sentence of the second paragraph in the book and I should have known it was a bad omen. Despite being confused quite a bit, I still enjoyed a good portion of the book.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a sequel to Magpie Coffin, this one missed the mark. No longer a spaghetti western horror like the original, it leans more toward a blood-spurting purge that wanders like the trail of secondary characters it drags through. It’s a shame, too, because I had high hopes with the “Clint Eastwood” tangled title. Bogged down in too many sideline stories and crippled by meandering revisits into the past.

[Thomas Hobbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is a sequel and is somewhat confusing for me anyway. How do you kill someone who doesn't die. This book has numerous resurrections. No one stays dead for long. Salem Covington is the hero of the story but also is a wanted man. I really enjoyed the wolf becoming a hellhound.

[Dana Lam · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH. THE SOUP IS SO GOOD. The bloody soup is so tasty. Took everything from the first one and improved it

I felt genuinely sad at that one part. VERY GOOD SECOND BOOK- I feel like the pacing is faster and the deaths way more brutal.

I still want Jake and Salem to kiss

[Patrick R. McDonough · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review coming soon.

[Annarella · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a well plotted and gritty novel, I appreciated the world building but it's not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

[Tony Anuci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, Mr. Young, for allowing me to experience another journey with Salem Covington!

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Violent, bloody and mystical wild west

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a hard time following the characters, but I suspect that's due to my inability to keep names straight. Other than that I enjoyed it and look forward to any future stories of the Black Magpie!

[Chaz Walter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by a criminally underrated author. I can't wait to read more of the Black Magpie's dark exploits!