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Edge #1
The Loner
This is the first book in a new western series, but it's more than just another novel of the American west. This is the bloodiest and most violent story that ever erupted from our native territory. Here is mean, bone-chilling raw stuff, a compelling tale you'll never forget.
His given name was Josiah Hedges, an innocent-enough monicker. But one look at the cruel set of his mouth and the icy penetration of his blue eyes and anyone would recognize pure danger in man's clothing. Now let's find out how this man lost his name and became known as Edge
His given name was Josiah Hedges, an innocent-enough monicker. But one look at the cruel set of his mouth and the icy penetration of his blue eyes and anyone would recognize pure danger in man's clothing. Now let's find out how this man lost his name and became known as Edge
138 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 1972
102 people are currently reading
1001 people want to read
About the author
George G. Gilman
297 books75 followersA pseudonym used by Terry Harknett.
Edge (61 books as George G. Gilman)
Adam Steele (49 books as George G. Gilman)
Edge Meets Adam Steele (3 books as George G. Gilman)
The Undertaker (6 books as George G. Gilman)
Edge (61 books as George G. Gilman)
Adam Steele (49 books as George G. Gilman)
Edge Meets Adam Steele (3 books as George G. Gilman)
The Undertaker (6 books as George G. Gilman)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
June 17, 2023
4.5 🌟's
"Batman had his utility belt and Edge had his cutthroat razor and even sharper one-liners."
Initial Thoughts
June on the Range 2023 continues for me with Edge: the Loner by George G. Gilman (a pseudonym for Terry Harknett). First released in 1971, it's part of a whopping sixty-one book series. A series that caused quite a stir when it was released for the level of graphic violence it included. It's a very special book for me.
Wait a minute! Did I just say that about this cheap pulp western? Damn straight I did. See, my grandfather, sadly not with me anymore, was a huge fan and read every single book in the series and everything else Gilman wrote. He used to give me a breakdown of all the novels as I sat in rapt attention, in awe of how exciting the stories were and how cool the hero was. You can't put a price on times like that. The beauty of literature and how the love of it can unite people.
I was reminded of this series watching Criminolly's YouTube channel when he talked about his love for this series. It got me thinking of what my Grandfather told me over fourty years ago. So when I saw Michael K. Vaughan's challenge to read western's over the course of June it was the first book on my mind. With this series experiencing a revival on ebook recently there really was no excuse for me not to read it.
The Story
Straight up, this is a revenge tale plain and simple. If you like it served cold then this one is right up your alley. It begins when Josiah Hedges (soon to gain the nickname Edge) returns home from the Civil War, looking to put the past and horror behind him and get back to work on the farm with his younger brother. When he finds him brutally murdered and his home burned to its foundations he has one thing on his mind and it isn't baking a cake.
It doesn't take Edge long to discover that the killers are a group of renegade soldiers that he used to be in charge of back in the military. They all know exactly what this guy is capable of and still expected to get away with it. What a complete bunch of idiots. This guy will stop at nothing to get some good old fashioned vengeance in his own special way. Completely obsessed he sets off from Iowa to Arizona in search of them and won't let anything get in his way.
"The Killing of his kid brother had drained Josiah Hedges of everything that is good and decent in the human spirit.
He was now a killer of the worst kind. A man alone."
The Writing
I've read a good number of Westerns now, but it's safe to say I've never read anything quite like Edge. Gilman well and truly departs from the tradition of a hero in a white hat by giving us a hero that could easily be a villain and places him in a world packed with bad people.
He's certainly not the most skilled writer out there and uses a very precise style that gets straight to the point. The violence is bloody and brutal and he certainly relishes in getting this across to the reader. It's quite something, even by today's standards, but way back in 1972 when this one was published it would have been very graphic. As my Grandfather used to say it's full of "blood and snot."
Gilman structures the story in chapters that are quite self contained. Almost its own short story in itself. Each one packed with some satisfying violence. It's brutal, often gruesome, but manages to not go completely over the top.
The author does know how to tell a story and it was fascinating to discover he also spent a good amount of time writing mystery novels under his own name. You can definitely see some of the skill that it takes to write in that genre in Edge, as he deftly develops the plot all the way to a very satisfying conclusion.
"You wouldn't shoot an unarmed man," he implored, knowing the lie of his words.
"They're the easiest kind to kill," he said and squeezed the trigger."
The Characters
This book is full of homicidal maniacs and they're an awful bunch to say the least. But as bad as they are, the central character of Edge is a whole lot worse. He's billed on the cover as "a new kind of Western hero" and he certainly is at that. Much more of an anti-hero that this land deserves. Although not quite as evil as those villains he is capable of some awful deeds, with his revolver and cutthroat razor, as he looks to get his retribution.
The son of a Swedish mother and Mexican father, Edge certainly identifies more with his mexican side and does come in for a fair degree of racism. But as you'd bet that is a fatal mistake for those stupid enough to disrespect him in that way. Whatever you do, don't call him 'Mex.'
But what makes this character so absorbing is his fine sense of humour. His quick one liners really help to lighten the mood and vary the tone of what would be a pretty dark novel without it. And what adds to this humour is that Edge tends to carry out good deeds but for purely selfish reasons. Like killing a gang of bank robbers because he needs their horse. Yes, he's a fantastic character and he's right up there with one of my favourites to read about.
Final Thoughts
After all these years of knowing all about this series, almost fourty, and finally reading it...I've got to say it holds up really well. It's not the most complex story, but it's not trying to be. What it is, is very, very entertaining. I can honestly say that I enjoyed it from start to finish.
In my opinion this is a very important entry in the Western genre. In a lot of ways it's ahead of its time. There's a trend in modern fantasy for morally grey characters with extreme levels of violence, with authors like George RR Martin and Joe Abercrombie leading the way. Well George Gilman was doing it in the Western genre fifty years ago. His ability to craft a morally reprehensible character and make him likeable is certainly impressive. And the extreme level of violence could be seen as a precursor for what followed in the horror genre with the birth of the Splatterpunk movement in the eighties.
Don't get me wrong. Edge isn't for everyone. But if you like a raw and violent experience with a fast moving plot then you can't go wrong here. Either way, you'll know within a few pages if it's right for you or not.
I'll finish by saying that I've just discovered this was adapted into an Amazon Prime series that I'm going to have to track down along with the next book in the series...Ten Grand. Yeehah!
Thanks for reading and...cheers!
George G Gilman AKA Terry Harknett
December 28, 2022
The Edge series was started in the '70s to capitalize on the popularity of the Spaghetti Western movies that were coming out of Italy at the time. Like many of those movies, these books are mean, ultra violent, nihilistic, and filled with all manner of vicious and deplorable characters (including our anti-hero, Edge).
While these books obviously aren't the Shakespeare of Westerns, if you are into nasty people doing nasty things then there is a lot of fun to be had here.
While these books obviously aren't the Shakespeare of Westerns, if you are into nasty people doing nasty things then there is a lot of fun to be had here.
May 21, 2016
This is a very violent and unsavory book that will offend a lot of people. But that was okay with me because I went in expecting a pretty shocking read. I initially chose to read The Loner mostly for research purposes. I've recently started writing the first volume of a new fantasy series that will draw some influences from the pulp-style action/adventure titles written during this time period. I'm currently reading the first of the Max Bolan Executioner books for the same reason, so I'm not strictly focusing on westerns here, but westerns were one of the most popular genres for fans of the vintage action/adventure books. And this series has a fairly notorious reputation for being the most blood-soaked western series ever written. I haven't read enough books in this genre yet to say if that's really true, but The Loner certainly doesn't pull any punches.
However, the real surprise for me with this book was how lyrical the writing style is. There are beautiful passages on almost every page. George Gilman has a great ear for language, and this book is full of long flowing sentences, brimming with exquisite sensory details that just drag you deeper and deeper into the story. I could hardly put this down once I got started on it.
Just about every chapter has some action. The main character verges on being totally unsympathetic, but I found that kind of interesting. The Loner is very reminiscent of the spaghetti western movies that were still pretty big back in the time when it was written, and a lot of those were focused on dubious and unlikable antiheroes.
Overall, I highly recommend this to readers who don't mind dark and disturbing elements in their stories. It's a real treat, and I'll definitely continue reading the series.
However, the real surprise for me with this book was how lyrical the writing style is. There are beautiful passages on almost every page. George Gilman has a great ear for language, and this book is full of long flowing sentences, brimming with exquisite sensory details that just drag you deeper and deeper into the story. I could hardly put this down once I got started on it.
Just about every chapter has some action. The main character verges on being totally unsympathetic, but I found that kind of interesting. The Loner is very reminiscent of the spaghetti western movies that were still pretty big back in the time when it was written, and a lot of those were focused on dubious and unlikable antiheroes.
Overall, I highly recommend this to readers who don't mind dark and disturbing elements in their stories. It's a real treat, and I'll definitely continue reading the series.
May 29, 2024
2nd reading - This is probably more than the 2nd, since I first discovered this series while perusing Mike's New and Used in Pittsburg, Ks in the mid-70s. Mike Seely sold many things: home furnishings, bicycles, stereos, and - used books. I also encountered Max Brand, Louis L'Amour, and the Destroyer series by Sapir and Murphy there, usually 5 cents each.
Josiah Hedges, shortened to Edge after the Civil war, is a former Captain on the hunt for ex-soldiers who murdered his brother looking for the cash he'd sent him. Prone to violence with little to no mercy, nobody is safe.
Great start to a fine series written for the adventure streak in males.
1st reading - first in the hard edged series, good set up for the next chapter.
Josiah Hedges, shortened to Edge after the Civil war, is a former Captain on the hunt for ex-soldiers who murdered his brother looking for the cash he'd sent him. Prone to violence with little to no mercy, nobody is safe.
Great start to a fine series written for the adventure streak in males.
1st reading - first in the hard edged series, good set up for the next chapter.
March 1, 2019
A fun, ultraviolent western somewhat undermined by dreadful spelling errors and grammatical disasters on nearly every page of the Kindle version. The paperback is long out of print, but if you want to read the Edge series, track those down instead.
May 28, 2025
3.5⭐ rounded up.
Brutal, bleak, tough, gritty. And a few one liners from the titular protagonist to provide some levity from all the bloodshed.
These are the kind of westerns I want to be reading - pulpy, bloody goodness in a compact story that flies by. This is a series I'll be continuing.
Brutal, bleak, tough, gritty. And a few one liners from the titular protagonist to provide some levity from all the bloodshed.
These are the kind of westerns I want to be reading - pulpy, bloody goodness in a compact story that flies by. This is a series I'll be continuing.
January 21, 2021
Being the first novel of the lengthy "Edge" series I suppose you could look at this as the origin story for the rest of the books. But really that is covered in the first couple of chapters as Captain Josiah Hedges returns from the Civil War to his family farm in Iowa only to discover that his little brother had been brutally murdered. Josiah's vendetta towards the five men who did it (who also served under his command in the Union Army) drives him into becoming the killer character we all know and love as "Edge".
Most of the novel is, predictably, about Edge following the trail of the five men, getting into brief bits of trouble along the way, and eventually catching up to them in Arizona Territory. The finale is a nice payoff and serves well to set up the rest of the series.
This is my first "Piccadilly Cowboy" western, a moniker shared by a handful of British authors in the 1970's and 80's who themselves never set foot in America. Terry Harknett, the author behind the George G. Gilman pseudonym was the most successful of all. I'm happy I finally took the plunge into the Edge series. More will certainly follow.
Most of the novel is, predictably, about Edge following the trail of the five men, getting into brief bits of trouble along the way, and eventually catching up to them in Arizona Territory. The finale is a nice payoff and serves well to set up the rest of the series.
This is my first "Piccadilly Cowboy" western, a moniker shared by a handful of British authors in the 1970's and 80's who themselves never set foot in America. Terry Harknett, the author behind the George G. Gilman pseudonym was the most successful of all. I'm happy I finally took the plunge into the Edge series. More will certainly follow.
July 23, 2022
A graphically violent '70s pulp western and the first in a long-running series. This one follows a traditional revenge format, with anti-hero Edge trailing the five soldiers who committed a sadistic act in the opening chapter. Expect lean, pared-down prose; there will be no awards for the writing style or depth here, and the text is littered with errors. But it's straight to the point, and absolutely packed with action from fights and chases to shoot-outs; the bits in between barely register. The violence is shocking and sadistic in its depiction with the cruellest punishments meted out to innocent and guilty alike. Quite a book...
April 27, 2021
Hyper-violent, cold, and cruel. Touch bit funny too in its cynicism. Many spelling errors plague the text but I had too much a damn fun time with this to care much. What I would compare to as a Western version of Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky. A very easy read, action packed as well. Can't wait to read more!
March 2, 2023
Like others have said this is right out of a late 60's or 70's western. It was a lot of fun. I will be adding this to my rotation for sure. It had all the violence you could want. If you want a shootem up antihero with an attitude Edge is the guy for you!
August 26, 2010
The Civil War was over and Captain Josiah Hedges was headed home to the family farm in Iowa. His kid brother Jamie had looked after it, with him sending his army pay home to help.
He arrived to find the farm burned and his brother nailed to a tree, dead. A second body revealed who'd did the deed. He was a member of one of the platoons Hedges had commanded and had mustered out the week before he did.
The brutal act by men he knew rid the last vestiges of humanity from Josiah Hedges. He knew the men had talked about going to Arizona territory after the war and that's where he headed. Along the way, he learned they were headed for a town called Warlock. Hedges had never heard of it. But he would find it.
And he did. As well as the five men he was hunting!
He arrived to find the farm burned and his brother nailed to a tree, dead. A second body revealed who'd did the deed. He was a member of one of the platoons Hedges had commanded and had mustered out the week before he did.
The brutal act by men he knew rid the last vestiges of humanity from Josiah Hedges. He knew the men had talked about going to Arizona territory after the war and that's where he headed. Along the way, he learned they were headed for a town called Warlock. Hedges had never heard of it. But he would find it.
And he did. As well as the five men he was hunting!
December 11, 2019
In 1971 Edge was born from the imagination of George Gilman and turned the Western genre on its head. The good guys no longer wore white hats. There were no longer good guys. Now there were just cold, hard, rugged individuals looking to survive the harsh reality of western life. Edge was not a white knight cowboy looking to help innocent victims, he was a battle hardened loner who had lost everything and wanted nothing to do with anyone. He wanted to be left alone - if anyone disrespected him or crossed him he would brave Hell itself to settle the score. There may not the traditional heroes that one is used to reading about but these are some of the most bloody, violent and ultimately entertaining stories you can hope to find.
May 9, 2021
Enjoyably hard nosed and brutal western from the 70s golden age of nasty paperbacks. Thoroughly entertaining
August 27, 2022
Very violent, quick and gritty western. The writing is short on setting, but with plenty of detail about wounds and deaths. If only Captain Josiah Hedges were a former Quantrill's Raider instead of a Yankee. Still, the series may serve as a break in between longer books.
Read
September 8, 2023A revisit to US History..
May 20, 2023
Cold, Callous, Gritty.
Army Sergeant Frank Forrest, with his Northern troop cohorts Billy Seward, Hal Douglas, John Scott, Roger Bell, and gutless English dandy Bob Rhett, come to deliver bad news to Jamie Hedges about his big brother Captain Josiah C. Hedges.
Joe Hedges is a 30-year-old ex-Army Captain who heads to his farmstead in the flatlands of Iowa where little brother Jamie, and their dog Patch, await for his return from the war. A tale of revenge and mayhem spark off from here, with the ever familiar trappings of pre-war transitional lives, Apache war parties massacring wagon trains, stage coach robberies, jail breaks, gallows, and gunfights.
I appreciate the gritty landscape and some times I like to read a story where the rough characters simply go at each other. I'm not fond of the cliché of "bad gringo" versus "victimized Mex". I know it's a bad atmosphere but let's get some bad Mexicans and Europeans and Africans and face them off against good ones of each. No one is truly honorable though a few secondary characters seem to have a spirit of peace and justice about them. The wild west is definitely active in this tale. I cheered for Edge for the fact that some evil men needed to feel their own painful demises but I cannot relate to Edge with his cold and often callous attitude.
Army Sergeant Frank Forrest, with his Northern troop cohorts Billy Seward, Hal Douglas, John Scott, Roger Bell, and gutless English dandy Bob Rhett, come to deliver bad news to Jamie Hedges about his big brother Captain Josiah C. Hedges.
Joe Hedges is a 30-year-old ex-Army Captain who heads to his farmstead in the flatlands of Iowa where little brother Jamie, and their dog Patch, await for his return from the war. A tale of revenge and mayhem spark off from here, with the ever familiar trappings of pre-war transitional lives, Apache war parties massacring wagon trains, stage coach robberies, jail breaks, gallows, and gunfights.
I appreciate the gritty landscape and some times I like to read a story where the rough characters simply go at each other. I'm not fond of the cliché of "bad gringo" versus "victimized Mex". I know it's a bad atmosphere but let's get some bad Mexicans and Europeans and Africans and face them off against good ones of each. No one is truly honorable though a few secondary characters seem to have a spirit of peace and justice about them. The wild west is definitely active in this tale. I cheered for Edge for the fact that some evil men needed to feel their own painful demises but I cannot relate to Edge with his cold and often callous attitude.
April 2, 2015
I am sure that many, many other people have said things much more clever than I about this book, so I'll stay vague & succinct.
Ostensibly a Western revenge story (both genres I enjoy), this quickly turns into a Peckinpah-esque examination of violence. I kept thinking about that line in Grosse Pointe Blank about how Cusack's test scores in the military showed a certain moral void. "Edge," our protagonist, quickly shows himself to be much more interested in violence and murder than any sort of justice, so that in the end we basically could be reading about the "villains" of the story and it would pretty much feel the same. Violent and disturbing in turns, I couldn't quite tell if the author was doing this tongue-in-cheek or not. It amused me enough to grab the next book in the series, though who knows if I'll ever actually read it.
Also amusing: the fact that every woman falls in lust with Edge in seconds, despite his constant sneering & being covered in blood.
Ostensibly a Western revenge story (both genres I enjoy), this quickly turns into a Peckinpah-esque examination of violence. I kept thinking about that line in Grosse Pointe Blank about how Cusack's test scores in the military showed a certain moral void. "Edge," our protagonist, quickly shows himself to be much more interested in violence and murder than any sort of justice, so that in the end we basically could be reading about the "villains" of the story and it would pretty much feel the same. Violent and disturbing in turns, I couldn't quite tell if the author was doing this tongue-in-cheek or not. It amused me enough to grab the next book in the series, though who knows if I'll ever actually read it.
Also amusing: the fact that every woman falls in lust with Edge in seconds, despite his constant sneering & being covered in blood.
June 27, 2012
Edge is a new kind of western hero.
At least he was way back in 1972.
And we all loved Edge just as much as Clint Eastwood's 'Man With No Name' who was indirectly responsible for the birth of Josiah Hedges and the 61? books that Terry Harknett wrote about him under the pseudonym George G Gilman (Gee Gee - get it?).
I own 43 of the original paperbacks, 20 of the less satisfying 'Adam Steele' series and 2 Edge-Steele cross-over novels. I shall enjoy re-acquainting myself with 'The Loner' on my Kindle and look forward to any further releases in the series.
Would be nice to see some of the better Richard Clifton-Dey artwork, too.
At least he was way back in 1972.
And we all loved Edge just as much as Clint Eastwood's 'Man With No Name' who was indirectly responsible for the birth of Josiah Hedges and the 61? books that Terry Harknett wrote about him under the pseudonym George G Gilman (Gee Gee - get it?).
I own 43 of the original paperbacks, 20 of the less satisfying 'Adam Steele' series and 2 Edge-Steele cross-over novels. I shall enjoy re-acquainting myself with 'The Loner' on my Kindle and look forward to any further releases in the series.
Would be nice to see some of the better Richard Clifton-Dey artwork, too.
November 28, 2018
Great, over the top violent tale of the west. Not much of a fan of westerns. Until I found the books of George G. Gilman , a.k.a. Terry Harknett. The best, in my opinion, writer of westerns. Even though he's from Essex, England. Not many cow pokes from across the pond.
The first in a series is always a touchy read. Sometimes it's great. Others it's not so, but it evolves into a great series. This is one of the rare cases. This was a great opener. This had everything you could want from this genre. Violence. Revenge. Gun play. Even more violence. Not so much sex, but you can't have it all. The last scene in this book is worth the price in itself.
The first in a series is always a touchy read. Sometimes it's great. Others it's not so, but it evolves into a great series. This is one of the rare cases. This was a great opener. This had everything you could want from this genre. Violence. Revenge. Gun play. Even more violence. Not so much sex, but you can't have it all. The last scene in this book is worth the price in itself.
January 21, 2015
I read this book many years ago. I found it to be a great read where after that one I brought and read everyone of the Edge books. George G Gilman brought a character to life and gave him a purpose and though there are many who would say his books were to violent and graphic I found them enjoyable and looked forward to reading the next book. George G Gilman was way ahead of his time in writing these novels compared to the one's written today, his work stands above the rest. I would recommend the Edge series and the Adam Steel books series to anyone who is a western fan.
August 15, 2013
I highly-recommend this series of gritty, violent westerns by George Gilman. I am surprised that the series has not been made into a film. I suggest that actor Danny Trejo play Edge. If graphic violence is not your shot of whiskey, please steer clear of the Edge series.
September 23, 2021
This was a guilty pleasure. I knew what I was in for. I wanted some fun in the Wild West and I got it. Nasty. Brutal. But, as has been mentioned before, Gilman can paint a decent scene with a few brush strokes.
The puns are dire and the action brutal. I plan to read all of these.
The puns are dire and the action brutal. I plan to read all of these.
May 8, 2012
the uber anti-hero.
July 2, 2015
Fun Western pulp. Nice lean writing. A bit too heavy on the gore and brutality for my tastes. Owes a lot to Robert E. Howard. Would make a great movie.
November 9, 2015
This character could have been the blueprint for Reacher. Great book and just been filmed as a pilot for a possible show on Amazon, good adaptation.
November 20, 2015
Revisiting an old friend after a long time. He's a stinker....but I love him!
March 26, 2018
Pedantic, thin, no rationale for killing people other than "it's the west."
December 2, 2018
This is a simple book.
It's about 40% man's revenge story and 60% short, mostly episodic, stand alone travellogue chapters (many of which can be read in only 5 or 6 minutes).
The pace is very quick and there is a cinematic yet somewhat dry feel to the writing.
The violence not constant, but it is very frequent. And it is just as wince inducing as I have heard. Readers unprepaired for this should not be anywhere near books like these.
The psychology of the main character is difficult to describe.
He goes from irredemably cruel, to tragically heroic, and back again several times.
His nihilistic outlook offers both humour and despair.
I haven't quite worked out the enduring appeal of these books yet.
Perhaps it's the catharsis, and the contrast with every day life for the typical reader. For me personally, the violence and grimness is so frequent that it hurts the believability of the storytelling. In my opinion, it could have done with a historical info dump or two. Despite the period details, I couldn't help feeling like I was reading a fantasy novel at times.
In the introduction to the kindle edition, the author says he was inspired by the Spagetti Westerns that were still popular in the early 1970s. I don't know which films he was refering to because this book is far bleaker, and far gorier than any Spegetti Western I've seen.
A cautious 3 stars.
It's about 40% man's revenge story and 60% short, mostly episodic, stand alone travellogue chapters (many of which can be read in only 5 or 6 minutes).
The pace is very quick and there is a cinematic yet somewhat dry feel to the writing.
The violence not constant, but it is very frequent. And it is just as wince inducing as I have heard. Readers unprepaired for this should not be anywhere near books like these.
The psychology of the main character is difficult to describe.
He goes from irredemably cruel, to tragically heroic, and back again several times.
His nihilistic outlook offers both humour and despair.
I haven't quite worked out the enduring appeal of these books yet.
Perhaps it's the catharsis, and the contrast with every day life for the typical reader. For me personally, the violence and grimness is so frequent that it hurts the believability of the storytelling. In my opinion, it could have done with a historical info dump or two. Despite the period details, I couldn't help feeling like I was reading a fantasy novel at times.
In the introduction to the kindle edition, the author says he was inspired by the Spagetti Westerns that were still popular in the early 1970s. I don't know which films he was refering to because this book is far bleaker, and far gorier than any Spegetti Western I've seen.
A cautious 3 stars.
February 3, 2021
For a dime-store novel, this earns a solid three stars. The Loner focuses on a man named Edge who is just returning from serving in the Civil War, only to discover that his fellow soldiers, and men under his command, have brutally murdered his brother, Jamie. The remainder of the novel focuses on Edge’s pursuit of these men. Thus, we have a rather simple plot.
What we also have is an entirely unlikeable hero. Edge is selfish, he possesses no morals, self respect, regret for those he’s murdered...nothing. He has no emotion, but I suppose it’s his lack of the fear of death that most intrigues me about him. Generally I don’t like it when the only hero we have to root for is the anti-hero, but somehow Edge is just different. He’s not a moral man, but he does have his scruples, as warped as they may be.
The Loner is the first in a serious of books that focus on Edge as the bad boy, and while this was more violent than I expected, I enjoyed the writing. While this author isn’t on par with L.P. Holmes, in my view, he still has his moments of brilliance, and clearly he knows how to write. I’m just starting the second book in this series which picks up right where The Loner leaves off, so I’ll fill you in on Edge’s next violent adventure soon!
What we also have is an entirely unlikeable hero. Edge is selfish, he possesses no morals, self respect, regret for those he’s murdered...nothing. He has no emotion, but I suppose it’s his lack of the fear of death that most intrigues me about him. Generally I don’t like it when the only hero we have to root for is the anti-hero, but somehow Edge is just different. He’s not a moral man, but he does have his scruples, as warped as they may be.
The Loner is the first in a serious of books that focus on Edge as the bad boy, and while this was more violent than I expected, I enjoyed the writing. While this author isn’t on par with L.P. Holmes, in my view, he still has his moments of brilliance, and clearly he knows how to write. I’m just starting the second book in this series which picks up right where The Loner leaves off, so I’ll fill you in on Edge’s next violent adventure soon!
May 16, 2021
Allegedly Gilman, an Englishman, had never read a western when he decided to write The Loner. Rather he based his series almost completely off of the spaghetti westerns of the 70’s. And obviously added a ton more violence, gore, and overall excitement.
Yes, The Loner is exceptionally violent, gory, and pretty much non stop from the get go. There’s no plodding passages of description or melodrama to try and make the western US of the 1870s seem romantic. Just like Red Dead Redemption the world that Edge is a part of is every man for himself and damn the consequences.
There’s a lot of talk about Death Head Press’s newest splatterpunk series, but i have a feeling if it wasn’t for Gilman and his Edge series, books like The Magpie Coffin and The Thirteenth Coyote wouldn’t even exist.
Honestly, this is pulp western at its finest, written by a dude for dudes who didnt want romance and a bunch of pointless exposition. I loved it. Already have book 2 ready to go.
Yes, The Loner is exceptionally violent, gory, and pretty much non stop from the get go. There’s no plodding passages of description or melodrama to try and make the western US of the 1870s seem romantic. Just like Red Dead Redemption the world that Edge is a part of is every man for himself and damn the consequences.
There’s a lot of talk about Death Head Press’s newest splatterpunk series, but i have a feeling if it wasn’t for Gilman and his Edge series, books like The Magpie Coffin and The Thirteenth Coyote wouldn’t even exist.
Honestly, this is pulp western at its finest, written by a dude for dudes who didnt want romance and a bunch of pointless exposition. I loved it. Already have book 2 ready to go.
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