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Dead Cowpokes Don't Wrangle: A Weird West Anthology
Featuring work by: Mars Adler, Tyler Battaglia, Rain Corbyn, Morgan Dante, A.A. Fairview, Claude Hamesh, TK Jameson, Olive J. Kelley, Wren V. Lothaire, Marley Nissley, Shane Reid, Wendy Richmond, Sirius, Magnus Thorne, Kyle Wakefield, H.S. Wolfe, and Yune.
With more queers, weirds, and steers than you can shake a stick at, DEAD COWPOKES DON'T WRANGLE collects original weird west tales and art and will take you to the strangest plains over yonder, then further still. So tie up your horse, settle in to wet your whistle 'round the fire, and prepare to be amazed. When shape-shifters, duels, gunslingers, and strangers come to town, you best be saddling up for a hootin' hollerin' good time.
DEAD COWPOKES DON’T WRANGLE is a collaborative effort between eighteen different creators, curated by Mars Adler and H.S. Wolfe.
With more queers, weirds, and steers than you can shake a stick at, DEAD COWPOKES DON'T WRANGLE collects original weird west tales and art and will take you to the strangest plains over yonder, then further still. So tie up your horse, settle in to wet your whistle 'round the fire, and prepare to be amazed. When shape-shifters, duels, gunslingers, and strangers come to town, you best be saddling up for a hootin' hollerin' good time.
DEAD COWPOKES DON’T WRANGLE is a collaborative effort between eighteen different creators, curated by Mars Adler and H.S. Wolfe.
Unknown Binding
Published December 1, 2024
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357 people want to read
About the author
Mars Adler
18 books182 followersmars adler is a queer and trans author in their mid-twenties. they currently reside on the side of a mountain in Colorado with their dog, and unfortunately hold a corporeal form. they write speculative fiction with a focus on things that terrify them (absolutely everything), and morally grey queer characters. when not writing, they can be found painting, making tea, and trying to become part of the forest on hikes.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 14, 2025
Queer stories from the weird west, from outlaws to vampires to aliens and more. Often violent, frequently spicy, occasionally both at the same time, this is a diverse collection that is a lot of fun to dive into. The stories were unapologetic, with queerness always text, not subtext, but most often not the point of the story. Not all the stories blew my socks off, but that’s expected in a collection, especially one as diverse as this. There were quite a few, though, that were really special, which is always what I am hoping to find in an anthology. Plus the length of the anthology hits just right, enough stories to feel substantial but not so much you get tired of the collection before the end.
A few of the stories felt a little longer than they needed to be, and could have maybe benefited from a slightly heavier hand editing. That’s a piddling complaint, though, because until this collection came along I didn’t know I had a “supernatural, queer, weird western horror” -shaped hole in my reading life! It was an absolute delight to engage with each of these stories (and the art, too).
(Rounded down from 3.5)
(Rounded up from 3.5)
A few of the stories felt a little longer than they needed to be, and could have maybe benefited from a slightly heavier hand editing. That’s a piddling complaint, though, because until this collection came along I didn’t know I had a “supernatural, queer, weird western horror” -shaped hole in my reading life! It was an absolute delight to engage with each of these stories (and the art, too).
(Rounded down from 3.5)
(Rounded up from 3.5)
January 29, 2026
3.5 stars. I always say im not a fan of anthologies but of course i keep reading them. This was def one of the better ones. I love how queer and trans and ambiguous all these stories were. Pronouns and body parts and descriptions were so fluid and interchangeable, it was just awesome to read.
- A HANDFUL OF BULLETS
'Sometimes, she'd wished they'd ended her, too, instead of calling her an orphan of God and suffering her to live.'
-HIGH NOON IN PROSPERITY
Mac and Duke were such simps holy moly, but they were so cutie.' "I need you," Duke whispered. "And you'll have me," Mac said. ' I hated Red and I just wanted them to be together. The term 'self-made' was used and I instantly became obsessed with it. I will be integrating that into my key words just wait.
-EYES OF THE APOSTLE
The concept was so shinigami eyes. Trading something in to a "evil" spirit and getting their eyes in return. And in Death Note and in this book, it was to know about someone's death!
-A GOLDEN GAZE
This was my least favorite story. I was confused about the basic plot. I didn't really get stealing the gold and the teeth and who even was that creature and i dont know. Also Micah getting horny for Westley while like trapped in a coffin idk what.
-POWERFUL, THIRSTY
The most surprising story for me! Normally, I don't like vague and introspective and thoughtful readings because it confuses the hell out of me and I don't want to think that hard to decode the meaning. This book was similar to that in that the main character was like nothing and couldn't speak through human experiences but I still understood everything and what I was supposed to take from it and it felt beautiful. 'But I'll die before I slow myself down on purpose just to get stuck in somebody else's lazy, unexamined orbit.' 'I knew that this was what my parents so many galaxies away wanted of me. For that moment I was free of their shame, which was not galaxies away, but right here, in my head, bones, and drying veins. I promised them I would become the greatest wolf, the wolf that drank the world.'
-THIS IS NO PLACE TO RAISE A FAMILY
My favorite one!! Such a perfect mix of freak sex and wanting. I love falling for a creature! Not much to say except I really liked reading this one.
-YOUR DEATH WOULD TASTE SWEETER
Best smut FOR SURE! Bring back lust and they delivered! ' "Bite me." It's what he knows he wanted, for them to be as close as possible; to nestle amongst bone and muscle. To leave a little piece inside so he'll never be without them. Between them, Aydin is to be shared. They'll make and break him together.' ' "I wish to bury so deep beneath your skin, little dove," she pants, mouth bloody, teeth bared, and eyes glowing red. "Claim you in ways that would sicken God." '
-LIKE A BULLET TO THE HEAD
The sweetest cutest one!! Conor being so caring and putting so much time and effort to save this wolf's life was adorable. It cracked me up that when the wolf turned human, Conor immediately was like ok im horny now.
- A HANDFUL OF BULLETS
'Sometimes, she'd wished they'd ended her, too, instead of calling her an orphan of God and suffering her to live.'
-HIGH NOON IN PROSPERITY
Mac and Duke were such simps holy moly, but they were so cutie.' "I need you," Duke whispered. "And you'll have me," Mac said. ' I hated Red and I just wanted them to be together. The term 'self-made' was used and I instantly became obsessed with it. I will be integrating that into my key words just wait.
-EYES OF THE APOSTLE
The concept was so shinigami eyes. Trading something in to a "evil" spirit and getting their eyes in return. And in Death Note and in this book, it was to know about someone's death!
-A GOLDEN GAZE
This was my least favorite story. I was confused about the basic plot. I didn't really get stealing the gold and the teeth and who even was that creature and i dont know. Also Micah getting horny for Westley while like trapped in a coffin idk what.
-POWERFUL, THIRSTY
The most surprising story for me! Normally, I don't like vague and introspective and thoughtful readings because it confuses the hell out of me and I don't want to think that hard to decode the meaning. This book was similar to that in that the main character was like nothing and couldn't speak through human experiences but I still understood everything and what I was supposed to take from it and it felt beautiful. 'But I'll die before I slow myself down on purpose just to get stuck in somebody else's lazy, unexamined orbit.' 'I knew that this was what my parents so many galaxies away wanted of me. For that moment I was free of their shame, which was not galaxies away, but right here, in my head, bones, and drying veins. I promised them I would become the greatest wolf, the wolf that drank the world.'
-THIS IS NO PLACE TO RAISE A FAMILY
My favorite one!! Such a perfect mix of freak sex and wanting. I love falling for a creature! Not much to say except I really liked reading this one.
-YOUR DEATH WOULD TASTE SWEETER
Best smut FOR SURE! Bring back lust and they delivered! ' "Bite me." It's what he knows he wanted, for them to be as close as possible; to nestle amongst bone and muscle. To leave a little piece inside so he'll never be without them. Between them, Aydin is to be shared. They'll make and break him together.' ' "I wish to bury so deep beneath your skin, little dove," she pants, mouth bloody, teeth bared, and eyes glowing red. "Claim you in ways that would sicken God." '
-LIKE A BULLET TO THE HEAD
The sweetest cutest one!! Conor being so caring and putting so much time and effort to save this wolf's life was adorable. It cracked me up that when the wolf turned human, Conor immediately was like ok im horny now.
January 3, 2025
Oh my God. This was an amazing anthology! Super queer, super trans, super well written. A deliciously wide variety of stories, characters, identities, connections, creatures... And I absolutely loved each and every one. Absolute winners.
Great narration of the very inexpensive audiobook as well!
My only "complaint" is the down side to audiobooks - I still need to get the ebook so I can see all the art. The descriptions were great, but I really want to see these pieces! I'm not mad about getting both versions of this book though, I'd love a physical copy as well. Definitely an immediate favorite. 10/10.
Great narration of the very inexpensive audiobook as well!
My only "complaint" is the down side to audiobooks - I still need to get the ebook so I can see all the art. The descriptions were great, but I really want to see these pieces! I'm not mad about getting both versions of this book though, I'd love a physical copy as well. Definitely an immediate favorite. 10/10.
November 10, 2024
thank you to CLC press for the eARC.
i was a little worried going into this book since i wasn’t entirely sure if anthologies were my thing, but i really enjoyed this read. i wasn’t sure how the whole cowboy/west aspect would fit especially with how many stories there were, but they were done beautifully. i was hooked for so many of the stories and found a few authors i definitely want to read more from. i was amazed how each author was able to pull in the cowboy/west idea with so many different ideas that i wouldn’t have ever guessed to put together.
the stories themselves were really interesting and i can’t wait to see the artwork for them.
something i really appreciated was adding the author bios/acknowledgments at the end of each story rather than add them all together at the end. i often forget who wrote what by the end so having them grouped together was so helpful.
i was a little worried going into this book since i wasn’t entirely sure if anthologies were my thing, but i really enjoyed this read. i wasn’t sure how the whole cowboy/west aspect would fit especially with how many stories there were, but they were done beautifully. i was hooked for so many of the stories and found a few authors i definitely want to read more from. i was amazed how each author was able to pull in the cowboy/west idea with so many different ideas that i wouldn’t have ever guessed to put together.
the stories themselves were really interesting and i can’t wait to see the artwork for them.
something i really appreciated was adding the author bios/acknowledgments at the end of each story rather than add them all together at the end. i often forget who wrote what by the end so having them grouped together was so helpful.
March 29, 2025
Really fun pick for Trans Rights Readathon! So western and so WEIRD. Not usually a horror fan but these stories totally delivered. Highly recommend! Great way to find new-to-you queer authors.
April 8, 2025
I only read one of the stories in this because my brother wrote it lol but super good and eventually I will go back and read the others.
January 18, 2026
queer weird western anthology ranging from horror to spice!
a fun arrangement of stories from queer and trans authors! lovely writing and riveting
a fun arrangement of stories from queer and trans authors! lovely writing and riveting
June 14, 2025
When I picked up this collection, I had no idea I was in for such an incredible experience. Every story was great, engaging, emotional - a bit of romance, a bit of horror, monster loving, heavy on the trans protag content, and wonderfully so.
Every artist and author who contributed to this book really outdid themselves, and I highly recommend this not only to people who like westerns, but to lovers of weird queer stories everywhere!!
Exceptionally curated, compulsively entertaining, and I look forward to diving into books from many new authors I've discovered from reading it.
Every artist and author who contributed to this book really outdid themselves, and I highly recommend this not only to people who like westerns, but to lovers of weird queer stories everywhere!!
Exceptionally curated, compulsively entertaining, and I look forward to diving into books from many new authors I've discovered from reading it.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews