What do you think?
Rate this book
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
7 people are currently reading
296 people want to read
About the author
Mars Adler
17 books172 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 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 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 18, 2025
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
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.
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 - 8 of 8 reviews