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West of Nowhere
Jake's no hero — but he's got great taste in women who are.
The country has gone dark. Texas has broken away. But the war is only a distraction. As power players stake their claims, something older and far stranger is moving beneath the surface — something no one could prepare for. Lovers Jake and Lys are caught in the subterfuge. As cities and scoundrels topple, Jake barrels west, chasing answers into a world where past and future collide — and where the real war hasn't even begun.
West of Nowhere is the high velocity opening to a larger story: lean, volatile, and unfinished by design. This first book drops readers into a collapsing world and doesn't stop to explain everything — because judgment waits, and it will not be simple. The mystery deepens, the relationships evolve, and the true shape of the conflict only begins to reveal itself as the series unfolds — the prologue to an epic modern western with dystopian and post-apocalyptic edges.
For readers of Stephen King (The Dark Tower), Cormac McCarthy (No Country for Old Men/The Road), and for fans of The Last of Us. West of Nowhere is a story of momentum, obsession, and survival — where flirtation masks danger, encounters leave scars, and love and vengeance walk the same road.
Read next: The Westerners: An Aether Gun Story, the prequel novella that reveals a glimpse behind the mountain.
Published by Death Do We Party Press
Content Advisory: This book contains strong language, graphic and sexual violence, and sexual content. It is intended for mature adult readers aged 18 and older. Certain language, attitudes, and depictions reflect the time period, setting, and perspectives of the characters — not the beliefs or values of the author or press. These elements are included with care to portray authenticity, complexity, and the realities of prejudice, never to endorse them. Some scenes may be distressing or emotionally intense. Reader discretion is advised. All content is presented to serve character, theme, and truth — to illuminate human experience, not to glorify harm.
The country has gone dark. Texas has broken away. But the war is only a distraction. As power players stake their claims, something older and far stranger is moving beneath the surface — something no one could prepare for. Lovers Jake and Lys are caught in the subterfuge. As cities and scoundrels topple, Jake barrels west, chasing answers into a world where past and future collide — and where the real war hasn't even begun.
West of Nowhere is the high velocity opening to a larger story: lean, volatile, and unfinished by design. This first book drops readers into a collapsing world and doesn't stop to explain everything — because judgment waits, and it will not be simple. The mystery deepens, the relationships evolve, and the true shape of the conflict only begins to reveal itself as the series unfolds — the prologue to an epic modern western with dystopian and post-apocalyptic edges.
For readers of Stephen King (The Dark Tower), Cormac McCarthy (No Country for Old Men/The Road), and for fans of The Last of Us. West of Nowhere is a story of momentum, obsession, and survival — where flirtation masks danger, encounters leave scars, and love and vengeance walk the same road.
Read next: The Westerners: An Aether Gun Story, the prequel novella that reveals a glimpse behind the mountain.
Published by Death Do We Party Press
Content Advisory: This book contains strong language, graphic and sexual violence, and sexual content. It is intended for mature adult readers aged 18 and older. Certain language, attitudes, and depictions reflect the time period, setting, and perspectives of the characters — not the beliefs or values of the author or press. These elements are included with care to portray authenticity, complexity, and the realities of prejudice, never to endorse them. Some scenes may be distressing or emotionally intense. Reader discretion is advised. All content is presented to serve character, theme, and truth — to illuminate human experience, not to glorify harm.
302 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 21, 2025
18 people are currently reading
1334 people want to read
About the author
Dustin Lee
2 books18 followersDUSTIN LEE writes sweeping, genre-bending fiction with soul — stories that span post-apocalyptic thrillers, literary Westerns, historical sagas, and love stories, all bound by the emotional gravity of grief, hope, and desire. His work is gritty, lyrical, and obsessed with the kind of truth that doesn’t flinch.
He is the co-founder of Death Do We Party Press, where he leads creative development and champions stories that feel like relics — books meant to be kept, not just read.
Born and raised in Texas, Dustin draws from the dust, silence, and mythology of the American landscape. He’s the kind of writer who builds worlds from heartbreak and lets you live there a while. His words have roots, and they know how to ache, and they know how to nourish.
When he’s not writing, he’s making music, building bonfires, or exploring backroads and bookstores with his wife and their three sons — his fiercest joy and greatest adventure.
He is the co-founder of Death Do We Party Press, where he leads creative development and champions stories that feel like relics — books meant to be kept, not just read.
Born and raised in Texas, Dustin draws from the dust, silence, and mythology of the American landscape. He’s the kind of writer who builds worlds from heartbreak and lets you live there a while. His words have roots, and they know how to ache, and they know how to nourish.
When he’s not writing, he’s making music, building bonfires, or exploring backroads and bookstores with his wife and their three sons — his fiercest joy and greatest adventure.
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 24, 2026
The end?
Another good story about the almost end of the world. The big question is who is responsible. Some really good solid characters, but things switch up a bit. Parts of the story were a bit choppy to me with scene jumps. A good book doesn't usually jump too much, unlike tv and movie adaptations. Still it was a good story to read and you end wanting to know what happens next.
Another good story about the almost end of the world. The big question is who is responsible. Some really good solid characters, but things switch up a bit. Parts of the story were a bit choppy to me with scene jumps. A good book doesn't usually jump too much, unlike tv and movie adaptations. Still it was a good story to read and you end wanting to know what happens next.
November 18, 2025
*Goodreads giveaway
I’m so glad I got to read this book! I don’t read many westerns, but this hit all the marks for me as far as dystopian goes: gritty, raw characters, mysterious government/group pushing boundaries of humanity. It was easy to get lost in the story and not realize how much time passed while reading. Really my main beef with the story was how wounded the main character gets, but he seems to be able to fight/keep going without much concern. I’m pretty sure he should have died from infection by the end. I would still recommend it though!
I’m so glad I got to read this book! I don’t read many westerns, but this hit all the marks for me as far as dystopian goes: gritty, raw characters, mysterious government/group pushing boundaries of humanity. It was easy to get lost in the story and not realize how much time passed while reading. Really my main beef with the story was how wounded the main character gets, but he seems to be able to fight/keep going without much concern. I’m pretty sure he should have died from infection by the end. I would still recommend it though!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 20, 2025
I did enjoy this story, a little different to what I had expected from the blurb. Be warned there is quite an emphasis on sexual abuse in the book. Despite that it is well written, good world building & ideas, overall a really good read!
March 14, 2026
Action Packed.
A couple travel to Texas, which is home, from LA which has been devastated by bombs along with San Francisco, NYC, and other cities. Texas has seceded from the USA and is controlled by the Texas National Army.
A couple travel to Texas, which is home, from LA which has been devastated by bombs along with San Francisco, NYC, and other cities. Texas has seceded from the USA and is controlled by the Texas National Army.
March 4, 2026
“The land remembers who walks it.”
West of Nowhere started off a bit chaotically but I felt like Lee found his footing about 25% of the way in. I’ve been reading sprawling fantasy laden with worldbuilding, so it was nice to dive right into the action. And action there is. Right from the first shot, the pacing is fast and aggressive, sweeping the story forward violently. There is a content advisory for this book and it is certainly warranted.
West of Nowhere definitely took several genre-bending turns I didn’t expect, thinking things were going to be more straightforward, so props to Lee. I really enjoyed the dystopian, futuristic elements mixed with the wild west vibes – it's something I haven’t read much of.
I will say there were some plot lines that felt underdeveloped – Jake’s brutal injuries don’t seem to hamper him at all; a gnarly serial killer comes and goes in just a few pages – but the book moves fast enough I didn’t get hung up. This book was a palate cleanser for me and it did its job well and with enough intrigue. (It did hurt to see the tourist phrase “San Fran” in there, though.)
If you’re looking for a fast-paced, dystopian whirlwind that feels like you’re bouncing around in a Humvee on a Texas backroad, read West of Nowhere.
Also, this was also the first book I listened to the playlist for and it’s a nice compliment.
### ARC Review ###
West of Nowhere started off a bit chaotically but I felt like Lee found his footing about 25% of the way in. I’ve been reading sprawling fantasy laden with worldbuilding, so it was nice to dive right into the action. And action there is. Right from the first shot, the pacing is fast and aggressive, sweeping the story forward violently. There is a content advisory for this book and it is certainly warranted.
West of Nowhere definitely took several genre-bending turns I didn’t expect, thinking things were going to be more straightforward, so props to Lee. I really enjoyed the dystopian, futuristic elements mixed with the wild west vibes – it's something I haven’t read much of.
I will say there were some plot lines that felt underdeveloped – Jake’s brutal injuries don’t seem to hamper him at all; a gnarly serial killer comes and goes in just a few pages – but the book moves fast enough I didn’t get hung up. This book was a palate cleanser for me and it did its job well and with enough intrigue. (It did hurt to see the tourist phrase “San Fran” in there, though.)
If you’re looking for a fast-paced, dystopian whirlwind that feels like you’re bouncing around in a Humvee on a Texas backroad, read West of Nowhere.
Also, this was also the first book I listened to the playlist for and it’s a nice compliment.
### ARC Review ###
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews