Comancheria

by Reavis Z. Wortham

Texas Ranger Buck Dallas was meant to die. Cursed by the Comanche witch doctor, Twisted Root, he falls with the sun and claws out of the dirt at dawn—half man, half memory, bound to a promise he can’t forget.

With fellow Ranger Lane Newsome at his side, Buck rides a haunted trail across a hollow frontier—one stripped of mercy, scarred by blood, and hunted by things older than men. Their find a missing girl named River and deliver a pregnant woman to a hidden spring that may be salvation… or something far worse.

As the riders press deeper into Comancheria, they’re joined by mystics, mercenaries, and broken souls—each with something to lose, and none guaranteed to survive. Between the bullets and the curses, between the land and the dead, redemption may be the only thing worth dying for.

From New York Times bestselling author Reavis Z. Wortham, Comancheria is a gritty, unrelenting vision of the West—dark, mythic, and rising from the grave.

Genres: Westerns, Fantasy

355 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 21, 2025

About the author

Reavis Z. Wortham retired in 2011 and now works harder than before as the author of the critically acclaimed Red River historical mystery series. Kirkus Reviews listed his first novel, The Rock Hole, as one of their Top 12 Mysteries of 2011. True West Magazine included Dark Places as one of 2015’s Top 12 Modern Westerns. The Providence Journal writes, “This year's Unraveled is a hidden gem of a book that reads like Craig Johnson's Longmire on steroids.” Wortham’s new high octane contemporary thriller from Kensington Publishing, Hawke's Prey, featuring Texas Ranger Sonny Hawke was released in June, 2017.

Reviews

[Abibliofob · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love westerns! I also love this author so I didn't look into what this book was about. Comancheria by Reavis Z. Wortham is the first in a new series. We get to follow two Texas rangers on their way to retrieve a little girl taken by Comanches. On the way to find the girl they run into all kinds of problems which I will not go into. I normally don't read fantasy or sci-fi or horror, no not anything that's the slightest supernatural. This one is slightly out there when it comes to curses and I found it so funny I had to laugh right out loud because of the incidents that took place throughout this adventure. It is a really good story and a good western and don't be afraid to read it. Reavis is still a favorite author of mine and if a second book in this series should appear I will read it and enjoy it.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

4*

[Don · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not Into Mysticism

Wortham tells a good tale. His stories are entertaining and leave you wanting more but this one is just not my thing. I want the storyline to reflect realism. His tales about the elderly constable in NE Texas make a good series if you can accept pre teens and juveniles helping solve crimes, but all in all very good period stories. But this one us a bit too much Stephen King-like for me. And (excepting The Stand) I can not stomach King as a person - he's horrid.
I'll still always be a Wortham fan.
Sorry Reavis
(Regards,
A neighbor a few miles away)

[Ron Walker · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have always immensely enjoyed Wortham's books in the past, having read all of the Red River Mystery series and a few others, but I am hugely disappointed with this book. I would have enjoyed the story of two Texas Rangers in the 1800's but after 78 pages and the introduction of a supernatural element I decided there are too many other books I would enjoy so much more that finishing this would be a waste of my time. The parenthetical part of the title (The Hollow Frontier Book 1) is quite apt, as I found it to be "hollow" indeed. It is disturbing that Mr. Wortham intends this to be the introduction of a new series, but sadly, I will not be buying any more of these books. My recommendation to him is that he exit the Zombie Apocalypse genre without continuing this absurd series.

[Michelle Ferrer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like Reavis Z. Wortham stories. This one, however, made me pause in the blending of traditional western with the paranormal. It didn't take long for the story to completely engulf me and carry me along to the end. Wortham blends a mystic woman, a tied-at-the-hip pair of Texas Rangers, Comanche spiritualism and a bevy of colorful characters to create an adventure you want to be in on. And he doesn't shy away from true history of the era showing in clear detail why settlers didn't want to run afoul of Comanche customs, or buffalo hunters for that matter. Equally important, Wortham thoroughly understands w and represents the cultures of the time with historic accuracy and respect. I started with a pause, couldn't put it down, and absolutely LOVED IT. Impressively done!

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was really intrigued by this one.....that tagline on the cover is just great.....but I gave up about 50 pages in.

All the old-school Western tropes are there, plenty of action scenes -- but as a child of the 60's, raised on tv shows like 'Bonanza', 'The Big Valley' and 'How The West Was Won', not to mention all the classic cowboy movies - I am pretty critical.

One character, Lane, is riding a grey gelding. Okay. But just a few paragraphs later, the horse is a grey stud (um, that's an un-neutered horse, aka a stallion). And a couple of pages on, it's now changed color and become a buckskin!

That kind of silly mistake just ruined it for me, and I gave up.

[Don Money · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of getting an early read of the book, and let me tell you, it is now on my all time favorite list of books. I was enthralled with the plot of this western/horror novel, the first in the Hollow Frontier series, from the opening page to the intense conclusion. I couldnt put it down and I am already planning a reread. The plot of this book is so fresh and original with characters that are so well developed they spring from the pages. The story is intense. I was already a big fan of Mr. Wortham’s writing and this elevated it even more.

[Staci Rachelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comancheria is a gripping frontier story where survival, justice, and protecting family are constantly at stake in a harsh, lawless landscape. As tensions rise and lives collide, Reavis Z. Wortham brings the setting to life with strong detail and atmosphere. Some readers may want to note that portrayals of Indigenous cultures reflect the time period and could feel sensitive to modern audiences, but the story offers an immersive journey through the Old West.

[KatLady · Rating 3 out of 5]

I normally give Reavis a 5 star rating but couldn't do it this time. The supernatural theme is a little too weird even though I like horror and supernatural. I didn't like the way Buck would shoot and kill a horse out from under the rider during shoot outs. You only need one shot to hit your target , otherwise you should not have a gun. I thought it was really creepy the way Buck killed the horses to get his target on the ground.

[Sarah Ehinger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book as a goodreads giveaway. If you are looking for a paranormal western to give fuel to your weird frontiers, dark trails or othee western rpg, this may be for you. I was a little disappointed in how some of the characters' stories progressed. I could see some of the mechanics in the story being used in an rpg setting, so don't sleep on this if you are a weird west rpg fan.

[Myles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

Such an amazing western! I normally dont read westerns and im so glad I didn't sleep on this one! DEFINITELY RECOMMEND