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Nunslinger #1-12
Nunslinger: The Complete Series: High Adventure, Low Skulduggery and Spectacular Shoot-Outs in the Wildest Wild West
The year is 1864. Sister Thomas Josephine, an innocent Visitantine nun from St Louis, Missouri, is making her way west to the promise of a new life in Sacramento, California. When an attack on her wagon train leaves her stranded in Wyoming, Thomas Josephine finds her faith tested and her heart torn between Lt. Theodore F. Carthy, a man too beautiful to be true, and the mysterious grifter Abraham C. Muir. Falsely accused of murder she goes on the run, all the while being hunted by a man who has become dangerously obsessed with her. Her journey will take her from the most forbidding mountain peaks to the hottest, most hostile desert on earth, from Nevada to Mexico to Texas, and her faith will be tested in ways she could never imagine. Nunslinger is the true tale of Sister Thomas Josephine, a woman whose desire to do good in the world leads her on an incredible adventure that pits her faith, her feelings and her very life against inhospitable elements, the armies of the North and South, and the most dangerous creature of man.
624 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 4, 2014
22 people are currently reading
720 people want to read
About the author
Stark Holborn
30 books138 followersStark Holborn is a novelist, games writer, film reviewer, and the author of Nunslinger, Triggernometry and Ten Low.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
November 28, 2014
I have lingered over this book, not because it isn't gripping (it is), but because it may be the most downright enjoyable thing I've read this year. In spite of the hilarious comic-book title, it's an old-fashioned Western of the best and most classic kind; fast-paced; tightly-plotted and with a suitably complex and morally ambivalent hero - who, in this case, just happens to be a renegade, gun-toting nun. It's marvellous in every way; well-written, visually arresting, occasionally tongue-in-cheek humorous - not as bleakly Biblical as Cormac McCarthy, but certainly dark enough to satisfy lovers of the Sergio Leone Western and the Ennio Morricone soundtrack. Think KUNG FU, with nuns. I loved it.
November 15, 2015
So after only 9 months am I finished with this book. Last night I read and reviewed the last books in this book. I decided when I started to read that I would rate and review the series book after book. That was before I knew it was 12 books in this collection.
Nunslinger is a collection of 12 books that tell the story of the Six-Gun Sister Thomas Josephine. Well, she didn't start out as the infamous Six-Gun Sister, that was the nickname she got after, well let's say some stuff happened that made her the most wanted nun ever. Together with Abe Muir she fled all over the country, met new friends and made new enemies.
The last couple of books was a real thrill to read, probably because I could feel how everything was nearing the end and I wanted to know if the Sister would make it and if she and Abe would have a happy ending together. And also because I read several of the books at once instead of over a long period of time.
So this is it. I hope there will be more Nunslinger books. because even though I liked the ending would I want to know what happens next!
I received this copy from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review!
Nunslinger is a collection of 12 books that tell the story of the Six-Gun Sister Thomas Josephine. Well, she didn't start out as the infamous Six-Gun Sister, that was the nickname she got after, well let's say some stuff happened that made her the most wanted nun ever. Together with Abe Muir she fled all over the country, met new friends and made new enemies.
The last couple of books was a real thrill to read, probably because I could feel how everything was nearing the end and I wanted to know if the Sister would make it and if she and Abe would have a happy ending together. And also because I read several of the books at once instead of over a long period of time.
So this is it. I hope there will be more Nunslinger books. because even though I liked the ending would I want to know what happens next!
I received this copy from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review!
December 9, 2014
The main protagonist is a memorable and likeable character, sister Thomas Josephine formally of St. Louis, Missouri, she finds herself on a road with a deserter, Abraham C Muir, they are both put through perils of the wild west, with promises made, lives to save and loose, they are on a journey that ultimately will partake many unholy things.
The prose style nicely keeps you reading on and brings the scene to life, you feel the environment and the moment, good dialogue, and the sentences the right economy.
A story that may take you back to tales like True Grit by Charles Portis.
This is a First person narrative of one Sister Josephine, she takes you through her journey and she holds close to her heart a matter that she tries till the end of the tale to uphold, in her own words: ‘No man’s soul is beyond salvation, and I intend to fight the devil for yours.’
Excerpts
“Muir cursed and dropped back down beside me. We had made good time the previous day. Muir gauged that we might be able to make it into the mountains and across the state line to California before dark, if we hurried.The season was turning against us, each morning colder than the last; we had to cross the passes before the first snows, or be stranded until spring.
Scrambling to my feet, I peered over the rock to see what had caused Abe’s alarm. We were perched on a ledge, overlooking a wooded valley. One end was dominated by the solid rock wall of the Sierras, jutting toward the sky in ever-higher peaks, our gateway to the west. At the other end, sheltered behind a mound of scree, was a camp. There was great activity across the valley floor.The earth had been torn up into a wide ditch twenty paces wide, men swarming in lines along its length. Now they were cutting into the mountainside with hand and haft, iron and fist. From above, it appeared as though some colossal worm was eating a course of destruction through the rock.”
“The horse’s hooves beat rhythmically against the ground, muscles bunching and releasing as we cantered headlong into the desert. Pale dust rose and flew about us.The sun was already high and burned my eyes, yet I persevered; I kept my head low over the horse’s mane, the scent of inhuman earth and living animal filling my senses.
The horse ran itself out and began to slow. I believe the beast felt the same release I did, fleeing into the landscape, away from walls and the noise of humans. Small puffs of dirt sprang underfoot as we shifted and stopped.
I turned back: a smudge on the horizon was all that suggested a village lay behind us.The desert was silent, blessedly silent.The horse went to nose hopefully at some withered scrub. I dismounted and sat down upon the baked earth and rock. Above me the sky spread out, blue in the heat. Tiny flecks of black wheeled: buzzards, on their daily scout for flesh.
In the saddlebag was an end of bread, wrapped in cloth, and the bible. I chewed dutifully on the food for as long as seemed necessary and took up the book. It had seen much use, its leather cover wrinkled and faded by the sun, the thin paper of its pages edged by the grease of many fingers. It was written in Spanish, and would have been of little use, had I not known Latin. As it was, I struggled by.”
http://more2read.com/review/nunslinger-stark-holborn/
The prose style nicely keeps you reading on and brings the scene to life, you feel the environment and the moment, good dialogue, and the sentences the right economy.
A story that may take you back to tales like True Grit by Charles Portis.
This is a First person narrative of one Sister Josephine, she takes you through her journey and she holds close to her heart a matter that she tries till the end of the tale to uphold, in her own words: ‘No man’s soul is beyond salvation, and I intend to fight the devil for yours.’
Excerpts
“Muir cursed and dropped back down beside me. We had made good time the previous day. Muir gauged that we might be able to make it into the mountains and across the state line to California before dark, if we hurried.The season was turning against us, each morning colder than the last; we had to cross the passes before the first snows, or be stranded until spring.
Scrambling to my feet, I peered over the rock to see what had caused Abe’s alarm. We were perched on a ledge, overlooking a wooded valley. One end was dominated by the solid rock wall of the Sierras, jutting toward the sky in ever-higher peaks, our gateway to the west. At the other end, sheltered behind a mound of scree, was a camp. There was great activity across the valley floor.The earth had been torn up into a wide ditch twenty paces wide, men swarming in lines along its length. Now they were cutting into the mountainside with hand and haft, iron and fist. From above, it appeared as though some colossal worm was eating a course of destruction through the rock.”
“The horse’s hooves beat rhythmically against the ground, muscles bunching and releasing as we cantered headlong into the desert. Pale dust rose and flew about us.The sun was already high and burned my eyes, yet I persevered; I kept my head low over the horse’s mane, the scent of inhuman earth and living animal filling my senses.
The horse ran itself out and began to slow. I believe the beast felt the same release I did, fleeing into the landscape, away from walls and the noise of humans. Small puffs of dirt sprang underfoot as we shifted and stopped.
I turned back: a smudge on the horizon was all that suggested a village lay behind us.The desert was silent, blessedly silent.The horse went to nose hopefully at some withered scrub. I dismounted and sat down upon the baked earth and rock. Above me the sky spread out, blue in the heat. Tiny flecks of black wheeled: buzzards, on their daily scout for flesh.
In the saddlebag was an end of bread, wrapped in cloth, and the bible. I chewed dutifully on the food for as long as seemed necessary and took up the book. It had seen much use, its leather cover wrinkled and faded by the sun, the thin paper of its pages edged by the grease of many fingers. It was written in Spanish, and would have been of little use, had I not known Latin. As it was, I struggled by.”
http://more2read.com/review/nunslinger-stark-holborn/
March 14, 2015
I scored a free copy of this through a Goodreads giveaway. I think the trashy title is what made me do a bit of further investigation, but the syopsis intrigued me enough to give this a go.
The title is by far the most modern aspect of this book, for the contents are the best kind of old-fashioned western, only with a nun as the central protagonist.
This was initially serialised in 12 roughly 50 page novellas and I think reading them individually may have potentially lessened the appeal for me. But the cumulative effect of the 600+ pages when combined into one tome, reminded me of the joy of reading solely for the story and not the language or innovation or style etc. The kind of reading I pursued as a kid. Not to say that this is simplistic in any way. It deals with morality, goodness and evil, duplicity, violence and has all manner of darkness. It's quite fascinating watching this self-described bride of Christ degrade herself and go against her beliefs more and more yet still be able to justify her actions to herself and her God. But Stark Holborn, whoever he or she is, is first and foremost a story-teller, and a very entertaining one.
The title is by far the most modern aspect of this book, for the contents are the best kind of old-fashioned western, only with a nun as the central protagonist.
This was initially serialised in 12 roughly 50 page novellas and I think reading them individually may have potentially lessened the appeal for me. But the cumulative effect of the 600+ pages when combined into one tome, reminded me of the joy of reading solely for the story and not the language or innovation or style etc. The kind of reading I pursued as a kid. Not to say that this is simplistic in any way. It deals with morality, goodness and evil, duplicity, violence and has all manner of darkness. It's quite fascinating watching this self-described bride of Christ degrade herself and go against her beliefs more and more yet still be able to justify her actions to herself and her God. But Stark Holborn, whoever he or she is, is first and foremost a story-teller, and a very entertaining one.
February 10, 2016
DNF at page 159
Unfortunately this book contains two things that I just can't deal with:
1. Ridiculously short chapters of 1-2 pages
2. The narrative structure is as follows -this happens, and thennnn omg this happens, and thennnnnn OMG this happens too!!! Rinse and repeat.
Which just makes me feel like I am stuck in a Dan Brown or James Patterson novel, and I definitely did not sign up for that kind of trauma. Particularly not 600+ pages of it.
I guess not everything can be Lonesome Dove.
Unfortunately this book contains two things that I just can't deal with:
1. Ridiculously short chapters of 1-2 pages
2. The narrative structure is as follows -this happens, and thennnn omg this happens, and thennnnnn OMG this happens too!!! Rinse and repeat.
Which just makes me feel like I am stuck in a Dan Brown or James Patterson novel, and I definitely did not sign up for that kind of trauma. Particularly not 600+ pages of it.
I guess not everything can be Lonesome Dove.
April 30, 2018
Brilliantly far-fetched and all the more glorious for it. I completely loved this. Sister Thomas Josephine and Abe Muir were a total delight. So good, I gulped most of it down in a day. Proper escapist entertainment. Highly recommended.
October 24, 2017
My goodness this was fun! Fast-paced and jam-packed with action, romance*, and complicated moral conundrums. Despite the charmingly outrageous title, Nunslinger is not a particularly silly book. Its world is a harsh one, filled with violence, greed, degradation, and intolerance. Most of the sympathetic characters, and quite a few of the villains, are really just doing their best to get by. Enter Sister Thomas Josephine, the eponymous heroine, a nun travelling from Saint Louis to Sacramento who falls afoul first of a Lakota war party then of a rough-mannered outlaw and finally of the US government itself. Sister Thomas is not--or at least, does not long remain--a very good nun, but she is a damn fine protagonist--conflicted, driven, self-aware, capable of making a TON of mistakes. The book raises a bunch of questions about identity, the nature of goodness, the danger of belief, and the human capacity for redemption. On the other hand, none of that is particularly in your face, and if what you want is a good ole fashioned western filled with desperate outlaws, relentless lawmen, daring escapes, desert shootouts and enough harrying horseback journeys that the characters in this novel must have wracked up enough miles to buy a damn aeroplane, look no further.
*Yes, the protagonist is a nun, but I promise, it's all very tasteful.
*Yes, the protagonist is a nun, but I promise, it's all very tasteful.
July 29, 2015
The wild west is full of journeys and Nunslinger is one for the ages (and the keeper shelf). It was the artwork that first caught my eye, but it was the story that kept me reading, long into the night.
As you might guess, this is a book (actually a collection of novellas) that features a nun (Sister Thomas Josephine) who comes to pick up a gun. She finds herself entangled with murderous bandits and a man who is obsessed with her. She’s got no time for nonsense, this nun!
Holborn crafts a deeply enthralling landscape for the characters to move through (America, 1864). If I have one gripe it’s the pacing of the work as a whole. I think this stems from the fact that each section is a novella, which was originally published alone (I think) — so my recommendation would to be that one approach this as a serial, and read it in deliberate installments, not one fell swoop. There are cliffhangers aplenty, so allow them to linger as they were perhaps meant to, rather than reading on to see them immediately solved.
As you might guess, this is a book (actually a collection of novellas) that features a nun (Sister Thomas Josephine) who comes to pick up a gun. She finds herself entangled with murderous bandits and a man who is obsessed with her. She’s got no time for nonsense, this nun!
Holborn crafts a deeply enthralling landscape for the characters to move through (America, 1864). If I have one gripe it’s the pacing of the work as a whole. I think this stems from the fact that each section is a novella, which was originally published alone (I think) — so my recommendation would to be that one approach this as a serial, and read it in deliberate installments, not one fell swoop. There are cliffhangers aplenty, so allow them to linger as they were perhaps meant to, rather than reading on to see them immediately solved.
March 18, 2025
Found this by chance!
Small quick bites of western. Every chapter is 2-3 pages long.
A nun takes her guns and spreads havoc in the west!
Small quick bites of western. Every chapter is 2-3 pages long.
A nun takes her guns and spreads havoc in the west!
March 24, 2018
I'm not a big Western fan. I don't really enjoy any films I've seen or read much literature around that genre. In fact, if anything came on the television vaguely resembling a Western (and I remember it usually being boring Sunday afternoons, when you were dreading the week ahead), I would switch off immediately or groan loudly, especially as a child. So why, you might ask was I drawn to a Western novel? Firstly, I read The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt a few years ago now, in fact it was the only other Western I have ever read. I ADORED it. With Nunslinger, I was anticipating a similar kind of thing and when I saw that gorgeous cover art and read that it followed a "gun toting nun" of all people, I couldn't help but covet it. A huge thank you to the publisher, Hodder Books and Book Bridgr for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review when my curiosity finally got the better of me.
Was it worth it? Yes, yes, yes. Nunslinger is a fast-paced, dramatic and exciting tale that was exactly what I was looking for. It's the story of Sister Thomas Josephine whom in the late 1800's, travels to California from her convent in Missouri in order to carry on the Lord's work. However, her life is changed forever when the wagon she is travelling in is attacked and she is abducted by deserter and outlaw, Abraham Muir. As they journey together and develop an uneasy, bordering on courteous relationship, our female protagonist is accused of murder, has a bounty put on her head, is chased by a number of unsavoury types across the desert and earns quite a reputation for herself as the "Six Gun Sister." The narrative follows Josephine as she struggles to complete her mission alive, fights to clear her name and discovers a whole lot more about herself, her capabilities, her strengths and indeed, her weaknesses as a woman and as a person under the most dangerous of circumstances.
After I finished this novel, I read a little more into it, which I like to do if a book has had a profound effect on me. The author is quite an enigma, we don't know if they are male or female or anything about their life and the whole anonymity of this just serves to make me more intrigued, why all the secrecy? Putting this to one side and no matter who the author is it doesn't change the fact that this is one rollicking ride of a novel. It was originally made up of twelve novellas which were released separately and in hindsight, I'm quite glad I read it in its entirety. I'm quite an impatient person and you can tell where each novella originally ended, there is an enormous cliffhanger, presumably to keep the reader on tenterhooks awaiting the next instalment. I've seen some reviewers complain about this - comparing it to the over-dramatic tensions at the end of each chapter of a James Patterson novel but I have to disagree. There are quite a few cliffhangers (well, eleven of them to be precise as each novella ended) but I can see why this was done if each section was released in this way, maybe it was a good way to make sure the readers came back for more? Personally, it didn't bother me at all and I quite enjoyed feeling like I was on a knife edge and the absurdity of the constant drama, but I suppose I can see why it might not please other readers.
With all this heightened tension and a plot that moves at the speed of light you might not think that this novel has anything to commend it all if you want a good literary narrative. However, you'd be surprised at the depths this story reaches in darkness, clever twists and wry humour. Perhaps not all the characters are developed as fully as I would have liked them to be but the character of our nun, Josephine more than makes up for that. She is kind, caring, intelligent but completely badass and very capable of taking care of herself and I loved the way she approached life and did what she had to do whilst trying to cause minimal damage to those around her. It made me slightly crazy how she could keep her faith and justify certain things she did to God (not being a particularly religious person myself) but she was such a fascinating person to follow, I could forgive her anything. There's only one warning I should give for anyone reading this far and still interested - if you're not a big fan of violence/gore this might not be the book for you, it has it in spades and doesn't shy away from full, graphic details. In the same vein, if you're like me and don't think a Western would really be your bag, I urge you, don't completely write this one off just yet. Nunslinger surprised me, shocked me and made me zip through the pages so quickly, you could almost believe it was half the number of pages it actually is. Why not give it a try?
For my full review and many more, please visit my blog at http://www.bibliobeth.com
Was it worth it? Yes, yes, yes. Nunslinger is a fast-paced, dramatic and exciting tale that was exactly what I was looking for. It's the story of Sister Thomas Josephine whom in the late 1800's, travels to California from her convent in Missouri in order to carry on the Lord's work. However, her life is changed forever when the wagon she is travelling in is attacked and she is abducted by deserter and outlaw, Abraham Muir. As they journey together and develop an uneasy, bordering on courteous relationship, our female protagonist is accused of murder, has a bounty put on her head, is chased by a number of unsavoury types across the desert and earns quite a reputation for herself as the "Six Gun Sister." The narrative follows Josephine as she struggles to complete her mission alive, fights to clear her name and discovers a whole lot more about herself, her capabilities, her strengths and indeed, her weaknesses as a woman and as a person under the most dangerous of circumstances.
After I finished this novel, I read a little more into it, which I like to do if a book has had a profound effect on me. The author is quite an enigma, we don't know if they are male or female or anything about their life and the whole anonymity of this just serves to make me more intrigued, why all the secrecy? Putting this to one side and no matter who the author is it doesn't change the fact that this is one rollicking ride of a novel. It was originally made up of twelve novellas which were released separately and in hindsight, I'm quite glad I read it in its entirety. I'm quite an impatient person and you can tell where each novella originally ended, there is an enormous cliffhanger, presumably to keep the reader on tenterhooks awaiting the next instalment. I've seen some reviewers complain about this - comparing it to the over-dramatic tensions at the end of each chapter of a James Patterson novel but I have to disagree. There are quite a few cliffhangers (well, eleven of them to be precise as each novella ended) but I can see why this was done if each section was released in this way, maybe it was a good way to make sure the readers came back for more? Personally, it didn't bother me at all and I quite enjoyed feeling like I was on a knife edge and the absurdity of the constant drama, but I suppose I can see why it might not please other readers.
With all this heightened tension and a plot that moves at the speed of light you might not think that this novel has anything to commend it all if you want a good literary narrative. However, you'd be surprised at the depths this story reaches in darkness, clever twists and wry humour. Perhaps not all the characters are developed as fully as I would have liked them to be but the character of our nun, Josephine more than makes up for that. She is kind, caring, intelligent but completely badass and very capable of taking care of herself and I loved the way she approached life and did what she had to do whilst trying to cause minimal damage to those around her. It made me slightly crazy how she could keep her faith and justify certain things she did to God (not being a particularly religious person myself) but she was such a fascinating person to follow, I could forgive her anything. There's only one warning I should give for anyone reading this far and still interested - if you're not a big fan of violence/gore this might not be the book for you, it has it in spades and doesn't shy away from full, graphic details. In the same vein, if you're like me and don't think a Western would really be your bag, I urge you, don't completely write this one off just yet. Nunslinger surprised me, shocked me and made me zip through the pages so quickly, you could almost believe it was half the number of pages it actually is. Why not give it a try?
For my full review and many more, please visit my blog at http://www.bibliobeth.com
did-not-finish
November 7, 2024I really enjoyed this at first, thought it was a fun Western.
But then it just... didn't stop. The same events, again and again: get caught, escape, go on the run, get caught, escape, go on the run, rinse and repeat. Until I realise I'm 300 pages in and there's STILL 300 pages left, and I'm already fed up.
I believe this was originally published as a series of short books, so maybe it's better to read it in that format rather than all in one go?
But then it just... didn't stop. The same events, again and again: get caught, escape, go on the run, get caught, escape, go on the run, rinse and repeat. Until I realise I'm 300 pages in and there's STILL 300 pages left, and I'm already fed up.
I believe this was originally published as a series of short books, so maybe it's better to read it in that format rather than all in one go?
November 20, 2014
Don't let the daft title discourage you: this is the best Western I've read since the last of Cormac McCarthy's.
November 4, 2017
I picked up this book as the author was on a panel discussing Weird West fiction and the title intrigued me enough to look into it further. It can be read as a novel quite happily though it definitely has the structure of a serial due to it being a collection of twelve short novellas. It follows the adventures of a nun who is drawn through circumstance into a life on the run, and it is an odyssey of surviving against all odds. It hearkens back to those long running adventure serials, but unlike Zorro and his fight against oppression, her's is a more personal fight.
She is no revenging Angel of the Lord but that does not stop her being portrayed as one, and the story is as much about the legends that build up around anyone who achieves notoriety and how those legends can be exploited. It plays with the idea in so many ways, both in Sister Josephine's interactions with others and in the overarching narrative that comes to a dramatic conclusion at the end.
The tone is perfection, maintaining that gritty dark western feel without veering into the exploitation style content that movies often slip into, it respects its characters no matter what harrowing situations they may find themselves in. Sister Josephine never loses track of who she is, holding her faith even as the world around her resembles hell. The backdrop of the civil war is ever present, touching at one point on the assassination of Lincoln, but not at all heavy handed.
It is not without elements of dark humour, drawing as much on the situations and frequent desperate escapes and coincidences as anything directly in the prose. Thoroughly enjoyable and highly recommended to those who like a good old rollicking adventure serial on the road.
She is no revenging Angel of the Lord but that does not stop her being portrayed as one, and the story is as much about the legends that build up around anyone who achieves notoriety and how those legends can be exploited. It plays with the idea in so many ways, both in Sister Josephine's interactions with others and in the overarching narrative that comes to a dramatic conclusion at the end.
The tone is perfection, maintaining that gritty dark western feel without veering into the exploitation style content that movies often slip into, it respects its characters no matter what harrowing situations they may find themselves in. Sister Josephine never loses track of who she is, holding her faith even as the world around her resembles hell. The backdrop of the civil war is ever present, touching at one point on the assassination of Lincoln, but not at all heavy handed.
It is not without elements of dark humour, drawing as much on the situations and frequent desperate escapes and coincidences as anything directly in the prose. Thoroughly enjoyable and highly recommended to those who like a good old rollicking adventure serial on the road.
June 6, 2023
I got this because I hate religion with a passion and thought this was a humourous book. Lesson - Don't judge a book by it's title. I'm so glad I did though, because had I known the premise, I probably would not have given it the time of day.
It is 1864 and Sister Thomas Josephine is a nun, who is making her way to California and a new life when her wagon train is attacked. She is rescued by an army man (this is during the civil war), and her loyalties are torn between her rescuer and a grifter called Abraham Muir.
This paperback is a collection of 12 novellas. Each is around 60 pages long, and each has 18 chapters. So... if you do your maths... the chapters are VERY short. The tone is of old penny dreadful westerns, and as some have said, the structure does sometimes get repetitive, but by golly it's great fun. It's like old Flash Gordon, Perils of Pauline type shows. The action rattles along, and you can read swathes of the book without realising it.
What differentiates this from your common-or-garden cliff hangers are the characters. They have depth. Despite the fact that she is devout in her religious beliefs, I think Sister Josephine is a wonderful creation. Muir is also, as are some antagonists. The tone is often grim, and it does not sugarcoat what people would have gone through in the late 19th century.
I won't say any more... apart from that I really hope this is not the end.
Just buy this and strap in.
It is 1864 and Sister Thomas Josephine is a nun, who is making her way to California and a new life when her wagon train is attacked. She is rescued by an army man (this is during the civil war), and her loyalties are torn between her rescuer and a grifter called Abraham Muir.
This paperback is a collection of 12 novellas. Each is around 60 pages long, and each has 18 chapters. So... if you do your maths... the chapters are VERY short. The tone is of old penny dreadful westerns, and as some have said, the structure does sometimes get repetitive, but by golly it's great fun. It's like old Flash Gordon, Perils of Pauline type shows. The action rattles along, and you can read swathes of the book without realising it.
What differentiates this from your common-or-garden cliff hangers are the characters. They have depth. Despite the fact that she is devout in her religious beliefs, I think Sister Josephine is a wonderful creation. Muir is also, as are some antagonists. The tone is often grim, and it does not sugarcoat what people would have gone through in the late 19th century.
I won't say any more... apart from that I really hope this is not the end.
Just buy this and strap in.
October 16, 2024
This book is a whirlwind - cliffhangers every few pages, characters who are not who were they were thought to be, and every page leads to a gasp or a laugh or a sob.
Anyone who loves a western, an adventure, a thriller, this story is a chaotic pastiche of all this and more - but lovingly stitched into a courageous tale of a young woman who is determined to do the right thing. Gorgeous exposition of the American landscape (it’s not just the west, the Midwest or the Wild West!), it plays into the narrative that gives such a richness of the time.
It was chance I found this book, sitting askew on a bookshop shelf. I’m grateful, because it has become my favourite book of the year and one I look forward to reading again. But once my heart rate slows from all the excitement.
Highly recommended.
Anyone who loves a western, an adventure, a thriller, this story is a chaotic pastiche of all this and more - but lovingly stitched into a courageous tale of a young woman who is determined to do the right thing. Gorgeous exposition of the American landscape (it’s not just the west, the Midwest or the Wild West!), it plays into the narrative that gives such a richness of the time.
It was chance I found this book, sitting askew on a bookshop shelf. I’m grateful, because it has become my favourite book of the year and one I look forward to reading again. But once my heart rate slows from all the excitement.
Highly recommended.
March 21, 2025
DNF at 50%
I really enjoyed the first 1/3-ish of this book but then 2 things began to annoy me so much that I just put it down. First, like others who have given it poor reviews have said, it became extremely repetitive. What stupid thing is she going to do that lands her back in jail this time? Oh, she didn't listen to the people who knew better/ she went where she was told not to/ she went to save someone she shouldn't...
That brings me to the second thing. I just can't keep reading the story of a character who makes the same stupid mistakes over and over and never learns from them. After about 300 pages the main character should really stop (figuratively) shooting themselves in the foot.
I will continue to read other books by this author. I really enjoyed the Ten Low trilogy, but this book just didn't work for me.
I really enjoyed the first 1/3-ish of this book but then 2 things began to annoy me so much that I just put it down. First, like others who have given it poor reviews have said, it became extremely repetitive. What stupid thing is she going to do that lands her back in jail this time? Oh, she didn't listen to the people who knew better/ she went where she was told not to/ she went to save someone she shouldn't...
That brings me to the second thing. I just can't keep reading the story of a character who makes the same stupid mistakes over and over and never learns from them. After about 300 pages the main character should really stop (figuratively) shooting themselves in the foot.
I will continue to read other books by this author. I really enjoyed the Ten Low trilogy, but this book just didn't work for me.
November 27, 2019
'The piano notes died away as the pianist turned, his song clinking into the floor as I stood exposed, the neck of the broken bottle blood-stained and guilty in my hand.'
This is quite a different book, with an enigmatic author.
The fact that it was originally published as a serial accounts for the regular cliffhangers, and the easy to read short chapters.
It's very atmospheric, creating a good feel for the characters, even when their back story remains untold, and for the rough-and-ready environment of the Wild West.
Is it plausible? Well, no! I did wonder just how often Sr. Thomas Josephine could evade capture and death. Did that affect my enjoyment? Not a bit. This is a rollicking rolling wagon wheel of a novel, with action, humour and tenderness.
This is quite a different book, with an enigmatic author.
The fact that it was originally published as a serial accounts for the regular cliffhangers, and the easy to read short chapters.
It's very atmospheric, creating a good feel for the characters, even when their back story remains untold, and for the rough-and-ready environment of the Wild West.
Is it plausible? Well, no! I did wonder just how often Sr. Thomas Josephine could evade capture and death. Did that affect my enjoyment? Not a bit. This is a rollicking rolling wagon wheel of a novel, with action, humour and tenderness.
February 3, 2022
Good lord above. I should have read this before now. Despite the jokey title, Stark Holborn hits the Wild West with a decidedly straight bat and delivers an absolute rollercoaster ride of action and skulduggery in a first-person confessional tale that would have dominated the penny dreadfuls of times gone by. Sister Thomas Josephine comes face to face with every Western trope known to the genre, from the coming of the railroads through the bloody Civil War to "injun" savagery and beyond, but they never feel forced or hackneyed. I swear there's actually a Star Trek joke in there somewhere, but such is Stark's skill that it doesn't jar at all. The pace is as brutal as the events the Six-gun Sister witnesses, yet there's some fantastically atmospheric writing too.
Excellent.
Excellent.
August 3, 2023
Redemption
Don't let the title fool you. This is as rip roaring a spaghetti western has I've ever read. The sister Is an unwilling outlaw who continually finds herself in deeper and deeper trouble all in the pursuit of saving other people's souls. It's a love story about the bride of Christ , and the outlaws who looked to her for redemption. Don't think this is some sort of a underhanded Christian parable. This book is a western. Most of the people in it are weak, vicious and sometimes despicable. Yet, everyone of them looks up to the nunslinger because she believes in them. You should read this story for the lurid tale of a nun with a six-gun. Just be careful, you might come away with a lot more.
Don't let the title fool you. This is as rip roaring a spaghetti western has I've ever read. The sister Is an unwilling outlaw who continually finds herself in deeper and deeper trouble all in the pursuit of saving other people's souls. It's a love story about the bride of Christ , and the outlaws who looked to her for redemption. Don't think this is some sort of a underhanded Christian parable. This book is a western. Most of the people in it are weak, vicious and sometimes despicable. Yet, everyone of them looks up to the nunslinger because she believes in them. You should read this story for the lurid tale of a nun with a six-gun. Just be careful, you might come away with a lot more.
November 17, 2014
The year is 1864. Sister Thomas Josephine, an innocent Visitantine nun from St Louis, Missouri, is making her way west to the promise of a new life in Sacramento, California. When an attack on her wagon train leaves her stranded in Wyoming, Thomas Josephine finds her faith tested and her heart torn between Lt. Theodore F. Carthy, a man too beautiful to be true, and the mysterious grifter Abraham C. Muir. Falsely accused of murder she goes on the run, all the while being hunted by a man who has become dangerously obsessed with her.
Using GoodReads synopsis because I couldn't have said it better myself without giving everything away in my excitement! Well, this was an engaging, funny and unique read! I mean....a nun who turns in to an outlaw of sorts, being reported in the papers for her daring deeds, with a liiiitttle bit of romance. I mean, I loved it! I wasn't sure what to expect and I ended up being totally surprised, the book is quite hefty at like 600 pages, but the chapters are short and it's easy to read and you end up speeding through it, because you just have to know what happens next.
I'm really glad I got to read this all in one, reading the little books separately and then waiting for the next one? Hell no! Each of the "books" ends leaving you wanting more, so when you have the complete series, it's pretty much guaranteed you won't be putting the book down until you've finished it! I loved the little bits at the beginning of each book saying what was going to happen, it intrigued you and added some excitement of the "oh my God I can't wait" variety!
The setting was vivid, and very well described. It's very gritty, there's no making the setting and the time all pretty and romantic, it's portrayed as it would have been, violent and dark and slightly grim, with an atmosphere to match, although the atmosphere does change, it still consumes you. The world created is a world you can get lost in and it doesn't half make you want to watch one of the old Western films!
Now I know I said the setting is quite dark, meaning the whole hanging and dodgy goings on, but that's okay because while something really shitty or violent or both might happen, our two main characters, Sister and Abe, will make you chuckle, I even found myself starting to quite like Colm. This book is incredibly funny when it wants to be, as well as serious, with action and fighting and daring escapes. It's like a Western movie in book format and it plays like a movie in your head.
The characters are all written incredibly well, you get a real feel for them and their personalities, they have plenty of depth and they're....colourful, shall we say? None of them are arty farty, totally useless and floating around being all dashing and so on, well, except for Templeton, he's a bit useless, but even he managed to redeem himself! Abe, Colm and Sister are all very gung-ho, they're all capable of taking care of themselves and they're all intelligent and quite cunning. Except for that one time they did need rescuing, but it was suitably daring and dangerous! I loved how all of the characters could stand on their own, how they where all strong and brave and full of courage, although it could probably said at times it was stupidity, at least from the blokes! I'd even say Colm and Abe where oddly charming!
The characters where easy to love and connect to and empathize with.
The plot was a rollercoaster, going from danger, to daring escape, to rescue mission and so on, there was always something going on, there was never a dull moment and the plot flowed easily from point to point, organically growing and changing and throwing situations at the characters. Nothing felt like it was out of place or just there for the sake of some drama, everything with the plot made sense and fit. It twisted and turned and was full of surprises and shocks, nothing was predictable, there so many times when I was like "shit...they're done for" then the narrative was like "Oh no, have no fear, they're more intelligent than you are and unlike you if you where in this situation, they're gonna kick ass and escape in a totally ingenious way". I could not tell what was going to happen next and I LOVED it. It was complex, there where lots of threads that came together perfectly to make up the plot, including the over arching plot that I reaaaalllly did not see coming!
Not only is Nunslinger a very pretty book, but it's a book that is totally unique. When was the last time YOU read a Western about a nun and her growing reputation as a badass? Never, I hear you say? Correct. Unique. Through and through.
Nunslinger is fast paced, full of thrills, danger, daring escapes, bad guys, and plenty of action. Never a dull moment, the book takes you on a vast journey across the US and even in to Mexico. Nunslinger has pretty much everything you could want in a book, it's humour balances the violence and occasional darkness of events, not to mention the betrayal and the sense of "man I've never wanted to punch a fictional character more" feelings that where abundant. I honestly, never wanted the book to end, and then it did, but it leaves you with a little teaser where you realize maybe it's not entirely over, maybe what you thought happened didn't happen.
To be blunt, this book is a must read and I'm going to be keeping an eye on the author to see what he/she comes up with next! Oh and don't be alarmed about the "romance" I told you about. It's subtle, very subtle, it's there but it's not the main thing and the book isn't all about it. The authors awesome like that.
Using GoodReads synopsis because I couldn't have said it better myself without giving everything away in my excitement! Well, this was an engaging, funny and unique read! I mean....a nun who turns in to an outlaw of sorts, being reported in the papers for her daring deeds, with a liiiitttle bit of romance. I mean, I loved it! I wasn't sure what to expect and I ended up being totally surprised, the book is quite hefty at like 600 pages, but the chapters are short and it's easy to read and you end up speeding through it, because you just have to know what happens next.
I'm really glad I got to read this all in one, reading the little books separately and then waiting for the next one? Hell no! Each of the "books" ends leaving you wanting more, so when you have the complete series, it's pretty much guaranteed you won't be putting the book down until you've finished it! I loved the little bits at the beginning of each book saying what was going to happen, it intrigued you and added some excitement of the "oh my God I can't wait" variety!
The setting was vivid, and very well described. It's very gritty, there's no making the setting and the time all pretty and romantic, it's portrayed as it would have been, violent and dark and slightly grim, with an atmosphere to match, although the atmosphere does change, it still consumes you. The world created is a world you can get lost in and it doesn't half make you want to watch one of the old Western films!
Now I know I said the setting is quite dark, meaning the whole hanging and dodgy goings on, but that's okay because while something really shitty or violent or both might happen, our two main characters, Sister and Abe, will make you chuckle, I even found myself starting to quite like Colm. This book is incredibly funny when it wants to be, as well as serious, with action and fighting and daring escapes. It's like a Western movie in book format and it plays like a movie in your head.
The characters are all written incredibly well, you get a real feel for them and their personalities, they have plenty of depth and they're....colourful, shall we say? None of them are arty farty, totally useless and floating around being all dashing and so on, well, except for Templeton, he's a bit useless, but even he managed to redeem himself! Abe, Colm and Sister are all very gung-ho, they're all capable of taking care of themselves and they're all intelligent and quite cunning. Except for that one time they did need rescuing, but it was suitably daring and dangerous! I loved how all of the characters could stand on their own, how they where all strong and brave and full of courage, although it could probably said at times it was stupidity, at least from the blokes! I'd even say Colm and Abe where oddly charming!
The characters where easy to love and connect to and empathize with.
The plot was a rollercoaster, going from danger, to daring escape, to rescue mission and so on, there was always something going on, there was never a dull moment and the plot flowed easily from point to point, organically growing and changing and throwing situations at the characters. Nothing felt like it was out of place or just there for the sake of some drama, everything with the plot made sense and fit. It twisted and turned and was full of surprises and shocks, nothing was predictable, there so many times when I was like "shit...they're done for" then the narrative was like "Oh no, have no fear, they're more intelligent than you are and unlike you if you where in this situation, they're gonna kick ass and escape in a totally ingenious way". I could not tell what was going to happen next and I LOVED it. It was complex, there where lots of threads that came together perfectly to make up the plot, including the over arching plot that I reaaaalllly did not see coming!
Not only is Nunslinger a very pretty book, but it's a book that is totally unique. When was the last time YOU read a Western about a nun and her growing reputation as a badass? Never, I hear you say? Correct. Unique. Through and through.
Nunslinger is fast paced, full of thrills, danger, daring escapes, bad guys, and plenty of action. Never a dull moment, the book takes you on a vast journey across the US and even in to Mexico. Nunslinger has pretty much everything you could want in a book, it's humour balances the violence and occasional darkness of events, not to mention the betrayal and the sense of "man I've never wanted to punch a fictional character more" feelings that where abundant. I honestly, never wanted the book to end, and then it did, but it leaves you with a little teaser where you realize maybe it's not entirely over, maybe what you thought happened didn't happen.
To be blunt, this book is a must read and I'm going to be keeping an eye on the author to see what he/she comes up with next! Oh and don't be alarmed about the "romance" I told you about. It's subtle, very subtle, it's there but it's not the main thing and the book isn't all about it. The authors awesome like that.
August 21, 2017
Solid action-packed western, let down only by its slightly repetitive structure and one-note tone. I was hoping throughout to learn more about Sister Thomas Josephine, and indeed the supporting characters, but the action and constant cliffhangers supersede any backstory development.
If you like tense action and perpetual peril, I recommend Nunslinger, especially for commutes, as the chapters are no more than a few pages at a time. But if you want something meatier, perhaps look elsewhere. My advice would be to buy the first "Book" (the story unfolds across 12 chapter-length "Books") and if you like it, buy the rest of the series!
If you like tense action and perpetual peril, I recommend Nunslinger, especially for commutes, as the chapters are no more than a few pages at a time. But if you want something meatier, perhaps look elsewhere. My advice would be to buy the first "Book" (the story unfolds across 12 chapter-length "Books") and if you like it, buy the rest of the series!
May 8, 2021
While this was a mostly entertaining story, I do feel that it was a bit let down by the format. This is actually a collection of 12 novellas that were published serially throughout 2014. I can imagine reading it this way and enjoying the fast-paced and action packed plotlines - there's pretty much constant peril and cliffhangers and the characters are always getting into and out of scrapes. But trying to approach Nunslinger in the way one reads a standard novel made the story a bit repetitive and a slog to get through. I'm saying I liked it I think because I love Westerns and appreciate this writer's take and style, but overall this was less enjoyable and gripping than I'd hoped.
September 22, 2019
What a fun book. From start to finish, Nunslinger is one of the most unique novels I’ve ever read. Great characterization, solid plots, lyrical writing, and breathtaking cliffhangers pepper these pages, and it’s a hell of a great time. This book already holds a special spot because it was a surprise gift from my boyfriend, but even without the sentimental bit behind it, it’s a fantastic novel. I only hope to see more of Sister Thomas Josephine and Abraham Muir because their story seems far from over!
March 2, 2024
I found my copy of this book in a clearance sale. I came in wanting to buy a copy of gunslinger, but it was out of stock. Instead I found this book, and thought it was probably the closest thing I could get. I will never regret that decision, as this book has become one of my all time favourites, it's easy to root for the characters and every cliff hanger left me wanting more. This was the book that reignited my love for reading, and I will always recommend it to anyone who asks.
March 18, 2017
Received free through GoodReads First Reads - thank you.
I have to admit I found the cover a little off-putting BUT I really enjoyed this western with a difference. I loved Sister Thomas Josephine and the grafter Abraham C Muir who are doing all they can to stay one step ahead of the law. Early on it seemed as though the book was going to be nothing but capture, escape, flee, capture, escape, flee, but then it found its trail and was hard to put down. I liked the short chapters, the characterisation of even the minor characters was spot on, the pace constant. Just when you think Sister Josephine has reached capture or death the story takes a twist, often unexpected, and her adventure continues.
I would love to read more of what happened to her after this book, and indeed any other books by Stark Holborn.
I have to admit I found the cover a little off-putting BUT I really enjoyed this western with a difference. I loved Sister Thomas Josephine and the grafter Abraham C Muir who are doing all they can to stay one step ahead of the law. Early on it seemed as though the book was going to be nothing but capture, escape, flee, capture, escape, flee, but then it found its trail and was hard to put down. I liked the short chapters, the characterisation of even the minor characters was spot on, the pace constant. Just when you think Sister Josephine has reached capture or death the story takes a twist, often unexpected, and her adventure continues.
I would love to read more of what happened to her after this book, and indeed any other books by Stark Holborn.
November 25, 2017
Come on. What fun! Gripping page turner, reads like the serialized story it was. Buried as the pages turn is a fair amount of research into setting, food, etc. wait for a rainy day, plop down with a fluffy blanket, and disappear into the west on your horse with a sliver of salt pork.
January 11, 2019
Not at all a good book. The characters are thin and cliché, and get no development at all. The plot is predictable and repetitive: the main character gets into a jam (usually the same one), escapes the same way, wash and repeat.
January 16, 2020
Exciting and dramatic but not at the expense of the writing. Written with a beautiful and deeply understanding voice. A wonderful exploration of morality. Accurate depictions of men's sins in this world and the God complex so many of them seem to have. Super cool chapter titles.
December 9, 2022
Strong contender for read of the year.
Epic series of tongue-in-cheek western tales following the Sister Thomas Josephine on the run across wild America. Digestible chapters, snappy writing and some fun narrative twists kept the pages turning.
Epic series of tongue-in-cheek western tales following the Sister Thomas Josephine on the run across wild America. Digestible chapters, snappy writing and some fun narrative twists kept the pages turning.
December 11, 2025
Obviously I had to buy this as soon as I saw it...the title alone...come on now.
Anyway this is predictable enough (I don't think there was a single so-called twist that I didn't see coming) but it's a pretty fun addition to the Western genre. I would definitely watch a film adaptation.
Anyway this is predictable enough (I don't think there was a single so-called twist that I didn't see coming) but it's a pretty fun addition to the Western genre. I would definitely watch a film adaptation.
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