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The Adventures of Bodacious Creed #1
Bodacious Creed: a Steampunk Zombie Western
U.S. Marshal James Creed has known loss, starting from the untimely death of his wife and daughter in a sudden fire. His work, chasing down and arresting outlaws across the Wild West, is all he has left to live for. Then one day, in 1876, the infamous killer Corwin Blake catches Creed by surprise and guns him down.
Creed awakes after a mysterious young woman resurrects him in a basement laboratory beneath a brothel. Half alive, Creed feels torn between his need for justice and his desire to fall back into the peace of death. Creed's instincts drive him to protect the city of Santa Cruz, California, from the outlaws it harbors while searching for Blake.
He uncovers a secret criminal organization, likely protecting Blake, determined to use resurrection technology for its own ends. The former marshal, now faster, stronger, and a more deadly shot than ever before, must work with a brothel madam, a bounty hunter, and the remaining marshals to uncover the criminal syndicate before they can misuse the machines of rebirth and create more mindless zombies. Meanwhile, he must also stop Blake, before the outlaw kills the only people he cares about.
His own death can wait.
Creed awakes after a mysterious young woman resurrects him in a basement laboratory beneath a brothel. Half alive, Creed feels torn between his need for justice and his desire to fall back into the peace of death. Creed's instincts drive him to protect the city of Santa Cruz, California, from the outlaws it harbors while searching for Blake.
He uncovers a secret criminal organization, likely protecting Blake, determined to use resurrection technology for its own ends. The former marshal, now faster, stronger, and a more deadly shot than ever before, must work with a brothel madam, a bounty hunter, and the remaining marshals to uncover the criminal syndicate before they can misuse the machines of rebirth and create more mindless zombies. Meanwhile, he must also stop Blake, before the outlaw kills the only people he cares about.
His own death can wait.
370 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 18, 2017
46 people are currently reading
114 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Fesmire
12 books62 followersJonathan Fesmire is a happy author of speculative fiction. While he loves a variety of genres, including high fantasy, hard sf, and superheroes, the niche steampunk western genre has a strong grip on his imagination. Hence, the Creedverse was born.
A single father, Jonathan lives in California with his son. They enjoy going to movies, to Disneyland when possible, and play guitar together most evenings. Early in the covid pandemic, Mr. Fesmire took up the hobby of resin 3D printing. He enjoys printing, and painting, miniatures and dice towers when he has the time.
As an author, one of his goals is to write and publish at least one novel per year, and with "Bodacious Creed and the San Francisco Syndicate," he's come close.
A single father, Jonathan lives in California with his son. They enjoy going to movies, to Disneyland when possible, and play guitar together most evenings. Early in the covid pandemic, Mr. Fesmire took up the hobby of resin 3D printing. He enjoys printing, and painting, miniatures and dice towers when he has the time.
As an author, one of his goals is to write and publish at least one novel per year, and with "Bodacious Creed and the San Francisco Syndicate," he's come close.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
August 10, 2018
Book Reviewed by Clive on www.whisperingstories.com
I am aware that the genre of Western Steampunk has a lot of followers and for them Bodacious Creed may well provide an interesting and gripping read. It is not Jonathan Fesmire’s fault that I am not a fan of the genre but despite what I am sure were his best endeavours I have not been converted.
The tale is set in a town called Santa Cruz in 1876 where we have all the settings for a good Western including cattle ranches, mines and a rough, bustling port. We also have all the right characters including cowhands, dock workers, marshals, villains and the ladies from the bordello, led by the stereotypical “tart-with-a-heart”. Within this setting Fesmire presents us with technology that is not only advanced for that period, but frequently well ahead of anything we have today. Somehow all powered by steam engines and all built in blacksmith’s forges.
In his Notes on the Setting the author explains that his Santa Cruz is actually in an alternate universe where the laws of physics are different. I have to say that I did not find the science at all convincing but then again, maybe I too am in an alternate universe.
And that was before the Zombies were introduced!
The basic storyline was simple enough to follow although it all seemed rather drawn out. Was it really only 372 pages long? The action scenes were unimaginative and at no stage was I taken by surprise. The cast of characters was very large and on the whole made up of typical Western goodies and baddies, most of whom were fairly one dimensional. The lead character of Anna was more interesting than most.
Perhaps there was parody and irony that I failed to recognise. From my knowledge of Steampunk I understand that the genre has a number of repeating features including hidden pockets and lock picks. Bodacious Creed has both in large numbers.
There are some lessons to be learned from the book, principally the warnings of meddling with nature but haven’t we heard these before?
I know that Bodacious Creed will appeal to many but personally I found little merit in it. I looked for positives but in all honesty I can only award two and a half stars.
I am aware that the genre of Western Steampunk has a lot of followers and for them Bodacious Creed may well provide an interesting and gripping read. It is not Jonathan Fesmire’s fault that I am not a fan of the genre but despite what I am sure were his best endeavours I have not been converted.
The tale is set in a town called Santa Cruz in 1876 where we have all the settings for a good Western including cattle ranches, mines and a rough, bustling port. We also have all the right characters including cowhands, dock workers, marshals, villains and the ladies from the bordello, led by the stereotypical “tart-with-a-heart”. Within this setting Fesmire presents us with technology that is not only advanced for that period, but frequently well ahead of anything we have today. Somehow all powered by steam engines and all built in blacksmith’s forges.
In his Notes on the Setting the author explains that his Santa Cruz is actually in an alternate universe where the laws of physics are different. I have to say that I did not find the science at all convincing but then again, maybe I too am in an alternate universe.
And that was before the Zombies were introduced!
The basic storyline was simple enough to follow although it all seemed rather drawn out. Was it really only 372 pages long? The action scenes were unimaginative and at no stage was I taken by surprise. The cast of characters was very large and on the whole made up of typical Western goodies and baddies, most of whom were fairly one dimensional. The lead character of Anna was more interesting than most.
Perhaps there was parody and irony that I failed to recognise. From my knowledge of Steampunk I understand that the genre has a number of repeating features including hidden pockets and lock picks. Bodacious Creed has both in large numbers.
There are some lessons to be learned from the book, principally the warnings of meddling with nature but haven’t we heard these before?
I know that Bodacious Creed will appeal to many but personally I found little merit in it. I looked for positives but in all honesty I can only award two and a half stars.
December 17, 2017
I must admit I was skeptical when I decided to read a steampunk zombie western novel. I didn't know what to expect. Which turned out to be good because Jonathan Fesmire took me with Bodacious Creed to a journey which I rather liked!
As a teenager I devoured stories about Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday, and Bodacious Creed proved it that nothing changed! I still like them, I still romanticize that wild, cruel and bloody part of the 19th century American history, in Bodacious Creed mixed with another genre I also like—the stories of zombies!
Bodacious Creed: A Steampunk Zombie Western novel takes place in an alternate universe, history follows a slightly altered course with both fictional and real-life characters blended into an exciting read. If you are a fan of the Wild West and zombies—or even if you are not— give Bodacious Creed a chance because you might become one! Not all walking deads are bad guys!
BJ
www.bernardjan.com
Join my mailing list, subscribe to blog Muse!
Bernard Jan
As a teenager I devoured stories about Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday, and Bodacious Creed proved it that nothing changed! I still like them, I still romanticize that wild, cruel and bloody part of the 19th century American history, in Bodacious Creed mixed with another genre I also like—the stories of zombies!
Bodacious Creed: A Steampunk Zombie Western novel takes place in an alternate universe, history follows a slightly altered course with both fictional and real-life characters blended into an exciting read. If you are a fan of the Wild West and zombies—or even if you are not— give Bodacious Creed a chance because you might become one! Not all walking deads are bad guys!
BJ
www.bernardjan.com
Join my mailing list, subscribe to blog Muse!
Bernard Jan
December 5, 2017
I, personally, have a serious love for all things zombie and I love when an author has a different take on a classic idea or story. The second I finished reading the blurb, I knew I was going to enjoy reading about the adventures of Bodacious Creed! The idea of reading a story set in the Wild West that seamlessly merged zombies with steampunk technology fascinated me!
The book follows the story of a US Marshall that goes to Santa Cruz, CA on a manhunt for Corwin Blake, who has been on a killing spree through California. Even though you know that Bodacious Creed has to die in order to become a zombie, it still catches you by surprise and you develop a serious hate for Blake! But it is almost worth it when you find out about all of Creed’s new abilities once he is brought back as the undead. He isn’t the traditional zombie you read about, and he gets right back to work cleaning up the town and looking for the underground black market known as the Syndicate, who may be protecting Blake.
There were so many twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat while reading this book! Will Creed ever catch Blake? Will he realize who the brothel madam really is? Can you really trust anyone in the town? If you are into deadly wild west shoot-outs, secret laboratories, steampunk inventions, non-traditional zombies – both human and animal alike, then this is the story for you!
The book follows the story of a US Marshall that goes to Santa Cruz, CA on a manhunt for Corwin Blake, who has been on a killing spree through California. Even though you know that Bodacious Creed has to die in order to become a zombie, it still catches you by surprise and you develop a serious hate for Blake! But it is almost worth it when you find out about all of Creed’s new abilities once he is brought back as the undead. He isn’t the traditional zombie you read about, and he gets right back to work cleaning up the town and looking for the underground black market known as the Syndicate, who may be protecting Blake.
There were so many twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat while reading this book! Will Creed ever catch Blake? Will he realize who the brothel madam really is? Can you really trust anyone in the town? If you are into deadly wild west shoot-outs, secret laboratories, steampunk inventions, non-traditional zombies – both human and animal alike, then this is the story for you!
June 23, 2018
Zombies, western, steampunk. The ingredients of an acholic drink to indulge when you’re expecting it to be a crazy night.
U.S Marshal, James Creed was an honorable lawman—a living hero, until he’s gunned down and resurrected to become an undead hero. Regardless of being dead, Creed’s work isn’t finished. There's still the elusive outlaw, Corwin Blake, to catch. Thanks to a gearhead, Anna Boyd, madam of the town’s brothel The House of Amber Doves, she brings Creeds back from the dead inside her secret lap, and when Creed gets loose, a lot of the wrong people become curious of what makes the dead man tick.
This was a crazy fun read. I enjoyed this story very much, right down to Fesmire’s writing style. I think westerns are making a comeback, so this story couldn’t have been released at a better time. I can’t wait for the sequel!
U.S Marshal, James Creed was an honorable lawman—a living hero, until he’s gunned down and resurrected to become an undead hero. Regardless of being dead, Creed’s work isn’t finished. There's still the elusive outlaw, Corwin Blake, to catch. Thanks to a gearhead, Anna Boyd, madam of the town’s brothel The House of Amber Doves, she brings Creeds back from the dead inside her secret lap, and when Creed gets loose, a lot of the wrong people become curious of what makes the dead man tick.
This was a crazy fun read. I enjoyed this story very much, right down to Fesmire’s writing style. I think westerns are making a comeback, so this story couldn’t have been released at a better time. I can’t wait for the sequel!
July 20, 2018
All too often it seems as if steampunk authors stick to one location and one setting: a Victorian era European city. Think cobblestones and cold fog with women in full hoop skirts and men in three piece suits. It was refreshing to read a steampunk novel that took place—in both time and location—so far from the tried and true that I tip my proverbial hat to the author! “Bodacious Creed” is very much a western set in the early days of America, just after the Civil War, where California’s city of Santa Cruz could be considered very much a wild west. The feel of a railroad town that survives mainly from ranching, factories, the dying gold rush, and brothels is superbly well crafted and makes for a believable setting for this steampunk novel. But I don’t know if I’d really consider this a zombie book.
“Bodacious Creed” is, at its core, not about the law man who gets gunned down and then brought back to life, but the woman who brings him back. Sure, the plot is to stop an underground crime syndicate that smuggles technology, that is also harboring a bloodthirsty criminal, and how Creed and his bounty hunter “friend” bring justice to Santa Cruz, but this is very much Anna’s story. So much of the book is about her, her technology, her journey from orphan to brothel worker, to madam, to renowned tinker, that she is the real back bone of the story in my opinion. She’s also the motivating factor for many of the other male characters, so there’s that, too. This is a book that also asks the question of what is science’s responsibility to advancement, and what does it mean to go “too far”? It’s an interesting premise to be sure, so why do I feel so… meh about the book?
Ultimately, there were a few things that just kept me from devouring this book. Some of them are very small such as: the author provides a bunch of dates, times, and locations like street names. Each time I read those, I paused thinking it’d be something vital, when it’s not outside of those who live in modern day Santa Cruz who maybe want to visit some of the locations. It made the story a little clunky, at least to me. Some of my issues were medium sized: like the fact that every woman in the book is either a prostitute, or a fanatic religious person. I get it was meant to highlight the western feel, but given Anna is arguably the smartest person in the book, it was a little sad that she couldn’t own her brain as much as she did her body and it kept me from really connecting with her, or anyone else for that matter. But some were bigger, which ultimately led to the ambivalent feelings I have: the zombies aren’t what I’d consider to be zombies?
I really want to avoid spoilers, but given the synopsis says Creed is brought back from the dead and retains his mind and wants to go after those who killed him, you can kind of get what kind of creature the “zombie” is supposed to be. All the things I’ve come to associate with the classic zombie lore just isn’t really there. And I don’t just mean the basic stuff that things like “The Walking Dead” have popularized on TV, though there is that, but the way they are brought back and stay “alive” is also very not zombie like? Sorry, I’m really trying to avoid spoilers because my feelings are so personal that I don’t want to scare people away from this book. It’s a solid read with a great atmosphere, I was just expecting something different when it came to the villains and monsters.
There were some questions I felt were left hanging in terms of plot, but I can’t talk about them due to spoilers, but again, that’s just my opinion. I will say that this book has a lot of four letter words in it—there’s some moments of gore but not enough to make it a thing in my opinion—so if you don’t like reading curse words this may be a harder read for you. That being said, if you want a unique take on a steampunk novel, give “Bodacious Creed” a try! But if you want something more like a traditional zombie story, you may want to mosey on down to another book. I wish I had connected with the characters more, because I really did feel like I was in a western setting, but I just couldn’t get there, though I would be interested to see where Creed and Anna’s story leads in later books. But for now, this is a very solid 3 stars for me and thanks to the author for providing me with a copy for review!
“Bodacious Creed” is, at its core, not about the law man who gets gunned down and then brought back to life, but the woman who brings him back. Sure, the plot is to stop an underground crime syndicate that smuggles technology, that is also harboring a bloodthirsty criminal, and how Creed and his bounty hunter “friend” bring justice to Santa Cruz, but this is very much Anna’s story. So much of the book is about her, her technology, her journey from orphan to brothel worker, to madam, to renowned tinker, that she is the real back bone of the story in my opinion. She’s also the motivating factor for many of the other male characters, so there’s that, too. This is a book that also asks the question of what is science’s responsibility to advancement, and what does it mean to go “too far”? It’s an interesting premise to be sure, so why do I feel so… meh about the book?
Ultimately, there were a few things that just kept me from devouring this book. Some of them are very small such as: the author provides a bunch of dates, times, and locations like street names. Each time I read those, I paused thinking it’d be something vital, when it’s not outside of those who live in modern day Santa Cruz who maybe want to visit some of the locations. It made the story a little clunky, at least to me. Some of my issues were medium sized: like the fact that every woman in the book is either a prostitute, or a fanatic religious person. I get it was meant to highlight the western feel, but given Anna is arguably the smartest person in the book, it was a little sad that she couldn’t own her brain as much as she did her body and it kept me from really connecting with her, or anyone else for that matter. But some were bigger, which ultimately led to the ambivalent feelings I have: the zombies aren’t what I’d consider to be zombies?
I really want to avoid spoilers, but given the synopsis says Creed is brought back from the dead and retains his mind and wants to go after those who killed him, you can kind of get what kind of creature the “zombie” is supposed to be. All the things I’ve come to associate with the classic zombie lore just isn’t really there. And I don’t just mean the basic stuff that things like “The Walking Dead” have popularized on TV, though there is that, but the way they are brought back and stay “alive” is also very not zombie like? Sorry, I’m really trying to avoid spoilers because my feelings are so personal that I don’t want to scare people away from this book. It’s a solid read with a great atmosphere, I was just expecting something different when it came to the villains and monsters.
There were some questions I felt were left hanging in terms of plot, but I can’t talk about them due to spoilers, but again, that’s just my opinion. I will say that this book has a lot of four letter words in it—there’s some moments of gore but not enough to make it a thing in my opinion—so if you don’t like reading curse words this may be a harder read for you. That being said, if you want a unique take on a steampunk novel, give “Bodacious Creed” a try! But if you want something more like a traditional zombie story, you may want to mosey on down to another book. I wish I had connected with the characters more, because I really did feel like I was in a western setting, but I just couldn’t get there, though I would be interested to see where Creed and Anna’s story leads in later books. But for now, this is a very solid 3 stars for me and thanks to the author for providing me with a copy for review!
September 5, 2017
The story takes place in Santa Cruz, in the days of the Wild West, American Frontier days. Complete with cowboys, marshals, prostitutes, gunfire, and outlaws, it is all there, but with a twist. Steampunk, maybe the ultimate blending of genres, is at its very core an alternative to our world. Anything can and undoubtedly will happen to the characters who inhabit the pages. In this case, we are talking about the walking dead and automatons mixed in with a world we are all some way familiar with.
Anna is an entrepreneur and inventor, but only one of those professions is common knowledge. As the proprietor of the House of Amber Doves, a classy house of ill repute, she is well known in Santa Cruz. As the creator of several inventions within the field of automatic machines, she is less known. Her unmatched skills at machine technology have made her wealthy, and allowed her to purchase the brothel she once worked in herself. It has even helped her restore her once doomed assistant, and sometimes lover Jonny. What it hasn't accomplished is bring her and her estranged father, the infamous James Creed together. That is about to change though, as "Bodacious" Creed, U.S. Marshal comes riding into town one day.
He has arrived to bring in the outlaw Corwin Blake, a vicious criminal without scruples. Anna manages to convince Creed to meet with her in order to reveal the secret of their kinship, but fate intervenes. In a shootout with Blake Creed is mortally wounded and dies. Beside herself, with grief, Anna decides that death most certainly is not the end and sets about digging up the body and then altering it with her technological skills. Creed's body, already in a state of decay, needs several repairs and the success is in question until the lawman finally rises from the slab. With great confusion, but with supernatural strength and ability Creed becomes a sort of vigilante on the streets of Santa Cruz and the news of his rising from the dead soon spreads all over the city. This, though, is only the beginning.
Fesmire's opus, Bodacious Creed, is quite the undertaking of genre fiction. It borrows heavily from several styles and stories to bring together a tale that is filled with humanity, as well as action. The parallels with Shelly's Frankenstein are obvious, not only because Jonny reads it constantly, but because of the subject matter. Anna creates something that she does not completely take responsibility for. This can, of course, be said of several storylines in the book, not only in the way Creed abandons his daughter. There is a clear Victorian age science fiction feel to this story, but set in the Wild West, which is a novel idea in itself. Bodacious Creed is billed as a Zombie Steampunk Western, but two out of three categories are more peripheral than the third one. The steampunk aspect really only serves as a literary tool to bring the essence of the story forward, zombie aspect hints at a deeper meaning, just like Shelly managed to do in her tale of resurrection. It is the story that takes president here, which can be difficult to do in this type of fiction. It is clear that Fesmire's story is an important project and that he has chosen to delve deeper than maybe he intended.
One would definitely pick up Bodacious Creed for its odd combination of genre styles, but one stays for the well-told story of human interest. Lonely souls in a world that is harsh and unforgiving.
Anna is an entrepreneur and inventor, but only one of those professions is common knowledge. As the proprietor of the House of Amber Doves, a classy house of ill repute, she is well known in Santa Cruz. As the creator of several inventions within the field of automatic machines, she is less known. Her unmatched skills at machine technology have made her wealthy, and allowed her to purchase the brothel she once worked in herself. It has even helped her restore her once doomed assistant, and sometimes lover Jonny. What it hasn't accomplished is bring her and her estranged father, the infamous James Creed together. That is about to change though, as "Bodacious" Creed, U.S. Marshal comes riding into town one day.
He has arrived to bring in the outlaw Corwin Blake, a vicious criminal without scruples. Anna manages to convince Creed to meet with her in order to reveal the secret of their kinship, but fate intervenes. In a shootout with Blake Creed is mortally wounded and dies. Beside herself, with grief, Anna decides that death most certainly is not the end and sets about digging up the body and then altering it with her technological skills. Creed's body, already in a state of decay, needs several repairs and the success is in question until the lawman finally rises from the slab. With great confusion, but with supernatural strength and ability Creed becomes a sort of vigilante on the streets of Santa Cruz and the news of his rising from the dead soon spreads all over the city. This, though, is only the beginning.
Fesmire's opus, Bodacious Creed, is quite the undertaking of genre fiction. It borrows heavily from several styles and stories to bring together a tale that is filled with humanity, as well as action. The parallels with Shelly's Frankenstein are obvious, not only because Jonny reads it constantly, but because of the subject matter. Anna creates something that she does not completely take responsibility for. This can, of course, be said of several storylines in the book, not only in the way Creed abandons his daughter. There is a clear Victorian age science fiction feel to this story, but set in the Wild West, which is a novel idea in itself. Bodacious Creed is billed as a Zombie Steampunk Western, but two out of three categories are more peripheral than the third one. The steampunk aspect really only serves as a literary tool to bring the essence of the story forward, zombie aspect hints at a deeper meaning, just like Shelly managed to do in her tale of resurrection. It is the story that takes president here, which can be difficult to do in this type of fiction. It is clear that Fesmire's story is an important project and that he has chosen to delve deeper than maybe he intended.
One would definitely pick up Bodacious Creed for its odd combination of genre styles, but one stays for the well-told story of human interest. Lonely souls in a world that is harsh and unforgiving.
April 19, 2018
Zombies + steampunk + western = werid west = love
It was those elements that lured me toward this novel. Once I read the preview, I knew for sure this would be a novel that I would love. Jonathan Fesmire’s first novel in The Adventures of Bodacious Creed did not disappoint.
There are two things you have to remember as you dive into this story. One, Creed always gets his man. Two, there are several players to help him achieve his goal. It’s your typical good vs. evil plot with the good being more than Bodacious himself.
The characters are strong and well-drawn. There are many that I loved including the well-developed bad guys of the story. The zombies aren’t the pop culture, flesh-eating types we’re used to seeing. No, they are steampunk zombies. An element of the story I love so much I can’t even put it into words.
It’s very well-written and edited for a self-published novel. The setting and story are imaginative. It reads at a good pace, and I felt the details were exactly where they needed to be.
The only reason it fell short the fifth star was because even though there were plenty of twists and turns, there wasn’t anything that blew my mind. I’m holding out hope for book two of this series, as I can see this being a series I follow to the end.
August 15, 2017
I loved this book! I found myself gripped from the very beginning. Creed and Anna have a way of capturing your interest and holding it. To find out what exciting feat they're going to accomplish on the next page kept me turning them deep into the night. Just one more page, I would tell myself, and then I'll stop for the night.
I have read many books that have dry spots and I would have to force myself to get through them until the next interesting spot started. I found nothing dry or boring about Bodacious Creed. I looked forward to picking this book up every chance I could. Once I hit the halfway point, I read the remainder of the book in one sitting.
I have to say that I look forward to reading more adventures of Bodacious Creed, especially if they are anything like this first astounding book. Two thumbs WAY up from me!
I have read many books that have dry spots and I would have to force myself to get through them until the next interesting spot started. I found nothing dry or boring about Bodacious Creed. I looked forward to picking this book up every chance I could. Once I hit the halfway point, I read the remainder of the book in one sitting.
I have to say that I look forward to reading more adventures of Bodacious Creed, especially if they are anything like this first astounding book. Two thumbs WAY up from me!
April 18, 2018
Bodacious Creed: A Steampunk Zombie Western (The Adventures of Bodacious Creed #1) by Jonathan Fesmire is an amazing read.
I never thought I would read a zombie western book. Somewhere my grandpa is smiling. I honestly didn’t know what to expect from this book. The awesomeness of this book exceeded my expectations. If you like zombie stories or if you like westerns, then this is the book for you.
U.S. Marshal James Creed has to work with a surprising cast of characters to take down some outlaws. There are plenty of twists and turns that will keep you entertained. It was gritty, but fun read. I really enjoyed the character growth, dynamic between characters, and in general the storyline.
I will recommend it to others. I give it 5/5 Platypires.
I never thought I would read a zombie western book. Somewhere my grandpa is smiling. I honestly didn’t know what to expect from this book. The awesomeness of this book exceeded my expectations. If you like zombie stories or if you like westerns, then this is the book for you.
U.S. Marshal James Creed has to work with a surprising cast of characters to take down some outlaws. There are plenty of twists and turns that will keep you entertained. It was gritty, but fun read. I really enjoyed the character growth, dynamic between characters, and in general the storyline.
I will recommend it to others. I give it 5/5 Platypires.
October 23, 2017
Steampunk western zombie… these many genres in a single novel? Jonathan has to be appreciated for his effort in putting all these genres together. He has done a great job in terms in gelling these genres in a single novel. One can feel the setup of the Wild West along with the historical steampunk colour and zombies behind us.
Bodacious creed is one of those rare novels that keeps the readers hooked till the last page. The story takes some time to set in, but once it does the phase doubles up. The second half of the novel is the real page turner. One cannot put it down until the questions are answered.
Complete review with gif: http://www.etale.in/bodacious-creed-m...
Bodacious creed is one of those rare novels that keeps the readers hooked till the last page. The story takes some time to set in, but once it does the phase doubles up. The second half of the novel is the real page turner. One cannot put it down until the questions are answered.
Complete review with gif: http://www.etale.in/bodacious-creed-m...
March 31, 2018
Bodacious Creed is a Federal Marshal and lately, a Zombie. This is a Steam Punk novel, and I generally don’t care for this genre, but there is something about Jonathan Fesmire’s writing that I find appealing.
I try to keep an open mind when reading, and I’m so glad I did. I found this book had me laughing one moment then crying the next, then had me concentration hard so I wouldn’t miss a single thing. I just may have to change my mind about Steam Punk novels; at least until I can finish the other books in this series! I can’t wait to see what else Bodacious gets into.
April 20, 2018
What a treat! This book has combined the gun slinging western sagas with a technocrat madam of a salon and of course crime investigation. So if you're a fan of the West World or Hell on Wheels series, you would love this book. More importantly I loved all the well fleshed out characters in the story and can't wait to read more about them in the next book.
December 25, 2017
I don't usually read these kind of books. But this one was fun to read. Lots to the story that kept it interesting. No spoilers from me. I enjoyed it. I was given a review copy and voluntarily review it.
January 22, 2018
Definitely an interesting premise. Steampunk zombie western? Hell yes. It took me a bit to really get into it but once I did I was hooked to Creed. The zombies becoming zombies through technological advancement was pretty neat. I can’t say I understood the technical jargon but I got the idea pretty well. Not so sure about the constant dates being given but it didn’t ruin the story at all so it wasn’t that big of a deal. Anna was a wonderful character and a great woman heroine.
August 20, 2017
Zombie wild west
Loads of fun to read. Exciting from start to finish. I am looking forward to the next story about Marshal Creed.
Loads of fun to read. Exciting from start to finish. I am looking forward to the next story about Marshal Creed.
November 3, 2019
Jonathan Fesmire brings together zombies, the wild west, and steampunk, three distinct subjects, in his new novel, Bodacious Creed: a Steampunk Zombie Western. Anna Lynn Boyd, the twenty something owner of a bordello in Santa Cruz, California, makes her living in mysterious ways. When Marshal James Creed comes to town in search of the notorious criminal, Corwin Blake, things go awry, and Anna’s secret talents must come into play. With a strong female lead, an elaborate setting, and more than one technological wonder, Fesmire’s novel makes for an entertaining read.
Fesmire’s setting, Santa Cruz in 1876, encompasses an entirely different world from our own, although he includes elements of truth. The factual details extend as far as specific street names and historical figures. The more creative embellishments, from mechanical beings dubbed automatons, which live and work alongside humans, to Anna’s expertise in the art of resurrection, add finesse to an already well-researched novel. An emphasis on listing the food that characters consume occasionally distracts from the story, but not so much to spread beyond minor irritation.
A strong female character is rare in many genres, especially westerns, so Anna and her technological proclivities is a true gem of a protagonist. Her “cover,” so to speak, as a madam of the local bordello, bequeaths her a sense of murkiness, despite her obvious good will in the community. At times she can seem a bit too perfect, but this is forgivable. Anna’s counterpart, James Creed, intrigues primarily due to his internal conflict and memory lapses. Much of the novel focuses on his crisis of identity and his aching need to find a place in the world.
The biggest issue I had with the novel is most likely one of personal preference. Anna often makes love to her mute lab partner, Jonny. Jonny’s an interesting character with a fascinating backstory, but the frequency of these lovemaking scenes diminishes his charm. I will admit though that these moments make sense in the context of the setting, so I digress.
The minor characters play just as important a role as the main players, which is unique. Lucky, Dixie, and Zero, Anna’s automatons, keep Anna safe and actively participate in many major events. The bounty hunter, Rob Cantrell, may be the character with the strongest arc, as he learns the consequences of working for money, while knowingly betraying his conscience. Even the horses are named and play important roles, although an odd quirk is that they are often referred to as “it,” instead of by a gender pronoun, which can be somewhat off-putting.
Jonathan Fesmire has written a highly original piece of work in Bodacious Creed. While it could easily be labeled a Halloween read, especially with its allusions to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and other common topics of the season (zombies, “robots”, and murderers, to name a few…), the story is much more than that, as it covers universal themes that can be enjoyed at anytime of the year.
Disclaimer: I received an e-galley of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Fesmire’s setting, Santa Cruz in 1876, encompasses an entirely different world from our own, although he includes elements of truth. The factual details extend as far as specific street names and historical figures. The more creative embellishments, from mechanical beings dubbed automatons, which live and work alongside humans, to Anna’s expertise in the art of resurrection, add finesse to an already well-researched novel. An emphasis on listing the food that characters consume occasionally distracts from the story, but not so much to spread beyond minor irritation.
A strong female character is rare in many genres, especially westerns, so Anna and her technological proclivities is a true gem of a protagonist. Her “cover,” so to speak, as a madam of the local bordello, bequeaths her a sense of murkiness, despite her obvious good will in the community. At times she can seem a bit too perfect, but this is forgivable. Anna’s counterpart, James Creed, intrigues primarily due to his internal conflict and memory lapses. Much of the novel focuses on his crisis of identity and his aching need to find a place in the world.
The biggest issue I had with the novel is most likely one of personal preference. Anna often makes love to her mute lab partner, Jonny. Jonny’s an interesting character with a fascinating backstory, but the frequency of these lovemaking scenes diminishes his charm. I will admit though that these moments make sense in the context of the setting, so I digress.
The minor characters play just as important a role as the main players, which is unique. Lucky, Dixie, and Zero, Anna’s automatons, keep Anna safe and actively participate in many major events. The bounty hunter, Rob Cantrell, may be the character with the strongest arc, as he learns the consequences of working for money, while knowingly betraying his conscience. Even the horses are named and play important roles, although an odd quirk is that they are often referred to as “it,” instead of by a gender pronoun, which can be somewhat off-putting.
Jonathan Fesmire has written a highly original piece of work in Bodacious Creed. While it could easily be labeled a Halloween read, especially with its allusions to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and other common topics of the season (zombies, “robots”, and murderers, to name a few…), the story is much more than that, as it covers universal themes that can be enjoyed at anytime of the year.
Disclaimer: I received an e-galley of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.
January 7, 2018
Alternate Universe
This book was exciting, intense and suspenseful . The characters were well thought out. I will definitely keep reading Jonathan Fesmire books
This book was exciting, intense and suspenseful . The characters were well thought out. I will definitely keep reading Jonathan Fesmire books
March 19, 2022
Fortunately this book was recommended to me. Unlikely I would have picked it up. But Bo·da·cious Creed was super fun with lots of twists. The plot just made me smile.
February 16, 2018
A book that makes you think, laugh out loud inappropriate places like the Dr's waiting room... Bad girl, bad...
There aren't enough stars to rate this as high as I want to, so I'll juzt say it't a great read and you are dumber then a box of rocks if you don't read it..
Yes it mentions ladies of the evening but not so graphic that you have to cover you tween or teens eyes.. If they have watched Bonanza or Gunsmoke they can figure it out without the birds and bees talk..dear lord I dated myself mentioning those shows...It kinda has that touch of the Wild West movie Will Smith did, but better plot lines.. YES I said better....Between the blurb telling what you will read mentions zombies, you gotta laugh when the band has that name before a zombie is made !!
I loved working Tesla into the story because I have been a fan of his far more then Edison..While some parts remind me of other steam punk books I have read, making it a old Western was a really nice touch.. The story is complete you aren't left hanging off a cliff a huge pet peave I have I must admit I hated when I couldn't read it..And found I flew thru it as fast as possible when I could. Recommending this book is easy.. I was asked to read it free for a review, but mostly If I am interested enough I buy the book so if I give it a bad review it's honest and from the book and i didn't click and Owe no one anything but a honest read. I also know that there are times I just hate the piece, but in cases like that I try to come back in a few days and re-read it. A review of a book is looking at it with a open mind and see where the story takes you if you are in a I hate the world mood then you need to know and come back fresh eyes and mind.
There aren't enough stars to rate this as high as I want to, so I'll juzt say it't a great read and you are dumber then a box of rocks if you don't read it..
Yes it mentions ladies of the evening but not so graphic that you have to cover you tween or teens eyes.. If they have watched Bonanza or Gunsmoke they can figure it out without the birds and bees talk..dear lord I dated myself mentioning those shows...It kinda has that touch of the Wild West movie Will Smith did, but better plot lines.. YES I said better....Between the blurb telling what you will read mentions zombies, you gotta laugh when the band has that name before a zombie is made !!
I loved working Tesla into the story because I have been a fan of his far more then Edison..While some parts remind me of other steam punk books I have read, making it a old Western was a really nice touch.. The story is complete you aren't left hanging off a cliff a huge pet peave I have I must admit I hated when I couldn't read it..And found I flew thru it as fast as possible when I could. Recommending this book is easy.. I was asked to read it free for a review, but mostly If I am interested enough I buy the book so if I give it a bad review it's honest and from the book and i didn't click and Owe no one anything but a honest read. I also know that there are times I just hate the piece, but in cases like that I try to come back in a few days and re-read it. A review of a book is looking at it with a open mind and see where the story takes you if you are in a I hate the world mood then you need to know and come back fresh eyes and mind.
March 1, 2018
Excellent Book. Jonathan Fesmire has done a fabulous job in writing this very entertaining story. It’s not only the characters that make this such an enjoyable story, but the plot is very good as well. There’s always something happening in the story, and it’s probably why it didn’t take me long to get to the end. It’s also the technology used in an era that you wouldn’t expect to see it, that made this book quite unique and interesting to read.
US Marshall James ‘Bodacious’ Creed had quite a reputation as one of the best Marshalls going around. If he had you in his sights, then he would normally succeed in hunting you down, and either bringing you in for justice, or ending your life in a shootout. So, it irked him no end when he couldn’t succeed in capturing Corwin Blake, a well-known murder and thief. Even though Anna owns and runs a brothel, she’s one of the smartest people alive. The technology she’s created has achieved some amazing advances for the eighteenth century, however the thing she wants more than anything else, is to get to know her father again. It’s quite ironic that he was her protector in her early years growing up, and now the roles are reversed, and it’s Anna who is now looking out for the wellbeing of Creed. He didn’t come off all that well in his recent encounter with Blake, and it’s only after Anna was able to put him back together, that he was able to once again go on the hunt for Blake. Creed needs to be careful though, as there are others out there that want to get their hands on him. This story is full of adventure and intrigue, and is definitely worth adding to your reading list.
US Marshall James ‘Bodacious’ Creed had quite a reputation as one of the best Marshalls going around. If he had you in his sights, then he would normally succeed in hunting you down, and either bringing you in for justice, or ending your life in a shootout. So, it irked him no end when he couldn’t succeed in capturing Corwin Blake, a well-known murder and thief. Even though Anna owns and runs a brothel, she’s one of the smartest people alive. The technology she’s created has achieved some amazing advances for the eighteenth century, however the thing she wants more than anything else, is to get to know her father again. It’s quite ironic that he was her protector in her early years growing up, and now the roles are reversed, and it’s Anna who is now looking out for the wellbeing of Creed. He didn’t come off all that well in his recent encounter with Blake, and it’s only after Anna was able to put him back together, that he was able to once again go on the hunt for Blake. Creed needs to be careful though, as there are others out there that want to get their hands on him. This story is full of adventure and intrigue, and is definitely worth adding to your reading list.
December 28, 2017
I was offered a free copy of this novel that I freely chose to review.
When I read the description of this novel, I must say I was intrigued. It’s a Western. But not just any Western. It’s a steampunk Western. I have not read a lot of steampunk (some blogs and short-stories) but I am intrigued by the concept, the art, the clothes… Oh, and there are zombies. OK, I could not resist. I generally like Westerns and historical fiction set in that period, but the unlikely combination of the three elements proved impossible to resist. And it did pay off.
I don’t want to go into a lot of detail about the plot, as it is full of surprises, and although some you might see coming, I assure you there’s plenty to keep the brain ticking and the pages turning. James Creed (“Bodacious” indeed) is a great character, although we only get a glimpse of the true man before he is killed and then… resuscitated. Anna, the madam of the bordello the House of Amber Doves, has something hidden in the basement, and she is an inventor, and also… Well, let’s say she hides more than her scientific knowledge and talents. We have Anna’s lover, Jonny, who was injured and now is also part of her experiments, although loyal, loving, and also a great inventor. There is a bounty hunter, Rob Cantrell, who, although morally grey at times, becomes a part of the team we root for. We have a variety of baddies, from psychopaths to business types ready to sacrifice anybody for an advantage and for the power to harvest all the knowledge, legal and not. Although not all the characters are psychologically complex, in most cases we learn what makes them tick, and discover that most of them hide interesting background stories and hidden motives for what they do.
The story, told in the third person but through a variety of character’s points of view (including Creed, Anna, Jonny, Cantrell, and some of the baddies), is set in a fascinating alternative version of historical Santa Cruz. Imagine that there is a compound (the ether) that can be used for the construction of automatons, cyborgs, healing units, and ultimately units that can bring the dead back to life. Imagine that human beings can be enhanced with something akin to bionic technology (yes, I know, but imagine that happened in the late XIX century). Imagine that a company has the monopoly of all these inventions (Tesla works for that corporation as well) and anybody who tries to invent or commercialize such things is breaking the law and can become an outlaw. And imagine that kind of technology in the hands of a crime syndicate in the old West. Yes, the combination of crime and technology, as we well know, can be very dangerous, and, unfortunately, not all the experiments bringing back the dead go well. Although that causes violence, mayhem, and deaths, we also have the good and useful automatons (or steelies, as they are called), the automated pets, Creed acquires a pet cyborg coyote later in the story, and we have undead cats and zombie rats… And the characters are not the only ones hiding secrets. Santa Cruz also has a few aces up its sleeves and it is an important protagonist of the story. Yes, not a moment’s boredom.
The alternating points of view help us get more perspectives into the story and understand better the motives behind some of the characters’ surprising actions. And although it is not always pleasant, it is interesting to see the action from the point of view of the bad characters as well (as some of their reasons are not always bad). Matters of morality, spirituality, personal versus community interest, and family ties are also part of this story that should satisfy Western lovers (yes, there are plenty of gun and fist fights, shootings, traps, wild rides), steam-punk enthusiasts, and although the zombie angle is a bit more subtle (well, at least for a lot of the book), I don’t think those who are into zombie novels will be disappointed either.
The story flows well, the language fits in with the imagined historical period (I am not sure what historical fiction readers would think, but my guess is that they might find it interesting), and there is enough description of the places and the inventions to make us feel as if we were there, without unduly slowing the action. As a doctor, I could not help but wonder about some of the actual experiments (Frankenstein is mentioned more than once), but sometimes you just need to go with the flow. There are lots of characters, though, so I recommend paying close attention when reading it. I did enjoy the ending of the story (well, I imagine there will be more books) but no spoilers here.
The end note of the author explains the peculiarities of the Santa Cruz of the book (the author hails from there) and also shares how the book came to be. The story of the startup he organized to fund the book is fascinating in its own right, and he explains how as perks for participating in the project, some people got to have characters named after them, including Cantrell, the bounty hunter, and in some cases, even helped write the part. A fascinating story inside another one.
A great mix of genres, recommended to those who love to try something original and don’t fear to tread outside of the normal paths. For Western, steampunk, and zombie lovers. Highly recommended.
When I read the description of this novel, I must say I was intrigued. It’s a Western. But not just any Western. It’s a steampunk Western. I have not read a lot of steampunk (some blogs and short-stories) but I am intrigued by the concept, the art, the clothes… Oh, and there are zombies. OK, I could not resist. I generally like Westerns and historical fiction set in that period, but the unlikely combination of the three elements proved impossible to resist. And it did pay off.
I don’t want to go into a lot of detail about the plot, as it is full of surprises, and although some you might see coming, I assure you there’s plenty to keep the brain ticking and the pages turning. James Creed (“Bodacious” indeed) is a great character, although we only get a glimpse of the true man before he is killed and then… resuscitated. Anna, the madam of the bordello the House of Amber Doves, has something hidden in the basement, and she is an inventor, and also… Well, let’s say she hides more than her scientific knowledge and talents. We have Anna’s lover, Jonny, who was injured and now is also part of her experiments, although loyal, loving, and also a great inventor. There is a bounty hunter, Rob Cantrell, who, although morally grey at times, becomes a part of the team we root for. We have a variety of baddies, from psychopaths to business types ready to sacrifice anybody for an advantage and for the power to harvest all the knowledge, legal and not. Although not all the characters are psychologically complex, in most cases we learn what makes them tick, and discover that most of them hide interesting background stories and hidden motives for what they do.
The story, told in the third person but through a variety of character’s points of view (including Creed, Anna, Jonny, Cantrell, and some of the baddies), is set in a fascinating alternative version of historical Santa Cruz. Imagine that there is a compound (the ether) that can be used for the construction of automatons, cyborgs, healing units, and ultimately units that can bring the dead back to life. Imagine that human beings can be enhanced with something akin to bionic technology (yes, I know, but imagine that happened in the late XIX century). Imagine that a company has the monopoly of all these inventions (Tesla works for that corporation as well) and anybody who tries to invent or commercialize such things is breaking the law and can become an outlaw. And imagine that kind of technology in the hands of a crime syndicate in the old West. Yes, the combination of crime and technology, as we well know, can be very dangerous, and, unfortunately, not all the experiments bringing back the dead go well. Although that causes violence, mayhem, and deaths, we also have the good and useful automatons (or steelies, as they are called), the automated pets, Creed acquires a pet cyborg coyote later in the story, and we have undead cats and zombie rats… And the characters are not the only ones hiding secrets. Santa Cruz also has a few aces up its sleeves and it is an important protagonist of the story. Yes, not a moment’s boredom.
The alternating points of view help us get more perspectives into the story and understand better the motives behind some of the characters’ surprising actions. And although it is not always pleasant, it is interesting to see the action from the point of view of the bad characters as well (as some of their reasons are not always bad). Matters of morality, spirituality, personal versus community interest, and family ties are also part of this story that should satisfy Western lovers (yes, there are plenty of gun and fist fights, shootings, traps, wild rides), steam-punk enthusiasts, and although the zombie angle is a bit more subtle (well, at least for a lot of the book), I don’t think those who are into zombie novels will be disappointed either.
The story flows well, the language fits in with the imagined historical period (I am not sure what historical fiction readers would think, but my guess is that they might find it interesting), and there is enough description of the places and the inventions to make us feel as if we were there, without unduly slowing the action. As a doctor, I could not help but wonder about some of the actual experiments (Frankenstein is mentioned more than once), but sometimes you just need to go with the flow. There are lots of characters, though, so I recommend paying close attention when reading it. I did enjoy the ending of the story (well, I imagine there will be more books) but no spoilers here.
The end note of the author explains the peculiarities of the Santa Cruz of the book (the author hails from there) and also shares how the book came to be. The story of the startup he organized to fund the book is fascinating in its own right, and he explains how as perks for participating in the project, some people got to have characters named after them, including Cantrell, the bounty hunter, and in some cases, even helped write the part. A fascinating story inside another one.
A great mix of genres, recommended to those who love to try something original and don’t fear to tread outside of the normal paths. For Western, steampunk, and zombie lovers. Highly recommended.
December 21, 2017
Very well written. Jonathan brings you into this world from the first sentence and hang on as he takes you on an adventure that ends all too soon. I'm all ready for the next book to come out to find out what other adventures these characters I've grown to love get into.
January 4, 2018
Yes, I’ve heard of steampunk and every time I wonder, “Just what does that mean?” So, I looked it up and I’m glad that I did. “Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction or science fantasy that incorporates technology of aesthetic designs inspired by 19th century steam-powered machinery.” Thank you, Wikipedia. Armed with that knowledge, we begin.
Anna Lynn Boyd is the madam of the House of the Amber Doves, a very busy place. Anna likes a nice, clean bar, lots of rooms, and lots of girls with lots of business. She also likes Jonny, who doesn’t speak, but shows his constant devotion by fulfilling her every wish. One important aspect of the story: Anna and Jonny are a dynamic duo when it comes to automatons. They design and assemble robots known as Steelies, so named because of the metal in their make-up. She has become very wealthy by secretly designing bodyguards and guard dogs. They have moved one step further by designing equipment that enhances the brain, hoping to bring a dead person back to life. Even as they work to improve it, Anna questions just how ethical it is to raise the dead.
James Creed is a marshal well known for bringing in the worst of the worst outlaws. What no one wants to take on, Bodacious Creed is ready to attempt and succeed. He has come to Anna’s town of Santa Cruz chasing a vicious killer, Corwin Blake. As Creed hunts for Blake, he is surprised when the man shows up just to tease and draw him into a chase. Creed has never seen anything like Blake, who runs faster than any human. On top of that, the outlaw’s taunting laughter rings out in hopes of distracting Creed, and turns him into an easy target. Blake is visible one moment, and gone the next. Even though Blake slips through his fingers time and again, there is no giving up, and Creed wonders just how Blake could become this seemingly inhuman outlaw.
Creed has believed for years that he lost his wife and daughter in a house fire. Consequently, he is unaware that Anna is his daughter, while she has been waiting for the opportunity to find him. As she plots to meet Creed, he is busy pursuing Blake, unaware that he is being pursued, as well. To complicate matters, in walks bounty hunter Rob Cantrell, who can barely support his family. When he is offered a nice amount of money to murder Creed, he soon agrees, even though it shames him. Cantrell is well aware of the challenge Creed presents, but owning a Steelie dog makes him feel certain he can bring Creed down.
On one dark night, James Creed is shot and killed….or is he?
I was completely fascinated with the setting of this tale. On one side is the old west with the staple horses, guns, and dust, while on the other side there is the magic of industrialization, bringing with it automatons. These robots, which are much larger than humans, seem to be easily accepted. Anna has two in her bar, and even uses them as bodyguards when needed. Of course, the author did not write them as fearsome beings, but as helpers to their owners. Still, a huge, clanking thing that can run like the wind is a little unnerving. As for bringing the dead back, I found that to be a challenge to view as a good thing, and I was glad to see that Anna debated it too. There is quite a bit of consideration as to the difficulty of adjustment, should a person be brought back – would their personality be changed? Would they be changed physically? Would they be accepted by others? What would it do psychologically to the survivor? I would not think that a zombie story would make me ponder these things, but it certainly did. There is a lot of story here with tons of action, an intricate plot, and if you like steampunk or are just dipping your toes into the genre, this is a great book to read.
The rating:
Genre and general reading age – Steampunk. Older teens and adults will enjoy the depth of the story here.
Level of sexuality – Anna and Jonny apparently have a very active love life, but it doesn’t drive the story. It is more setting the tone of the love they share, and I did not find it to be overly graphic.
Is there graphic language? Some, but I’ve read much worse.
Did I cry? No.
Did I laugh? No.
Is this part of a series? It sure is.
Level of character development – The characters are well-done and never fail to enrich the story.
As you can tell, I found the book to be entertaining and thought-provoking, which was a pleasant surprise, but there it is, and since I find this to be a magical and unique world, I give this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars.
Anna Lynn Boyd is the madam of the House of the Amber Doves, a very busy place. Anna likes a nice, clean bar, lots of rooms, and lots of girls with lots of business. She also likes Jonny, who doesn’t speak, but shows his constant devotion by fulfilling her every wish. One important aspect of the story: Anna and Jonny are a dynamic duo when it comes to automatons. They design and assemble robots known as Steelies, so named because of the metal in their make-up. She has become very wealthy by secretly designing bodyguards and guard dogs. They have moved one step further by designing equipment that enhances the brain, hoping to bring a dead person back to life. Even as they work to improve it, Anna questions just how ethical it is to raise the dead.
James Creed is a marshal well known for bringing in the worst of the worst outlaws. What no one wants to take on, Bodacious Creed is ready to attempt and succeed. He has come to Anna’s town of Santa Cruz chasing a vicious killer, Corwin Blake. As Creed hunts for Blake, he is surprised when the man shows up just to tease and draw him into a chase. Creed has never seen anything like Blake, who runs faster than any human. On top of that, the outlaw’s taunting laughter rings out in hopes of distracting Creed, and turns him into an easy target. Blake is visible one moment, and gone the next. Even though Blake slips through his fingers time and again, there is no giving up, and Creed wonders just how Blake could become this seemingly inhuman outlaw.
Creed has believed for years that he lost his wife and daughter in a house fire. Consequently, he is unaware that Anna is his daughter, while she has been waiting for the opportunity to find him. As she plots to meet Creed, he is busy pursuing Blake, unaware that he is being pursued, as well. To complicate matters, in walks bounty hunter Rob Cantrell, who can barely support his family. When he is offered a nice amount of money to murder Creed, he soon agrees, even though it shames him. Cantrell is well aware of the challenge Creed presents, but owning a Steelie dog makes him feel certain he can bring Creed down.
On one dark night, James Creed is shot and killed….or is he?
I was completely fascinated with the setting of this tale. On one side is the old west with the staple horses, guns, and dust, while on the other side there is the magic of industrialization, bringing with it automatons. These robots, which are much larger than humans, seem to be easily accepted. Anna has two in her bar, and even uses them as bodyguards when needed. Of course, the author did not write them as fearsome beings, but as helpers to their owners. Still, a huge, clanking thing that can run like the wind is a little unnerving. As for bringing the dead back, I found that to be a challenge to view as a good thing, and I was glad to see that Anna debated it too. There is quite a bit of consideration as to the difficulty of adjustment, should a person be brought back – would their personality be changed? Would they be changed physically? Would they be accepted by others? What would it do psychologically to the survivor? I would not think that a zombie story would make me ponder these things, but it certainly did. There is a lot of story here with tons of action, an intricate plot, and if you like steampunk or are just dipping your toes into the genre, this is a great book to read.
The rating:
Genre and general reading age – Steampunk. Older teens and adults will enjoy the depth of the story here.
Level of sexuality – Anna and Jonny apparently have a very active love life, but it doesn’t drive the story. It is more setting the tone of the love they share, and I did not find it to be overly graphic.
Is there graphic language? Some, but I’ve read much worse.
Did I cry? No.
Did I laugh? No.
Is this part of a series? It sure is.
Level of character development – The characters are well-done and never fail to enrich the story.
As you can tell, I found the book to be entertaining and thought-provoking, which was a pleasant surprise, but there it is, and since I find this to be a magical and unique world, I give this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars.
March 1, 2018
Find this review at Forever Lost in Literature!
Bodacious Creed is pitched as a steampunk zombie western. You're probably thinking that sounds like a pretty crazy combination, right? If you are, I thought so too (and if you aren't thinking that, then I'd like to hear what sort of books you typically read). Now, I've never really read a Western, I've only read a small handful of steampunk books, and I also don't typically like zombies. So why did I decide to read it? Because sometimes there are things that just sound so unique you have to try it out--plus, almost all of the reviews for this book on Goodreads are exceedingly positive, so I thought there was a pretty good bet that this would work out, so I took the chance. And you know what? It was amazing!
I'm honestly not even sure how to start talking about this book. Everything about it was so unexpected for me, so I'll just dive in headfirst. First, let's talk about the Western/steampunk setting mix. I personally think that Fesmire did a really skillful job meshing these two ideas into something oddly yet incredibly authentic and interesting. Despite how unlikely it seems to have such advanced technology in the 19th century, Fesmire makes the mechanics and technology so realistic and compelling to read about. It's this sharp dose of steampunk that actually made this book have such a strong sense of realism and plausibility.
The main characters are Anna Lynn Boyd and Marshal James Creed, both of whom were really well-written characters. Anna is the madam of a bordello in the town of Santa Cruz, a place where she offers women a chance to make fair work and live a semi-safe and comfortable area. Anna is a really great character overall: shes intelligent, has common sense, and she's an incredibly hard worker, something that I always admire in a lead character. She also always seems to be one step ahead of people and has a keen mind for business and, of course, for her technological pursuits, which are among the best in the nation. Marshall Creed is another interesting character that brought so much to the book through his forceful yet endearing demeanor. He's a thoughtful man who doesn't necessarily want all of the attention that is given to him, but accepts it all the same and tries to live normally. He does his best to always help out those who need it, but most importantly he hunts criminals that are causing the most trouble to the average citizen.
The rest of the characters portrayed in this book are all equally well-done. There is a small, rather pleasant variety of villainous characters--such as Corwin Blake, a man on the run--that are all very different in personality, as well as characters that are more 'grey' and don't have as defined roles as others, which I think added a lot to the book. I also particularly liked Anna's lover, Jonny, who is unable to speak but still proves to be an incredibly prominent and intriguing character who plays an extremely important role in Anna's life.
The zombie aspect of this book (the part that I was most skeptical about) comes into play when Anna uses her immense knowledge of this steampunk technology to bring him back to life-- and don't worry, this is all in the synopsis, no spoilers. When I think of the stereotypical zombie, it's usually the cliche'd idea of mindless drones that 'must eat brains,' which is what generally turns me off from them. Well this isn't like that at all. This is a much deeper, more nuanced and interesting way to portray zombies and explores the idea of having this new technology and the ramifications of bringing people back from the grave. The trouble comes when the antagonist of this book, who shouldn't have that type of power, gets ahold of the technology begins to use it less skillfully and for more nefarious purposes.
Fesmire has truly created a strong world that felt incredibly real and was full of colorful characters. There is a great balance of action and plot, which is important to the success of any entertaining novel. The action is well-written and kept me hooked on the page, and the areas that were slower and focused more on plot and character development were just as appealing. This is a book that handles a lot of interesting ideas, such as expanding technological abilities and determining good vs. 'evil' people, and I think Fesmire did a really good at combining all of these aspects to create a entertaining story.
Overall, I've give four stars to a book that I had no idea I would enjoy as much as I did! If you like steampunk books, zombies, or western, go check this one out! If you're ambivalent to all of those things, but still want to try something new--check this one out!
Bodacious Creed is pitched as a steampunk zombie western. You're probably thinking that sounds like a pretty crazy combination, right? If you are, I thought so too (and if you aren't thinking that, then I'd like to hear what sort of books you typically read). Now, I've never really read a Western, I've only read a small handful of steampunk books, and I also don't typically like zombies. So why did I decide to read it? Because sometimes there are things that just sound so unique you have to try it out--plus, almost all of the reviews for this book on Goodreads are exceedingly positive, so I thought there was a pretty good bet that this would work out, so I took the chance. And you know what? It was amazing!
I'm honestly not even sure how to start talking about this book. Everything about it was so unexpected for me, so I'll just dive in headfirst. First, let's talk about the Western/steampunk setting mix. I personally think that Fesmire did a really skillful job meshing these two ideas into something oddly yet incredibly authentic and interesting. Despite how unlikely it seems to have such advanced technology in the 19th century, Fesmire makes the mechanics and technology so realistic and compelling to read about. It's this sharp dose of steampunk that actually made this book have such a strong sense of realism and plausibility.
The main characters are Anna Lynn Boyd and Marshal James Creed, both of whom were really well-written characters. Anna is the madam of a bordello in the town of Santa Cruz, a place where she offers women a chance to make fair work and live a semi-safe and comfortable area. Anna is a really great character overall: shes intelligent, has common sense, and she's an incredibly hard worker, something that I always admire in a lead character. She also always seems to be one step ahead of people and has a keen mind for business and, of course, for her technological pursuits, which are among the best in the nation. Marshall Creed is another interesting character that brought so much to the book through his forceful yet endearing demeanor. He's a thoughtful man who doesn't necessarily want all of the attention that is given to him, but accepts it all the same and tries to live normally. He does his best to always help out those who need it, but most importantly he hunts criminals that are causing the most trouble to the average citizen.
The rest of the characters portrayed in this book are all equally well-done. There is a small, rather pleasant variety of villainous characters--such as Corwin Blake, a man on the run--that are all very different in personality, as well as characters that are more 'grey' and don't have as defined roles as others, which I think added a lot to the book. I also particularly liked Anna's lover, Jonny, who is unable to speak but still proves to be an incredibly prominent and intriguing character who plays an extremely important role in Anna's life.
The zombie aspect of this book (the part that I was most skeptical about) comes into play when Anna uses her immense knowledge of this steampunk technology to bring him back to life-- and don't worry, this is all in the synopsis, no spoilers. When I think of the stereotypical zombie, it's usually the cliche'd idea of mindless drones that 'must eat brains,' which is what generally turns me off from them. Well this isn't like that at all. This is a much deeper, more nuanced and interesting way to portray zombies and explores the idea of having this new technology and the ramifications of bringing people back from the grave. The trouble comes when the antagonist of this book, who shouldn't have that type of power, gets ahold of the technology begins to use it less skillfully and for more nefarious purposes.
Fesmire has truly created a strong world that felt incredibly real and was full of colorful characters. There is a great balance of action and plot, which is important to the success of any entertaining novel. The action is well-written and kept me hooked on the page, and the areas that were slower and focused more on plot and character development were just as appealing. This is a book that handles a lot of interesting ideas, such as expanding technological abilities and determining good vs. 'evil' people, and I think Fesmire did a really good at combining all of these aspects to create a entertaining story.
Overall, I've give four stars to a book that I had no idea I would enjoy as much as I did! If you like steampunk books, zombies, or western, go check this one out! If you're ambivalent to all of those things, but still want to try something new--check this one out!
November 9, 2017
★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
This is a strange, fun genre hodgepodge of a book. When Fesmire approached me about reading this book, I figured it'd be something like Cherie Priest's Clockwork Century, just set further south. A good mix of steampunk tech and an Old West setting, maybe with a Zombie wandering around as a vague threat, 300 pages later and we'll be done. Wow. I couldn't have been more wrong.
U. S. Marshall James "Bodacious" Creed is a one-man crime-fighting machine (figuratively speaking) -- he comes to Santa Cruz in search of Corwin Blake, a notorious killer. While searching for Blake he sees plenty of evidence that there's a greater criminal enterprise running through town, but he only has eyes for Blake. Not long after this, Blake guns Creed down. Creed awakens a couple of weeks later, stronger, unsure of what's going on, but with the same drive to protect the citizenry of Santa Cruz and to put Blake behind bars or six-feet under. Creed's appearance has been altered and his appearance alone makes criminals and non-criminals fearful (like the Gotham Knight will in a few decades). He becomes a one-man crackdown on crime.
How did Creed wake up? Well, that would be the purview of Anna Lynn Boyd -- owner of a bordello and restaurant. She's also a scientific genius on par with Tony Stark, her improvements to technology have propelled the California tech industry to unrivaled heights (including robotics of a steampunk sort). She's been experimenting with some medical technologies and the murder of a hero like Creed provides just the opportunity she needs to test her breakthroughs.
You take that setup, add in a love interest for both of them, some loyal friends (old and new), some less-than loyal friends, a crime syndicate (before crime syndicates were cool), questionably capable law enforcement officials, and a rival scientist -- and you've got yourself a heckuva read. It's exciting, fun, pretty well paced with some very clever turns of phrase (the occasional bit of clunkieness and awkward phrases are easily forgivable).
The Steampunk and Western genres blend nicely -- as seen in Dawn's Early Light by Ballantine and Morris, and suggested in a Priest book or two. The time frames for both overlap -- it's just that Westerns are typically dustier than Victorian dramas. I spent a good deal of this novel doubting the "Zombie" tag -- sure, you've got Creed walking around, but that was more of a Frankenstein's Monster kind of thing. Although, there was a reference or two to something strange in New Orleans. -- but at a certain point, the tag became fitting and appropriate, and despite my aversion to Zombies, I really liked what Fesmire had to say about them. His is an interesting take that should prove more interesting in future installments.
Beyond what I suggested at the beginning, I really didn't know what to expect from this book -- but whatever it was, I was wrong and pleasantly surprised to be so. This is one of those books that will not change or life or the way you look at anything, but you will surely enjoy reading it. Which is exactly what I needed when I read it, I encourage you to do the same.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for this post and my honest opinion. Honest, not timely, this is 2-3 weeks late -- sorry about that, Mr. Fesmire.
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
This is a strange, fun genre hodgepodge of a book. When Fesmire approached me about reading this book, I figured it'd be something like Cherie Priest's Clockwork Century, just set further south. A good mix of steampunk tech and an Old West setting, maybe with a Zombie wandering around as a vague threat, 300 pages later and we'll be done. Wow. I couldn't have been more wrong.
U. S. Marshall James "Bodacious" Creed is a one-man crime-fighting machine (figuratively speaking) -- he comes to Santa Cruz in search of Corwin Blake, a notorious killer. While searching for Blake he sees plenty of evidence that there's a greater criminal enterprise running through town, but he only has eyes for Blake. Not long after this, Blake guns Creed down. Creed awakens a couple of weeks later, stronger, unsure of what's going on, but with the same drive to protect the citizenry of Santa Cruz and to put Blake behind bars or six-feet under. Creed's appearance has been altered and his appearance alone makes criminals and non-criminals fearful (like the Gotham Knight will in a few decades). He becomes a one-man crackdown on crime.
How did Creed wake up? Well, that would be the purview of Anna Lynn Boyd -- owner of a bordello and restaurant. She's also a scientific genius on par with Tony Stark, her improvements to technology have propelled the California tech industry to unrivaled heights (including robotics of a steampunk sort). She's been experimenting with some medical technologies and the murder of a hero like Creed provides just the opportunity she needs to test her breakthroughs.
You take that setup, add in a love interest for both of them, some loyal friends (old and new), some less-than loyal friends, a crime syndicate (before crime syndicates were cool), questionably capable law enforcement officials, and a rival scientist -- and you've got yourself a heckuva read. It's exciting, fun, pretty well paced with some very clever turns of phrase (the occasional bit of clunkieness and awkward phrases are easily forgivable).
The Steampunk and Western genres blend nicely -- as seen in Dawn's Early Light by Ballantine and Morris, and suggested in a Priest book or two. The time frames for both overlap -- it's just that Westerns are typically dustier than Victorian dramas. I spent a good deal of this novel doubting the "Zombie" tag -- sure, you've got Creed walking around, but that was more of a Frankenstein's Monster kind of thing. Although, there was a reference or two to something strange in New Orleans. -- but at a certain point, the tag became fitting and appropriate, and despite my aversion to Zombies, I really liked what Fesmire had to say about them. His is an interesting take that should prove more interesting in future installments.
Beyond what I suggested at the beginning, I really didn't know what to expect from this book -- but whatever it was, I was wrong and pleasantly surprised to be so. This is one of those books that will not change or life or the way you look at anything, but you will surely enjoy reading it. Which is exactly what I needed when I read it, I encourage you to do the same.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for this post and my honest opinion. Honest, not timely, this is 2-3 weeks late -- sorry about that, Mr. Fesmire.
October 24, 2018
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It was a good while back but, when I got the review request for ‘Bodacious Creed’. The entire concept of the book just promised to be the most fun concept I’d have come my way this year. Heck, possibly long into the future. I mean, seriously; what’s not to get excited for when an author sends an e-mail saying his book is a ‘steampunk zombie western’ novel? The only downside was that I was in the midst of a massive busy period at work and, as such, my reading time was next to zero. But I finally cracked open the kindle on Bodacious Creed with a massive smile on my face.
Oh, boy, did it deliver!
It started off a tad slow, introducing one of the characters from whose point of view the vast majority of the storyline would be told from and, after that, it was one hell of a rollicking fun ride from (near enough) start to finish.
Our heroine’s name is Anna and she is the owner of a brothel and one of the world’s most brilliant inventors … of course that part of her life is kept secret due to women not being as accepted in that line of work back in the days of the wild west as they are now. Due to her past with the famed bounty hunter James ‘Bodacious’ Creed, she takes a great interest when she finds out that Creed is tracking one of America’s most dangerous criminals to Santa Cruz (where the novel is set).
The character of Anna is done incredibly well as is that of James Creed. In fact, there are only a couple of characters that I don’t feel were done 100% perfect (a couple felt a little too theatrical for my tastes, but for the most part they were all spot on).
Creed and his rivalry with Corwin Blake (the aforementioned villain) is one that, quite literally goes beyond the grave. Both characters are done superbly and I found myself getting excited whenever one of them was destined to be featured at length in any given chapter. Corwin Blake is also really compelling as a villain. Very well written, indeed, as a character.
This was, for me, the one book I have read all year that I found myself making time to read. It just had me so hooked. I’m not going to lie when I say that, with a concept as wacky as ‘steampunk zombie western’ I expected a B-movie type book. It was anything but and I’m incredibly happy that my presumptions were well wide of the mark. Proof that the wacky nature of this book is just what the doctor ordered: it was funded via Kickstarter. So a heck of a lot of people wanted life breathed into this beast.
My only slight drawback, other than a couple of the characters being slightly too theatrical, would be that it felt as though it went on a little too long. I didn’t get the feeling like it needed to be as long as it was. Also, it in no way detracted from the overall piece that it was. So not really a massive drawback for me. There was just the odd time when I felt the end could/should be near only to find out it wasn’t.
If you only read one book that features zombies, steampunk, the wild west … or some strange combination of all three, make sure it’s this one!
All I can say is: I can’t wait to see what happens next in this universe that Jonathan Fesmire has created.
It was a good while back but, when I got the review request for ‘Bodacious Creed’. The entire concept of the book just promised to be the most fun concept I’d have come my way this year. Heck, possibly long into the future. I mean, seriously; what’s not to get excited for when an author sends an e-mail saying his book is a ‘steampunk zombie western’ novel? The only downside was that I was in the midst of a massive busy period at work and, as such, my reading time was next to zero. But I finally cracked open the kindle on Bodacious Creed with a massive smile on my face.
Oh, boy, did it deliver!
It started off a tad slow, introducing one of the characters from whose point of view the vast majority of the storyline would be told from and, after that, it was one hell of a rollicking fun ride from (near enough) start to finish.
Our heroine’s name is Anna and she is the owner of a brothel and one of the world’s most brilliant inventors … of course that part of her life is kept secret due to women not being as accepted in that line of work back in the days of the wild west as they are now. Due to her past with the famed bounty hunter James ‘Bodacious’ Creed, she takes a great interest when she finds out that Creed is tracking one of America’s most dangerous criminals to Santa Cruz (where the novel is set).
The character of Anna is done incredibly well as is that of James Creed. In fact, there are only a couple of characters that I don’t feel were done 100% perfect (a couple felt a little too theatrical for my tastes, but for the most part they were all spot on).
Creed and his rivalry with Corwin Blake (the aforementioned villain) is one that, quite literally goes beyond the grave. Both characters are done superbly and I found myself getting excited whenever one of them was destined to be featured at length in any given chapter. Corwin Blake is also really compelling as a villain. Very well written, indeed, as a character.
This was, for me, the one book I have read all year that I found myself making time to read. It just had me so hooked. I’m not going to lie when I say that, with a concept as wacky as ‘steampunk zombie western’ I expected a B-movie type book. It was anything but and I’m incredibly happy that my presumptions were well wide of the mark. Proof that the wacky nature of this book is just what the doctor ordered: it was funded via Kickstarter. So a heck of a lot of people wanted life breathed into this beast.
My only slight drawback, other than a couple of the characters being slightly too theatrical, would be that it felt as though it went on a little too long. I didn’t get the feeling like it needed to be as long as it was. Also, it in no way detracted from the overall piece that it was. So not really a massive drawback for me. There was just the odd time when I felt the end could/should be near only to find out it wasn’t.
If you only read one book that features zombies, steampunk, the wild west … or some strange combination of all three, make sure it’s this one!
All I can say is: I can’t wait to see what happens next in this universe that Jonathan Fesmire has created.
July 13, 2019
Overall the story and characters are pretty great. The story had a slow start but began to peak my interest a few chapters in. I hadn't read the synopsis so Creeds untimely demise early in came as a shock which really pulled me in. From there on I really enjoyed the twists and turns the story took.
Now when I read the "Steampunk Zombie Western" tagline I had expected a story of spectacle. I imagined hordes of zombies and steampunk automatons battling it out in the old west. I wasn't prepared for a story full of character and substance, which once I had embraced, I enjoyed all the more. The book follows a small cast of characters in a semi science fictional story with hints of a noir detective piece sprinkled in. The themes of love, loss, family, and regret were handled well and felt believable.
The main character of Creed reminded me of old John Wayne westerns where he's a rough, grizzled lawman with a heart of gold. That said I found myself drawn more to the characters of Anna and Jimmy. I especially liked Jimmy's arc as it felt very personal and I liked his moments of triumph. Honestly I'd enjoy a book dedicated to his life leading up to this point as it sounds quite intriguing.
The story had a good number of twists and turns and each felt organic and not forced. The story really feels grounded even with some of the fantastical elements such as automatons and a few zombies. The story never goes full fantasy scifi and keeps everything believable by blending the genre elements together in a coherent manner. There were a few places where events follow one character to a conclusion, then jump to another character to show their POV up until that same point which felt a little jarring. I think this had more to do with the audiobook format and is likely less of an issue with the visual of a space in the text of a physical book. That said I quickly realized what was happening thanks to some slight retreading of events to clue me in.
The only drawback for me is the performance of the narrator. Throughout the story she sounded bored and disinterested, keeping a monotone pitch with few exceptions. When attempting a characters voice it was rare for her to accurately portray a believable tone and accents felt cartoonish. I actually felt relief at the death of one of the characters because it meant I wouldn't have to hear her portrayal of the accent again. This was the biggest drawback to my enjoyment of the story. That said, if you can look past the poor performance the story and characters are worth your attention and if a second book releases, even if she is the narrator again, I'll still pick it up.
If you're looking for a solid, grounded story in a western setting with scifi elements and a believable, character focused narrative, this is a book you should definitely pick up.
Now when I read the "Steampunk Zombie Western" tagline I had expected a story of spectacle. I imagined hordes of zombies and steampunk automatons battling it out in the old west. I wasn't prepared for a story full of character and substance, which once I had embraced, I enjoyed all the more. The book follows a small cast of characters in a semi science fictional story with hints of a noir detective piece sprinkled in. The themes of love, loss, family, and regret were handled well and felt believable.
The main character of Creed reminded me of old John Wayne westerns where he's a rough, grizzled lawman with a heart of gold. That said I found myself drawn more to the characters of Anna and Jimmy. I especially liked Jimmy's arc as it felt very personal and I liked his moments of triumph. Honestly I'd enjoy a book dedicated to his life leading up to this point as it sounds quite intriguing.
The story had a good number of twists and turns and each felt organic and not forced. The story really feels grounded even with some of the fantastical elements such as automatons and a few zombies. The story never goes full fantasy scifi and keeps everything believable by blending the genre elements together in a coherent manner. There were a few places where events follow one character to a conclusion, then jump to another character to show their POV up until that same point which felt a little jarring. I think this had more to do with the audiobook format and is likely less of an issue with the visual of a space in the text of a physical book. That said I quickly realized what was happening thanks to some slight retreading of events to clue me in.
The only drawback for me is the performance of the narrator. Throughout the story she sounded bored and disinterested, keeping a monotone pitch with few exceptions. When attempting a characters voice it was rare for her to accurately portray a believable tone and accents felt cartoonish. I actually felt relief at the death of one of the characters because it meant I wouldn't have to hear her portrayal of the accent again. This was the biggest drawback to my enjoyment of the story. That said, if you can look past the poor performance the story and characters are worth your attention and if a second book releases, even if she is the narrator again, I'll still pick it up.
If you're looking for a solid, grounded story in a western setting with scifi elements and a believable, character focused narrative, this is a book you should definitely pick up.
September 15, 2021
original review 1/16/2018 (read again 8/24/2021, before starting "The Jade Lake"):
Let me start off by saying that I've never read anything "steampunk," and I'm not big on westerns, so I wasn't sure what I was in for with this story. I do, however, latch on to most anything touting zombies...
While the story started off rather slow (for me), it did pick up around the fourth chapter. From then on, I could hardly put it down!
The characters were very well-written and believable as far as the everyday 'normal' versions of what you might expect them to be. I did a little fact-checking along the way when I came upon some words that I had doubts about being in use for the time period--I love it when I'm wrong, and I learned the origins of a few! (The author has a blurb at the end of the book [Notes on the Setting] where he says that it isn't an accurate representation of the city because it's in an alternate universe, but the way it's written, it very well could be as far as the time period is concerned.)
The storyline was interesting as far as bringing me into this new genre. Although I'm not much on reading fantasy stories, I am definitely glad I checked this one out. Let me rephrase that: I didn't USED to be into fantasy. There are a few twists in the story that I didn't see coming, so that definitely kept it interesting. There is some sex woven into the storyline, but not enough to really mention, and definitely nothing graphic. The zombies, while not what we may have become accustomed to in the world of the walking dead, didn’t play as big the part I thought they would (as far as what we are 'used to' with mainstream zombies and hordes of them), but they fit this story well. It was a treat to follow the progress, or lack of, their reanimations. You never knew what version you would get.
I loved the three main characters, but Anna has to be the hands-down favorite for me. A strong and extremely intelligent female character in the wild, wild, west? Yes, please! Cantrell and Creed have their merits, as well; I felt Creed’s pain at various times throughout the story, and Cantrell was no slouch in doing his part in the storyline.
I'm one that really gets immersed in to the story I'm reading, but only if it's worthy. This one was. I may have even shed a couple of tears; a couple of times. I found myself identifying with the characters and some of their pain. I hate being that way while I'm reading, but when all is said and done, if a story makes me laugh, or cry, or tense up during certain situations, I call that a very good read. This one did all three, at various times. Looking forward to more Bodacious Creed! (less)
Let me start off by saying that I've never read anything "steampunk," and I'm not big on westerns, so I wasn't sure what I was in for with this story. I do, however, latch on to most anything touting zombies...
While the story started off rather slow (for me), it did pick up around the fourth chapter. From then on, I could hardly put it down!
The characters were very well-written and believable as far as the everyday 'normal' versions of what you might expect them to be. I did a little fact-checking along the way when I came upon some words that I had doubts about being in use for the time period--I love it when I'm wrong, and I learned the origins of a few! (The author has a blurb at the end of the book [Notes on the Setting] where he says that it isn't an accurate representation of the city because it's in an alternate universe, but the way it's written, it very well could be as far as the time period is concerned.)
The storyline was interesting as far as bringing me into this new genre. Although I'm not much on reading fantasy stories, I am definitely glad I checked this one out. Let me rephrase that: I didn't USED to be into fantasy. There are a few twists in the story that I didn't see coming, so that definitely kept it interesting. There is some sex woven into the storyline, but not enough to really mention, and definitely nothing graphic. The zombies, while not what we may have become accustomed to in the world of the walking dead, didn’t play as big the part I thought they would (as far as what we are 'used to' with mainstream zombies and hordes of them), but they fit this story well. It was a treat to follow the progress, or lack of, their reanimations. You never knew what version you would get.
I loved the three main characters, but Anna has to be the hands-down favorite for me. A strong and extremely intelligent female character in the wild, wild, west? Yes, please! Cantrell and Creed have their merits, as well; I felt Creed’s pain at various times throughout the story, and Cantrell was no slouch in doing his part in the storyline.
I'm one that really gets immersed in to the story I'm reading, but only if it's worthy. This one was. I may have even shed a couple of tears; a couple of times. I found myself identifying with the characters and some of their pain. I hate being that way while I'm reading, but when all is said and done, if a story makes me laugh, or cry, or tense up during certain situations, I call that a very good read. This one did all three, at various times. Looking forward to more Bodacious Creed! (less)
April 8, 2018
Bodacious Creed Bk 1 - Written by Jonathan Fesmire - Reviewed 4/8/18 - Read 3/27-30/18
A Humorous western steampunk zombie with lots of action….
U.S. Marshal James Creed has known loss, starting from the untimely death of his wife and daughter in a sudden fire. His work, chasing down and arresting outlaws across the Wild West, is all he has left to live for. Then one day, in 1876, the infamous killer Corwin Blake catches Creed by surprise and guns him down. Creed awakes after a mysterious young woman resurrects him in a basement laboratory beneath a brothel. Half alive, Creed feels torn between his need for justice and his desire to fall back into the peace of death. Creed's instincts drive him to protect the city of Santa Cruz, California, from the outlaws it harbors while searching for Blake. He uncovers a secret criminal organization, likely protecting Blake, determined to use resurrection technology for its own ends. The former marshal, now faster, stronger, and a deadlier shot than ever before must work with a brothel madam, a bounty hunter, and the remaining marshals to uncover the criminal syndicate before they can misuse the machines of rebirth and create more mindless zombies. Meanwhile, he must also stop Blake, before the outlaw kills the only people he cares about. His own death can wait.
What did I like? I laughed all the way through this book. It was the only thing that kept me going as I caught a terrible cold that turned into double pneumonia. All the laughter aside the research that took place was amazing. We have some of that technology now with things that they are doing for the vets that come home with parts missing. Well, maybe not the raising from the dead but you have to wonder?
What will you like? A great storyline that grows and grows with every page. Funny, interesting, intriguing and emotional all rolled up in the most amazing western story. The characters are fascinating, with lots of facets that keep emerging. The mounting mystery about the secret criminal organization compounds the captivating storyline. As the story progresses you can see the research that the author did with the advanced technology and implements. As an added interest the underlying story of the treatment of women during that period shows through the storyline. Received this from the author for an honest review with no other compensation.
A Humorous western steampunk zombie with lots of action….
U.S. Marshal James Creed has known loss, starting from the untimely death of his wife and daughter in a sudden fire. His work, chasing down and arresting outlaws across the Wild West, is all he has left to live for. Then one day, in 1876, the infamous killer Corwin Blake catches Creed by surprise and guns him down. Creed awakes after a mysterious young woman resurrects him in a basement laboratory beneath a brothel. Half alive, Creed feels torn between his need for justice and his desire to fall back into the peace of death. Creed's instincts drive him to protect the city of Santa Cruz, California, from the outlaws it harbors while searching for Blake. He uncovers a secret criminal organization, likely protecting Blake, determined to use resurrection technology for its own ends. The former marshal, now faster, stronger, and a deadlier shot than ever before must work with a brothel madam, a bounty hunter, and the remaining marshals to uncover the criminal syndicate before they can misuse the machines of rebirth and create more mindless zombies. Meanwhile, he must also stop Blake, before the outlaw kills the only people he cares about. His own death can wait.
What did I like? I laughed all the way through this book. It was the only thing that kept me going as I caught a terrible cold that turned into double pneumonia. All the laughter aside the research that took place was amazing. We have some of that technology now with things that they are doing for the vets that come home with parts missing. Well, maybe not the raising from the dead but you have to wonder?
What will you like? A great storyline that grows and grows with every page. Funny, interesting, intriguing and emotional all rolled up in the most amazing western story. The characters are fascinating, with lots of facets that keep emerging. The mounting mystery about the secret criminal organization compounds the captivating storyline. As the story progresses you can see the research that the author did with the advanced technology and implements. As an added interest the underlying story of the treatment of women during that period shows through the storyline. Received this from the author for an honest review with no other compensation.
January 29, 2018
When I was a kid, I was a big fan of TV westerns. In my old age, I have become a big fan of steampunk, a sub-genre of science fiction and fantasy, in all of its many forms. BODACIOUS CREED is a perfect marriage of the wild, wild West and steam.
As we grow older, it is sometimes difficult to remember those little joys of childhood. I am reminded of a time when I was 8 or 9 years old when I used to play TV westerns with the kid next door. We had bikes for horses and six-shooter cap guns. We became the heroes and bad guys from our favorite shows. We had no grass or dirt paths, but in a child's imagination, even concrete Bronx sidewalks can be dusty trails with tumbleweeds. Jonathan Fesmire brought all that back with his descriptions of U.S. Marshals, bounty hunters, and their horses.
What I am not is a fan of current zombie fiction… no Walking Dead for me. Such zombies are just too nihilistic. I have always had a fascination with Voodoo and its tradition of creating a zombie slaves. As horrible as that may be, at least they don't feed on others to make more of their kind.
So how do steampunk cowboys end up with zombies? Steampunk is a very broad spectrum sub-genre of science fiction. As such, there is an 'anything goes' acceptance of everything so long as it runs on steam and can be described as mechanical. Extrapolate from that the need for gears and levers and add in the ether (or aether) and you have all the ingredients for raising the dead with science rather than ritual.
Although the setting is Santa Cruz, California, there is a Dodge Cityesque saloon run by a "soiled dove." Anna Lynn Boyd is the strong, intelligent woman who happens to be the madam of The House of the Amber Doves. This is her story as much as it is U.S. Marshal James Creed's.
While reading BODACIOUS CREED, the movie "Cowboys and Aliens" kept coming to mind. That was a must see movie for me that I truly enjoyed. There is something about the flavor of this book and that movie that seem to overlap. Also, if you are a fan of the Will Smith movie "The Wild, Wild West" you might just love this book as much as I did.
So without telling the story, what we have here is a well-written tale capable of making an old soul feel young again. That feat of legerdemain is accomplished with charismatic, well developed characters and writing that pays homage to attention to detail without getting bogged down in repetitive minutia.
I would highly recommend that upon finishing this book you avail yourself of the short story offer on Jonathan Fesmire's website. "The Obstructed Engine" provides a starting point for some of the characters in the Creedverse.
Oh yes, and I love the cover art.
Merged review:
Since I recently read and reviewed the eBook BODACIOUS CREED, I concentrated on the narration while listening to the Audible edition. I have often read print books and then listened to the audio version in the past; however, I have not done this before in such close proximity in time. Where the author of the words in print dictates the tone of a book, it is the narrator that is the tone of the audiobook. D. Golden's use of her voice gives each character distinct personality. Her voice for the nineteen year old sociopath, Corwin Blake, is irritatingly spot on.
I did notice that Ms. Golden pronounced one or two words throughout the book in a way that made me think she is pretty young and unfamiliar with them. Most notably, the way she said 'hearth' which, by some reckoning, might be a somewhat archaic term.
I often wonder if the popularity of audiobooks goes beyond convenience. When I listen, the days of bedtime stories always crosses my mind. This may also be due to the fact that I almost can't go to sleep without reading my own version of the bedtime story. The drawback, of course, to listening before sleep is that one can lose one's place and have to figure out just how far back to go in order to get the whole story. I read the eBook so recently that if I did miss a bit in the listening, memory filled in the blanks. I have also gotten in the habit of noting the Audible chapter number (which always seems to be the author's chapter plus one) before I turn out the light.
So much for the audiobook; on to the book review. Having read and listened just days apart, the following is my review of the book as it appears on Goodreads and Amazon.
When I was a kid, I was a big fan of TV westerns. In my old age, I have become a big fan of steampunk, a sub-genre of science fiction and fantasy, in all of its many forms. BODACIOUS CREED is a perfect marriage of the wild, wild West and steam.
As we grow older, it is sometimes difficult to remember those little joys of childhood. I am reminded of a time when I was 8 or 9 years old when I used to play TV westerns with the kid next door. We had bikes for horses and six-shooter cap guns. We became the heroes and bad guys from our favorite shows. We had no grass or dirt paths, but in a child's imagination, even concrete Bronx sidewalks can be dusty trails with tumbleweeds. Jonathan Fesmire brought all that back with his descriptions of U.S. Marshals, bounty hunters, and their horses.
What I am not is a fan of current zombie fiction… no Walking Dead for me. Such zombies are just too nihilistic. I have always had a fascination with Voodoo and its tradition of creating a zombie slaves. As horrible as that may be, at least they don't feed on others to make more of their kind.
So how do steampunk cowboys end up with zombies? Steampunk is a very broad spectrum sub-genre of science fiction. As such, there is an 'anything goes' acceptance of everything so long as it runs on steam and can be described as mechanical. Extrapolate from that the need for gears and levers and add in the ether (or aether) and you have all the ingredients for raising the dead with science rather than ritual.
Although the setting is Santa Cruz, California, there is a Dodge Cityesque saloon run by a "soiled dove." Anna Lynn Boyd is the strong, intelligent woman who happens to be the madam of The House of the Amber Doves. This is her story as much as it is U.S. Marshal James Creed's.
While reading BODACIOUS CREED, the movie "Cowboys and Aliens" kept coming to mind. That was a must see movie for me that I truly enjoyed. There is something about the flavor of this book and that movie that seem to overlap. Also, if you are a fan of the Will Smith movie "The Wild, Wild West" you might just love this book as much as I did.
So without telling the story, what we have here is a well-written tale capable of making an old soul feel young again. That feat of legerdemain is accomplished with charismatic, well developed characters and writing that pays homage to attention to detail without getting bogged down in repetitive minutia.
I would highly recommend that upon finishing this book you avail yourself of the short story offer on Jonathan Fesmire's website. "The Obstructed Engine" provides a starting point for some of the characters in the Creedverse.
Oh yes, and I love the cover art.
As we grow older, it is sometimes difficult to remember those little joys of childhood. I am reminded of a time when I was 8 or 9 years old when I used to play TV westerns with the kid next door. We had bikes for horses and six-shooter cap guns. We became the heroes and bad guys from our favorite shows. We had no grass or dirt paths, but in a child's imagination, even concrete Bronx sidewalks can be dusty trails with tumbleweeds. Jonathan Fesmire brought all that back with his descriptions of U.S. Marshals, bounty hunters, and their horses.
What I am not is a fan of current zombie fiction… no Walking Dead for me. Such zombies are just too nihilistic. I have always had a fascination with Voodoo and its tradition of creating a zombie slaves. As horrible as that may be, at least they don't feed on others to make more of their kind.
So how do steampunk cowboys end up with zombies? Steampunk is a very broad spectrum sub-genre of science fiction. As such, there is an 'anything goes' acceptance of everything so long as it runs on steam and can be described as mechanical. Extrapolate from that the need for gears and levers and add in the ether (or aether) and you have all the ingredients for raising the dead with science rather than ritual.
Although the setting is Santa Cruz, California, there is a Dodge Cityesque saloon run by a "soiled dove." Anna Lynn Boyd is the strong, intelligent woman who happens to be the madam of The House of the Amber Doves. This is her story as much as it is U.S. Marshal James Creed's.
While reading BODACIOUS CREED, the movie "Cowboys and Aliens" kept coming to mind. That was a must see movie for me that I truly enjoyed. There is something about the flavor of this book and that movie that seem to overlap. Also, if you are a fan of the Will Smith movie "The Wild, Wild West" you might just love this book as much as I did.
So without telling the story, what we have here is a well-written tale capable of making an old soul feel young again. That feat of legerdemain is accomplished with charismatic, well developed characters and writing that pays homage to attention to detail without getting bogged down in repetitive minutia.
I would highly recommend that upon finishing this book you avail yourself of the short story offer on Jonathan Fesmire's website. "The Obstructed Engine" provides a starting point for some of the characters in the Creedverse.
Oh yes, and I love the cover art.
Merged review:
Since I recently read and reviewed the eBook BODACIOUS CREED, I concentrated on the narration while listening to the Audible edition. I have often read print books and then listened to the audio version in the past; however, I have not done this before in such close proximity in time. Where the author of the words in print dictates the tone of a book, it is the narrator that is the tone of the audiobook. D. Golden's use of her voice gives each character distinct personality. Her voice for the nineteen year old sociopath, Corwin Blake, is irritatingly spot on.
I did notice that Ms. Golden pronounced one or two words throughout the book in a way that made me think she is pretty young and unfamiliar with them. Most notably, the way she said 'hearth' which, by some reckoning, might be a somewhat archaic term.
I often wonder if the popularity of audiobooks goes beyond convenience. When I listen, the days of bedtime stories always crosses my mind. This may also be due to the fact that I almost can't go to sleep without reading my own version of the bedtime story. The drawback, of course, to listening before sleep is that one can lose one's place and have to figure out just how far back to go in order to get the whole story. I read the eBook so recently that if I did miss a bit in the listening, memory filled in the blanks. I have also gotten in the habit of noting the Audible chapter number (which always seems to be the author's chapter plus one) before I turn out the light.
So much for the audiobook; on to the book review. Having read and listened just days apart, the following is my review of the book as it appears on Goodreads and Amazon.
When I was a kid, I was a big fan of TV westerns. In my old age, I have become a big fan of steampunk, a sub-genre of science fiction and fantasy, in all of its many forms. BODACIOUS CREED is a perfect marriage of the wild, wild West and steam.
As we grow older, it is sometimes difficult to remember those little joys of childhood. I am reminded of a time when I was 8 or 9 years old when I used to play TV westerns with the kid next door. We had bikes for horses and six-shooter cap guns. We became the heroes and bad guys from our favorite shows. We had no grass or dirt paths, but in a child's imagination, even concrete Bronx sidewalks can be dusty trails with tumbleweeds. Jonathan Fesmire brought all that back with his descriptions of U.S. Marshals, bounty hunters, and their horses.
What I am not is a fan of current zombie fiction… no Walking Dead for me. Such zombies are just too nihilistic. I have always had a fascination with Voodoo and its tradition of creating a zombie slaves. As horrible as that may be, at least they don't feed on others to make more of their kind.
So how do steampunk cowboys end up with zombies? Steampunk is a very broad spectrum sub-genre of science fiction. As such, there is an 'anything goes' acceptance of everything so long as it runs on steam and can be described as mechanical. Extrapolate from that the need for gears and levers and add in the ether (or aether) and you have all the ingredients for raising the dead with science rather than ritual.
Although the setting is Santa Cruz, California, there is a Dodge Cityesque saloon run by a "soiled dove." Anna Lynn Boyd is the strong, intelligent woman who happens to be the madam of The House of the Amber Doves. This is her story as much as it is U.S. Marshal James Creed's.
While reading BODACIOUS CREED, the movie "Cowboys and Aliens" kept coming to mind. That was a must see movie for me that I truly enjoyed. There is something about the flavor of this book and that movie that seem to overlap. Also, if you are a fan of the Will Smith movie "The Wild, Wild West" you might just love this book as much as I did.
So without telling the story, what we have here is a well-written tale capable of making an old soul feel young again. That feat of legerdemain is accomplished with charismatic, well developed characters and writing that pays homage to attention to detail without getting bogged down in repetitive minutia.
I would highly recommend that upon finishing this book you avail yourself of the short story offer on Jonathan Fesmire's website. "The Obstructed Engine" provides a starting point for some of the characters in the Creedverse.
Oh yes, and I love the cover art.
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